Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, August 2, 1994 TAG: 9408020081
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
As a long-time resident of Roanoke County, I'm embarrassed by the lack of quality and quantity in our parks' playground equipment. Salem and Roanoke city have done an excellent job of upgrading their parks to make a wonderful opportunity for children and adults to enjoy the outdoors.
Garst Mill Park is one of the most-used of the county parks. The few pieces of equipment there are not only inadequate, but also unsafe.
I challenge county officials to look at what our neighbors have accomplished and see that we, too, can provide an interesting and wholesome place for our residents.
JOAN WHEELER
ROANOKE
Local businesses had a heart
I WOULD like to express my appreciation to Branch Highways Inc. for its concern, compassion and assistance in providing for the comfort of our patient, Ruth Gassett, and her family on Wells Avenue.
From my first contact until the blasting was completed on July 15, Rick Sells, project manager for Branch, Mr. Tharpe and other employees helped to schedule and arrange their work in ways that made it as comfortable as possible for the patient and her family. Initially, Sells agreed to be present in the home during each blast. And when the decision was made to have a nurse present, Tharpe worked with us to accommodate our schedules.
It is noisy on Wells Avenue, and yes, this project was distressing to our patient. But her family had done an outstanding job of caring and insulating her from the noise. While I wasn't present during the blasts, the nurse present stated that ``if your feet were not resting on the floor at the time of the blasts, you were virtually unaware that they had happened.''
Thanks also to the Roanoke city water and sewer departments, which earlier this spring were working in the same area. Both organizations slowed progress to provide for as much peace of mind for the patient and her family as possible, under most difficult circumstances.
It's indeed a blessing to be reminded of the heart that's still evident in many Roanoke businesses.
JUDITH RAND WILLIAMS
Director of Nursing
Good Samaritan Hospice, Inc.
ROANOKE
Who elected Hillary?
LUCY H. Lee chose to omit in her July 25 letter to the editor (``There's no confusing Susan Allen with Hillary Clinton'') that Hillary Clinton was never elected to any political office. Therefore, who or what gives Ms. Clinton the authority ... er, power, to dictate her ideas and plans on the American people?
Had she been elected, yes, she would have the ``power'' that most elected officials enjoy.
Believe me, most women would rather emulate Susan Allen than Ms. Clinton.
Shame on you, Ms. Lee, for poking fun of family values.
MURIEL R. BUCKNAM
BLACKSBURG
Wrong, Cal, U.S. is still great
I APPLAUD this newspaper's policy of giving readers a wide range of opinion. By what stretch of imagination can Cal Thomas' diatribes be considered opinion? To have opinion, one must have an open mind. Extremists' minds, like his, are hemmed in by preconceptions and tend to say that this is the way it is, end of discussion, period.
In his July 20 column (``Liberal elitists just don't get Limbaugh's satire''), Thomas harps that liberals and the media are ``unindicted co-conspirators in the wrecking of this once-great nation.'' Does he know of a conspiracy? Well, get them indicted. Does he have proof? Spell it out. If not, spit it out.
What does he mean ``once-great nation?'' If he believes America is so ruined, why does he stay here? Would he not be happier at some Shangri-La elsewhere? Or is being a vehicle for the chronically discontent too lucrative to leave?
We face numerous problems, and I despair over their depth and number. But bad as they are, they're not the worst we've been through and survived to be the single-most country many on foreign shores would like to emigrate to. Do foreigners know of things still exemplary about the United States that domestic carpers have forgotten?
We work to make things better, and more often than not, they get better. We always have problems to deal with and could use superconservatives' help. But if they'd rather jeer at us, schoolyard-style, that's their privilege.
I thought Cal was short for Calvin, but in his case, it may be Calamitous. Calamitous Cal and his buddies are the latest of the doomsayers who, after strutting vainly, depart and are remembered less than single grains of sand on the beach. How well the Bard of Avon knew you. Shakespeare wrote, ``full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.''
Thomas Jefferson, drafter of the Declaration of Independence, said this, ``Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.'' Mr. Jefferson, we hear you.
LEONARD J. UTTAL
BLACKSBURG
Take pride in forebears' sacrifice
ON PAGE 2 of the July 24 edition of the Roanoke Times & World-News, there was an Associated Press article (``Confederate flag boycott looms'') relative to the Confederate flag. The opening paragraph read: ``Civil rights leaders gave South Carolina a deadline Saturday: Stop flying the Confederate flag atop the Statehouse by Labor Day, or face a nationwide economic boycott.''
I suggest all who are proud of our forebears' loyalty, patriotism and sacrifice, fly the Confederate flag at every opportunity. As to anyone who considers it an emblem of racism and/or bigotry, ``Evil to him who evil thinks.''
ROBERT C. HETERICK SR.
BLACKSBURG
by CNB