Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 14, 1994 TAG: 9411160067
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A16 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
We could use a few million dollars on U.S. 220 between Roanoke and Martinsville, build a road that would get people in and out of Blacksburg, finish U.S. 221 south of Roanoke, pave some of Montgomery County's dirt roads so people can get to school and work without dodging potholes, and maybe spend a few million on a road to Smith Mountain Lake.
If anybody else has a highway project that needs funding, send your request to Richmond. Better do it fast, because we need to get some of that $205 million for highways before legislators meet in January to figure out where they're going to get $2.2 billion to build new prisons.
HOWARD C. PACKETT SALEM
North's slickness preys on suckers
I READ each day's newspaper with mounting concern that Virginia voters will be naive enough to succumb to the slick campaign waged by the Republican candidate for the Senate. Oliver North, with his aw'-shucks manner and gap-toothed grin, is an example of much that's wrong with our nation. When a California supporter claims that ``He's the most genuine candidate of our time,'' I wonder about such a twisted definition of ``genuine.''
Those who think of North as a real hero startle me equally. I know his conviction was overturned by a judicial sleight-of-hand, but those who know North well (like Ronald Reagan and John Poindexter) call him what he is - a liar and a felon, albeit an extraordinarily glib one.
That glib, slick exterior, that clever persona mask, has conned many into campaign contributions that are now an overwhelming cache of funds from out-of-state supporters. When quoted, these individuals fall into two categories: those with rigid, militaristic, controlling views, and those with unsuspecting, childlike, trusting views. The former seem to need a gun to have enough courage to face the day; the latter are easy prey for a guy who is ``not shy about asking for money.'' These innocent and lonely souls are delighted to get telephone calls from this ``inspirational type of guy.''
The quote that's most gratifying comes from a man who declares, apparently with a straight face, ``Ollie stands for great American values.'' If lying to Congress, being convicted of a felony, and pressuring Social Security recipients out of their meager funds represent great American values, then God help us all.
PHILLIPS L. CARR LEXINGTON
State flag was once the Confederacy's
IF IT'S wrong for a Confederate flag to fly at the museum in Danville, is it not also wrong for our state flag to fly at government buildings in Virginia? Our state flag was used by Virginia from 1861 to 1865, though it wasn't adopted until the '30s. It was first used in the mid-1800s when Virginia was a Confederate state. That makes it a flag of the Confederacy.
If people now are saying the museum can't fly a flag of the Confederacy, but have nothing to say against our government flying a flag of the Confederacy, isn't that discrimination?
JOSEPH GREGORY VINTON
Abolishing parole is premature
THE PROPOSAL to abolish parole is realistically three to eight years ahead of a necessary sequence of events.
First, criminals must be sentenced for periods of incarceration at slavery, involuntary servitude, hard labor or labor. Second, the federal judiciary must be subjected to reconfirmation on a three-year rotation. Third, prison systems must establish a policy of punishment, using work as a requirement for all inmates.
Until these policies are in place, the abolishment of parole will mean the following will occur:
nThe prison population will drastically swell, leading to forced release of inmates under federal-court mandates.
nOvercrowding will require more prison construction, overhead expenses and other monetary outlays in an ongoing increased tax burden to taxpayers.
nDestruction of any incentives for inmate cooperation will lead to increased violence and destructive activities, resulting in increased cost to taxpayers.
The three pre-required conditions mentioned above would result in drastic reductions in inmate population, crime, and monetary outlays for taxpayers.
Crime can be reduced, expenses and taxes to taxpayers nearly eliminated, and increased control of society's ills accomplished, but eliminating parole before its time can only lead to opposite results. I urge legislators to consider all of the possible results before jumping on a bandwagon that appears to be tough on crime but doesn't, realistically, address the cost to taxpayers. A bad action on the part of the legislature is worse than no action at all.
JERRY R. JOHNSON UNION HALL
Coleman will bring pride to Virginia
THE CONTEST for Senate in Virginia is attracting nationwide attention. Both of the party candidates have negative images. Even after spending huge amounts of money, they appear stalled in a tie.
We have an opportunity to elect someone with a good reputation. Marshall Coleman was elected four times to state office. He served with distinction for two terms in the Virginia House of Delegates, one term in the state Senate, and one term as Virginia's attorney general. He also served his country as a Marine officer in Vietnam.
I urge those of both parties and independents to give their support and vote to one we know will bring pride, not embarrassment, to the commonwealth.
HARRY G. COPENHAVER MARTINSVILLE
The stereotyping of Southern Americans
IN RESPONSE to Walter B. Sanderson III's Sept. 27 letter to the editor concerning the issue of the Confederate flag (``Show the flag, and admit the bigotry''):
I'm a product of Southern heritage, and I find it extremely offensive that this gentleman implies that anyone displaying the Confederate flag is a bigot or racist. My great-grand uncle fought for the Confederacy, and was a poor farmer from Eastern Kentucky. He didn't own a single slave and knew of no one who did. He fought to preserve his family, home and newly seceded country from invaders of the North.
Concerning the Confederate flag, I believe that many people are misled. We all know that the institution of slavery was wrong. For Sanderson to stereotype and assume everyone in the South owned slaves is wrong. African-Americans have discovered their roots and heritage. They shouldn't try to erase history and deny Southern Americans theirs.
CHARLES M. KIRK SALEM
Roanoke should try to catch the mouse
MY DAD and I were sitting in his hospital room the day Disney announced its plans to cancel the Haymarket project (Sept. 29 Associated Press article, ``Disney quits fight''). I said, ``Hey, we should get the Roanoke people after Disney and lure them to Roanoke.''
My dad gave the look that fathers reserve for their less-worldly children, and said, ``We don't need the Disney people here. Look at Northern Virginia. We don't need to turn the valley into another Northern Virginia.'' He went on to explain the benefits of Roanoke, asked me to look out the window over the city and said, ``This should be left just the way it is!'' The view from his room at Community Hospital overlooked shiny Carilion facilities, older homes and Interstate 581.
I love my dad and this valley, but he's wrong. We shouldn't want to leave it just the way it is. We should want it to grow and get better for our children.
Last year I heard Bev Fitzpatrick speak about the New Century Council. As he spoke on the future direction of the valley, it occurred to me that of six children, I was the only one who stayed here. The rest of my brothers and sisters joined the military or moved because opportunity just wasn't evident for them here.
We should not only welcome the Disney people, but set a mousetrap, grab them by their mouse ears to get their attention, and hold out a piece of cheese to get them here. I believe Gov. Allen will even offer up a substantial part of the cheese. He did it for Haymarket!
Here Mousey Mousey!
HUGH DALTON ROANOKE
by CNB