DATE: Thursday, July 3, 1997                TAG: 9707030001

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B10  EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Letter 

                                            LENGTH:  225 lines

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR -THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

FOURTH OF JULY

Keep the flag flying

Driving through the city on Memorial Day, I noticed there were no American flags hung outside of homes. I wondered if the lack of patriotism was due to the fact that through the '70s, we watched on television our flag being burned, our flag used as a symbol of adolescent rebellion in political demonstration and our flag used as decoration on paper plates.

The American flag has no opinions. It is not Democratic, Republican or independent. The flag represents everything good and wholesome about the people of the U.S.A. When it is hung on the appropriate holidays, it sings our songs of glory and our songs of defeat. The American flag represents our unity as a nation despite our many differences. It tells the story of our founding fathers, whose dream became a reality through much sacrifice and persistence.

I have been blessed to visit Fort McHenry, the site of the War of 1812 where Francis Scott Keye wrote our national anthem. As he watched the bombs exploding, he could see our flag tattered and torn but still standing, representing all the ideas of our Constitution which the world wished to destroy. My question is: Can we still see what Frances Scott Key saw as he wrote the national anthem? A flag tattered and torn but still standing?

This Fourth of July, hang your America flag and remember the ideals it represents.

Patricia J. Ribik

Virginia Beach, June 26, 1997

FIREWORKS

Avoid eye injury

The Independence Day weekend produces a high incidence of eye injuries each year. Hundreds of Americans of all ages suffer fireworks trauma. Many injuries produce instant blindness, often untreatable even with the most modern of surgical techniques. Teen-age boys, many of whom are innocent bystanders, account for 75 percent of these terrible incidents.

Fireworks should not be used by amateurs. Enjoy your local community professional fireworks displays and avoid unnecessary injury.

John Sheppard, M.D.

Norfolk, June 30, 1997

NATIVE AMERICANS

Treaty should be honored

Having spent time at both the Pamunkey and Mattaponi reservations, including the powwow held June 12, I am compelled to write of their hospitality and respect toward others. The people have little guile nor anger over times past. They continue their traditions and maintain a historic culture. They hold in esteem their elders and accept all who come there as honored guests.

Why, then, would anyone deride the just treaty, made four centuries past but as potent now as then, binding both sides equally? The Mattaponi see fit to honor promises many in a coarse society would deem unnecessary.

It is obvious the reservoir equates more with money than water to those pushing to build it. I hope the Great Spirit sends wisdom to those wishing to destroy his creation.

Richard Harris

Chesapeake, June 24, 1997

YOUNG LEADERS

Insightful letter

came from 14-year-old

I read with great interest the opinions of Steve Ander in a letter to the editor published on June 24. Steve wrote with authority and insight on the need for an international airport in Hampton Roads.

Because I am a neighbor of Steve's, I know, unlike most of your readers, that these were the informed opinions of a 14-year-old rising freshman at Kempsville High School.

Steve sets such a fine example through his knowledge and interest in civic affairs that it moves one to wonder whether all these committees and councils studying regionalism shouldn't just yield to a younger generation. Perhaps Steve and other similarly interested young people could actually accomplish some of the things these ``adult'' groups only seem to talk - or argue - about.

David L. Sparks

Virginia Beach, June 25, 1997

NORFOLK

Old Taylor School

not student-friendly

Recent arguments supporting the renovation of Taylor Elementary School have reached the point of absurdity. Those in favor of preserving the existing building seem to have lost sight of our focus; that is, the children who currently attend Taylor.

Emotionally charged premises appeal to nostalgia and do not present a strong, cogent argument in favor of renovation.

Taylor is a historic landmark, and many sense a deep attachment to the structure and believe that building a new school would erase a part of their history. How selfish and ludicrous! A new Taylor school would be leak-free and air-conditioned, have more restrooms and classromm space for the children (abolishing those hideous trailer-rooms in the parking lot), as well as contain facilities enabling students to utilize modern technology. It would be much more expensive, if not impossible, to incorporate these features into the existing Taylor.

Jesse Zajac

Norfolk, June 25, 1997

TAX RELIEF

Florida is doing fine

without taxes

I am at my summer home on the Outer Banks and subscribe to your paper.

Your editorial June 29 on the Gilmore tax plan, ``Objections multiply,'' is right out of the pro-big-government handbook. It argues that cutting the tax on vehicles is: (1) unconstitutional, (2) more costly than advertised and (3) inequitable because it gives greater relief to people who pay a greater amount of taxes.

What nonsense! If it is unconstitutional, the Supreme Court can tell us and not A. E. ``Dick'' Howard. Who appointed him?

If the reduction is too much, it can be scaled back. Why not give the poor guy in Fairfax County some relief? He is paying through the nose for a lot of fluff. I lived there for more than 30 years. Fortunately, I was able to vote with my feet and move to Florida, where we not only have no personal-property tax but also no income tax. By your standards, the state of Florida should be bankrupt or worse. Needless to say, it is doing just fine.

