Friday, May 29, 2009
Keeping students safe from thinking at Liberty U.
Letters to the Editor
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From the RoundTable blog
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Keeping students safe from thinking at Liberty U.
Re: "Liberty disbands campus Democrats" (May 23 news story):
The expulsion of the Democratic club from Liberty University is an insult to students and faculty. It appears that the university administration thinks students do not have sufficient intelligence and judgment to defend and support their views in free and open debate and dialogue with those whose views may differ.
Instead, the university apparently thinks that members of its community must be shielded and protected from diversity of thought. The result can easily be an atmosphere of conformity, repression and mediocrity in which genuine and vital learning cannot flourish.
The banning of the Democratic club does not bode well if the leaders of the university aspire to being considered an outstanding educational institution of the first rank.
Meanwhile, in the interest of honesty and truth in advertising, I hope that the university will choose a new name, since liberty is now being seriously diminished and curtailed there. I cannot believe that even the most ardent Republicans will support the suppression of freedom of speech and assembly.
Safety patrols are worth the cost
The Virginia Department of Transportation commissioner has stated publicly that safety was his No. 1 priority. However, the Interstate 81 Safety Corridor may not be so safe after July 1, when budget cuts eliminate the Safety Service Patrol that patrols 48 miles of Interstates 81 and 581.
They assist stranded motorists Monday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., providing free roadside service including, but not limited to: tire changes, jump starts, gasoline, debris cleanup, directions and traffic control. It's a shame that this safety measure has been deemed insignificant and will no longer be provided in the safety corridor.
How much money is going to be saved by cutting 4.5 jobs? Who's going to respond to stranded motorists? Can local and state police budgets absorb this cost? How about the politicians make some sacrifices instead of cutting corners on our safety and security?
Currently, the SSP frees up state and local police to respond to more urgent calls. I won't feel as safe on I-81 or I-581 knowing that the SSP is no longer available to lend a helping hand. If roadside safety and security concern you, tell the governor or your state representative.
Petraeus speech got too little attention
The Roanoke Times does it again. Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East and South Asia, was the commencement speaker at VMI. He is also one of a growing number of soldier/scholars in our military services. He and former Ambassador Ryan Crocker did yeoman's work in Iraq under extremely difficult circumstances.
It took a while to find any coverage in the Sunday edition (May 17). Lo and behold, there it was -- on page 10 (the back) of the Virginia section. (The section on Local Colors could have been longer, by the way.) The front page of the paper had the beginning of a two-full-page article on teen drinking.
I noted that the VMI article was a stock piece taken from The Associated Press wire, as was the photo of the cadets. So no Times reporter actually attended the commencement? Guess they were busy with the other important articles in progress. After all, we can't have too much coverage of the trials and tribulations of those such as poor Alfred Dowe.
P.S. A photo (AP or otherwise) of Petraeus speaking would have been nice.
Criminal intent is no mere mistake
Am I the only one tired of hearing a defense lawyer say, "My client made a mistake"? Lawyers seem to think that the words "mistake" and "crime" are interchangeable.
A mistake is wearing one blue and one black sock. A mistake is misspelling a word. A mistake isn't something that is done with thought and sometimes done over and over again. One does not plead guilty to mistakes. A criminal pleads guilty to crimes.
The mistake most criminals make is mistakenly thinking they will get away with committing their crimes. Let's get it right.
Let officer do his job on the market
After 34 years on the Roanoke police force, Officer Bill Lucas knows what impeding foot traffic and obstruction of justice are. Let him do his job. That is what he was doing May 14.
After years of problems on the City Market, day and night, if this would have been one of our local street people, would this have been "artistic expression" or loitering?
How do you know that someone did not come up to Lucas and complain to him? Or perhaps he was dispatched to this location because of a 911 call.
This incident has been blown way out of proportion by everyone. Columnist Dan Casey's description of Lucas in the May 17 paper, "Armed without a sense of humor," was childish. Let's call the big bad cop some names.
Mr. Casey, remember Officer Lucas works in the downtown area and maybe you might need his assistance one day and he will be there, doing his job.
Tech fails the discipline test
Re: "A debate for the ages," a May 17 news story in which a Tech official says, "There but for the grace of God goes our campus":
How dare a Virginia Tech official even mention God in connection with drinking problems on campus? Tech has kicked him out of its classrooms, out of its curriculum and off its campus.
I would think such highly educated people would have sense enough to know what the solution is. Legal drinking age has nothing to do with Tech's problem. Lack of discipline is the problem. If you remove the person who is violating your rules, if you have any rules, you remove your problem.
Virginia Tech, in particular, does not seem to have any rules of conduct as far as athletes are concerned. If someone can shoot a basketball, or throw a baseball or football, he can do no wrong. He can get drunk, disturb the peace, drive drunk, and the list goes on and on.
If you want God's influence on campus, try teaching the Bible; after all, that is his textbook.
Madison was hardly a fitting comparison
The cartoon in your Saturday, May 23, paper comparing rude people blocking the streets to James Madison and the First Amendment (Chris Obrion, The Roanoke Times) is the most foolish opinion cartoon I have seen. Shame on you for being so willing to publish such simple-minded opinions.
