ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, June 18, 1996 TAG: 9606180044
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: LETTERS
MY HEART aches for the family and friends of the two women recently murdered along the Appalachian Trail near Luray (June 5 article, ``Women's slayings strike fear on Appalachian Trail''). The victims will never be able to again share their knowledge and love for the wilderness, as we learned they had devoted their work to do.
I've lost track of the number of people who have asked me if I'm afraid of hiking alone. I am afraid at times, but I keep doing it because I love the gifts it offers. I hope my daughter will inherit my deep attraction to the peaceful solitude, physical and mental challenge, and self-growth that is yielded by being alone and being a woman by herself in the woods.
What the sociopath who killed Julianne Williams and Lollie Winans wanted was to have control over something less powerful than him. (I'm assuming it was a man.) We all know that our culture defines this ``something'' too often as females, be they on a trail or in their own homes.
Let's not give in to this sick mentality. Let's teach our sons to respect our daughters, and our daughters to be able to strike along a wooded path fearlessly as should be their human right and privilege. I think it can be done. |JANE HELLMAN |BLACKSBURG
The students had|
many concerns|
IN RESPONSE to your May 22 article, ``P.H. pupils: Get rid of bad apples'':
That wasn't the focus of the meeting. We talked about the need to make teaching more interesting, and the teaching of things we'll use later in life. We talked about the heat, and how it's hard to focus on our studies. We asked questions about getting air conditioning. Superintendent Wayne Harris said it was a luxury.
We asked how student dues are spent. Harris said that they are spent on the senior-class present and on activities. The only activity I see is one we pay $1 to get into. Also, we asked about improving the quality of lunches and lengthening the time to eat. We didn't get adequate answers to any of our questions. Harris asked us what we would do if we were principal for a day.
The focus of our meeting wasn't about getting rid of the troublemakers. Other things are more important.
|TAMIKA D. LEWIS |ROANOKE
Local malls should|
offer more variety|
I READ with much interest your May 17 and June 5 articles (``Star City gives tourism cue to Greensboro'' and ``Remaking Tanglewood requires more than a mere face lift''). As a long-time visitor to the Greensboro area, I can acknowledge that there is need to do something to re-energize downtown Greensboro's historic district and make it something more than a center for ``big business.''
It would be very appropriate for representatives from Roanoke's two largest shopping malls to examine not only Greensboro but other North Carolina cities as well to see what it takes to have better malls.
The primary reason I visit Greensboro and other cities in North Carolina so often is that the operators of those malls seem to have a greater vision about what type of stores are put in their malls to make them more attractive to shoppers. Our local malls seem to place their interest in shoe stores, trendy clothing stores and athletic supplies while offering only a small selection of gift and variety stores. The malls to our south have these and more! They contain a large variety of specialty shops, newsstands, drugstores, discount stores, and food courts with 20 or more choices of places for the shopper to eat.
The June article expounds on the many changes under way at Tanglewood and Valley View malls. With the exception of a few new ``ho-hum'' repetitive-type stores, the only real changes appear to be cosmetic.
In light of all the attempts that are being made in this valley to increase tourism, it would appear to make good sense to have mall facilities that offer a wider variety of shopping experiences. If Greensboro and other cities can do it, why can't we?
|JOHN REGNIER |SALEM
Find a better |
word for it|
REGARDING your May 30 article, ``Stores stung for not carding'':
The word ``carding'' got me. I had to look it up in the dictionary. It means ``checking one's identification, especially to determine his legal age.'' You must employ legal scholars to write your headlines!
|EDWARD J. POOLE-CONNOR |ROANOKE
Its viewpoint was|
the book's offense|
REGARDING THE recent Limbaugh book incident (May 24 article, ``Father undertakes `Rush' to judgment''):
Everyone seems to be forgetting that the reason the book was taken from the child wasn't because of the use of the word "condom," but because of the conservative nature of the book.
|PATRICK A. COSMATO |HARDY
LENGTH: Long : 101 linesby CNB