ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, July 5, 1996 TAG: 9607050009
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-6 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: LETTERS
I MUST take issue with Ray Garland's June 27 commentary, "The morality of a nation is decided by its politics."
Contrary to what he seems to imply, getting rid of the "welfare state" will not improve the moral character of our nation. Reality is much too complex to allow such a simple solution to our problem. And, no question, we do have a problem.
What the "welfare state" did was to open up possibilities for corruption and fraud to a larger segment of the population. It didn't create the mentality that causes us to look for opportunities to get rich quick or to get something for nothing.
In the wonderful world before welfare that so many conservatives look forward to reviving, fraud and corruption were the prerogative of the rich and powerful. Slaves and sharecroppers working in the fields, children working in tobacco and textile factories, and immigrants working in sweatshops had no opportunity to participate.
History is filled with examples of fraud and corruption. Remember the Teapot Dome, the robber barons, the Reconstruction era and the administration of President Grant? The list is long.
Our nation at war has always been a prime target for fraud and corruption. In every war from the Revolution onward, inferior, useless and dangerously defective goods have been furnished to our armed services by military contractors. And the Federal Deposit Insurance Act didn't cause the abuses that resulted in the failure of so many savings-and-loan institutions.
The welfare system shouldn't be trashed; it needs to be redesigned and given adequate funding to see to its proper administration.
As for the level of morality of our nation, let's not expect more prisons, capital punishment and tougher sentences to solve that one. Let's start looking to our schools, families and the teachings of all of the world's great religions.
|E. JACQUES MILLER |ROANOKE
Photo ill-served|
rally's purpose|
REGARDING the June 25 photograph of the Promise Keepers rally held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway:
I am simply amazed that out of 75,000 men, the Associated Press was able to find two men without shirts on hugging each other, and AP took a picture of it for the newspaper. It was very disgusting.
I am proud that the men in my family are Promise Keepers.
|NANCY A. HARRIS |ROANOKE
To swap education|
for a showplace|
I WISH to make a few comments about two articles that appeared in your newspaper on June 18.
The first article (``Council: Stadium a priority'') concerns Roanoke City Council's decision to rush to build a brand new stadium in the city. According to the article, plans for the stadium aren't part of long-range planning for capital improvements. Yet council declares that Roanoke not only deserves a stadium but needs one. I mean, what's an All-America city without a spanking new stadium?
The second article (``City trims tutoring for poor'') tells us how Roanoke's school system will cut funds for tutoring services for disadvantaged youth. It appears city government is willing to spend money for a coliseum, yet at the same time it takes steps to ensure an inferior education to those students who need the most educational assistance.
Maybe I am making too much of a fuss about this. After all, council may have a different vision for the future. The next century may see Roanoke's young adults undereducated and ill-prepared for employment, but they can always go to the All-America city's spiffy new stadium and see what happened to their education.
|MAX CECIL |PEARISBURG
Court tread on|
Virginia's rights|
I AM NOT a Virginia Military Institute alumnus, but I am a Virginian who resents our House of Lords' ruling that the institute has to admit women (June 27 article, ``VMI must admit women, Supreme Court rules 7-1'').
Like Gen. Robert E. Lee, I am a Virginian before anything else, and the Supreme Court has again taken something from me. Most people will care less and forget in a few days, but all true Virginians should feel insulted because VMI is Virginia and the high court has changed it forever.
If women should be admitted, that decision should have been made by the commonwealth and VMI. I would have no problem with that.
|JERRY D. RICE SR. |ROANOKE
GOP's right wing|
was repudiated|
THREE CHEERS for Bill Connelly and Mark Rush on your June 24 Commentary page (``State GOP's right wing is out of touch''). They said what I have wanted to say ever since the primary election (and before)!
I am definitely not happy with the Republican Party's current leadership, and I refuse to lend even modest financial aid. The party has certainly been out of touch with me. And based on the primary election's outcome, nearly everyone else who voted.
I couldn't wait to go into the voting booth and pull the lever for John Warner - took me 5 seconds flat! A lot of others felt the same way obviously.
|BILL STORY |MONETA
LENGTH: Long : 107 linesby CNB