Thursday, May 31, 2007
Too few turn out to remember the fallen
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Too few turn out to remember the fallen
The Memorial Day service (on Lee Plaza at 10:30 a.m.) is one of Roanoke's best-kept secrets.
Again, this year the service was performed with dignity and respect for those who have given their lives for this country. (Angelia Jasper, by the way, sang the national anthem a cappella more beautifully than I've ever heard it sung anywhere by anyone. And that's not an easy song to deliver.)
As Donald S. Caldwell, commonwealth's attorney and speaker at the ceremony, remarked, not all of these servicemen necessarily agreed with the reasons for which they were fighting. Nevertheless, they fought and they died. For this sacrifice, they deserve our recognition on the one day of the year dedicated just to them.
The city should publicize the event much more visibly and younger people should begin showing their support. Otherwise, we disconnect from our past and from those whom we should always remember.
Please, people, don't refer to us as 'capital'
I never know where columnist David Brooks stands. Sometimes right; the next left. I can only assume he's a liberal, thank God.
His use of the term "human capital" in his May 18 column, however, offends me.
I've listened for years as my friends in planning jobs referred to people as "social capital" and my friends in business used the term "consumers." Neither of these terms belong in a democratic society.
The people are the people -- all individuals of independent minds. Anyone who calls them collective capital or consumers is a socialist.
It makes sense that a Republican is a socialist. A Republican thinks the people, mostly evangelical Christians, are sheep that a Republican can lead anywhere he or she pleases, even to slaughter in Iraq.
Can't really say whether more guns would help
Many people say the Virginia Tech tragedy could have been prevented if faculty and students were allowed to carry concealed weapons. Maybe they are right.
The other side of the coin is that maybe more people would have died. It is just as conceivable that, thinking a stranger with a gun was the shooter, someone would have killed another student or faculty member.
No amount of hindsight can change what has been done. What would you have done? Until you have actually faced the muzzle of a gun, you cannot predict exactly what you would do. No amount of training or preparation can adequately prepare you for such an action.
I have known police officers who, when in a situation where shooting was completely justified, could not pull the trigger. Shooting a human is not the same as shooting a target.
In 40 years as a police officer and dispatcher, I do not know of a single incident where a citizen with a concealed weapon prevented a crime. How many instances can you quote? If everyone carried a gun, would shootings decrease or increase? Remember the Old West.
Weighed down by phone directories
I have received four telephone directories. In all, they weigh about 10 pounds.
I need one. Talk about waste.
Taking Bush-bashing to the next level
The Bush-bashing may be going a bit too far.
In his May 17 letter to the editor, "Bush has missed 3,200 other memorials," Eddie L. Edwards III calls Bush's appearance at Virginia Tech "a political opportunity for that man and nothing else." I say baloney.
Bush did a great job of expressing condolences and getting out of there without trying to make himself the focus of attention.
If Bush had not shown up, I guess he'd bash Bush for that, just to stay in practice.
Just one license for antique autos
In his May 18 column, "Antique autos can stay in running," Tom Angleberger should be aware there is one class of antique license issued in the state of Virginia. This vehicle must be 25 years or older.
In order to purchase an antique license, evidence must be provided to the Department of Motor Vehicles that the applicant owns a vehicle for regular use.
The fee for an antique license is $50, effective July 1.
For more detailed information, please refer to Virginia House Bill 1465.
Rush hour brings out the discourteous
Regarding Joe Kennedy's May 21 column, "Downtown drivers are quick with courtesy":
May I suggest that Kennedy make the trek during rush hour. He may have a different opinion. I walk downtown on my way to and from work. At times, it has been a death-defying experience.
Motorists stop in the crosswalk. Then, they curse you, blow their horn or make a motion with the car to hit you if you ask them to move so you do not have to step into oncoming traffic. I have actually had cars turn within a foot of me while walking in the crosswalk.
After contacting the Roanoke Police Department, they assigned an officer to monitor the intersections that I mentioned.
I was contacted with a report that several citations had been issued for motorists failing to yield to pedestrians. Also reported was the number of pedestrians crossing incorrectly. No surprise there.
Thanks to the Roanoke Police Department for taking me seriously.
The mid-block crosswalks Kennedy mentioned are safer due to the number of bicycle officers patrolling in the City Market area.
Keep your eyes open and protect yourself. You're no match for a several-thousand-pound vehicle with a preoccupied driver.
The strength found to move mountains
As a brain injury survivor, I was deeply touched by the developing story of Erin Monsell (May 20 news article, "Mom's hope for Erin").
She has overcome so much already and will go on to accomplish any goal she desires to conquer if she maintains a positive outlook.
Monsell inspires me to wake up with a positive outlook.
I think we can learn so much from her testimony. When we are as mature as Monsell in aspects such as where we gain strength, we can move mountains.
I encourage the Roanoke community to continue to support Monsell and simply watch how high she climbs in the mountain of life.
Immigration bill solves nothing
I do not agree that the immigration bill reported in your May 18 news article, "Deal struck on alien workers," and your May 19 editorial, "An immigration bill worthy of our country," solves anything.
We already have laws that should prevent illegals from entering our country and working here. The problem is our government refuses to secure our borders or fine employers who hire illegals.
It is not necessary to deport 12 million illegals all at once. This can be done whenever an illegal is arrested or we become aware of them.
The most effective method of preventing illegal immigration is to crack down on employers who hire illegals. If they can't work or collect our freebies, they will probably return to their native country.
The $5,000 fine in this bill means nothing. How is the government going to collect money from immigrants we have no record of?
If we don't stop illegal immigration now, this country will be changed forever into a nation of many languages and become more bankrupt than we already are.
