Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, September 10, 1995 TAG: 9509090009
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: G-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Although all the suggested names have some merit, I did not find the one that seemed ``uniquely ours.''
``Valley Highlands'' is catchy, but it does not seem to pinpoint us. ``Blue Ridge Triad'' is a neat little package, but not all of us live in the Blue Ridge complex.
How about this? We could celebrate our ancient rivers as life-sustaining threads that sculpted our cradles of civilization and use the name, ``The New-Roanoke Aquaskein.''
Or we could celebrate the grandeur of our geological heritage with ``Virginia's East-West Divide,'' since the Roanoke River faithfully flows eastward to the Atlantic Ocean, and the New River pursues its northwestern trek that ultimately leads to the Gulf of Mexico.
``Virginia's Grand Canyon'' is another idea.
If none of these please, we could simply use the name ``New Century Corridor.''
Oh well, folks, don't lose heart. We can always fall back on this one: ``Two Rivers Run Through It.''
ELRICA S. GRAHAM
PULASKI
Seeking solutions to the jobs problem
THE ROANOKE Times is to be commended for the timely publication on Labor Day, Sept. 4, of the Commentary page article ``As work disappears, what will become of the workers?'' by Jeremy Rifkin.
It would be great if President Clinton, Speaker Gingrich and the other prime movers in Congress would read this article a few times, and make some movement in the direction that Mr. Rifkin has pointed out.
It is the most rational and succinct explanation so far of where we are, where we are going and where we have been, and it is written in simple, straightforward language.
It certainly reveals the fallacy of the retraining fiction our leaders keep feeding us as the solution to the jobs problem.
WILLIAM A. JUDGE
BEDFORD
Show the flag to show you care
SINCE VETERANS Day is only two months away, I would like to make a suggestion to some of your patriotic readers.
If they have stored away somewhere a flag from a veteran's casket, why not get it out and display it.
Or give it to a store, an office building or a neighbor and let them fix a pole and display it. I gave mine away (from my stepfather's casket) to be displayed at a garage. Maybe the local VFW could help come up with a place.
I don't believe our beloved veterans would want their flag stored away in some drawer or in an attic. Make them proud. Get out that flag and show your patriotism.
JANE C. COLE
NEW CASTLE
Profanity didn't improve the play
I APPLAUD the Showtimers recent production of ``The Shadow Box'' for a fine job of acting. The cast did an excellent job of portraying each character, and each of the three terminally ill patients was drawn out well.
However, the profanity used throughout the production was unnecessary, and actually demeaning to each actor.
I was offended and grieved by how Christ's name was used as profanity for hit lines. For many of us who have Christ in our lives, he is the real peace and strength in dealing with our human finality.
The next time I make reservations for a production I will ask what ``mature subject matter'' means - the subject or the presentation. Death is not necessarily a mature subject matter.
BRUCE THEISEN
ROANOKE
Kids will follow the lead of peers
AT NIGHT, on the City Market (Sept. 4 letter to the editor, ``City Market Night Scene: Is It Scary?''), it appears that there are conscientious young people who deserve a safe place to hang out, and others who think it's cool to build up themselves by putting down others.
How about encouraging the ones who care to discourage the ones who don't? They will listen to people their own age much sooner than to older adults.
If kids' tauntings get frowns from their pals instead of laughs, they'll probably stop.
DONNA K. HOPKINS
ROANOKE
by CNB