ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, October 15, 1996 TAG: 9610150066
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: LETTERS
THE OCT. 4 Associated Press news article (``Girl suspended till February for giving Midol to classmate'') about the girl in Ohio who was suspended for taking a Midol a friend gave her for cramps really has me rolling. Her friend is suspended until February? You've got to kidding! Her school district says drug transmissions are treated severely. An over-the-counter drug? Get real!
This same school, and every other public school across the country, can give a girl permission to leave school to have an abortion and never notify the parent it has taken place. These same school officials that have reacted in such a ridiculous manner can even take the girl to the abortion clinic.
Wake up, parents! This happens somewhere in America every day. And until we start getting more involved with the passing of such laws in Washington, more and more parental control is going to to be taken away from us.
LIBBIE McCUTCHEON
ROANOKE
Kemp is pushing bankrupting ideas
IN 1981, Jack Kemp helped sell Ronald Reagan the idea that he could adopt a major tax cut and balance the budget, partly through the magic of economic growth. As a result, the national debt grew to $5 trillion.
The interest today on that debt is $257 billion a year - $1,000 a year for every man, woman and child. If we didn't have to pay that interest, we could use that money to pay for all the federal costs of education, training, employment, social services, health (except Medicare), veterans' benefits, natural resources, the environment and international affairs (including foreign aid). Alternatively, we could use that money to balance the budget in one year - not seven years - and give everyone a substantial, safe tax cut.
In 1996, Jack Kemp has helped sell Bob Dole on the idea that he can adopt a major tax cut and balance the budget, partly through the magic of economic growth. There he goes again!
It's also worth noting that the $257 billion a year represents a transfer of wealth from the pocket of the American taxpayer into the pockets of those persons here and abroad who are rich enough to own U.S. bonds.
AUGUSTUS C. JOHNSON
SYRIA
The music can be had for a song
WE MUST respond to the inaccurate statements by L. Gerald Carter, general manager of the Holiday Inn-Tanglewood, in his Sept. 23 letter to the editor, ``If music be the food of small business - pay up.''
More than 70 songwriters belong to the Southwest Virginia Songwriters Association with its headquarters in Salem. Many of our members also belong to the Nashville Songwriters Association International, with more than 4,500 members. I have been a BMI songwriter since 1962. The copyright laws were written to protect the songwriters whose compositions are used by a business to make money.
Let me hasten to agree with Carter that the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers made a serious mistake in targeting the Girl Scouts. I am glad the society backed down. However, the fact remains that many eating places use music to create a pleasant atmosphere in which people will pay to eat. If those establishments wish to play music written before 1936, they can do so without charge.
The fact is they use services that are playing modern music, and they do so to make money. I should point out that most small businesses that use music (doctors, dentists, hairdressers, restaurants) only pay a performing-rights organization about $15 a year. That amount will certainly not create a burden for any small operator.
However, if small businesses do not pay for using the copyrighted music, BMI estimates it would lose more than 20 percent of its annual collection of royalty payments. Who gets hurt? The songwriter, of course. He cannot afford to run around the country collecting payment every time his song is played. The small businessman may not like to be bothered with this operating expense. However, he can always stop playing music or he can play music written before 1936.
We appeal to the small-business operator to help the songwriter earn a living. He has to eat, too.
BOB COULTER
Secretary, Southwest Virginia
Songwriters Association
SALEM
Missing part of Jesus' message
REGARDING Glenn Ayers Sept. 27 letter to the editor, ``Jesus outside the abortion clinic'':
If Ayers hadn't awakened so soon, he would probably have also heard Jesus say to the woman: ``Leave this place and sin no more.''
AARON L. PRITCHARD
HUDDLESTON
LENGTH: Medium: 90 linesby CNB