Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, November 3, 1994 TAG: 9411030135
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
You delight in calling him a liar, and spend pages trying to establish your viewpoint. I could tear your attempted comparison of North to Marion Barry into shreds. However, I prefer to list three historic, factual comparisons.
Franklin D. Roosevelt, an elected president, sent arms and munitions to England in 1941 prior to lend-lease authorization, when England was almost defeated by the world threat of Nazism. Congress had passed laws prohibiting such arms shipments.
How about Dwight D. Eisenhower, also president of the United States, lying to Americans, Congress and the world by claiming there were no American spy planes flying over Russia until Gary Powers was shot down, and the ``lie'' was exposed?
At least North was assigned to ``covert'' activities, and was expected to operate in secret.
But most significant of all was President John F. Kennedy's baldfaced lie when asked by Tom Wicker of the New York Times the direct question: ``Mr. President, are American troops now in combat in Vietnam?'' Kennedy looked directly in Wicker's eyes and lied, saying, ``No.''
Virginia's choice is to support North, a man who was assigned secret duties and misled his questioners while trying to carry out his military obligations, or to support Robb, a man who was elected to the highest office in the state and then used this power for his own selfish pleasure and personal gratification.
WILLIAM E. BROWN
SALEM
Fast qualifies for `little guy's' support
I'D GUESS that many people in the 9th District have traditionally voted for Democratic candidates for public office because they believed Democrats support the ``little guy'' - middle-class working folks. I challenge anyone in this group to carefully consider which of the two candidates for the 9th District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives is really for the little guy.
Rick Boucher voted for the largest tax increase in history, voted for the Goals 2000-World Class Education legislation, voted against parental notification of abortion, and voted to allow federal tax dollars to be spent promoting homosexuality to schoolchildren. All of these positions are against the little guy, his pocketbook, his rights to participate in his children's education, and his rights to protect his family.
Steve Fast is committed to providing tax relief, committed to stopping the federal government's unconstitutional attempt to seize control of education, and ultimately the minds of children. He's committed to the little guy's right to protect his children, and to protecting the rights of the little guy's family.
Don't let pork-barrel projects sway you. The jobs and economic value of these projects that Boucher always seems to bring our way at election time are of small value when compared with the lasting harm he's doing to us by voting this country far away from the principles upon which it was founded. Vote for America, freedom, the little guy and Fast.
BENJAMIN F. MOOMAW III
HILLSVILLE
Beyond the showmanship
MANY Virginians have watched with dismay the seeming inability of the American political system to constructively deal with our domestic problems or with disorder abroad. Oliver North presents himself as a strong solution to our difficulties. He's adept at using the flag and the cross to persuade us to follow his leadership. I ask Virginians to look beyond his charm to the reality of the policies he helped implement.
In 1982, America gave $100 million in military aid to Sudan's government. They thanked us the following year by imposing Islamic law on the large Christian community there. This restarted a civil war that rages to this day, with more than 1 million dead. The Sudan's Muslim fundamentalism has been supported by Iran, which was the recipient of U.S. arms illegally provided by North's activities. His lying and bragging probably led to the kidnapping of Christian peacemaker Terry Waite. North falsely told his Iranian hosts that Waite was working for the U.S. government.
In Central America, North also developed friendships with enemies of Christian civilization, including the murderers of El Salvador's archbishop.
Most of the criticism of North that I've read focuses on his lying and cover-up of these activities. These are bad enough, but if we look at the policies themselves, we understand why they would never receive the support of Americans.
Few Virginians will benefit if we give North a national stage for his ambition. We need a leader who will pursue peace with good sense and resolve, as Sen. Charles Robb has done. We don't need an irresponsible showman whose chief talent is self-promotion.
DAVID BERNARD
BLACKSBURG
North has no place with peacemakers
AFTER CONGRESS passed the Boland Amendment in 1984 making it illegal for the United States to fund the Contras in Nicaragua, the media showed pictures depicting the horror of war there.
Oliver North's freedom fighters, accompanied by an American photographer, were shown forcing a captive to dig his own grave. After letting him cross himself, they killed him.
Illegal arms sales, Swiss bank accounts, drug money and lies are all documented by congressional investigations.
Disgust with Congress and anyone else who let North get away with it is reason enough not to vote for him.
The Boland Amendment helped keep us out of a war. Wisdom prevailed, and the communists were voted out of office there and in other places in the world. Thank God for peacemakers in Congress. North shouldn't be there.
R. BROOKS McGHEE
GOODVIEW
Tobacco's danger is in the growing
TOBACCO DOESN'T cause cancer. This statement is based on common sense and facts. The tobacco problem started after World War II due to greed and progress. We started using chemicals to kill insects and worms, to prevent every disease and blight, and to increase the yield. These chemicals are manufactured by companies that take every precaution to protect workers from coming in contact with these chemicals. We're warned to wash fruits and vegetables that are sprayed with chemicals.
I remember during World War II and before that many people smoked, chewed, snuffed, inhaled and swallowed tobacco. Back then, we didn't link cancer with tobacco. Why are we having cancer-related deaths now? Is it tobacco, or chemicals used in growing it? Tobacco is addictive, but so is caffeine, alcohol, drugs, pills, etc. Now is the time to grow and manufacture tobacco like we used to. It's a good money crop. It's good for farmers, tobacco manufacturing companies and our government.
I used to smoke cigarettes, which cost 15 cents per pack. I worked, making 321/2 cents per hour. People don't realize it, but cigarettes are cheaper now than they were during World War II and before, even when you use the present minimum wage for comparison.
EARL G. LONG
ROANOKE
Tom Leggette has educators' support
VOTERS in the Windsor Hills District have before us four interesting candidates for our seat on the Roanoke County School Board. The two front-runners, who are campaigning with zeal, are Tom Leggette and Lisa Merrill.
Leggette, a lawyer, is forthright, realistic and practical. He has been actively involved in Roanoke County schools for many years, both as an interested parent and as an effective PTA officer. He supports the betterment of our school system, and his sound judgment would enable him to assist in that process. Due to this, Leggette has the support of the Roanoke County Education Association. He is also supported by the chairmen of both the Roanoke County Republican and Democratic committees.
Merrill is a motivational speaker specializing in teaching courses for Realtors. Her classroom-teaching experiences, which she cites in her speeches, make one wonder about the quality of her judgment when she deals with public-school students. In addition, the grandiose plans Merrill cites as her goal as a future School Board member make one doubt that she realizes that the School Board has jurisdiction over only the amount of money allocated to it by the county's Board of Supervisors. Our School Board is required to make many tough choices due to lack of funds.
Vote for Leggette. He has the backing of the longtime champions of our excellent school system, of which we're justifiably proud.
BETTY B. HOSP
ROANOKE
by CNB