ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, August 29, 1996 TAG: 9608290018
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-14 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: LETTERS
I AM A dues-paying member of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and I have contributed and donated toward its operation and toward a new building. I was excited when it acquired the old Wells Furniture Co. site for construction of a new, up-to-date facility.
I attended the Roanoke city public hearing on the requirement to change the property zoning from L2 (light manufacturing) to H2 (heavy manufacturing). I was amazed at the SPCA's lack of preparation and planning for this important meeting. I was shocked the architect and engineer didn't send anyone to defend the design or to answer questions. It was also strange that the law firm hired by the SPCA didn't send a representative.
I was embarrassed for the mayor and City Council members as they had to listen to well-prepared members of the opposition who gave it their all. An elderly lady explained about the 50-car-a-day increase on U.S. 460 east; the oldest pastor with the oldest church across U.S. 460 was worried about the possible smell during church dinners; the head of a local civic league offered no information whatsoever, but did it in an elegant, sarcastic manner; a real-estate developer from Moneta talked about everything except the profit he feared losing on land near the proposed shelter.
I suggest that the SPCA sit on this property for another year and continue to seek donations. At the proper time, take the rezoning issue back to the Planning Commission. There are several things that could happen, all good. The lady with the car problem could adjust to 4,000 or 5,000 additional cars per day; the church might have an enclosed fellowship hall; the civic-league president will have plenty of time to research for additional sarcastic remarks; and the real-estate developer will have sold his land, made his profit, and will not be bothered by the SPCA.
But the SPCA must take this time to gather facts, research every possibility of problems, and present information to the Planning Commission in a straightforward, timely manner.
ED R. BOWERY
TROUTVILLE
Tolerance lessons would benefit all
I READ Bill Bolling's Aug. 18 letter to the editor, ``Allen is helping working families,'' in which he was responding to Mary Ellen Verdu's July 14 commentary, ``Allen administration has done a job on working families.'' I will leave it to Verdu to rebut most of the major allegations, but since I have a copy of the anti-bias curriculum, I will comment on that.
Bolling, to be charitable, totally misrepresents the anti-bias curriculum, which he also mislabels as multicultural. There is no revisionist history of Thanksgiving, but rather an example of how one school uses the holiday to introduce tolerance of other races. The curriculum teaches to children enrolled by their parents, not a captive audience, the virtue of tolerance for other people.
I was always taught that Christians, as well as other people of faith, should be tolerant of other human beings. Of course, certain 1930s right-wing dogma was racist, homophobic and gender-biased. I can easily see how, by following Henrich Himmler's example, some of our contemporary right-wingers would oppose teaching tolerance.
I don't think helping children to function as responsible members of a just society is ``liberal dogma.'' Perhaps if all of us, including legislators, had had the benefit of an anti-bias curriculum as children, we would be less inclined to bigotry as adults.
WILLIAM CLAUSSEN
BLACKSBURG
Too many dream of avoiding work
THE AUG. 14 commentary by Francis Wilkinson, "It's OK not to work - if you're a yuppie," is the silliest, most sophomoric piece I've read in a long time.
To begin with, the man is working. He's a writer, and this commentary is being published all over the country. It's conceivable that he's making more money now than he was as a writer for Rolling Stone.
Of course he's being praised for quitting his job and going out on his own: That's the American dream - to be your own boss, to make your own way. Any American who does what Wilkinson has done is praiseworthy.
But the minute he asks for welfare and the minute he robs someone to obtain money he hasn't earned, the praise stops. I don't care what color or class he is, I will condemn him for shirking personal responsibility.
He should change the title of his commentary to "It's OK not to work - if you're supporting yourself and your family."
GAIL TANSILL LAMBERT
ROANOKE
Liberals' `rights' can be wrongs
REGARDING your Aug. 15 article, ``At rally, pro-life cause is all'':
Pat Robertson is correct in saying that fiscal problems aren't America's only problems. How can abortion-rights activists claim the Christian Coalition is trying to tell others how to live their lives when they advocate the slaughter of those incapable of parrying any attack?
Our problem in America is that we feel no responsibility. The knowledge of how to reproduce is as old as humanity, and we wouldn't have these problems if people who aren't ready for the responsibility of a child would simply not toy with risks.
Why are bleeding-heart Democrats so concerned with saving the environment and endangered species, which I agree are both important, when they have so little regard for America's children? They are so concerned about whether they can exercise their ``rights'' that they aren't concerned about whether they should.
KERI KAUFMAN
FINCASTLE
Give dads a chance at parenthood
HOORAY for Caryl Rivers and Rosalind Barnett for their Aug. 14 commentary, ``Right wing is wrong about family scene.'' I couldn't agree more. Fathers make great parents when given that rare opportunity.
When Dan Quayle made remarks about Murphy Brown, he was made fun of because she is a ``fictional character.'' Right-wingers don't seem to realize that Ozzie and Harriet (and the Cleavers) were also fictional characters. I know of no faster way for a family to become dysfunctional than to try to emulate them.
Saints and sinners exist because of each other. Without one, the other wouldn't exist.
JOHN N. SMILEY
ROANOKE
Time saved may be lives risked
THERE HAVE been reported instances of dangerous food poisoning in this country, and a number of these are related to E. Coli - an organism commonly found in bowel movements of humans and also of most animals, birds, etc. These give reason to have some concern, and this is true whether speaking of home-prepared food or food purchased at a restaurant or any other food facility.
I have seen many reports and concerns about the problem, but no one has reported what is likely to be contributing to much of this new phenomenon.
I read a Wall Street Journal article on the effect of a new law related to international trade with Canada (and perhaps with others). The author gave high praise to a change in the system whereby meats are inspected at the border. Whereas each truck was formerly subject to inspection of all meats being transported, the new policy was saving both the meat and transporting industries a good deal of time by checking every 14th vehicle's products. And to save even more time, inspectors notified the companies in advance as to which truck would be checked.
Apparently, the change was working effectively in decreasing the time required, to the delight of all those involved. However, if drivers so chose, they could bring in aliens or criminals, or products such as cocaine, heroin or even counterfeit money.
Meanwhile, no one has referred to this during the reports of deaths and serious illnesses from bacterial contamination with dangerous bacteria, viruses, etc.
I have to think that someone or several someones have profited from the change of a good system to a lax one, which is dangerous to the health, lives and prosperity of our population. There should be a return to a safe system!
MICHAEL J. MOORE. M.D.
Retired internist
ROANOKE
LENGTH: Long : 149 linesby CNB