Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 9, 1994 TAG: 9402090196
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Are the Menendez brothers responsible for killing their parents? It would seem not. They admit to committing the act; however, it's the parents who are responsible because of years of undocumented ``abuse.'' The rioters who were captured on film repeatedly smashing a man's head with bricks admit it was them, but they were the real victims - victims of society. Therefore, they weren't responsible for their actions. What they did to their victim was merely a form of expression of societal discontent. The justice system seems to agree. The examples continue.
Recently, a woman severed a man's penis in a bout of temporary insanity lasting only during the hideous maiming. She's now come back to her senses and because of that has been acquitted. The plea of temporary insanity means, simply: ``For an instant I did not act normal. I was sane before the crime and am sane now ... but at that moment I was not responsible for my actions.'' You can see how this plea can have nearly limitless uses in excusing someone's behavior in a variety of circumstances.
What's really on trial are the principles of our society. We, as a society and as individuals, must take responsibility for our deeds. We cannot hide beneath the cloak of someone or something else. This nation was built on many noble ideals, the noblest of which are the principles of freedom and liberty. These two ideals are inexplicably linked to individual responsibility. When we begin to remember this, we'll finally be responsible for reclaiming the lost ideal of justice for all.
ANDREW MALANGA
ROANOKE
Finally, a good word for Clinton
READING the Jan. 24 letter to the editor by Nino A. Sylmar from Pulaski (``Clinton giving his all to job''), I was so glad that someone could express the way I felt much better than I could.
Bob Dole is so puffed up with his self-importance that he's lost sight of why he's in Washington, namely to help see that we have a good government and to promote the best for us. Instead, he whines because his party lost and does all that he can to see that the American people lose, too. Ross Perot is like a little rooster, crowing as loud as he can to stir up trouble and just to hear himself crow. While sending these two to Outer Mongolia, send Oliver North along with them. They'd make a good trio singing ``How Great I Am''! North should've been sent somewhere a long time ago. I cannot believe anyone with any sense could vote for a one-time convicted felon to sit in the Senate and help run our country. He should've been run out of the country for what he did, instead of being allowed to run for an important office.
Even though we don't always get our man elected as president, I feel the person elected should be respected, if not for himself then for the office he holds. I, too, am tired of the Clinton-bashing, slurs about Hillary and all the name-calling! If we can't say something good about our president and his family, don't say anything. After all, look back in history and see what some of our forefathers did.
ESTHER G. REED
SALEM
Media rantings are harm's way
THE MEDIA, with their constant diatribe against guns, may do more harm than good. The incessant ranting about guns surely makes them more desirable to adolescents. Every mother knows that prohibited objects are the most alluring. Further, if all their cherished restrictions were enacted into law, it would impact crime about as much as a hiccup does a hurricane. Guns aren't the answer; they aren't even the question.
Our criminal-justice system is broken, perhaps beyond repair. Bleeding-heart judges, endless appeals, revolving-door sentences, etc., all contribute to a system criminals, especially juveniles, manipulate and have no fear of. Why should they fear such a system?
In addition, we've removed God from our schools and from much of our public life. Ancient, proven moral precepts are cast aside in favor of modern philosophy - ``If it feels good, do it'' and other such destructive nonsense. As a result, many young people have the morals of a jungle animal.
And why not? If there's no fear of punishment and of God, what other restraints are there? Elected officials and public figures who propose gun control as a panacea for a problem of this magnitude surely reveal their own lack of wisdom and understanding. Attributes sadly lacking in our leaders.
The situation with our youth didn't occur overnight. Today's youngsters are offsprings of the '60s flower children with their tune-in, turn-on and drop-out philosophy. Are we perhaps being visited by the sins of the fathers?
The media should take a hard look at their agenda and try something constructive, or at least adopt part of the physician's code: First, cause no harm.
KENNETH D. MOTHENA
WOODLAWN
Start obeying God's laws
LATELY, the media's been filled with reports of rampant violence in our society. The question of how we'll pay for more jail time for repeat offenders (``three strikes and you're out'') has been posed with no real plausible answer. Criminals, meanwhile, receive millions from books and movies detailing their stories.
Why can't we just admit that God was right in instituting the death penalty? Yes, that's right, capital-punishment opponents. I said God instituted the death penalty. You spend all your time preaching ``God is love,'' but fail to see (or choose to ignore) the real Holy God of the Bible. You just can't pick out Scriptures that suit your fancy. Get real! How could God be love if he didn't arrange for murderers to get the punishment they deserve in this life? Contrary to your belief, none of us deserve even the first chance at life, much less a second one after committing such heinous crimes as those reported.
Think of the misery we would have been spared the past 2,000 years had we followed God's law. He saw this problem before the world began and gave us the solution, which we refuse to accept.
DEBBY SPENCER
ROANOKE
The news business may be next
THE JAN. 29 editorial, ``Blowing economic smoke,'' gives the impression the Roanoke Times & World-News endorses President Clinton's plan to single out one industry to pay for his health plan.
At present time, federal and state taxes are 15 times greater than the cost of raw tobacco that goes into a pack of cigarettes. A good acre of tobacco will gross a farmer about $4,000, whereas the federal and state tax will add up to approximately $62,000 an acre at the present level. Not only does this seem excessive, it seems outrageous. And along comes President Clinton who wants to make it even higher.
If Clinton succeeds in destroying the tobacco industry in the name of his health-care plan and the current $11 billion a year in federal and state taxes all dry up, where will the money come from then to finance his plan? What will be the next industry he can destroy through outlandish taxes heaped upon it? Where can Uncle Sam turn to fill the gap the tobacco industry had filled for so long?
How about a federal tax of $1 per newspaper? The rationale being that it will raise productivity. People will get up in the morning, exercise or go straight to work. No need to smoke a cigarette or read the paper - it's too expensive. Think of the trees it would save. Fewer people reading the newspaper means less paper to manufacture and less paper to fill up landfills.
Does this sound a bit outlandish? Maybe. But if Clinton succeeds in singling out industries to tax out of existence to pay for a bureaucratic nightmare such as his health-care plan, look out when the tobacco industry is gone. The money will have to come from somewhere. Your industry could be next.
JEFF D. DUDLEY
Tobacco farmer
MONETA
Don't blame history lessons on violence
THANKS, Salem schools, for teaching our children to be critical thinkers. The Munleys' daughter (Jan. 24 letter to the editor by Cynthia and Frank Munley, ``Don't teach `benefits' of war'') shared a history lesson about the benefits of a war. Her parents should be pleased that she has a teacher who teaches her all sides of issues.
No one denies wars bring death and destruction. In the Civil War, for example, more Americans lost their lives than in any other war. It showed that Americans have a great deal of stamina and determination. It made one nation out of us and showed us that, when united, we could be a great nation. The Civil War ended slavery and dedicated us to the ideal of equality for all men and women.
Violence isn't a major community problem in Salem, and our children are taught that human behavior has both costs and benefits. In Salem's social-studies curriculum, most teachers challenge students to seek truth, to interpret history in the spirit of the time, and to think for themselves. Let's not blame teachers and history lessons for our communities' violence.
PAT FISHER
SALEM
by CNB