Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 14, 1995 TAG: 9506140037
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
It has been my belief that all you need to know in life is learned in kindergarten, and all the science you need to know for most public-policy decisions you learned in eighth-grade general science. Applying those two theories to the Lake Gaston pipeline affair will tell you that this is a bad idea for residents of the Roanoke Valley and the Roanoke River basin.
All geographic areas have a carrying capacity, i.e., limits to their water resources, and their ability to grow food and handle wastes and for the air to clean itself. Virginia Beach has clearly exceeded its carrying capacity. Once exceeded, an area must take (spell ``steal'') those resources from some other place. Stealing is wrong, but sometimes it's good politics.
If I take your water to continue my pattern of excessive growth, I not only reduce your capacity to grow and prosper, but I increase my number of votes at your area's expense. In the democratic majority-rules system, I have now empowered myself to take more public funds for roads and other critical projects because you have proportionately fewer votes to oppose me. And I have created a self-fulfilling prophecy: Now, with more people, I need those roads.
In this area, we're already seeing our political leverage slip away to the ``golden crescent'' of Northern and Eastern Virginia. Why would we want to accelerate this situation?
As the water transfers begin in our area, we are giving away a valuable resource and creating future problems. Water, in this case, will be for drinking-water supply and will come under strict regulations. Those who discharge into the Roanoke River basin can expect to see increased demands for costly pretreatment or elimination of certain process chemicals now used. The potential for future responsible growth of industry in our area will be restricted.
Wake up, Roanoke and Southwestern Virginia, before it's too late. You learned it was wrong to steal in kindergarten. So did politicians, but they forgot.
PAUL R. THOMSON JR.
ROANOKE
Their indignation is worth a hoot
THOSE talk-show hosts sure make me laugh lately, which is a step up. Usually they make me want to throw up.
For the past two years, they have made a cottage industry out of vilifying Bill and Hilary Clinton. One after another, they jumped out on the airways to pander to people's prejudice and hate. Nothing is too extreme to call the liberals and the Clintons.
Then after our national tragedy in Oklahoma, poor old Bill finally rears back and gives the hosts a few jabs. The hosts, jowls quivering with righteous indignation, deny their words are responsible for inciting people. Oh really?
Words have been used to sway public opinion since man could talk. On the side of good, Jesus used them so effectively that Christianity has been around for more than 2,000 years. On the evil side, Hitler had such a way with words that 25 million people were killed.
These would-be demagogues better say a prayer every night for the re-election of Clinton. How are they going to make a living if he isn't re-elected? Maybe they'll have to go back to burglarizing the Democrats' campaign headquarters, selling arms out of the basement of the White House to accumulate money in Swiss bank accounts, or whatever they did before.
LENA MAY FRANKLIN
VINTON
Insensitivity shown to Christian values
ONCE AGAIN your staff has shown insensitivity to the underlying values and convictions of a vast number of your readers. Again, you chose Sunday, the one day of the week most holy to Christians, to lambaste ``Christians'' in the May 28 article on Tony Leyva (``Molester may be set free''). Any Christian (translated: Christ-like) condemns the actions of which he was convicted.
Your article and many previous Sunday features on Christians unfairly, though perhaps not purposely, steer those who may be struggling with their faith away from Christ's teachings. Those mature in their faith see your actions for what they are. I pray you will one day comprehend the damage you do trying to sell papers at the expense of responsible editorial-free news reporting.
JERRY STRAYVE JR.
ROANOKE
Label disturbs some more than the deed
AS I understand Elizabeth Creamer (May 28 letter to the editor, ``Some doctors have become the targets''), it's all right for the abortion-clinic doctor to kill a baby, but she doesn't want the doctor labeled a ``baby killer.''The doctor's acts really dehumanize a ``little'' individual.
MARGARET J. WILSON
PEARISBURG
Rowdy behavior can't be tolerated
KATHLEEN WILSON'S June 6 Mingling column (``When partying at a gala we still need to act like guests'') about the Festival in the Park gala that went awry at the Jefferson Center is bothersome on several fronts.
Implying that Jefferson should somehow be more tolerant of such flagrant damage to our new jewel of a public facility is unrealistic. No host wants his new home trashed, and it's not inhospitable to be upset if it happens.
Further implying that Center in the Square would have condoned such behavior is patently inaccurate. We would not, and have not. We're no less proud of the Center in the Square facilities than the Jefferson Center. They're both unusual community assets and valuable ones, to be taken care of, so that all of us can enjoy them. Those inclined to be as rowdy as the group that stayed late at Jefferson Center do a disservice to us all with their bad manners.
Center in the Square has a cleanup every year following Affair in the Square, just as anyone would have when guests depart. But food and drink haven't been poured on the carpet throughout the house and seldom, if ever, are there damages to the physical building. It's a normal and usual kind of cleanup.
Wilson chose to mention only the opera and symphony as Jefferson tenants who expressed chagrin the next morning, as if to imply that only such sensitive groups would have noticed. The Mental Health Association, the Roanoke City Office of Grants Compliance, the Roanoke City Office on Youth, Prevention Plus and Court Community Corrections, among others, were also significantly disturbed at what had been done to their new home.
We have had more than 100 events at the Jefferson Center since its opening. The usual cleanup costs about $200. The cleanup following the Festival gala was more than $2,000 - 10 times as much. And that doesn't include the cost of physical repairs to the walls and millwork.
Board members and staff of the Festival have responded beautifully. They recognized immediately that something quite out of character for either Festival in the Park or the Jefferson Center had occurred, and offered to pay for the damages and cleanup.
WARNER N. DALHOUSE
Chairman for the House Committee, The Jefferson Center and Executive\ Committee, Center in the Square
ROANOKE
Distort Scripture for political purposes
AMONG the many fallacies found in Hugh Key's comments (June 2 letter to the editor, ``Public workers must serve, not rule''), the most ludicrous is his assertion that ``Yes, Jesus would have stood with private-property owners against those who would take it from them. He did, after all, throw lawyers and tax collectors out of the temple.''
This is an odd interpretation of the Scripture. So odd, that one might even say grotesque. It could only have come from the chairman of the Roanoke County Republican Party, given that his fellow Republicans in Congress have decided to cut programs for children, the poor and the elderly, but preserve the mortgage-interest tax deduction for owners of million-dollar homes.
Luke 19:45 says that Jesus entered the temple and ``began to drive out those who sold, saying to them, It is written, `My house shall be a house of prayer'; but you have made it a den of robbers.'' This is no endorsement of private-property owners. Those driven out of the temple weren't lawyers and tax collectors, but ``all who sold and bought in the temple,'' the ``money-changers'' and those ``who sold pigeons'' (Matthew 21:12-13). In other words, businessmen who valued making money so much that they would profane a sacred place to serve their own purposes, even as Key, even if meant in jest, has sought to distort the meaning of the Gospels to serve his.
BROOKE STEPHENS
ROANOKE
by CNB