ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, January 2, 1996 TAG: 9601020155
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A4 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: LETTERS
THE EDITORIAL on Dec. 26, "Guns and butter and youth crime," appeared to be an exercise in journalistic deception. Two-thirds of the editorial addressed juvenile crime before abruptly switching to the intended subject, repeal of the concealed-carry law.
Citing juvenile crime statistics that predate the law by six years belies the assumption that the concealed-carry law will put guns in the hands of children. The statistics cited prove that children had guns long before the law was passed.
A concealed-carry permit is a legal paper issued on an individual basis to a qualified adult by a circuit court judge; it has no bearing on the availability of firearms. With or without the law, the availability of guns will not change.
Using juvenile crime statistics compiled many years prior to the passage of the concealed-carry law as a persuasive argument for the repeal of that law is very much like butter; placed under strong light, it melts. JOSEPH H. HUDSON JR. SALEM
Does sex-ed policy break church rule?
IT WAS WITH interest as well as anger that I read the Associated Press news article on Dec. 21, "Vatican urges parents to control sex education."
The Vatican document states that "Sex education, the fundamental right and obligation of parents, must always be under their guide . . .'' and that teachers "need to respect the right of the child and young person to take themselves out of any form of sex education" of which their parents do not approve.
Based on what happened to my fifth-grade daughter at Roanoke Catholic School during the 1993-1994 school year, it seems the school is operating under some other guidelines.
Roanoke Catholic begins a co-ed sex education program in the fifth grade that continues through 12th grade. This program is under the auspices of the required "religion" curriculum, and thus parents are not allowed to opt out of sex education courses as is allowed in public schools.
Before the fifth-grade sex-ed class began, my husband and I and several other parents reviewed the book to be used for the class and concluded, among other things, that the material was far too detailed and explicit to be discussed in a co-ed class of fifth-grade children. We requested that same-sex classes be used or that our children be excused to go to the library.
Both requests were refused. So began the process of meetings with the principal and vice-principal; appearing before the school board; and writing to Bishop Sullivan in Richmond.
To make a long and very painful story short, I was told by the principal that I could remove my daughter from the sex-ed class but that if I did, my daughter would not be allowed to return to Roanoke Catholic the next school year (or any year thereafter); the school board was not permitted to discuss or vote on the issue; and the bishop, in a letter to my husband and me, expressed his support for the school's position.
Thus, after choosing to take our daughter out of the sex-ed class, she was, in effect, expelled from Roanoke Catholic.
I wonder when Roanoke Catholic will learn to follow the Catholic Church's own mandate in this matter and come to understand the right of parents to decide the method and timing of their children's sex education. ANNETTE G. MARIANO ROANOKE
Just the budget facts, please
YOUR DEC. 19 editorial - "Budget mess: What's their excuse?" - was a good one on how both parties are having a ball with a demagogic smoke-screen.
Let's cut out the demagoguery and get down to numbers and facts.
We can do without a million federal jobs. Cut out all sweetheart deals with agriculture subsidies, minerals and natural resources with industry, and we show a surplus.
No more 100,000 homeless children a month; 10,000 starving children a month, and 100 baby deaths a month due to malnutrition. GRANT HALLOCK CHECK
Only thing being `slashed' is the truth
THE DUBIOUS AWARD for last year should go to Cecil Roberts and the United Mine Workers Union. The ads they have been running on Medicare are blatantly false. Mr. Roberts is either ignorant of the facts of the Republican plan for Medicare and the budget, or he is lying.
The ads say Medicare is being "slashed" and "destroyed". It also suggests people will have to quit working to take care of elderly parents because they will no longer be able to afford a nursing home. This is complete nonsense!
In fact, spending for Medicare and Medicaid is going up 6 percent per year in the proposed plan through 2002, at which time the federal budget will be balanced, hopefully. One question, Cecil. How did you get "slashed" from this? STEVE MONROE ROANOKE
Pot growing is serious business
I HAVE TO agree with Barry Price in his Dec. 21 letter, "Going too soft on drug dealers." These "Phototron" pot raisers are not "small-time" offenders. Just because they had not been caught before, the courts should not put this in the same "first-time offense" category as if they were teenagers caught with some in their jacket pockets.
I was rather shocked to read in the newspaper that the couple who were leaders of the group would be permitted to keep their house, another property and a vehicle, and that he could get up to four years with his wife receiving a lesser sentence.
Maybe there is no evidence that these people sold the drugs to juveniles, but are we to believe the drug never filtered down to youngsters? The defendants are responsible for putting it on the market, and for goodness sakes they are just as responsible as the ones who actually peddled the stuff on the streets.
If they are to get off with so light a sentence, how are we to put any faith at all in the court system? There is certainly no justice here! Everyone that has discussed this case with me has agreed they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible. ELLIE WEIKLE SHAWSVILLE
Fond memories of Adelaid
THANK YOU for publishing the words to the politically incorrect, medically incorrect, memorable "Adelaid's Lament" in the editorial, "She sang a song of sniffles," on Dec. 18.
Although we are considerably past the "forties something" or even "fifties something," we did have the pleasure of seeing "Guys & Dolls" in New York, and found Vivian Blair's rendition sheer delight.
We still wonder how she did it. You brought back a wonderful memory. MARY GLENN COPENHAVER ROANOKE
Lake residents enhance the area
ANDREW CUNDIFF'S Dec. 20 letter to the editor, "Lake residents can pay their own way" - about his unwillingness to pay increased taxes to support the needs of Smith Mountain Lake residents - was very inappropriate.
Most of what he says is true, but there is also another side to the story. The people from the North, or the wealthier in this area who build their homes on the lake, also provide a considerable amount of revenue for the counties surrounding Smith Mountain Lake.
It is true that most of us in the areas surrounding the lake (including myself) could not afford to pay the asking price of most of the lots, which often run from $30,000 to $120,000. But what if the lots were at a price we could afford? Can you imagine what Smith Mountain Lake would look like?
If your imagination fails you, take a good look at Virginia 670, which runs into one area of Smith Mountain Lake in Franklin County. The area looks like an extended mobile home park; in one 2-mile stretch there are more than 20 of them.
Many of the mobile homes are surrounded by debris and junk that remind one of the movie Tobacco Road. Now, project this image to the lots surrounding the lake.
Maybe we should thank the people at the lake. Maybe we should also ask what the county zoning boards are doing to protect the beauty of the area surrounding Smith Mountain Lake! ROBERT F. BOYD WIRTZ
LENGTH: Long : 145 linesby CNB