Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 3, 1994 TAG: 9404040159
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
As more people are working less, we need to educate our children, those who are between jobs and the retired to more productive play. By this, I mean awakening their interest in productive leisure, such as painting, writing, making music, crafts, hobbies and sports.
I suspect it takes a keenly observant teacher to spot some people's natural talent. There are too many of us today who let our minds and bodies rot because we've never found out what we're good at.
The Roanoke Valley can give itself an eagerness for life by building on its people's work ethic to develop their play ethic. We must depend on schools and colleges to help us with more emphasis on arts and hand-eye-ear skills; less emphasis on the attitude ``get trained to earn your living'' and more on ``learn this to help you live.''
We can combine the best of Greenwich Village, Taos and San Francisco to create a beautiful, vibrant, living valley.
GILL WRIGHT ROANOKE
Robb supported a tax increase
ON MARCH 14, Sen. Robb crisscrossed the state announcing his candidacy for re-election to the U.S. Senate.
After his speech, he was questioned by several reporters concerning his past conduct relating to the lack of character. He declined to respond to any such questions.
I'll not bring up the character issue because not only Robb but the Clinton administration and several members of Congress don't consider the topic important enough to worry about.
Why did Robb go along with a large majority of congressional Democrats and vote for the deficit-reduction package, or a tax increase? It was clear that a large majority of Virginians - those he's supposed to represent - opposed the deficit-reduction bill. Several polls indicated that. Additionally, didn't Robb notice that candidate Clinton didn't carry Virginia?
The so-called deficit-reduction plan wouldn't have passed if Robb had voted against the bill. Therefore, one could hold him directly responsible for raising every Virginian's taxes!
Virginia can do better than Sen. ``massage only'' Robb.
JOHN PORTER CLOVERDALE
TV violence is a parents' matter
REGARDING the controversy over violence on television:
I wonder why politicians, especially Attorney General Janet Reno, are sticking their noses into it? I have no problem with the amount of violence on television today. Acts of violence are usually the main stories of the news media. From Tonya Harding to Lorena Bobbitt, such stories are nightly news features. For all who think violence is bad: I'm sure these stories kept your eye on the TV set. You probably didn't turn the channel, right?
The simple solution for those who are opposed to violence on television would be to change the channel or, if all else fails, turn off the television.
If you don't want your kids watching Beavis & Butthead, don't let them. Parents are responsible for who watches what on television in their house. In my house when Mom said no to something I wanted to watch, that stood.
There's no reason for this issue to be before Congress. Parents in the '90s have options to what their kids watch or don't watch.
RANDY SHILLING ROANOKE
Jury's compassion was misdirected
BILLY Layne is blessed. I want him to pick lottery numbers for me, because I know of no one else who could be so lucky.
The jury showed compassion, but misdirected. It should have been for Phadra's parents, family and friends and to her memory. She wasn't only taken from this life, but taken brutally - by the hands of a family member.
If she'd been attacked by a dog, the dog would have been put to death. Layne is less than an animal. He knows right from wrong; he could have received help while still incarcerated. Yet he chose not only to abuse Phadra, but to return and take the life of this innocent little girl, unable to defend herself.
RENE HORNE VINTON
A few votes vs. saving lives
AFTER watching the ABC television program, ``While America Watched, the Bosnian Tragedy,'' and seeing death and destruction in Bosnia, I've concluded that those in power in Washington can, and do, ruin anything and fix nothing. That is, unless there's monetary or political favor to be gained.
In the Gulf War, we unleashed the finest military force in history on Iraq and destroyed one of the largest armies in the world in a matter of days. I cannot believe we did this for anything other than oil interests.
After watching our planes fly through a maze of anti-aircraft artillery over Baghdad and their success in delivering their payloads, I cannot believe they couldn't have stopped the Serbs in Bosnia in a matter of hours. With determination and love in our hearts for our fellow human beings, we could have saved thousands of Bosnia civilians from the death and brutality that's been inflicted upon them.
Were politicians afraid of losing a few votes?
WALTER H. HANKINS ROANOKE
by CNB