ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, November 27, 1996 TAG: 9611270007
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-6 EDITION: METRO
IN HER NOV. 11 letter to the editor (``Interfering neighbor endangered a child''), Lorinda Speck criticized a woman for accompanying a Pennsylvania minor to a clinic in New York for an abortion. The minor traveled out of state for the procedure to avoid telling her parents that she was pregnant.
Though the woman was found guilty for assisting the girl without her parents' knowledge, the real culprit in all this is Pennsylvania's parental-notification law.
I volunteer at Planned Parenthood in Roanoke, and I see the effects of these laws. In the last year, adult women from Virginia and West Virginia have received abortion services at Planned Parenthood. These adults tend to travel to the nearest available clinic.
But minors have traveled from Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and elsewhere to get an abortion in Roanoke without their parents' knowledge. The lucky ones have an adult to accompany them. They would all be better served if they could receive abortion services without having to cross state lines.
What will happen if Virginia passes a parental-notification measure? For those pregnant adolescents who cannot confide in a parent, what will happen when they run out of places to go for a legal abortion?
JULIE NURSE
SALEM
Most seniors are not wealthy
GRETA McCAUGHRIN (Nov. 12 letter to the editor, ``Welfare for wealthy seniors'') should call the Social Security office and get the true facts about Social Security.
I don't think there are many senior citizens who have an annual income of $50,000. If they do, there is an amount deducted from their Social Security.
Senior citizens pay taxes and insurance, pay upkeep on their homes or rent if they do not own their home. They pay taxes and insurance on their cars, taxes on food, clothing, utilities, etc., just like everyone else. Medicare insurance is $42.50 a month, which is taken out of their Social Security check.
That doesn't cover all the doctor and hospital bills, and people pay high costs for supplemental insurance. Most seniors' health is not good, and drugs are very expensive.
Best of luck to McCaughrin when she is a senior citizen and gets her monthly Social Security check. She will quickly find out that seniors are not wealthy.
WANETA LAWRENCE
SALEM
Raising turkeys with tender, loving care
IN RESPONSE to Karen Davis' Nov. 21 commentary, ``Turkeys suffer mistreatment from birth to death'':
The turkey industry has come a long way in the past 50 years. The public has been provided with a disease-free product that costs less in cash (no allowance for inflation) than during the 1940s. Mortality has been reduced from more than 30 percent to less than 5 percent. This is less than for other types of domestic animals and, when adjusted for life-span differences, is less than for children worldwide.
The turkey industry is competitive, and inefficient operations are removed economically. The main objective is to convert feed into the most meat at the lowest cost. When turkeys perceive that any part of their environment isn't ideal, they divert resources from growth to defense response against that problem. Obviously, the industry benefits by providing turkeys with the best possible environment.
Sometimes humans viewing modern, high-density housing assume that turkeys are being mistreated. Modern, genetically adapted turkeys tell us of their evaluation of their environment with vocalizations. They inform managers of any environmental problem and indicate if turkeys are content in well-managed houses.
Turkeys establish a social order by pecking. The upper bill is sometimes trimmed to reduce carcass blemishes. Turkeys and other birds do not perceive pain.
A major factor is the turkey's relationship with its handlers. Turkeys that are socialized to their handlers crowd around and follow them. This is accomplished by handlers' spending extra time in the turkey house, talking and being kind and gentle to the turkeys. These turkeys are much more efficient than ignored or mistreated turkeys. They are also more resistant to diseases and stress.
The low cost of turkey meat is the result of providing for the turkey's needs and treating it gently. Inhumane treatment isn't tolerated.
WALTER B. GROSS
Retired, poultry-disease researcher
College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech
BLACKSBURG
Tech's response was on target
MANY atta-boys to Larry Hincker for his fine response (Nov. 18 letter to the editor, ``Big-time football at Tech provides big-time benefits'') to your silly editorial (Nov. 8, ''Does Tech need big-time football?'') suggesting the dumping of Virginia Tech's football program.
CARTER ELLIOTT
CHRISTIANSBURG
LENGTH: Medium: 97 linesby CNB