THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 11, 1996 TAG: 9608110067
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: 49 lines
Citizens, at roundtable discussions in Virginia this summer, expressed these concerns about the state of the nation and politics.
On our responsibilities: ``We're becoming an unresponsible society. Unresponsible being that we don't want to be accountable for our activities anymore. . . . We're all victims now.'' - Bill Ryan, retired, Norfolk
On the state of the nation: ``I don't think the country is in big trouble. I think the country is going pretty well . . . relative to what we've faced in the last 200 years of our history.'' - Tom Johnson, commercial real estate broker, Norfolk
On political rhetoric: ``Cut out the political jargon. They have a whole language unto themselves. If you ask them a question, their response is, `That's a good question.' '' - Edna Loftus, a retired school teacher, from Southwest Virginia
On the quality of politicians: ``I'm not willing to concede that all politicians are willing to be dishonest intellectually. Not all of them have overdrawn the bank. I think most of them would prefer to be honest if they could be elected by being honest.'' - Ed Lane Jr., retired businessman who lives in Bedford County, Va., a rural area outside Roanoke
Citizens, at roundtable discussions in Virginia this summer, expressed these concerns about the state of the nation and politics.
On our responsibilities: ``We're becoming an unresponsible society. Unresponsible being that we don't want to be accountable for our activities anymore. . . . We're all victims now.'' - Bill Ryan, retired, Norfolk
On the state of the nation: ``I don't think the country is in big trouble. I think the country is going pretty well . . . relative to what we've faced in the last 200 years of our history.'' - Tom Johnson, commercial real estate broker, Norfolk
On political rhetoric: ``Cut out the political jargon. They have a whole language unto themselves. If you ask them a question, their response is, `That's a good question.' '' - Edna Loftus, a retired school teacher, from Southwest Virginia
On the quality of politicians: ``I'm not willing to concede that all politicians are willing to be dishonest intellectually. Not all of them have overdrawn the bank. I think most of them would prefer to be honest if they could be elected by being honest.'' - Ed Lane Jr., retired businessman who lives in Bedford County, Va., a rural area outside Roanoke ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Tom Johnson
KEYWORDS: PUBLIC JOURNALISM COMMUNITY CONVERSATION
POLITICS by CNB