Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 4, 1995 TAG: 9501050023
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
These funds that are being used to bail out our Wall Street bankers and mutual-fund managers are, in the final analysis, the property of the U.S. taxpayers. Why is the Federal Reserve Board taking this action? Because friends don't let friends lose money from foolish investments in the global economy. The trouble now is that the easy peso is headed downhill faster than the supply of dollars - now in excess of $6 billion - can be shipped southward.
Anyone with an ounce of brains who knew a little of the history of U.S.-Mexican relationships, especially in financial matters, was sure it would eventually happen this way. How can a stable, prosperous democracy deal on an equal basis with a country confronted by a smoldering rebellion, a country that is governed as a corrupt, dictatorial oligarchy where government services are only available in exchange for a bribe?
How many times has it happened during the past century that we have been had by Mexico in the same manner? The U.S. credit crunch of 1981-82, created by Paul Volcker, arose from the massive depletion of reserves from the U.S. banking system in a transfer to Mexico to prevent a default on debt held by U.S. banks.
Now your editorial writers and the votes of our two illustrious Virginia senators have helped provide us with NAFTA and GATT, two similar economic catastrophes waiting to happen in a global economy controlled by thieves and knaves.
CHARLES F. ROBERTS BLACKSBURG
One mother's admirable spirit
SHIRL BURNETTE wrote a letter to the editor, published Nov. 29, headlined ``Parents must fight for their children.'' This lady is to be commended for her positive attitude in response to her problems.
Left with a child to support by herself, she assumed the responsibility without complaint or self-pity. Her concern wasn't only for her own child but also for others who are growing up in less-than-ideal family situations.
Ms. Burnette's concern and her suggested solutions - to show love for the children, and to pray for them - reveal an admirable spirit that will go a long way toward solving the delinquency dilemma in our society.
Many must have needs that depend on other sources, to be sure. But, as she reminds us, ``Charity begins at home.'' Would that more shared her spirit.
MARY FRANCES CAMPBELL MARION
Santa's origins were not white
IN HER Dec. 21 letter to the editor (``More confusion concerning Santa''), Claire E. Sanders states strong objections to a picture of an African-American Santa Claus that ran in your Dec. 4 newspaper. She finds such a depiction fine for the African-American community, but inappropriate for ``the general, literate (mostly white) public.''
I have strong objections to her assumptions that all of us in the ``general, literate (mostly white) public'' find such an image offensive, and that, because we're white, we condone her plea to keep such ``ridiculous portrayals ... underground and out of mainstream society.'' Her implication that African-Americans aren't literate is even more alarming.
Concerning the ``correct'' representation of Santa's skin color/ethnicity, Sanders should know that our mythical Santa Claus wasn't originally white. He's based on the historical figure, St. Nicholas, who was born in the 300s A.D. in Lycia, now Turkey.
It's hard to understand her concern that black Santas add to children's general sense of confusion. It seems to me that black Santas are confusing only to children who are taught that their own identity is universal. Like it or not, America is a multicultural society. It's past time that its folk characters and stories represent more than one segment of the population.
LUCY LEE ROANOKE
Cartoon ridiculed Catholic beliefs
I WAS deeply offended by the cartoon on Dec. 28, ridiculing a religious leader and a religion's beliefs and practices. The issues depicted in the cartoon affect only Catholics and no one else. It's their religion, and they shouldn't have to put up with this sort of public degradation.
BRIAN BRINDLE GOODVIEW
Taxpayers may come to rue tax cuts
NO, CYNTHIA, you're not alone! (Dec. 28 letter to the editor by Cynthia L. Callahan, ``Gov. Allen can keep his tax cuts''.) He can keep my tax cut, too.
Reading the front-page Dec. 26 article (``Allen tax plan a political quandary for Democrats'') puts it all into perspective, though, and makes one wonder about the naivete of the voting public.
Politicians get elected into office by voters. While politicians run on a tax-cutting program, they're usually clever enough not to be too specific until they're elected.
What are we giving up for a return of less than $1 per day ($325:365 days). Is that worth it? And in one way or another, taxpayers will have to pay for layoffs, pay for whatever the state is trimming on financial aid for arts, social-services' programs and colleges. We may find that this will cost us more than $1 a day.
Who is kidding whom? Wake up, Virginia. There's no free lunch. Vote for candidates who are for responsible government, not for tax cuts that will come to haunt you.
CASE PIETERMAN THAXTON
Moderates must rescue the nation
PLEASURE FOR liberals is rare these days, so I am especially overjoyed to see Newt Gingrich, Bob Dole, George Allen and the rest of the motley crew pick away at each other before the ballots are cold. Somehow I suspect this bunch will be ripping out vital organs within the very near future, as they all eye that big prize two years ahead.
Maybe this civil war will distract the rascals, since greed and self-aggrandizement are two stalwart traits of the GOP. Perhaps all us evil liberals can egg them on a little. After all, we have more than a power struggle at stake here: We may have the future of our democracy clinched in the sweaty little paws of these throwbacks.
Those of us who believe that discrimination is a bad thing should take quick notice, because the terms ``black'' and ``female'' may soon regress to the pejorative status they enjoyed only a few years ago. People with disabilities might ponder the election a bit as well, because the Americans With Disabilities Act may be just a vote away from ``do something about them curb cuts, Clem!'' And those of us who use libraries might need to fire up our writing skills before this crew decides it knows better than we just what is right for all decent people to read - which will probably come just a day or two after the great National Pencil Registration Program confronts us with the catch phrase ``pencils don't kill people, ideas do.''
Aside from the fact that our children will need to memorize the state prayer and that each of us will have to pack a gun to protect ourselves from the jaywalkers - who, upon apprehension, will be suitably locked away for life in some dungeon in Southside - the potential harm in a Newt or a Bob is frightening.
Our main hope lies in the fact that most Americans are firmly moderate, sitting there in the middle, mouths agape, staring at the foaming idiots on the right and the dreaming idealists of the left. May I suggest that all of you in that middle ground blink a few times, prop those mouths closed and get on with the business of democracy. Those of us on the edges obviously cannot do much these days, and our politicians are just too busy embarrassing themselves and irritating the masses to concentrate on much else. At least I hope so.
JOHN RICE MONTGOMERY ROANOKE
by CNB