THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 19, 1996 TAG: 9601180131
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Another View
LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
After sitting here reading an old issue of the Virginia Beach Beacon, dated Dec. 24, I felt like I had to write concerning the opinion column On the Street: ``A grown-up's wish list for Santa Claus,'' by Bill Reed.
First off, let me say, I read the Beacon every chance I get. We do receive The Virginian-Pilot in this area, but not the Virginia Beach Beacon section. My sister lives in Virginia Beach, and she gives me all her old papers. I eagerly search through her stack until I locate the Beacon, then read it from front to back, as I was born and raised in your area, until I moved to the northeastern section of North Carolina in 1987.
The opinion column is one I usually enjoy, until I read the one written by Bill Reed. His very first wish on his rather long list, was for Virginia Beach, and I quote, ``fewer needless and trifling attempts by our Tarheel neighbors to stop the Lake Gaston water project. We need the water, they need to get a life.''
Does he realize that Lake Gaston is a leading tourist spot for Northampton County, N.C.? Does he realize that if Virginia Beach gets the water from Lake Gaston, that the water level would gradually fall, and this area would lose a lot of much needed tourist dollars?
Has he ever seen how beautiful Lake Gaston really is? Apparently not! Maybe he should take a ride and see for himself. Lake Gaston is a very tranquil, and beautiful area. I'd, for one, hate to see it go dry in a few years of pumping water to Virginia Beach.
The very last part of that quote really made me mad, as well as most North Carolinians that read it: ``We need the water, they need to get a life.'' Get a life? I really think Mr. Reed needs to get a life. Especially since in the preceding paragraph, Mr. Reed said, and I quote once again, ``We should be more magnanimous. Since this is the season for giving and caring we should extend this Christmas wish list to your community, our state and our nation.''
Does it sound like Mr. Reed was very giving and caring about his Tarheel neighbors? I don't think so.
If Mr. Reed would have given this wish list to Santa, I'm sure Santa would have filled Mr. Reed's stocking with switches and coal, for his lousy attitude about his Tarheel neighbors.
And by the way, I do have a life. I hope Mr. Reed asked Santa for one, as he sure needs to get a life himself.
Stephanie A. Foster
Lasker, N.C. by CNB