Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 8, 1995 TAG: 9510100025
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: G2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Assuming he means the same people, Fassie seems to regard criticizing the police as defending the criminal. To my knowledge, only lawyers defend criminals.
Technically, it isn't for the police to decide what a criminal deserves, so we shouldn't consider that when evaluating their performance, even in life-threatening situations. And while it's true police officers do work most of us would hate to do, the fact that they do it ``for shamefully low salaries'' may be a sign of a problem as much as a reason for gratitude.
Fassie asks us to imagine ``if tomorrow we should wake up without police protection.'' There would be chaos, too, without the services of mechanics, truck drivers and farmers. The inherent monopoly of a public police department does make loss of law enforcement a real possibility. Disgruntled officers could organize a strike, but I don't think Fassie is trying to make that point.
I submit that we all have an inborn desire for order and a corresponding fear of chaos. Moreover, the role of protector is an innate understanding, capable of inspiring a deeply-emotional bond. Naturally, it's difficult to set these emotions aside when evaluating police performance. But we must if we are to maintain a police force worthy of respect on its own merits.
ANDREW AKERS SALE
Party counts a lot in this election
THIS FALL'S election of the General Assembly may become a landmark in Virginia political history as only a handful of seats need to change hands for Republicans to gain control. One result of such a changing of the guard would be a great strengthening of Gov. George Allen's power to set the state agenda. Despite claims by local Republican candidates for the General Assembly that they can stand up to Allen when he's wrong, it's unlikely they would be able to do so in the way Democrats have done.
A second and more significant long-term outcome if Republicans win would be a major political power shift in the state, giving Northern Virginia tremendous influence. One Republican leader stated recently in a Washington Post article, ``Northern Virginia makes out like bandits if the Republicans take control of the General Assembly.'' Del. Vince Callahan Jr. (R) of McLean projected, ``This is unprecedented power in Northern Virginia history if Republicans win. The stakes are enormous.''
This shift of political power would result from Northern Virginia Republicans becoming chairmen of key bodies including the Senate Finance Committee and the House Appropriations Committee. With the assumption of this control, Northern Virginia Republicans expect to change funding formulas for public schools and roads to benefit their area and increase support for George Mason University.
If the Republican forecast is correct, the stakes for Southwest Virginia are equally enormous as we may have less funding for schools, roads, and higher education. If we want our area to continue as a viable player at the legislative table, then we must send our Democratic legislators back to Richmond.
The choice is very clear based on the Republicans' own words. In this election, party counts - a lot.
DAN B. FLEMING BLACKSBURG
Teach your children well
I DON'T know which letter to the editor on your Sept. 30 Opinion page infuriated me more - Jim Dooley's (``The problem with year-round schooling'') claiming that public schools promote political, anti-religious, nonfundamental learning agendas and aren't concerned with teaching values, or Don Assaid's (``Lamar is to be congratulated'') that cheered Lamar Advertising for being non-politically correct.
Assaid has failed to realize that the statement, "Celebrate Diversity," in no way mentions or is limited to homosexual lifestyles. Diversity is an inherent quality in each person; therefore, it seems celebrating it would be healthy, something that well-adjusted, secure people could and would do. Don't shun a good message just because you dislike the messenger.
Dooley's claims are simply not true. If he visited my classroom, he would see fundamental learning, peer-interaction (my students rarely sit and stare at a blackboard), and promotion of values such as honesty, respect, and persistence. Teachers mourn the decline of values as much as Dooley, but we realize the majority of one's values are learned from one's parents, church and community.
As for camps, has he considered that they could be scheduled during the six-week summer breaks and during the three-week breaks between terms?
LAURA J. DULANEY SALEM
by CNB