Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, August 11, 1995 TAG: 9508110020
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
According to press reports, Edwards was in the custody of supposedly trained professionals. Seizing someone's body through the power of arrest, and restraining him or her with handcuffs, brings with it some responsibility for the safety of the one in custody. Witness reports that Edwards was kicking, thrashing and - heaven forbid - using curse words gave professionals further notice of that heightened responsibility.
It may be the officers weren't negligent in this incident. They may be no more blameworthy than parents we read of who leave their children unattended for brief periods, with tragic results.
But I'm sure that it's no comfort to Edwards' family to read that the matter will not be investigated. And I doubt the pain of their loss is diminished by Struzzi's extensive quoting of Gerlene Sizer, of National Guardian alarm systems, who was ``just real proud'' of the officers' ``professionalism.''
On the other hand, maybe Edwards doesn't have a family or friends. Struzzi's article doesn't acknowledge their existence or include their reaction.
WILLIAM S. GEIMER
LEXINGTON
Tobacco's trail of carnage
SCIENTISTS at the Food and Drug Administration, an independent agency of the federal government, recently confirmed that nicotine in cigarette smoke is an addictive drug. Does that surprise anyone? Why else would 50 million Americans continue to pursue an activity that causes the premature death of 435,000 people a year and costs our economy $65 billion a year?
The FDA is responsible for regulating addictive drugs. For this reason, it intends to regulate nicotine.
Our children must be protected from tobacco products. Recent statistics suggest that the rate of smoking among young people is actually rising. Each day, 3,000 children become regular smokers, and almost 1,000 of them will eventually die from diseases related to smoking - emphysema, lung cancer, heart disease, etc.
President Clinton is now under tremendous pressure to yield to the power of the tobacco industry. He should stand behind the FDA in its efforts to regulate nicotine as an addictive drug.
Each year, tobacco products cause more deaths than illegal drugs, alcohol, AIDS and automobile accidents combined. This carnage must be stopped.
DAVID L. LEWIS
Emergency physician, Memorial Hospital of Martinsville and Henry County
MARTINSVILLE
Two roads are better than one
A FEW months ago I received a notice regarding a section of U.S. 221 south of U.S. 419 in Roanoke County. It sought comments on proposed relocation and proposed reconstruction. Since then, it has been reported that reconstruction and widening of the existing U.S. 221 roadway received 50 percent support instead of what I expected would be the runaway choice - constructing a road in a new location.
For widening the existing road, some homes would be taken, and some would lose their front yards. Commuters and others would travel through a difficult construction zone for two years or more. More traffic signals would no doubt have to be added to existing U.S. 221 as traffic increased, whereas two roads would dilute traffic so that fewer locations would need signals to permit vehicles entering from side roads. Also, with the relocation proposal, everyone would have access to an alternate route if one became blocked by fallen trees or power lines, or by a vehicle accident.
As I understand it, it would cost less money to build a new road than to reconstruct U.S. 221, which would involve moving all utility power and telephone lines. It's likely that reconstruction on the existing roadbed also would result in damage to the environment, and cause drastic changes to neighborhoods.
It seems that a vocal minority is once again promoting private interests over the public good. This is a unique opportunity to have two north-south roadways along the Back Creek corridor. Let's take advantage of it. This opportunity will not be available later, as the corridor will continue to fill with home developments, regardless of which alternate is chosen.
GEORGE W. RING
Retired engineer
BENT MOUNTAIN
Fortunately, U.S. got the bomb first
REGARDING Cody Lowe's Aug. 6 column, ``A lot of Japanese reunions were canceled in advance 50 years ago'':
His concern about the Japanese not being there for their family reunions makes me wonder where his concern is for American husbands, fathers, sons and daughters who were never able to come home for a family reunion. It was either their country or ours. God has protected America since its beginning from foreign invasion, and let us pray that he'll continue to do so.
Everyone these days finds fault with decisions of the past. The dropping of the bomb on Japan ended the war. Does Lowe think the Japanese would have thought twice about dropping the bomb on the rest of the world if they had had it first? I'm tired of hearing about how horrible it was for the Japanese. It was horrible, but so were the atrocities they did to their enemies.
The past cannot be changed, regardless of how much we disagree with it. We can only hope to make the future better by making the right decisions today - as we see them, as did our forefathers.
BETTY E. GAYLOR
ROANOKE
Knife was never pulled on May
ROBERT MAY murdered my son, Dale Jay Arnold, on New Year's Day. I feel compelled to respond to your Aug. 3 article, ``May describes night of killings.'' All of the victims' families have suffered enough without having memories of their loved ones tarnished by erroneous assumptions.
Our family was present during the entire trial. I heard May state that he shot the third man (my son) as he came toward him, and he had a big knife. To me, this indicated a knife was in evidence - not that Dale attacked him with it.
According to information available to us, my son's knife was folded shut, in its sheath and on his belt when his body was removed from his apartment. Dale was shot four times; every shot would have been fatal. He was an avid fisherman and liked to clean his catch before taking it home. I never saw him intentionally harm any person or any thing. He was outgoing, compassionate, and much too generous, to his own detriment.
Also, the coroner's testimony substantiates that none of the victims had time to react, either to protect themselves or to help each other.
MERLE K. CARTER
WIRTZ
Interested in more than just a job
I RECENTLY had a chance to hear Doug Maynard, candidate for sheriff, speak and explain his plan for patrol districts and faster response time for Bedford County. From his honest and straight-forward answers to questions, you could easily tell that he's quite knowledgeable and is sincerely interested in the welfare of Bedford County, not just looking for a job.
CAROL P. SMIT
BEDFORD COUNTY
The city is once again abloom
SHE HAS done it again! Marilyn Arbogast, Roanoke city's horticulturist, has transformed the Roanoke area with beautiful plantings. Her color combinations are especially lovely.
We owe a debt of gratitude to her and to her hard-working crew for giving the citizens and visitors so much pleasure. Aren't we fortunate?
HELEN FITZPATRICK
ROANOKE
by CNB