Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 17, 1995 TAG: 9508170010
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A14 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Military institutes abide by a strict honor code. I think it speaks volumes about Faulkner's character when she purposely misled The Citadel by deleting her gender status on her transcripts for admission. She was aware of the admission policy. This is how she began her lawsuit against a fine institution.
I believe in single-gender education. My brother is a distinguished and proud graduate of Virginia Military Institute, and I understand the camaraderie of all brother cadets. I support all-female colleges and the sisterhood they experience. I do believe in equality, but why is tradition such a dying art?
Faulkner may truly believe she wants The Citadel experience, but by her mere presence there, she doesn't receive it. Because of her gender, she'll receive special treatment and attention. Examples include cameras outside her room and a lock on her door.
She spoke about her rights as an individual, but what about the rights of 2,000 male students to experience a unique and treasured education?
Faulkner said that her enrollment is ``going to make the school even better.'' Not true. She has successfully destroyed the brotherhood of a fine school.
|KENNETH P. KIRK |SALEM
Bliley owes yet|
another apology|
WHAT A relief that Rep. Thomas J. Bliley got control of his tongue, and apologized to President Clinton for the remark he made Aug. 7 on former Virginia Gov. Doug Wilder's radio talk show. The remark concerned the president's need for a security detail while in Charlotte, N.C. One loose-mouthed Sen. Jesse Helms is more than many of us can tolerate.
An even greater relief would for Bliley to get out of the deep pockets of tobacco interests, and apologize to millions of Americans whose medical problems he has helped to perpetuate through his alliance with tobacco.
|HAL WASHINGTON |LEXINGTON
Most nursing homes|
have problems|
IT SEEMS the Avante Nursing Home is under attack again. I have trouble believing it's any worse than other nursing homes in the valley. Someone just ``speaks out'' on the subject.
My mother spent three years in two local nursing homes before passing on several months ago. A fall, from being left unattended, was the beginning of the end for her. This caused her needs to increase, and the problems became greater.
It wasn't uncommon to wait 30 minutes to have the call bell answered. There was always a shortage of help. On one occasion, there was one nursing assistant to care for more than 20 patients. The nursing assistants weren't sufficiently trained and weren't familiar with the patients. The registered nurse and director of nursing were rude and unprofessional.
Her stay at the second nursing home was very brief. She continued to worsen, but I was assured there was no change in her condition. She died of pneumonia. I was never told she had it nor was she being treated for it. If she were living, she would have been 98 on Aug. 12.
|JIMMY GOODYKOONTZ |ROANOKE
Incentive to save|
isn't there|
OLD-AGE and survivors' insurance on which we paid premiums for more than 46 years - Social Insecurity - has been spent by our government. Settlement payments we get are being taxed as income. There's no security in government promises. The national debt is a colossal monument to our insecurity.
Your Aug. 10 editorial (``No need to panic, but save up'') advises to ``keep well, and save.'' I know about the keep-well part, and know even more about the save part. Saving is the most risky and disastrous thing I can think of. I advise the young not to trust government promises. You're a sure loser if you do! Don't work overtime and pay full income tax, then save money and pay interest and dividend taxes on it.
With insurance by government - Social Security, Medicare, etc. - you get robbed by the government. If you have savings, the government knows it and robs you! As former House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dan Rostenkowski said, ``We know where the money is and we are going to get it.''
Other ways the government robs you is with means testing, cost-of-living adjustments, death taxes, etc. It cuts inheritance exemptions by two-thirds and raises the retirement age. That way, it takes in more taxes and pay out less.
Saving and investing is the most stupid thing I ever tried to do in my 75 years. Unless and until taxes are capped, I advise the young to be content with a fair living and don't save a dime of it.
|ELLIS J. CARTER |MARTINSVILLE
by CNB