ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, June 24, 1996 TAG: 9606240007
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-6 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: LETTERS
I WISH Glenda Thompson, who wrote the June 12 letter to the editor (``Seniors have duty to help others''), could have attended the June 11 meeting of the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors.
``Hall of Fame Awards'' were presented to many county senior citizens by Supervisor Bob Johnson, in recognition of their selfless voluntary contributions of time, energy and expertise in such diverse areas as coaching, medicine, insurance counseling, Girl Scouts, etc.
The room overflowed with giving, caring, committed seniors involved in such volunteer activities. This large group didn't include all the senior volunteers in the valley. There are literally thousands.
Unfortunately, the event didn't qualify for coverage in The Roanoke Times, but Thompson can be assured that the ``I've got mine, now you get yours'' attitude she says is ``rampant'' in this country isn't ``rampant'' in the valley or in her town of Collinsville.
I believe she might be encouraged rather than ``sickened'' if she had a more informed, broader view of the substantial contributions and widespread volunteerism of senior citizens, and could ignore the complaint of one senior taxpayer.
We simply don't need another wedge widening the generation gap driven by well-meaning but misguided citizens.
ROBERT F. ADAMS
League of Older Americans volunteer
ROANOKE
Is Virginia's GOP seeing red?
THE GOP primary is over, and I'm having a difficult time trying to see the difference between the Republican Party and the Communist Party. The Communist Party's way of thinking is that it's only what the party likes that counts, and what the people like does not matter.
John Warner has served Virginia in an honorable and outstanding way. He really deserves a lot of praise for going against the party and for not endorsing somebody he thought would be unfit to serve in Congress.
If Adolf Hitler ran today as a Republican, would the Republican Party vote for him simply because he's Republican, and his background doesn't count?
It's very hard to believe the Republican Party wanted to have a closed convention to do away with Warner, and to do away with the people's choice. That's the old-line Communist Party's way of thinking. It's also hard to believe that the Republican Party is upset because Warner was thinking more of the citizens of Virginia than the party itself.
He has done such an outstanding job in Washington that even Democrats voted for him in the primary. So how can Republicans say Warner isn't worthy?
Eat your heart out Republicans - or should I say comrades? I'll be at the polls in November to re-elect Warner for another term.
CARL R. PADGETT
ROANOKE
The star could forecast weather
REGARDING the Mill Mountain Star:
While traveling through Texas a few years ago, my wife and I drove through a city with a number of ads for bail bondsmen painted on the sides of buildings. One we recall had in large letters: "You ring, we spring.'' The overall impression to us was that we didn't want to stay there very long.
We have the same feeling about the proposal (June 4 article, ``Council OKs star to shine blood red after DUI fatalities'') to color the star red whenever a death occurs due to an intoxicated driver.
It seems to us it will have a negative impact upon those we want to welcome to the valley, and will unfairly color Roanoke's reputation as one of the nicest places to live in the United States.
We submit that, before long, few will look at the star because of its morbid connotation. Better, it would seem, to spend effort and funds on real rehabilitation and education, and require strong punishment and license suspension (five years?) for those convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
As an alternative, why not use the star as a weather indicator? Show red for warmer temperatures in the next 24 hours, blue for colder, and yellow for not much change. Installing a strobe light in the center could indicate possible precipitation. Then, we'd have a star people will appreciate looking at, and it will be a positive asset to the Star City.
EDITH and WILLIAM HICKMAN
ROANOKE
LENGTH: Medium: 83 linesby CNB