Donald E. Rellins

Melbourne, Fla., June 29, 1997 <] <<1 FOURTH OF JULY

Keep the flag flying

Driving through the city on Memorial Day, I noticed no American flags were hung outside of homes. I wondered if the lack of patriotism was due to the fact that through the '70s we watched on television our flag being burned, our flag used as a symbol of adolescent rebellion in political demonstration and our flag used as decoration on paper plates.

The American flag has no opinions. It is not Democratic, Republican or independent. The flag represents everything good and wholesome about the people of the U.S.A. When it is hung on the appropriate holidays, it sings our songs of glory and our songs of defeat. The American flag represents our unity as a nation despite our many differences. It tells the story of our founding fathers, whose dream became a reality through much sacrifice and persistence.

I have been blessed to visit Fort McHenry, the site of the War of 1812 where Francis Scott Keye wrote our national anthem. As he watched the bombs exploding, he could see our flag tattered and torn but still standing, representing all the ideas of our Constitution, which the world wished to destroy. My question: Can we still see what Frances Scott Key saw as he wrote the national anthem? A flag tattered and torn but still standing?

This Fourth of July, hang your America flag and remember the ideals it represents.

Patricia J. Ribik

Virginia Beach, June 26, 1997

FIREWORKS

Avoid eye injury

The Independence Day weekend produces a high incidence of eye injuries each year. Hundreds of Americans of all ages suffer fireworks trauma. Many injuries produce instant blindness, often untreatable even with the most modern of surgical techniques. Teen-age boys, many of whom are innocent bystanders, account for 75 percent of these terrible incidents.

Fireworks should not be used by amateurs. Enjoy your local community professional fireworks displays and avoid unnecessary injury.

John Sheppard, M.D.

Norfolk, June 30, 1997

NATIVE AMERICANS

Treaty should be honored

Having spent time at both the Pamunkey and Mattaponi reservations, including the powwow held June 12, I am compelled to write of their hospitality and respect toward others. The people have little guile or anger over times past. They continue their traditions and maintain a historic culture. They hold in esteem their elders and accept all who come there as honored guests.

Why, then, would anyone deride the just treaty, made four centuries past but as potent now as then, binding both sides equally? The Mattaponi see fit to honor promises many in a coarse society would deem unnecessary.

It is obvious the reservoir equates more with money than water to those pushing to build it. I hope the Great Spirit sends wisdom to those wishing to destroy his creation.

Richard Harris

Chesapeake, June 24, 1997

YOUNG LEADERS

Insightful letter

came from 14-year-old

I read with great interest the opinions of Steve Ander in a letter to the editor published on June 24. Steve wrote with authority and insight on the need for an international airport in Hampton Roads.

Because I am a neighbor of Steve's, I know, unlike most of your readers, that these were the informed opinions of a 14-year-old rising freshman at Kempsville High School.

Steve sets such a fine example through his knowledge and interest in civic affairs that it moves one to wonder whether all these committees and councils studying regionalism shouldn't just yield to a younger generation. Perhaps Steve and other similarly interested young people could actually accomplish some of the things these ``adult'' groups only seem to talk - or argue - about.

David L. Sparks

Virginia Beach, June 25, 1997

NORFOLK

Old Taylor School

not student-friendly

Recent arguments supporting the renovation of Taylor Elementary School have reached the point of absurdity. Those in favor of preserving the existing building seem to have lost sight of our focus; that is, the children who currently attend Taylor.

Emotionally charged premises appeal to nostalgia and do not present a strong, cogent argument in favor of renovation.

Taylor is a historic landmark, and many sense a deep attachment to the structure and believe that building a new school would erase a part of their history. How selfish and ludicrous! A new Taylor school would be leak-free and air-conditioned, have more rest-rooms and classroom space for the children (abolishing those hideous trailer-rooms in the parking lot), as well as contain facilities enabling students to utilize modern technology. It would be much more expensive, if not impossible, to incorporate these features into the existing Taylor.

Jesse Zajac

Norfolk, June 25, 1997

TAX RELIEF

Florida is doing fine

without taxes

I am at my summer home on the Outer Banks and subscribe to your paper.

Your editorial June 29 on the Gilmore tax plan, ``Objections multiply,'' is right out of the pro-big-government handbook. It argues that cutting the tax on vehicles is: (1) unconstitutional, (2) more costly than advertised and (3) inequitable because it gives greater relief to people who pay a greater amount of taxes.

What nonsense! If it is unconstitutional, the Supreme Court can tell us and not A. E. ``Dick'' Howard. Who appointed him?

If the reduction is too much, it can be scaled back. Why not give the poor guy in Fairfax County some relief? He is paying through the nose for a lot of fluff. I lived there for more than 30 years.

Fortunately, I was able to vote with my feet and move to Florida, where we not only have no personal-property tax but also no income tax. By your standards, the state of Florida should be bankrupt or worse. Needless to say, it is doing just fine.

Donald E. Rellins

Melbourne, Fla., June 29, 1997

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