Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, May 4, 1995 TAG: 9505040063
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-16 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
A chart noting the earnings of individuals in the various income categories would show, for instance, that those making $100,000 per year pay more than four times that of those making close to the median.
The upper-income group (the highest 5 percent) pays almost half the taxes. At the low end of this group could be two earners earning median incomes. These people aren't rich. The lowest one-half of earners pays about 5 percent of the total taxes.
I say thanks to these high earners. Since they pay half the taxes, I realize that without them my taxes would double if we were to maintain the same level of government that we have now. Their taxes allow us to continue our welfare state and our march toward the socialist heaven that started back in the '30s.
If you want to bash the rich, bash them for providing the money for this ``great society.''
ARTHUR G. HILLMER
COVINGTON
Return phonic method to schools
HURRAH for Arnold J. Saari's April 27 commentary (``Drop the fads and teach children to read'') extolling the use of the phonic method for teaching reading in our public schools.
As pointed out in your April 28 and April 29 articles (``Va. pupils' reading skills drop'' and ``Schools doubt drop in reading ability''), our children's reading ability is abysmal. Unfortunately, the articles contained no comments by the education bureaucracy about changing from the whole language to the phonic method. Journalists apparently didn't question education officials about methods being used to teach our children.
My experience with phonic tutoring has demonstrated to me how well the method works. Furthermore, research over the past half century has shown the phonic method superior. Parents of Virginia need to check it out, and then contact their local school boards and boards of supervisors to tell them they want the phonic method taught.
Learning to read well is the basis of all other learning in school. If we get that right, all other learning will take care of itself.
JIM DeMOSS
BLUE RIDGE
Bedford, be wary of annexation deals
THERE'S SOMETHING fishy about the assistance extended to Bedford by Del. Steve Newman, R-Lynchburg. Somehow, the issue of contested annexation in Virginia, which Bedford seeks to remedy by consolidation, ought not be reduced to a mere plank in the platform of an aspiring politician seeking Democratic Sen. Elliot Schewel's seat in the General Assembly.
Newman didn't mention that a similar no-annexation agreement was struck by Lynchburg with Campbell County in order to negotiate land for the new airport some years ago. That promise was good for only 20 years! Campbell County's clock is running down.
Newman's offer would do no more than make Lynchburg Bedford's landlord: Lynchburg wouldn't raise the rent for 30 years. (Or was it for 50 years?) Would not, that is, unless a new regime decided to change the rules along the way.
All this ought to serve as an eye-opener to those Bedfordites who still believe Lynchburg has/had no annexation plans. You can't promise not to do something you've not been thinking about doing.
Schewel said that Newman should stay out of it, and we think so, too.
ANITA and H.F. GARNER
FOREST
Planning should be before pregnancy
THIS letter writer is an avid reader of your Opinion page. I quite often find opinions expressed that I cannot agree with.
In the past several years, I've read more and more about unexpected or unwanted pregnancies. I'm pro-choice, but I firmly believe that this choice must be made before such pregnancies occur.
I believe in Planned Parenthood, but should this not imply that planned parenthood should start before sexual intercourse? The idea that sexual intercourse cannot be avoided is false!
ROBERT M. WIATT
BLACKSBURG
Don't let resources go up in smoke
AFTER READING Sherman Bamford's April 21 letter to the editor (``Congress says go for the green''), I felt I had to respond so that your readers would be provided with the facts regarding the timber-salvage legislation recently passed by Congress.
The emergency legislation protects the environment. In fact, it requires that the agency develop environmental analyses. The emergency situation on the ground in our national forests requires immediate attention, not lack of action like we've seen for the past several years. The true science is that salvage will enhance forest health.
Our local citizens must not be wrongly swayed to believe that every tree will be cut. That simply isn't the case. Perhaps people aren't aware that timber mortality in the national forests has averaged 6 billion board-feet per year, and the Forest Service has only salvaged about 1.8 billion board-feet per year.
That leaves a huge buildup of dead and dying trees that should be removed. In fact, it's far more than the emergency-salvage bill will remove since it's only in effect for two years. It seems that some would rather see this resource turn up, and its value go up in smoke. These dead and dying trees can return millions of dollars to the federal Treasury, and not add to the deficit.
It's time to act responsibly and continue to manage these beautiful forests. These forests didn't get to where they are today by leaving them alone. It took active management, not the neglect we've seen the past several years. We should ask President Clinton to support active management, not give a veto that will stop sound and needed management.
WILLIAM B. LEICHTER
Retired District Ranger
COVINGTON
Don't judge others by their haircuts
IN DARCY O'Brien's April 25 commentary, ``In the liberty-loving heartland, don't expect leniency,'' it was stated that there are drugs in Oklahoma, and there are various gangs and ``skinheads'' who come along with these drugs. The author went on to say that these people are ``savages.'' I'd like to point out that all people with shaved heads are not racist, which is what the author was implying.
Perhaps you have heard of the organization ``Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice.'' The key word is against. There's a belief that if you are white and you have a shaved head, you're racist or a Nazi. We have to realize that the way we look and dress shouldn't be prejudged and stereotyped. By doing either of these, you are being ignorant.
If we could learn to look below and beyond the surface, past haircuts and the way we dress, maybe we could all get along.
LEAH G. SINK
ROANOKE
Decisions aren't made lightly
IN RESPONSE to Shirley Taylor Surratt's April 27 letter to the editor, ``A pill won't solve all of a kids' problems'':
She's wrong on the assertion that parents are working and not listening to their children. I quit a full-time job as a nurse at a local hospital to stay home with my children after my first child was born.
I have a child who has Attention Deficit Disorder. Unless you have had a child with this disorder, you have no idea what life is like for the child or the family. My child was put through extensive testing, special classes in school, and put on Ritalin as the last resort. Most Roanoke Valley doctors are well-educated on this disorder, and I have one of the best as my child's pediatrician. We didn't jump on the Ritalin bandwagon, nor is it the only treatment for these children.
As for the teen-ager who died (April 24 article, ``Teens learn dangers of Ritalin use''), I'm saddened. Just because it was a prescription, don't try to convince me that a person of this age didn't know that a prescription drug could be harmful. Get real. Any drug, whether prescribed or over the counter, can be abused. My third-grader who has ADD even knows this.
So, unless you have educated yourself on the subject of ADD or ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and have lived with a child with this disorder, don't judge others on their decisions.
TAMMY EANES
ROANOKE
by CNB