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Viva La Che! Professor gets the facts wrong

I read with some emotional distress John Long's column "Che gets a free ride" (Sept. 20), and I find it hard to believe he is a college professor, because he is clearly overlooking major historical facts about the world in which Che Guevara lived and was murdered.

During the Cold War the United States backed any dictator who was just a little to the left of Adolph Hitler. It didn't matter what their ideology, just so long as it was not Marxism.

The truth is, Che was murdered by the CIA-backed Bolivian jungle troops. As for comparing Che to Hitler, Mussolini and Himmler, Long comes off as a poor-man's Sean Hannity, long on ignorance and short on facts.

Long really made his case with the fairy tale about Che being responsible for the Cuban Missile Crisis, since most historians agree that Che had already been marginalized by the time the Soviets tried to put the bomb in Cuba.

I now understand why the student he mentioned had no idea that the face on his shirt represents to millions of people around the world the right of the oppressed to fight for a better life, raise their fists in the air and sing his praises.

Watch out, America, Hillary might win

When we are warned there's a storm coming we try to make the best of it because there is not much we can do but hunker down.

This is the way I feel about the 2008 elections. I believe because of a weak-kneed Republican Party and lots of uninformed American citizens who think that Washington has the answer for all things that we will have Hillary Clinton as our next president.

We can survive that, but socialized medicine, better known as Hillarycare, may just be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

If you think the abuse of the emergency medical system is bad (front page Roanoke Times, Sept. 24), just wait until we get Hillarycare.

Buckle up, America, and hold on to your wallets. It's going to be a rough ride. I just hope the wheels don't fall off.

Gas price increases exceed wholesale rise

Although the price of oil has surged to record levels, the wholesale price of gasoline has remained quite stable (easy to follow at quotes.ino.com/exchanges/?r=NYMEX_RB).

Nationwide, and here in Virginia, gas prices have risen minimally (less than 10 cents a gallon) over the past month. So why has the price of gasoline increased so much here in Roanoke (up to 20 cents a gallon at most stations)?

Whenever gas prices increase, our local stations really stick it to us with increases out of proportion to the increase at the wholesale level.

Moore would best represent the district

I attended the Roanoke County supervisor candidate forum at National College on Sept. 20.

My initial disappointment was the realization there would be no opportunity for the residents of Catawba and Cave Spring districts to have time for their questions.

As I did listen to the candidates' responses to the prepared questions, I began to notice some unfortunate similarities between Butch Church, Bradford Archer and Rodney McNeil. They are out of touch with their potential constituents.

Jerry Custer and Charlotte Moore did seem to have their hand on the pulse of those in their districts.

McNeil seemed to be pro-business and unconcerned about the Cave Spring District residents' concerns. At times he was downright condescending to the public. Moore and Custer gave the impression that they had been out talking a great deal with their prospective constituents; they showed empathy and understanding of the residents' needs -- an honest desire to learn more about those they would serve.

I feel Moore will seek a partnership with us as residents instead of speaking for us without considering our needs or desires. We need her on our side on the board of supervisors.

The Jena Six deserve to be punished

I enjoy your newspaper and would like to comment on your story in the Sept. 21 paper. It is the story about the Radford high school students and the signatures they are collecting over the Jena Six mess.

You made a timeline of what you said happened. It starts with the rope in the tree and ends with the latest. I don't think that is right.

In it you say that they beat up the white boy. They did not; what they tried to do was beat him to death. That is what they are in jail for. The reason the white people are not in jail is because they did not try to kill anybody.

Why don't you or the rest of the country see that?

The only injustice that is going on out there is the fact that they have reduced those attempted murder charges because they don't want the hassle. I have to deal with all kinds of crazy things that are race related but I don't try to kill anybody.

If this country lets those six punks off on anything, they had better never try to prosecute any attempt of murder on a black person again.

Sheriff's son is best suited to fill his position

I am writing to enthusiastically endorse Bill Overton for sheriff of Franklin County. Bill has had the opportunity to learn from the best. His father, Sheriff Quint Overton, has been elected by the citizens of our county since 1976. Quint has provided distinguished service for many years. Bill knows from his dad what will work best for the benefit of this important position of county leadership.

As a citizen of Franklin County for 40 years, I have known Bill since his childhood. He is a mature, sensible, upstanding young man. Bill will provide the leadership to keep our county safe and a desirable place to live.

The citizens of Franklin County have been privileged to have an excellent sheriff for 31 years. Let's continue with someone who will respect and serve the citizens with pride as he has done for the past 27 years as a member of the Franklin County Sheriff's Department.

County shouldn't be building a rec center

Roanoke County is promoting a $74 million bond issue for seven capital improvements -- one of which is a $30 million nonessential project that represents a poor investment for all county taxpayers.

Charles Overstreet correctly raised the question in "Why a government-built gym?" (Sept. 16 commentary) in competition with existing similar private-sector businesses.

The proposed rec center pools and facilities would accommodate only 400 to 600 users daily of 90,482 residents; it is an elitist project not worthy of broad county support.

Government's responsibility is to provide essential services: schools, roads, sewers, water, trash, fire and police protection. The proposed center represents a $100 million tax burden when financed over a 30-year term; or $2,564 per household (based on 2006 census).

Southwest residents, who provide one-third of total county real estate taxes, would have a 34-mile round trip to the facility and likely represent less than 5 percent of the users.

A better plan to spend $100 million of taxpayers' funds would be multiple rec or library projects spread over multiple locations, accessible to all county users. The proposed $30 million rec center project should be removed from the bond issue, as it is an irresponsible way to spend our tax dollars.