Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, November 15, 1994 TAG: 9411150060
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Physiological changes occur when police officers shoot at a human being. Training improves results, but marksmanship is definitely affected in those situations. First, when circumstances dictate that it's necessary to take a life, then it's necessary to shoot until the assailant no longer threatens anyone. Second, handguns don't usually stop an assailant as soon as the first bullet hits.
I don't know more about the specific incident discussed in Kemp's letter than any other reader, but I'm one of the few who has been there before. I do know the officers involved are subjected to second-guessing by everyone who wasn't there. I've always wondered why people who can handle those situations best are never there.
In this incident, as in nearly every incident in which a police officer has to confront a citizen, all decisions concerning the location, time and necessity to use force were beyond the police's control. Well-trained police officers were at the scene. Some bullets missed because the officers' bodies responded as if they were human beings.
ROGER E. HARRIS
BOONES MILL
Marksmanship takes much practice
REGARDING JOHN P. Kemp's Nov. 5 letter to the editor, ``Poor marksmanship is the concern'':
I agree with Kemp that the marksmanship displayed in the unfortunate incident involving Gary Wayne West was deplorable. More emphasis should be placed on firearms training and accuracy. To my knowledge, most law-enforcement agencies require that their officers qualify with their sidearm twice a year, and the course requires only a modest score. Should officers want to practice on their own, they must supply their own ammunition. One would think the powers that be would like to have these officers capable of near-perfect scores when qualifying with a weapon they one day may have to use in defense of a citizen, or to protect themselves from deadly force.
I'm not an expert pistol shot. However, in past years when I was able to practice two or three times a month, I kept 10 rounds in a 25-yard rapid- or slow-fire target as the course of fire dictated. But this takes practice, and I'm living proof of that. I hadn't fired a handgun in more than a year, and recently had the opportunity to try my hand again. I was lucky to get five out of 10 rounds on the paper, much less in the scoring rings. I suppose that in the end it is, as the old saying goes, quality - not quantity - that makes the difference.
JAMES C. MARTIN
VINTON
`Bell Curve' fans should study history
THE BOOK, ``The Bell Curve,'' is a racist piece of trash that is on the same level as Nazism. It states that blacks are less smart than whites. I think the authors never considered that up until the '60s or early '70s most blacks were under a separate and unequal school system, and that most blacks in the '50s couldn't even eat at the same lunch counter in some places as whites. I remember it very clearly, because I grew up in the '50s.
When white Americans or any Americans purchase a copy of this book, they should also buy a history book. I cannot help but wonder how it would be if the shoe were on the other foot - if white Americans were brought to this country as slaves and sold like cattle, if white Americans were forbidden to read or write during one part of this country's history, if they had attended separate but unequal schools, if they were so heavily discriminated against that they couldn't get a good-paying job, or cream in their coffee, unless they were lucky? Then, some educated, arrogant people write a book like ``The Bell Curve'' and blame genes, ignoring most of what your country's heritage has been.
GLORIA JEAN COAN
ROANOKE
Burying history with the trash
THANKS TO Beth Macy for the Oct. 30 Extra front article entitled ``Turning garbage into literature.'' I've been to the Confederate Cemetery and witnessed what Kim-Stan has done to our country's history - desecrating it with the landfill.
I'm a docent at The Jackson House in Lexington. It appalled me to learn and see what happened in Alleghany County. There are citizens of this country who died for us, only to have a dump become their neighbor. This is very upsetting.
Thanks to Alicia Gordon, a Kim-Stan landfill fighter, for stopping this from continuing - more trash being placed on top of more trash in disrespect to people and events that formed our country's history. She is to be highly commended for her efforts and results, which she has obtained.
BRUCE L. DOWNS
FAIRFIELD
A naive review of boffo Dylan concert
IF I MAY be so bold to paraphrase one of Bob Dylan's more sardonic lines from 1965: ``Something is happening but you don't know what it is ... do you, Mark Morrison?'' After attending Dylan's inspiring and spirited Nov. 2 performance in Roanoke, and reading the review (Nov. 4, ``Dylan concert long on jamming''), it's hard to believe that he and I attended the same concert.
He criticized Dylan primarily for playing too much gut-wrenching guitar, serving up new and different versions of classic tunes, and having the nerve to appeal to a young generation by playing a solid set of rock 'n' roll. The reviewer would have us believe these heretical actions by rock's poet laureate somehow compromised the integrity of his lyrics.
What laughable nonsense! What he didn't tell is that Dylan gave a performance full of strong, impassioned and (despite his claim) clear vocals; he showed off inventive and well-crafted arrangements of such lyrical gems as ``I Don't Believe You'' and ``Gates of Eden''; he utilized an ensemble of two guitars, an upright bass and dobro (or mandolin) to showcase several acoustic classics; he received a standing ovation for practically every number from an enthusiastic crowd ranging from 60 to 16 years old.
The implied criticism in the sophomoric and musically naive review is that Dylan didn't feel obligated to slavishly duplicate the sound of his recordings. Presumably, this esteemed critic of music would be happier if Dylan had reserved one of the Civic Center's broom closets and locked your reviewer inside with a cheap stereo and a copy of ``Greatest Hits, Volume 1.''
MIKE BRYSON
BLACKSBURG
Other mothers get away with murder
ACCORDING TO her own testimony, Susan Smith murdered her two boys. We saw a video of them playing together. Our hearts went out to them.
America is shocked, enraged and upset that Smith could willfully murder her precious and innocent children. With what should she be charged? Murder or just bad timing? The children were unwanted. If she had decided to kill the boys while carrying them in her womb, America would have helped her by paying for the abortions. However, she waited too long.
How did she kill them? By strapping them in the car and pushing it into the lake. What's the difference between that and killing them in a womb? If one kills two children in a car, it's murder and America is upset. But if one kills children in a womb, America approves. I see not the logic. America needs to wake up.
J. TRACY DUGGER
CLOVERDALE
Vision and dental programs needed
ALL AMERICANS need guaranteed eye and dental care, even if it takes a small sales tax to pay for them.
For all other types of medical care, I'd like to see them continue to be run by the people and for the people to see if there can be more improvements.
I hope Congress will make it possible for Americans of all ages to get eye and dental care that's needed. Then, Americans would be better able to compete globally in studying and working.
How are children from broken, uncaring homes going to have healthy eyes and teeth unless Congress cares? The Bible says to be helpful to those in need.
I thank this newspaper for publishing information and opinions on health care.
JIMMY MABRY
PULASKI
by CNB