Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, April 9, 1994 TAG: 9404110125
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
As a long-time cigarette smoker, I resent being treated like a pariah. I'll go along with nonsmoking in certain places, but I don't need Big Brother trying to regulate (or tax) cigarettes out of existence ``for my own good.'' Whatever happened to freedom of choice?
Do they really think those who smoke don't know that cigarettes are not good for them? If I choose to smoke, that's my business. I'd wager that alcohol abuse has destroyed more lives and families than cigarettes. But no, wage a campaign against cigarette smokers. They're ordinary people who're not accustomed to fighting bureaucracy, so it will be easy and make the bureaucrats look good.
As for the letter writer who said she had a right to breathe air not polluted by cigarette smoke (April 2, ``Smokers' rights end where others' begin'' by Beth Cosmato), doesn't she mind about the hydrocarbons she breathes every day in traffic? Surely, no one's stupid enough to believe the smog we're blanketed with most of the summer is caused by cigarettes.
Just remember, when you're crusading for the rights of nonsmokers and planning your campaign against cigarettes, that we smokers have rights, too. And one of these rights is to vote.
FREDA G. RAFFERTY ROANOKE
Clute doesn't need to change her spots
NORTH admitted he lied under official pressure; Robb admitted he's been unfaithful to his wife. Can these leopards change their spots? Luckily, we don't have to choose between them!
Sylvia Clute is a candidate for the Senate who has excellent preparation: a bachelor's degree in political science; a master's in public administration; a law degree; a year in France studying European economics.
She has an excellent record: an outstanding law practice; success in business and banking. She's an advocate for women's rights and abused children, and has been successful getting bills passed that she had written for these purposes. No spots!
She proposes educating Virginians for the technical cleanup of the environment, the top market for growth in the world's economy today. She argues that communities with poor resources must receive sufficient federal funds for their children's schools; that Virginia children be educated in technical skills as well as the basics. She says that crime can be lessened by closer cooperation of neighborhoods and individuals with an increased police force. She proposes immediate tax reduction and wiser use of tax dollars.
MARY LINDA SMYTH BLACKSBURG
Republicans hinder rather than help
PEOPLE of the United States are entitled to have Congress do the work we hired them for. We need jobs, health-care reform, campaign reform, welfare reform and a tough and smart crime bill. Republicans in Congress seem to spend their time and energy complaining about President and Mrs. Clinton. They should get on with the nation's business or get out of the way.
AUGUSTUS C. JOHNSON SYRIA
Discrimination against dental care
THE STRUCTURALLY inherent discrimination against poor people became clear to me recently when finding out there's no affordable dental care available to those over 21 years old, unless you need someone to pull your tooth after it rots. The Free Clinic and/or Health Department will do this, but certain restrictions apply.
Medicaid won't pay for dental care to those over 21 years of age in Virginia, and only four dentists in the Roanoke area offer their services to Medicaid-covered children. Some won't see children over 5 years old unless they've been seen previously.
Discrimination at the government level and the thinking that perpetuates it allows for horrible happenings and then justifies the same. Separate bathrooms and water fountains for blacks and whites used to be deemed appropriate and will serve as a case in point: White bathrooms were allowed to be cleaned; black fountains and rest rooms weren't. This ``showed'' that blacks were dirty and gave those in power their why, which was really only an awful lie.
Allowing poor people's teeth to rot by disallowing affordable dental care is a breeding ground for this same kind of horribly wrong mentality. When looking at us, you think we don't care about ourselves, which makes it easier for you not to care. And we won't be the ones with jobs in two years (after we aren't allowed to be poor anymore) because you won't hire us. Unemployment will be our lot, but this, too, could be deemed our fault. After all, just look how bad we let it get.
PAULA A. KIRTLEY ROANOKE
Toddler's doodle may be best route
READING the newspaper recently about Interstate 73's possible corridors, I was amazed that people reacted to the project in such varied ways. It's nice to know that the ``spirit of Virginia'' is out there in full swing: politicians all out for progress, politically, that is; scientists for technological advances; environmentalists for preservation; and residents wanting peace and quiet.
As I read along, I was interrupted by my 18-month-old grandson who got hold of a pen and started scribbling on the newspaper page. I realize now that he was expressing his opinion on the I-73 issue as he drew a zigzagging line. Oddly enough, I work for the Virginia Department of Transportation. Maybe I should present his idea to my superiors.
EDDIE C. VELOSO ROANOKE
Enough already with VMI-bashing
GEOFF Seamans' March 13 column on the Virginia Military Institute (``Coeducation would change VMI - and VMI needs it''), in which he draws comparisons between Washington and Lee and VMI, simply illustrates his lack of knowledge of VMI and its mission.
I'm sure that I'm not the only one in your circulation area who has had enough of your VMI-bashing by writers (not journalists) who haven't done their homework.
THOMAS D. KELLY LEXINGTON
by CNB