DATE: Sunday, November 16, 1997             TAG: 9711150021

SECTION: COMMENTARY              PAGE: J4   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Letters

                                            LENGTH:  183 lines

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

CANCER FIGHT

Quit smoking and save a life

Thursday, Nov. 20, is the American Cancer Society's 21st annual Great American SmokeOut. This is a perfect day for smokers to begin to kick the habit and begin a healthier life, and the American Cancer Society wants to help.

The annual death toll from smoking in the United States is estimated at 419,000, which is more than the deaths caused by alcohol, car accidents, suicide, AIDS, homicide, illegal drugs and fire combined.

People who quit live longer than those who continue to smoke. A smoker who quits before the age of 50 will have half the risk of dying in the next 15 years as someone who continues to smoke.

So kick the habit on Nov. 20 for the day . . . and for life. The American Cancer Society will have survival kits for anyone who quits that day at Lynnhaven, Pembroke and Chesapeake Square malls. Or you can call us at 800-ACS-2345 or visit us on the World Wide Web at www.cancer.org for more information and resources.

Christopher Green

American Cancer Society

Norfolk, Nov. 7, 1997

BUMPER-TO-BUMPER

Why not open HOV lanes when traffic is snarled?

This afternoon was another one-hour commute from the Norfolk Naval Air Station to Indian River Road. It was raining, and the traffic was backed up on 564.

As I waded through the bumper-to-bumper traffic, I often glanced over at the HOV lanes and tried to estimate the traffic volume. It wasn't much.

I understand the concept of the HOV lanes. What I don't understand is why they can't be actively managed on a regular basis to clear up bona fide traffic snarls - i.e., if you are backed up by 4 p.m., then open up the HOV lanes for everyone for 20 minutes. Why can't this be done?

Martin Moody

Virginia Beach, Nov. 6, 1997

MULTICULTURALISM

One man's ``ghetto'' is another man's pride

George Will, in his op-ed column ``Freeing the immigrants from a language ghetto'' (Oct. 27), makes some very misleading claims. First, Will claims that teaching both Spanish and English to newly immigrated children would somehow put them in a ``language ghetto.'' Evidence actually shows that newly arrived Spanish-speaking immigrants perform better in school if they are taught both their native tongue and English. It gives them a better chance for success.

Also, Will maliciously misdefines ``multiculturalism.'' Multiculturalism does not claim that a common culture is ``oppressive'' but rather that each person should be able to take pride in who he is and where he comes from. When people have pride, they can participate in society with a positive self-image, which helps to unify and strengthen the entire nation.

Stuart Jones

Portsmouth, Oct. 27, 1997

THEATER

Hurrah Players picked for talent, not color

Reading your Oct. 23 Daily Break article ``The Black Annie,'' I was appalled to find that, in 1997, people are still hung up on color. I cannot believe that people would have the audacity to call Hugh Copeland, artistic director and founder of the Hurrah Players, and complain of his choice of an African-American 10-year-old to play the role of Annie, or to allege that it was a ``media ploy.''

I, an African American, was a Hurrah Player throughout my junior high and high school years (1978-83), working closely with Mr. Copeland. In all my experiences with him, he has never been focused on color. His decisions have always been based on talent and ability. I was cast in his production of ``The Sound of Music.'' The children selected to play the roles of the Von Trapp children were a rainbow of colors . . . black, white, Asian.

As an 11th-grader, I was the lead in the musical ``Mame,'' a role most often played by white actresses. Mame's love interest was played by an American Indian; Mame's best friend by a Hispanic student; Uncle Jeff by a white student; and Ito, an Asian character, by a German foreign-exchange student.

In his production of ``The Chocolate Shop,'' which featured the poetry of African-American authors, Mr. Copeland used white performers as well as African Americans.

I say hats off to Mr. Copeland and his staff for selecting Adrienne and the cast on the basis of talent and ability and not color. Hats off to Mr. Copeland for not giving in to societal pressures. It's about time that other theater groups, and the rest of the world, for that matter, caught on.

