Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, June 27, 1995 TAG: 9506270031
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Your Roanoke readers do not see the New River Current as I do. On June 17, there appeared to be two different governors of our commonwealth described in your newspaper.
In the news section seen by all your readers, you describe the governor's successes in bringing jobs back from his European tour in the article, ``Allen returns, bearing deals.''
In the New River Current that same day, you have the obituary for the Global Studies College formed at Radford University, ``Hardly even a good-bye.''
The college's mission was to be to prepare graduates for international commerce of the type in which Allen is showing such an interest. He killed this college in the budget process. Is this the same governor you described in your editorial and in ``Allen returns, bearing deals''? Or do we have two governors here in Virginia?
JAMES M. MOORE
BLACKSBURG
Warner is wrong on school-prayer issue
SEN. JOHN Warner supports an amendment barring federal funding to schools that prohibit children from participating in ``constitutionally protected'' prayer. He does not state that ``protected'' prayer is used to coerce and order children, without parental permission, to partake in an unconstitutional act of religious prayer.
America is a free country, and freedom of religion must not be impinged upon or destroyed, especially by forcing vulnerable children to listen to religious prayers in public schools. Once you refute and abandon freedom of religion, how long before other freedoms to be swallowed up?
Warner would discover the evil that religion has been responsible for if he'd study religion's history. Why does the world continue to allow religious hatred and prejudice to play such a prominent and decisive part in controlling and directing our lives?
Religion has its place in the home and houses of worship. It must never become a part of a government that is and was conceived as a democracy. Our nation must never succumb to the dictatorial edicts of religious perversion of religious freedom. Religious zealots, in their frantic and fanatic efforts to fit God into their mold of godliness, have betrayed God and his spirit to reaching out to everyone, regardless of how and where we choose to worship. I don't believe God insists on, demands or wants prayer by ordination.
There is no place in America for religious and ``virtuous'' hypocrites like Warner to keep us from seeking our own God in our own way to worship. Obviously, he has decided that undemocratic and unconstitutional religion under dictatorial government control is the answer.
JOE LIPTON
ROANOKE
Decisions suggest a double standard
NOW THAT the Star City Diner is in operation after numerous violations, followed by concessions by the city fathers, I have some unanswered questions.
On Nov. 8, 1994, I attended a zoning-board meeting for a hearing on my request for a variance to accommodate my constructing a carport in front of my residence. No objections were made by my neighbors, but my request was denied because it wouldn't ``look good.'' Although the city attorney requested a postponement on the decision until a further study could be made, this, too, was denied.
Does this mean that the city operates on a double standard?
On June 18, this newspaper ran an article (``Inspectors try to rid Roanoke of junky yards'') concerning the city's attempts to get junk removed from personal property in the city's Northwest section. However, the mess the city left on Fallon Avenue remains untouched. Is this the same double standard or just plain discrimination? Are we the city's stepchildren? Any answers out there?
LYLE ROBSON
ROANOKE
Henry County area is shucked aside
WHEN WILL your newspaper learn? Almost never, it seems, when covering a regional story such as the one featured on the front of the Horizon section on June 18 (``Coming this fall''). Not only did you fail to identify candidates for local elected offices in the Martinsville-Henry County area, our citizens were excluded from participating in your solicitation of questions for General Assembly candidates.
Our races were conveniently left off the list. But, believe me, if someone embezzles from a bank, sells cocaine, has an extra wife or carries on some shenanigans on a cable television station in our area, your newspaper has no problem pretending we're a part of its coverage area.
Take, for example, the article (``Henry County lawmen say law is overkill'') in the same edition, which crassly characterizes Henry County as having nearly as many gun shops as convenience stores. This reeks of a ``swoop'' story, in which - as you know - a staffer slinks into town, slinks out, writes with amusement whatever he pleases and the consequences be damned because he doesn't have to look us in the eye at the grocery store or play golf with us afterward.
It's astonishing that the Roanoke Times & World-News can be so oblivious to the fact that these types of representations are as insulting and unprofessional as they are erroneous. Then, just one day later, the newspaper turns around and shamelessly publishes an editorial (``In regionalism there is strength'') pompously preaching against regional fragmentation that ``encourages the petty squabbling among oversized egos around here.''
The next time you ponder reasons why such splintering occurs, or why your circulation in our area is so poor, take a good hard look in the mirror.
BILL FARRAR
MARTINSVILLE
Filmmakers are exploiting animals
I HAVE watched our inhumane behavior as a society, and have complained to friends and co-workers of our necessity to make money at the expense of nature and beautiful creatures. But now I must go a step further with my feelings, as I'm outraged at the movie ``Free Willie II.''
Our local newspaper has had articles about the slow destruction of the original whale due to inappropriate housing, and now, for entertainment, they have three of these beautiful creatures to destroy! One co-worker commented that the original ``Free Willie'' was a ``good movie.'' Well, shouldn't it be? It was a lie, and isn't the life of a beautiful creature an expensive price for this ``good movie''?
I wonder if people realize that by supporting the entertainment world in this type of exploitation of animals, they are helping destroy these creatures.
STEPHANIE CHRISTLEY
ROANOKE
Exposure to other faiths is positive
REGARDING LINDA Ballin's June 21 commentary ``I love my faith, too'':
I want to say that I love my faith, too.
I'm much older than Ballin, and I think I know where she's coming from. But I don't agree with her. I grew up where I was exposed to a lot of different faiths. One of my good friends was a young Jewish boy. When his grandfather was preparing him for his bar mitzvah, he taught me a few words as well. Chuckling, he told his grandson that I would make a better Jew than he would. I didn't change to the Jewish faith. I have had, and still have, very close friends in many different faiths. Some I agree with, and some I don't.
The way that young person closed his prayer at the recent graduation ceremony shouldn't have upset her so. While he was praying, why couldn't she or didn't she pray in her own way or just not do anything? Everyone there had that right. When I grew up, in school we had a prayer every day. I don't think anyone changed his or her faith because of it.
In this day and time, with all the turmoil that's going on in the world and especially with our young people, I feel any exposure they have to faith in God is good.
MADALINE MURPHY
GLADE SPRING
by CNB