ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, July 7, 1996 TAG: 9607080133
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: 2 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: LETTERS
IN 1864, Gen. David Hunter burned the Virginia Military Institute and nearly destroyed the school. In 1996, the Supreme Court, with the stroke of a pen, accomplished what Hunter couldn't (June 27 article, ``VMI must admit women, Supreme Court rules 7-1'').
Where is it written that all change means progress? Tradition in this country means absolutely nothing anymore. What next? State-supported public coed restrooms? I think not.
The ruling has virtually destroyed a young man's opportunity to seek a same-sex education in a state-supported school. Single-gender education can be very beneficial. Unfortunately, it's a dying thing.
There is also the financial issue. Many parents cannot afford to send their children to private institutions for a unique experience. This isn't fair. Now, only those from well-to-do families can attend private schools. I am disappointed with the court's ruling.
I am proud to say my brother is a VMI graduate. It was all-male when he attended VMI.
Well, guys, it's been fun. Good luck and Godspeed!
KENNETH KIRK
SALEM
Woman followed the golden rule
IT WAS inspiring to see the Associated Press photograph with the caption ``Body block'' on the front page of your June 23 edition. It showed Keshia Thomas, an 18-year-old black woman of Ann Arbor, Mich., using her body to protect a white man from anti-Klan demonstrators who were assaulting him because he had been seen at a Ku Klux Klan rally.
Thomas is exceptionally brave to have put herself in that life-threatening position. In trying to prevent that which she knew was wrong, she exhibited humanitarianism and integrity of which our nation should be proud. She demonstrated that an eye for an eye is two wrongs, and that two wrongs don't make things right. She exemplified that the only way to always do right is by following the golden rule - doing unto others as we would have done unto ourselves.
Sometimes it's difficult to stay focused on the rule. But religious or not, if we truly are a great nation with great people, it's a goal toward which we must always strive. We need to work harder at seeing through the superficial labels society places on people. We can only be without hate, like Thomas, by seeing all people as the human beings they are. This doesn't mean that we should allow criminals to run wild. It means that we should treat them as we would have ourselves treated for committing the same offense.
CHARLES E. MARCUM
WALNUT COVE, N.C.
The ballot battle is not yet over
YOUR JUNE 26 article (``Mark Warner wins top rank on ballot for Senate election'') concerning setting the ballot line for the U.S. Senate race illustrates saliently the reasons many in the public distrust your accuracy and your journalistic integrity. Surely you're well aware that the ballot is anything but set.
The Board of Elections chose to thumb its nose at a recent federal court order extending the deadline for filing qualifying petitions for ballot inclusion until August. That you missed or neglected that is sorry enough. But the resulting dissemination of, at best, misinformation is a disservice to your readers - and to Virginia voters whose First and 14th amendment rights had been denied until George R. ``Tex'' Wood prevailed as pro se litigant in having the deadline for filing moved to the more reasonable August date.
You may not like the fact that an independent petition drive can still place an alternative on the ballot. But such is indeed the case. You know it to be so, and you still persist in giving voters misinformation that the ballot line is set, and there's nothing they can do about it.
Marginalizing Wood's effort is one thing. But in so doing, you are also marginalizing the First and 14th amendment rights of all Virginians, and you miss the more important facet of the news by so doing.
BILL HUFF
BEDFORD
Bill Gaither, friends, raised spirits here
ONE OF your staff writers attended and reviewed a great spiritual experience that took place in Charlotte, N.C., on June 21 and 22 - the Promise Keepers rally (June 25 article, ``Promises to keep''). The same weekend, a spiritual experience took place in Roanoke that was not reviewed. Approximately 7,000 people attended the ``Bill Gaither and Friends'' concert at the Roanoke Civic Center.
Here's a man who has bridged the gap between contemporary and Southern gospel music, between the young generation and others. Young Christian comedian Mark Lowery gave us good, clean humor. Gospel greats Vestal Goodman and Jake Hess moved many to tears with their beautiful, powerful voices. Sue Dodge and The Martins also provided beautiful Christian music.
I know that I speak for many others when I praise the works of this great man of God. I and many others look forward to his return to the valley next May. Bill Gaither is a person the Christian community can be proud of.
BRIAN D. BOWMAN
ROANOKE
LENGTH: Medium: 96 linesby CNB