The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Monday, September 26, 1994             TAG: 9409240016
SECTION: FRONT                    PAGE: A6   EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Letter 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   31 lines

POOR CHOICE FOR VIRGINIANS

As a combat veteran of the same Vietnam conflict that Oliver North lays heroic claim to, I have great difficulty in recognizing the ``patriotism'' that our hopeful future senator espouses.

As an active Marine lieutenant colonel, this ``defender of democracy'' put in harm's way all those troops that were his charge by masterminding the sale of weapons to an avowed enemy of this great country.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't they once hang people for such an act? And as an admitted liar to a congressional panel, how could this man deem himself worthy of sitting on or chairing such a panel and demand, by law, that the truth be told by others?

It is only by virtue of a technicality that North is not now sitting in a prison cell. Has the quality of charisma replaced the qualities of virtue and righteousness in choosing a candidate from either party for any office?

It is a poor choice that we, the people, seem to be headed for. I, for one, am repulsed that either Oliver North or Charles Robb should ever be referred to as the ``honorable'' senator from Virginia!

BOB STAICER

Virginia Beach, Sept. 19, 1994 by CNB