ROANOKE TIMES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, June 13, 1995                   TAG: 9506130033
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Long


PIPELINE COULD SWAMP THE LAKE

VERY SHORTLY, our state legislature will vote whether to build a pipeline from Lake Gaston to Virginia Beach. This will carry 60 million gallons of water per day out of the Roanoke River Basin, at no cost to Virginia Beach.

To get North Carolina to agree, Virginia had to allow North Carolina to pump out an additional 30 million gallons per day. The total to be pumped out would be 90 million gallons per day.

This would probably cause no problem as long as there's plenty of water flowing in the Roanoke River. However, I picture a situation where, during a severe drought, the state will force Smith Mountain Lake to open its dam and release water to Virginia Beach and North Carolina. This could cause marked lowering of the water level and leave boats sitting in the mud.

The legislative committee assigned to push this through is composed mostly of politicians from Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Richmond and Northern Virginia. Only one is in from the Roanoke River basin area.

I strongly object to sacrificing Southwest Virginia water and Smith Mountain Lake real-estate values to provide water for real-estate speculation and development at Virginia Beach.

Politicians assure us this pipeline will not affect Smith Mountain Lake. Right!

ARTHUR H. GARST JR.

ROANOKE

No raves for a decadent culture

YOUR MAY 28 Extra section article and photographs about ``Rave,'' the new teen-age sensation, was distasteful at best, and downright irresponsible and morally reprehensible at worst.

The photo of girls and boys huddled on the floor in the same bathroom was enough to warm the heart of every parent, I'm sure, not to mention individual photos afforded to the freaky characters.

Your newspaper continues to give credence to and glorify kinky behavior, whether it's homosexuality, illicit drugs or anything else in the area of paranormal behavior.

How can these kids openly deal and use LSD, Ecstasy, and other illicit drugs without consequence? Where are the police? What about Roanoke's midnight curfew for kids age 17 and under? According to your article, Rave stopped at 5:15 a.m., and then the after-Rave started.

Are parents of teen-agers so eager to get them out of their hair that they allow 13-year-olds to attend an all-night drug-and-sexual orgy disguised as a dance?

Shame on your newspaper for glorifying this type of behavior in a culture where teen suicide, alcoholism, drug addictions, AIDS and teen pregnancy are so prevalent. Shame on our Police Department for failing to enforce laws designed to protect our children. And shame on parents who sacrifice their children on the altar of convenience and their own unwillingness to get involved in their lives.

DON ASSAID

ROANOKE

More people should be interviewed

I HAVE always wondered how staff writers for your newspaper choose the people they interview. Now I wonder even more.

In the May 26 article ``Back Creek has signs of disagreement,'' there were quotes from the Grindle family. They live on Coleman Road, which already has four lanes by it. Why not go further up U.S. 221 and talk to the hard-working people at Ye Ole English Inn, the Poage farm and Country Way Store?

LINDA GRUBB

ROANOKE

Christianity does not need the help

THE ROANOKE Times & World-News published another attack by David Nova (May 26 commentary, ``Religious right is a threat - to religion'') on politically active conservative Christians. You provided some information about Nova, but omitted an important fact that covers up what is probably the primary reason for his assault.

Readers were told that Nova is the social-action chairman of Temple Emanuel in Roanoke. (Does Temple Emanuel discourage political involvement by its members?) We weren't informed that he is also a leading spokesman for Planned Parenthood - the nation's largest provider of abortions and an organization that considers pro-life Christians who are active politically to be dangerous enemies. Moreover, Planned Parenthood especially despises pro-life Christians who are successful in politics.

Planned Parenthood sent out recently a fund-raising letter that included the following liberal diatribe: ``The reactionary forces that now control Congress, and that also control dozens of state legislatures and scores of local school boards, got where they are today by taking advocacy to a whole new organizing level ... During the weeks immediately preceding the 1994 elections, just one radical-right group - Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition - was able to distribute some 33 million `voter guides' touting anti-choice candidates in thousands of races across the country ... They get church members registered to vote and then - using electronic media - get them politically active and turn them and their right-wing friends and family members out to the polls on election day.''

Now Nova coincidentally writes a commentary attacking the Christian Coalition. He attempts to convince us he's trying to help Christianity's cause. However, facts indicate he's much more interested in helping Planned Parenthood. Christianity can well do without the kind of ``help'' provided by Planned Parenthood's spokesman.

MURIEL REYNOLDS

ROANOKE



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