Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 15, 1994 TAG: 9407140110
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A burst of strong applause from me! I'm writing primarily to reassure those whose unfamiliarity with this form of medical care may make them pull back with unease, perhaps even fear.
My husband was enrolled in an HMO in upstate New York for a considerable period before he died, mostly because we were finding that medical costs, notably prescriptions, were becoming budget busters. Yes, he died, but that was inevitable. The quality of care he received during his last three-plus years was superb. Granted, he just may have been lucky in his choice of a primary-care physician (``gatekeeper''). But this young doctor gave him more time, and more personal and genuine concern, than he'd ever received previously. Also, every specialist who was called in on his case was of the finest caliber. There were no delays, shortcuts or runarounds. And - oh joy! - that maze of paper work was removed completely from our lives.
So, fellow Southwest Virginians, welcome the HMO!
MARILYN D. FRY
HARDY
Memorial Day takes on new meaning
I HAD NEVER attended a Memorial Day observance in downtown Roanoke before; this year's was my first. I had wondered why we'd want to remember a bunch of dead people, which is what Memorial Day is all about. What did their deaths mean to me?
I'm finding out the hard way what those deaths meant, and mean to me today. It's hard to see the connection because a lot isn't said today about the different wars fought to protect our country from outside aggressors. However, when I see my freedoms being eroded every day from within this country, it makes me value more highly those rights I see slipping away. And I can see that freedom has a price tag: sacrifice and commitment to a country, a set of values, beliefs, and to God.
The crowd wasn't large, and it was made up mostly of elderly veterans from the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, other older vets and their families. Where were the people my age - middle-aged and younger? Where's their sense of patriotism? Are we fighting a losing battle to still believe ``God shed his grace on thee,'' America? I hope that we'll wake up and pray before this country is all gone.
AMANDA DAVIS
BOONES MILL
Rich Patch eviction was unnecessary
I WAS appalled by the news article about the Rich Patch residents' displacement in the May 31 Roanoke Times & World-News (``Luck runs out for Rich Patch'' by Cathryn McCue). How can anyone be so insensitive? Here these four families had lived in these houses for an average of 50 years, and some uptown Roanoke lawyer tells the sister of this great Carolyn Nettleton that the tenants posed ``too great a legal risk to allow them to stay,'' and that there was ``nothing to gain. They were paying token rent.''
How absurd! This was their home! Why couldn't the rent be changed to something less ``token,'' $100 or so, and these people be allowed to remain there until their death? Why did they have to be uprooted after all these years?
LIBBIE McCUTCHEON
ROANOKE
Clinton's presence marred occasion
I REALLY enjoyed, although that may not to be the appropriate word, the coverage of the D-Day commemoration.
We have so much to be grateful for in this country, most of which seems to be received with a ho-hum attitude by far too many Americans. I'm proud to have served, and proud that both my sons have worn their country's uniform.
Only one thing changes my tears from those of compassion and gratitude to those of anger and frustration, and that's the audacity and brazeness of the presence of "Slick the Sedionist." I'm sorry, but his presence was more desecration than commemoration. I understand he had a crash course on what D-Day was all about, which sinks my convictions that much deeper. If he were any man at all, he would have sent a more honorable and worthy representative than himself. President or not, he has no right to be associated with our armed forces in any way.
Will 1996 ever get here?
Bob Johnson
Ferrum
Get on with veteran's memorial
It seems that everywhere I go I hear about the World War II memorial Roanoke doesn't have. When a few veterans talked with officials, they were told that they were "way down on the city's list of priorities."
These men fought and were willing to give their lives for this country, and some knew they wouldn't be coming back. Doesn't bravery like that deserve to be recognized?
Roanoke, get on the ball!
Wayne Looney
Blue Ridge
by CNB