Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, June 3, 1995 TAG: 9506060006
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
What was the reaction of the ``typical'' Roanoke County residence? Was it:
No. 1: "I want to pay higher taxes to assure improved fire and emergency medical response."
No. 2: "Why aren't they (current volunteers) giving more of their time?"
No. 3: " I resolve to get personally involved, in a hands-on way, with my local fire or rescue unit."
Regrettably, I would have to bet on No. 2.
ARTHUR L. KRAUS
ROANOKE
Don't treat criminals as victims
JUST WHEN I think I've seen it all, something else happens that confirms my suspicions that this country's legal system is spinning out of control.
Take for instance, Willie Lloyd Turner (May 23 article, ``17 years on death row could end Thursday''). Am I to feel sorry for him because he finally had to face the sentence handed down twice by a jury? When did convicted murderers become the victims? Cruel and unusual punishment is what Jack Smith went through during his last moments of life when three bullets tore through him. Turner's 15 years on death row were at his (and his lawyers') request. He had 15 more years than Smith did.
As far as prison conditions being ``indescribably grim,'' punishment isn't supposed to be a pleasant thing. Yet today many prisoners live better than working citizens. They have color television, cable and exercise equipment.
Whether I believe in the death penalty doesn't matter. The fact is that Turner was tried and convicted twice. How many chances should he have gotten? When is enough enough?
I agree that 15 years on death row is too long. Turner should have faced his punishment long ago.
Crime is getting out of control in this country, and why? Because the guilty are treated like victims rather than criminals. With a legal system like ours that's so afraid to punish the guilty, many innocent people will suffer.
LAURA L. McCLANAHAN
ROANOKE
Easier going for disabled at Radford
REGARDING the April 25 article ``Equal access'' by Stacy Jones:
In her article, Jones cites the numerous problems of wheelchair accessibility to the campuses of Roanoke College, and lesser problems of accessibility at Virginia Tech and Hollins. At no time does she mention Radford University and the accessibility that students using wheelchairs have on our campus.
Radford University already has in place ramps and elevators in every academic building, and is currently working toward the goal of making all residential halls accessible. Our university has planned ahead of other local institutions of higher education to meet the needs of students in wheelchairs. In fact, we are 85 percent wheelchair-accessible.
Before you have a reporter write about access problems that students using wheelchairs have on campuses of higher education, please make sure the reporter:
Visits all campuses in the area.
Visits Radford University where the administration, faculty and staff cooperate to make reasonable provisions for students with disabilities.
MARTIN S. TURNAUER
Professor, Health Services
Radford University
RADFORD
Public doesn't want media's liberal slant
REGARDING the May 3 Associated Press article buried in your Business section, ``Major newspapers losing circulation'':
I was mildly amused as to the various reasons regarding the loss of readers at several of our national newspapers.
``Industry experts'' attributed the erosion to increased prices and the baseball strike! Has it ever occurred to any of you aces in the media world that people might be dropping their subscriptions because they're disgusted with all the biased left-wing reporting? I can't believe that possibility hasn't crossed any of your fertile little minds.
Think about it for a minute. On Nov. 8, the Republicans leapt out of the ballot boxes across this nation into the seats of power. They didn't get there by themselves - we put them there! We, the people, who also read all these newspapers that are mysteriously losing circulation.
Are you still with me? I cannot count the times I've heard people say that if it weren't for crossword puzzles and comics that they wouldn't get the newspaper any longer.
I used to read the newspaper cover to cover - touching on basically every article. But I now find myself glancing at the titles and skipping over most of them, knowing what your slant will be. The lie of Republicans' ``cutting'' the school-lunch program comes to mind.
Just report the facts, and maybe some of the disgruntled population will give your newspapers a try again.
JEANNE PIERCE
MONETA
by CNB