Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, October 27, 1994 TAG: 9410290005
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-14 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Bringing to the forefront a list of former associates who believe North isn't being truthful only reinforced my belief that he truly is just a scapegoat. Not only do all those on that list seriously outrank a lieutenant colonel, they stand to lose much should it be revealed that they're dumping all the blame for Iran-Contra at one man's feet.
Since when does a lieutenant colonel wield such power over all the armed forces? I was under the impression that there was a certain chain of command.
TERESA L. LILLY
MARTINSVILLE
Fast shares his district's values
ROANOKE COUNTY now has five precincts in the 9th District - Poages Mill, Bent Mountain, Glenvar, Mason Valley and Greenhill. We're very fortunate to have Steve Fast, a conservative, articulate, young man running for Congress in this district. He shares the family values and principles of the majority of Southwest Virginia voters.
Fast is a self-made man, an educator, and professor of mathematics at Bluefield College. He has a wife and four sons who know how to live on a budget. Fast states we must have affordable health care without more federal bureaucracy, and we need deregulation for small businessmen to spur growth in Southwest Virginia. He'll vote for term limits - we'll never have honesty in government without that - and will cast his vote in Congress to protect our Second Amendment rights and pro-life values.
POLLY JOHNSON
ROANOKE
Christian turnout isn't newsworthy?
WHY DID the Roanoke Times & World-News fail to acknowledge that the Roanoke Civic Center coliseum was filled to capacity on Sept. 27?
Was it because there were more than 10,000 people enthusiastic about Christian values and enjoying music that encourages people to positively affect their environment? Was it because ``Carman'' isn't a liberal like editors who classify him as a ``radical'' Christian? Was it because it was a free Christian concert with attendants not drinking or fighting in the parking lot?
Since you failed to even give a short paragraph letting the valley know the reasons for major traffic jams and hundreds of people being turned away due to a capacity crowd, please be notified that there was a wonderful concert that night with more than half in attendance between the ages of 15-30. Did you fail to mention it because the newspaper is so afraid of repercussions from anything affiliated with Christ that you were scared to even report the news?
I'm aware you cannot cover every religious or social event. However, had we been a mere crowd of 50 promoting equal or homosexual rights, I'm sure we would have at least appeared on the front page of Section B.
Report the news. We're tired of cover-ups and cop-outs. As you become the Roanoke Times again, I hope this won't mean that some ``times'' you'll report the news, and some ``times'' you'll mask your liberal opinions in the news.
ALMA BOYD
TROUTVILLE
Overview of Robb was factual
HOORAY FOR William B. Hopkins (Oct. 17 commentary, ``The record makes Senate choice easy'')! His overview of Sen. Charles Robb's military training, education, state and national government positions, with factual details, was refreshing.
The public is fed up with gossipy, half-true, negative articles from Democrats and Republicans. Our young people don't have many mentors like Hopkins.
MARJORIE SMITHEY
ROANOKE
No respect for the Constitution
OLIVER North's statement that Bill Clinton wasn't ``his'' commander in chief reveals North's disregard for our government's constitutional structure. This was demonstrated in his past when Congress passed the Boland Amendment to forbid government support of the Contras in Nicaragua.
North isn't one to be limited by laws. He used the rational of saving hostages' lives as cover to arrange an arms deal with Iran in its bloody war with Iraq. Profits he received were used to continue a war that the U.S. government didn't support. Many of the Contra attacks were on civilians. So, many more lives were lost than were saved.
How appropriate is it to elect a man who doesn't recognize constitutional checks and balances to the constitutional office of U.S. senator?
B. ELI FISHPAW
LEXINGTON
by CNB