Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, June 20, 1994 TAG: 9406270111
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The Friends group has not collaborated with developer Steve Strauss or any other party on this issue. We're aware of and understand the Cotton Hill Residents group sentiment. But we've had no formal dialogue or meetings on the issue. Strauss has been a member of Friends since last September, entitling him to one vote in all general elections. Although he hasn't, as of this writing, attended or participated in any Friends functions, we welcome his input. In the future, we hope there'll be opportunities for constructive dialogue, but to say that exists today is premature.
The Roanoke viewshed controversy last fall was a learning experience for our fledgling organization. Under the guidance of Roanoke County Administrator Elmer Hodge, his staff and key Roanoke supervisors, a compromise agreement was crafted that included a moratorium on the most sensitive segments of the land in question. That compromise isn't an adequate solution, but it served to diffuse an otherwise intolerable situation for all. Out of that controversy, as this newspaper has reported, has grown a network of public, private and nonprofit organizations working together on longer-term solutions.
The Coalition for the Blue Ridge Parkway has worked tirelessly on a grass-roots movement to bring land-use and preservation of natural areas to the table of constructive public debate and planning. Former 6th District Congressman Jim Olin and his counterpart in western North Carolina, Jamie Clarke, were elected as the coalition's co-chairs, and a work plan is being refined that will more effectively bring public officials, land owners, developers and environmentalists together.
Friends recognizes the wisdom of a real grass-roots approach to parkway preservation. We must find ways to balance the equation of preservation and economic development. Friends will proceed with caution toward parkway preservation, working with peers in the coalition with a long-range, conciliatory philosophy and a pragmatic, down-to-earth approach. Friends will work with people to care for our most precious legacy - the land.
VERA H. GUISE
Director, Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Inc.
ARDEN, N.C.
Contempt shown for American people
CONGRESS has been depicted as some evil entity by Oliver North and his fanatical supporters. The fact that he lied to Congress has been applauded as some noble deed by the far right.
Congress members, be they Republican, Democrat, crook, saint or space alien, are elected representatives of the people of the United States. When North lied to and showed utter contempt for Congress upon being called to account for his illegal activity, he lied to and showed contempt for this nation's citizens.
In earlier days, he would have faded into obscurity. Today, however, by virtue of eroding moral standards and the promotion of warped perspectives by numerous self-serving opportunists, he's hailed as a hero.
Virginia's Republican Party, failing to heed the voice of reason from its own elder statesmen, has rewarded North with its nomination as a candidate for the U.S. Senate. He shouldn't be rewarded for his utter disdain for the law, nor should he be praised for lying and displaying contempt toward the country. It's hoped the majority of Virginia voters will right this wrong and let him fade into obscurity this November.
J. EDMOND McDOWELL
EVINGTON
Harvesting healthy children
TO CARE or not to care, that's the real health-care issue. Why does our rich society have such a blind spot in making up its mind about health care? I guess it has something to do with the fear of change and the unknown. We always face new situations, a better way of doing things. Perhaps if we don't give up, there'll be an answer.
It's the parents' responsibility to care for their children until time for the children to leave the nest. Then it will be the children's responsibility to care for their aging parents. They've earned this. It's the responsibility of the strong to look after the weak, the intelligent to look after the challenged. It's the responsibility of the spiritual to look out for those without faith or hope. Those few who are wealthy face the heavy burden of the poor. Those with vision are obligated to share with those who see our situation in blind darkness.
It's the responsibility of the wise to guide the foolish, but there's no guarantee the foolish will follow wisdom. Ignorance has always been mankind's sensitive weakness, but that doesn't relieve people of their responsibility to share what they know.
I've always looked at government as a kind of family. The parent is an elected official who helps us run our community, state and nation. A parent makes sure the children have food, housing and an education, according to the parent's abilities. Our elected parental authority must also lay down the law and keep the peace, and provide a level playing field for all the children to play fair.
I see the answer like the answer nature provides. For example, the apple tree delights in offering its flowers, fragrance and nectar. By offering part of itself, its reason for being is fulfilled and it will bring forth fruit. So the joyous gift we offer to our society will be blessed and we'll reap a harvest of healthy children, capable of great accomplishments.
MICHAEL KNOWLES
CHRISTIANSBURG
The next step for Focus 2006
THE MONTGOMERY County School Board appointed us as representatives from the county's four high schools' attendance zones to serve as the Focus 2006 Advisory Committee. Our charge is to monitor implementation of the recommendations that the Strategic Planning Committee presented last October in the Focus 2006 report for improving the county schools. The report represented nearly 6,000 hours of volunteer time by more than 200 citizens. We believe there must now be a thoughtful ``how-to'' process of prioritizing and planning.
Selecting goals is an important first step. Superintendent Herman Bartlett and other central-office administrators are seeking citizen input to identify which recommendations to pursue first. This will be used to develop a six-year plan for the school division, and will provide individual schools with a vision on which to plan.
Change can be difficult, and if Focus 2006 is to have an impact for children, we must work together with determination, collaboration and cooperation. Our commitment is to all Montgomery County children. We ask everyone in our communities to let us know how we can best pursue the vision of Focus 2006 and to ensure that our county provides the best education possible for its children.
VICKI LINKOUS
TOM SHERMAN
Co-chairs, Focus 2006
Advisory Commission
CHRISTIANSBURG
Editor's note: This letter was signed by 10 other commission members.
VMI's record on training leaders
IN THE June issue of Virginia Business magazine, there's a list of Virginia's chief executive officers of public corporations. Of the 107 listed, eight hold bachelor's degrees from Virginia Military Institute.
If the CEOs are considered ``leaders,'' perhaps one can assume that VMI is functioning extraordinarily well in its mission of training these men. Only the University of Virginia, a much larger, coed institution, comes close with seven. Washington and Lee is third with four.
The philosophical crusade to make VMI coed ignores the very practical fact that VMI works as it is. There's no compelling evidence that making it coed would produce women with the same leader-oriented characteristics. It would, however, almost certainly change the VMI experience for men, thereby destroying its effectiveness for them.
In your inexorable headlong rush to change VMI, perhaps it would be wise to consider the wisdom of generations of people before you who've witnessed this small Virginia college's success and have deemed the results gratifying.
JAMES J. BOOKER III> WYTHEVILLE
Nothing fuzzy about Minnix's thinking
ALL I really want to say is amen to the June 14 commentary by J. Odell ``Fuzzy'' Minnix entitled ``Hoax of the '90s: Gamble your way to affluence.''
If more Christians would vote for people like Minnix and vote against such things as the lottery, abortion and government persecution of Christians, we'd have them eliminated or, at least, slowed down.
If we stand together, Christian people can greatly influence legislation in our country.
JANE LAM ORANGE
BOONES MILL
by CNB