ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Monday, November 25, 1996              TAG: 9611250037
SECTION: EDITORIAL                PAGE: A-4  EDITION: METRO 
                                             TYPE: LETTERS 


AILING INMATES NEED PROMPT ATTENTION

REGARDING your Nov. 19 news article, ``Jail deputies ignore pleas of dying man, inmates say'':

Being relatively familiar with the workings of the Roanoke County-Salem jail, I can attest to the fact that it's unlikely James Bryson could have received medical treatment within an hour of his first complaint, even if he had managed to complete a medical-request form. He would have been issued a yellow slip to fill out and return to the deputy upon his or her next round. The deputy would then need to find a convenient time to leave his or her post to deliver the form to the docket on the ground level of the facility.

Personnel at the docket, again at their convenience, would forward the form to the medical officer on duty, who would then decide what to do about the request and the urgency of the situation. All this, it's important to note, assumes that Bryson had managed to coherently describe his symptoms in writing. Even during the day when inmates are not ``locked down,'' it could have taken hours for such a plea for medical attention to be acknowledged.

I know of an inmate who crouched on the floor of a pod (cell block) for more than an hour, pounding at the door in agony waiting to be seen by a medic. He was eventually taken to the hospital and treated for kidney stones - certainly no fatal complaint. But the guards had no way of ascertaining that without the advice of a health professional.

Of course, the Roanoke County-Salem facility is a jail, not a hotel. But inmates in obvious distress shouldn't be ignored or required to rely upon tedious and time-consuming protocol. To my knowledge, no one housed there is incarcerated for a capital crime. That was certainly not the case with Bryson. My condolences to his family and friends.

ROBERT WADE BESS

ROANOKE

Has Clinton read the Constitution?

I HAVE been warned that being critical so soon after the elections might be construed as a terrible case of sour grapes, but I am quite upset with the response President Clinton gave reporters about the Democratic National Committee's apparent campaign-finance violations. Stronger financial laws will not correct the situation if weaker laws are being broken. As chief enforcer of our country's laws, Clinton should be firm in seeing that existing violations are investigated and corrected.

On the campaign trail, he described the Republican stance against big government as ``it's government vs. the people.'' He then went on to say, ``The last time I checked, the Constitution said `of the people, by the people and for the people,' that's what the Declaration of Independence says ''

I don't know if he thinks the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence are the same document or if he was hedging his bet that he was quoting one of the two. But he was wrong on both counts. He quoted from Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. Since he's sworn to ``preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States,'' it would be pleasant if he would check the Constitution a tad more often. Then upholding other laws may be met with more ease.

BEN POE

WOLF CREEK

Perjury conviction was on target

WHO WROTE the headline on Alger Hiss' obituary (Nov. 16 news article, ``Alger Hiss, Nixon nemesis, dies'')? Reads like Hiss brought retribution to Richard Nixon. It's the other way around. I have always been satisfied with the perjury conviction.

Whittaker Chambers had no personal reason for coming forward, except that as a former member of the Communist Party himself, now disillusioned, he turned on them all. He had reason to be disillusioned: Stalin had made a mockery of socialism.

WILLIAM S. STORY

MONETA

Court can't make good parents

REGARDING fathers having equal custody:

If he's willing to be a father, then give him that right. Nothing could be better than a child having both parents.

However, not every man cares enough to be a father. If he has to be forced to provide financial support, then what kind of father would he be if forced to have equal custody? No court can make a person be a parent, whether it's a man or woman.

TERESA S. MINTON

VINTON

Roe increased abuse of children

AFTER READING Andrew Vachss' article (``If we really want to protect children'') in your Nov. 3 Parade section, I felt a need to write my feelings.

Prior to 1973, abortion was illegal in this country. What has happened since it has been legalized? Child abuse from 1976 to 1993, according to his chart, has risen 328 percent. Didn't we see the handwriting on the wall that legalized abortion would lead to the abuse-and-destroy mentality?

Our congressional leaders allow medical professionals to actually be paid for aborting babies. Have you ever witnessed an abortion? Why is it not a terrible crime for our professionals to mutilate and terminate helpless pre-born babies?

What is the cost of one abortion? One human life. This is ultimate child abuse. Do you see any connection between paid abortionists and child abusers? What follows this sort of mentality? Infanticide, child abuse and euthanasia. Only when we reverse the Roe vs. Wade decision will we see a decline in child abuse.

The increase in sexual abuse has been fostered by the spread of pornography. Its victims are children and women. It's a crime to sell pornographic material, and the law should be enforced.

Vachss wrote that child abuse is a hideous fact that traumatizes our culture as it traumatizes individual victims. Have you spoken to any women who had an abortion many years ago? Many of them suffer in silence, as molested children do.

Our congressional leaders need to wipe out pornography. We need to be better educated on the effects abortion has on all of society. Evil triumphs when good men do nothing. Religious and congressional leaders should join together to protect our children. And prayer itself is a powerful weapon.

ANGIE DALY

MONETA

Constitution says you can bear arms

IN RESPONSE to your Nov. 7 ``What's on your mind?'' column:

Ray Reed says, ``Have no fear, it's not that kind of militia.'' What kind of militia was he referring to? One protected by the Constitution. Ever heard of this document? Look into it.

Why would he or any other American fear fellow Americans' being armed and organized? Maybe it has something to do with the way he seems either not to remember or chooses not to remember the Constitution.

Russia has no such document. If this appeals to Reed, I'll foot the fare.

Wake up, America.

WENDELL E. COLLINS

ELLISTON

UVa fans have no reason to gloat

REGARDING your Nov. 8 editorial, ``Does Tech need big-time football?'':

Just to follow your train of thought:

Texaco board members make racial comments, Chevron is in trouble with the government and Exxon has a giant oil spill. So do away with oil companies.

President Clinton and his wife are in all kinds of trouble, not the least of which is Whitewater. Do away with the presidency.

Congress members' reputation is lower than that of the proverbial used-car salesman. Do away with Congress.

The Supreme Court continues to make decisions no one can understand. Do away with the Supreme Court.

Schools are continually under attack because test scores are dropping while more money is being spent, not to mention the weapons and drugs in schools. Do away with public education.

Children are always rebelling and getting into trouble. Do away with families or children.

Wait a minute! There is one thread flowing through all the above: people. We'll do away with people. But then who will buy your liberal newspaper?

It's obvious Dale Biviens (Nov. 16 letter to the editor, ``Football team heaps disgrace on Tech'') is a University of Virginia fan with a short memory. I seem to remember Barry Word, drugs; Olden Polynice, shoplifting; Melvin Whitaker Jr. (recruit, on visit), assault.

Before people throw rocks, they had better make sure they don't live in glass houses.

BOB BOWMAN

DALEVILLE


LENGTH: Long  :  156 lines
































by CNB