ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, August 12, 1996 TAG: 9608120098
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: LETTERS
``HORRORS of lead poisoning cripple children and adults in Roanoke, Va.'' This could be a national headline soon if the city police establish a shooting range in the watershed area of Carvins Cove Lake.
The poisons that will leach from the munitions waste sprayed from the barrels, spattered from the targets, and penetrating into the earth will contaminate the city drinking-water reservoir. Parts per billion, or even parts per trillion, have been proved to cause brain damage and reproductive mutations in humans. Books ranging from ``Silent Spring'' to the recent best seller ``Our Stolen Future'' detail the potential disasters that can be caused by such contamination of our environment.
The question is not only whether we will live or die because of lead poisoning caused by the proposed shooting range. The question is to what degree will we be sickened and our children deformed. The answer is terrifying to contemplate.
The future of our valley and our children shouldn't be compromised because of the desire for a brand new, out-of-town pistol-practice range.
GRANT SNYDER
ROANOKE
Goodlatte serves the special interests
I WISH to thank you and wholeheartedly agree with your July 30 editorial, "Still messing with school prayer," in which you criticize Rep. Bob Goodlatte for his ongoing efforts to subvert the Constitution by entangling our government with organized religion.
It's time our representative stopped being the errand boy of Newt Gingrich, Pat Robertson, the Christian Coalition and the far-right fringes of the Virginia Republican Party. We need a person who looks out for the interests of the people of the 6th District, and is beholden to no one, especially those individuals mentioned above.
If our representative feels he cannot break away from the special interests that hold him hostage, he shouldn't run for re-election in the fall. We need someone who looks after the good of the entire district. That man is not representing us now.
I urge those who want fair-minded representation and not a narrow agenda to vote Democratic in the fall. It's the only chance we have for fair and honest government for everyone, not just a few special-interest groups.
TIM AUSTIN
ROANOKE
Courts only comply with founders' intent
WANDA E. Martin, in her July 28 letter to the editor (``Let's not wait for tragedy to pray''), asked: ``Which amendment would be broken by a moment of silent prayer?'' She also mentioned, ``Taking prayer out of our schools ... ''
Congress, the clergy and their congregations, students and parents, the Christian Coalition and others trying to ``connect'' our government with religion are in violation of our Constitution, ratified 205 years ago by our founding fathers.
No one in our time is guilty of the ejection of prayer, thus religion, from our schools. The founders, ``under God,'' already did that more than two centuries ago. Courts only comply.
ELLIS J. CARTER
MARTINSVILLE
Adoption didn't victimize athlete
IN RESPONSE to Jack Bogaczyk's Aug. 3 article, ```World's greatest athlete' finds it doesn't come easy'':
We are disappointed that Bogaczyk could weave a story of rejection - by the crowds and his birth parents - into a story about decathlon gold medalist Dan O'Brien. Bogaczyk leads us to believe we should not have been surprised that the crowd left Olympic Stadium before O'Brien finished his event and won the gold medal. After all, he ``had been given up before'' by his birth parents, and was adopted.
Later in the article, Bogaczyk quotes O'Brien saying, ''It's been the hardest two days of my life.'' He was referring to his competition in the Olympics. Bogaczyk compares Olympic competition to O'Brien's other life struggles, beginning with his ``orphan'' status.
As adoptive parents, we find Bogaczyk's slant on O'Brien's life offensive. We believe that our children's birth parents acted courageously when they chose adoption. Children who enter their families through adoption aren't orphans. They have parents who love them very much, and birth parents who acted on their behalf.
So if you want to portray O'Brien as a victim, don't use his birth, race or way of joining his family as justification. Adopted children aren't victims unless they're victimized by others.
KELLY and RICHARD BENNETT
Blue Ridge Adoption Group members
DALEVILLE
Editor's note: This letter was signed by six other members of the Blue Ridge Adoption Group.
LENGTH: Medium: 93 linesby CNB