Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, May 16, 1994 TAG: 9405170017
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
In making these accusations, Eddy never bothered to check the facts. If he had, he'd have learned the following:
nThe local sponsor for this radio show, WVTF public radio, suggested absolutely nothing to Michael Feldman as a basis for local humor. In the month leading up to the show, he received the Roanoke Times & World-News at his home in Wisconsin. He also read a history of Roanoke and a collection of newspaper articles from former newspaper writer Mike Ives to learn more about the area.
nFeldman's style of humor is from the spontaneous conversation with guests and members of the audience. He makes his living poking good-natured fun at his prey.
nMayor Bowers met Feldman for the first time backstage, just moments before the show, and discussed nothing in advance. Dozens of people who attended have remarked to me how well the mayor handled the situation.
Although Feldman lives half-way across the country, I dare say it didn't take this outsider long to figure out the problems we have here. Rather than attacking the mayor, Eddy should examine the larger issue. That is: Why do some local officials give a comedian like Feldman so much material to work with?
|STEVE MILLS |Station Manager |WVTF Public Radio |ROANOKE
Is a ward|
system beneficial?|
UNDERSTANDABLY, a segment of Roanoke city residents think they'd be better off with a ward system. Before a concerted effort is made in that direction, they may wish to look beyond city limits at the Roanoke County example of five wards. Simply put, no resident is effectively represented by more than one-fifth of the county's Board of Supervisors, and we're told that only an act of God can change it. Think about it.
Incidentally, Roanoke County's new budget amounts to $85 million - approximately $1,000 for every man, woman and child for one year. Think about that!
|JOHN MARFLEET |ROANOKE
The Spotted owl|
is alive and well|
HOW MUCH old-growth forest must be protected from timber-cutting to ensure the Northern spotted owl will not become extinct? Twenty-five million acres, 15 million, 10 million or 3 million? Actually, no acres need to be set aside.
The Northern spotted owl isn't a species at all; it's an isolated population of a species that's not endangered in its other habitats.
And guess what. Recently, it's been discovered living happily in second-growth forests.
Seems to me that global warming and the asbestos scare are of the same ilk. These are just a few of the lies our government has forced on us. What's next?
|DON M. KOTCHISH |SALEM
Ollie North hid|
in the corner|
REGARDING April 29 news articles by staff writers Dwayne Yancey (``Group holds Northless debate'') and David M. Poole (``Robb talks tough on cutting budget deficit''):
Col. North unnecessarily avoided the April 28 debate, sponsored by United We Stand, with his Republican opponent, Jim Miller.
Yancey quotes North spokesman Dan McLagen: ``We're not going to give Jim Miller a platform from which to throw more mud at Ollie.''
All of the invited candidates knew that the United We Stand debate rules disallow personal attacks on opponents. WFIR's Roger Fowler, debate moderator, reiterated the rule and announced his intention to apply it, even in North's absence. Miller was most accommodating.
Poole reported that ``Mr. Robb was pleased that the Democratic candidates' debate (sponsored by United We Stand in Fairfax on April 28) steered clear of questions about extramarital relationships ... '' Robb is quoted as saying: `` ... I can shift the focus to issues ... ''
Last fall, United We Stand openly commended then-candidate George Allen for meticulous behavior in this regard before its forum in Roanoke.
North may best be advised to linger not in the corner after the bell for the next round.
|JOHN RYAN |Member, United We Stand |ROANOKE
Boucher represents|
constituents' views|
REGARDING the April 30 editorial, ``Boucher's bad vote'':
It must have come as a total shock to this newspaper when Rick Boucher, our 9th District congressional representative, chose to truly represent his constituents and voted against the ban on 19 so-called assault weapons. It's refreshing to see that democracy may still be alive and well.
Semiautomatic, as well as all other weapons, may be used in criminal activity. However, it hardly seems reasonable to punish, and possibly criminalize, millions of law-abiding citizens who legally purchased these weapons for legal purposes, in a feeble attempt to remove them from the criminal element. There are already sufficient laws to keep all weapons out of the hands of (in your words) ``drug dealers, juvenile delinquents and the mentally deranged.''
It's obvious this bill is just another attempt to use isolated incidents to create a crisis and further erode the constitutional rights of those posing no threat to society.
The final words of your editorial stated ``shame on him.'' It's questionable whether this newspaper possesses the moral high ground to pronounce shame on anyone.
|JAMES E. WHITE |HILLSVILLE
State should elect|
a 'virtual unknown'|
I SUPPORT Virgil Goode in the June 14 Democratic primary against Chuck Robb. We need someone who can effectively represent our state in Washington, someone not tainted by moral questions. Goode seems to be just the person.
While I don't agree with every vote he's made in the past 20 years, he seems solid, respected and truly concerned, which is so rare in a politician. Let's all help this virtual unknown get known - and elected.
|MARTHA ANN NAFF |ROCKY MOUNT
Dog-eat-dog sports|
are losing out|
I READ the May 1 sports articles by staff writer Brian DeVido about the ``apathy'' of high-school students and their lack of interest in playing high-school sports, especially football (``Football coaches ask kids to get with the program'' and ``Communities play a big part in team effort''). There are other explanations for this so-called indifference.
Coaches are beginning to reap the reward for the attitude they've sowed since I was in high school: Winning is everything; losing is nothing; participation is neither. There's too much pressure to win. Only the biggest, fastest and best athletes were even considered eligible for many years, unless the school was desperate. The year your school had the horses, you trampled the competition. Other years, you suffered.
If schools allowed players to try out and remain on the team, and if they fostered a better attitude toward competition, teamwork and sportsmanship, more parents would encourage children to play. You'd also see less controversy over shaking hands after sporting events.
Another reason is the danger, perceived by parents, of coaches asking too much of ill-trained or physically unprepared student athletes. I don't want my son to play football. When I was a not-so-sensible 16- to 18-year-old, who had the desire and guts, but not the speed and size to play football, I suffered a concussion, knee damage and other injuries that haunt me in the form of osteoarthritis. I'll use a cane or crutches by age 50.
Children benefit from wholesome competition and rewards for improving physical and mental skills. A balance needs to be struck between giving every child a worthless trophy and the dog-eat-dog attitude of professional sports. Until school systems, administrators and coaches figure that out, programs they'd like to have blossom will wither for lack of interest. Private, less-competitive leagues like youth soccer, softball, volleyball, etc., will continue to grow at their expense.
|BILL YANCEY |BLACKSBURG
by CNB