Sharon Davidson-Cook

Theatre arts teacher

Lafayette-Winona Middle School

Virginia Beach, Oct. 23, 1997

PORTSMOUTH

Sheriff's responsibility is a ``big deal''

Asked about offering rides to voters, Portsmouth Sheriff Gary W. Waters responded, ``We don't ask if they're Republicans or Democrats or independents. All we offer is service. So what's the big deal?''

I almost fell over backward when I read this quote. The ``big deal'' is that we, the citizens of Portsmouth, have said that we depend on his integrity, fairness and respect for the law as we fill in those little oval circles. We place a higher trust and confidence on those officials whose names reflect positions of law enforcement. The sheriff has sworn to preserve such standards and ethics.

I do not presume allegations to be true until otherwise proved. I do, however, find his comments shocking. Speaking as one of the majority who did vote for Waters' re-election, I have higher expectations of him.

Jim Fogleman

Portsmouth, Nov. 8, 1997

CHESAPEAKE

Fire Chief Bolac is a model of excellence

I think the recent events in Chesapeake involving fire Chief Michael L. Bolac prove again that politics are more important than excellence in that city. The record shows that he increased the training of the personnel, their fitness level and the quality of their apparatus. He has had an uphill fight because many good-ol'-boys resent an outsider coming in and making long-overdue changes.

I have known Mike Bolac for nearly 20 years. While I was a member of the Alexandria Fire Department, I watched him progress from the rank of firefighter to battalion chief. His promotions were the result of professionalism and hard work.

I know Mike to be a caring, warm and dedicated friend. I hope for the sake of the Chesapeake firefighters that they find someone half as capable to replace him.

Robert J. Finegan Jr.

Virginia Beach, Oct. 26, 1997

OCEANA

Adding jets doesn't mean new non-Navy jobs

The payroll that we are supposed to gain by the move of 180 jets to Oceana is nothing but a military payroll and some more civil-service bureaucrats.

Today there are no jobs outside Oceana, unless you can call flipping burgers or filling tacos a job. Some people quote the tens of thousands of Navy retirees who have chosen to stay in Virginia Beach. Where are they?

No one in his or her right mind would stay in a place where the best they can find as a source of income is a summer job at one of the numerous souvenir shops or hotels at the Beach. They are gone to Florida, New Mexico or who knows where, in pursuit of a better life.

Gabriel Jimenez

Virginia Beach, Nov. 3, 1997

Noise a small sacrifice

A recent letter, suggesting that we be thankful for the noise out of Oceana, reminded me of a sign that I saw outside of the Marine Corps Air Station at Cherry Point, N.C. It said, ``Forgive our noise, it's the sound of freedom.''

To keep our way of life, certain things must be sacrificed, and quiet around military airfields is one of them.

John Rutty

Virginia Beach, Nov. 5, 1997

What's that you said, trick-or-treater. . . Boo?

Let me be the first to congratulate the Navy on its incredible ``sounds of freedom'' sound effects show, recently produced for our benefit on Halloween night.

The roar and screeching of the jet engines was far superior in scare quality to the Halloween display and sound effects that my son and several of his friends spent weeks planning and constructing. And the added bonus of not being able to hear all those trick or treaters as they approached my door was a nice touch.

I can't wait to see how they compete with the Christmas music that I annually pipe outdoors. And the anticipation of watching the lips move on the carolers (since I will not be able to hear them ) as they serenade our homes here in Magic Hollow will be priceless.

Tom Pearson

Virginia Beach, Nov. 1, 1997

Blame politicians, not Navy, for F/A-18s

During the ongoing public debate concerning the transfer of F/A-18s to Oceana, one constantly heard the phrase ``the Navy wants to move those airplanes to Oceana.''

I was a Cecil Field F/A-18 squadron commander in 1993 when BRAC decided to close the base. Let me assure the longtime residents of Virginia Beach that no one stationed at Cecil Field wanted their base to close. The decision to close Cecil Field was purely political, based on distributing the BRAC ``pain'' among as many states as possible. The needs of the Navy and the impact on the community receiving the F/A-18s were not the overriding factors.

The Navy is following the orders given by our civilian leadership. Let's point the finger at the people really responsible for the aircraft transfer and welcome the new Navy personnel to our great city.

Joe Capalbo

Captain, U.S. Navy (ret.)

Virginia Beach, Nov. 1, 1997

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