Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, August 29, 1994 TAG: 9408300007
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Being a resident of Bedford County for the past 19 years, I believe that our local government generally has been fiscally well-run. Generally, there's been a high degree of cooperation between the county and city, including some shared governmental services. The obvious conclusion is that one local government would best serve the long-range interest of the majority of city and county residents. Unfortunately, politicians and bureaucrats are presently seeking self-preservation - that is, protecting their turf.
Regardless of whether we agree with the proposed consolidation in Bedford, it's obvious that one or two ordinary citizens can still make a difference, despite efforts of politicians and bureaucrats. If nothing else comes of their effort, Anita and H. F. Garner (organizers behind the consolidation petitions) have illustrated that the spirit of Thomas Jefferson is alive and well in our county. At a minimum, they've helped focus attention on the annexation problem that hinders local government (cities and counties) across Virginia. By stepping forward publicly to pursue their convictions, the Garners illustrate the best about the meaning of ``We the people ... ''
As residents of Bedford, we wait to see: Will politicians and bureaucrats follow the people, or will the people follow politicians and bureaucrats?
PHIL THEISEN LYNCHBURG
Accreditation does Roanoke proud
ON BEHALF of the Roanoke Neighborhood Partnership steering committee, I'd like to extend my congratulations to the Roanoke City Police Department for its recent accreditation from the Commission On Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (July 31 news article, ``Roanoke police get accreditated''). This accomplishment is one we can all be proud of.
The Roanoke Neighborhood Partnership is an action-oriented coalition of neighborhoods, business and Roanoke city working to preserve and improve Roanoke's quality of life. All citizens have a vested interest in the betterment of the quality of life here. The partnership works with neighborhood and business groups to make this the best place in America to live and work.
City administration should be commended for setting the agenda for accreditation. This is a major accomplishment, and represents five years of hard work led by Lt. Bill Jobe, Lt. William Beason, and officers ``Buzzy'' Stiff, Susan Camper and Roger Harris. It will require ongoing work to ensure standards are maintained and modified when necessary. I especially want to thank the average police officers responsible for implementing the programs required by accreditation. On a daily basis, they make our city streets safe. This prized accreditation is a tribute to their devotion to duty and public service. Congratulations on a job well done!
LAWRENCE M. TAYLOR Chairman, Steering Committee Roanoke Neighborhood Partnership ROANOKE
Boucher seems to forget his roots
ALWAYS A big supporter of Rick Boucher, I can't believe what he did to 9th District voters. He voted against the health plan due to a 45-cents cigarette tax, when two young Montgomery County women died because they didn't have insurance for needed medical treatment.
I can't believe the National Rifle Association controls him. He can vote for $171 million for art, which many in his impoverished district don't know exists. Is he trying to impress Washington by saying that he represents a highly educated, art-loving district because of Virginia Tech? He needs to face voters now, but he won't. If he thinks Radford Arsenal workers, Virginia Tech, the NRA and a few tobacco farmers will send him back to Washington, he's wrong. There are many more of us who can send him to join Mary Sue Terry.
Let's try a new congressman. Stephen Fast might be for health care, since he knows how much poverty there is in the district he is from, and knows that many people can't afford to go to a doctor.
I hope Fast campaigns more and tells us what he'll do for us. Boucher has only deceived us.
OPAL A. PRICE BLACKSBURG
Evolution remains the best explanation
APPARENTLY Larry Necessary doesn't understand science very much when he says that evolution is in contradiction to the second law of thermodynamics (Aug. 13 letter to the editor, ``The evolution theory is not sacrosanct''). The law states that a closed system will move toward a state of greater entropy. Entropy is disorder. Nowhere does the law say anything about intelligent direction.
The Earth, on which evolution takes place, is not a closed system. The sun is constantly shining upon the Earth, bathing it in energy. This and geothermal energy are how evolution got started and continues today. Not only does life evolve, but so do language, culture and religion. All are very good models of how life evolved.
The Institute for Creation Science is in no way scientific. Science first looks at the evidence, and then fits the theory to the evidence. The institute does the opposite. It's taken the creation story and tried to fit the evidence to the story. That isn't how science works.
There are mountains of evidence for evolution. Not only is there the fossil record, but there's also morphology, our physical shapes. Take, for instance, bone structure: Why does the giraffe have the same number of neck vertebrae as the shrew, unless they evolved from a common ancestor? There are plenty of other examples.
With a thorough look at the evidence, evolution stands out as the only way to explain the evidence.
ERIC BROWN ROANOKE
by CNB