Thursday, February 04, 2010
Explore Park should be added to the Blue Ridge Parkway
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Explore Park should be added to the Blue Ridge Parkway
Chris Obrien's Jan. 30 editorial cartoon translates Laurence Hammack's Jan. 28 news story, "Blue Ridge Parkway may add 50,000 acres," into Roanoke Valley terms and rang the bell with me. It shows the National Park Service offering to help the Virginia Recreation Facilities Authority solve its Explore Park dilemma.
As the executive director of Virginia's Explore Park from 1991 until 1997, I struggled to keep state and local dollars flowing into the park. Millions of public and private dollars were spent on land, access, historic buildings and a visitor center. Explore was abuzz with the happy voices of schoolchildren and tourists learning our cultural and natural heritage.
Now it is closed. Those responsible seem to want to maintain local control and find a way to make a profit. I say the best course for this special tract of forest, free-flowing river and historic buildings is for it to become part of the Blue Ridge Parkway, like Mabry Mill.
Let's ask our congressional delegation to see that the legislation to expand the parkway passes and includes a provision making Explore one of those additions.
AEP's rate increases are an undue burden
I want to formally express my extreme frustration, anger and, frankly, dismay over AEP's recent rate increases, which have nearly doubled our electric bill. I do not understand how AEP in good conscience can expect people to view these as fair and expected increases. We have friends and family who honestly cannot sustain these increases, especially in light of our national economic crisis.
In this time of financial stress, I would expect AEP to be finding ways to tighten its belt and even be willing to take a hit financially or forgo record profits or dividends in order to spare their customers such a burden. Having a monopoly does not give it the authority to act unjustly toward its customers.
I urge AEP to reconsider its rate increases, adjust them to a fair level and lead the way as an example of a corporate giant who really does put its customers first.
Obama delivers more than we bargained for
Now we know the hope and change President Obama promised. Under George W. Bush, we had seven years with no further Islamic terrorist attacks. Under Obama for 11 months, hope didn't prevent three terrorist attacks. Don't we as Americans feel much safer now?
The change Obama promised equals: more debt, more welfare, more taxes, more regulations, more government, more wasteful spending and more corruption. Thanks, Obama, for changes this country can't afford.
If Obama would spend more time in the Oval Office instead of on television and traveling on useless trips, maybe he could get some of his promises accomplished. You do not have to agree with my comments, but this is one of the few rights we still have.
Two views of Obama; only one makes sense
A modest proposal to readers of The Roanoke Times for an admittedly, but not as much as might seem, anecdotal experiment:
In the Jan. 31 Horizon are two opinion pieces. On one hand, we have Dan Radmacher's "The party of no vs. the party of 'd'oh!'" On the other, George Will's "Divided, he stands."
Radmacher seems to be telling us that the Obama administration's and the Democratic Congress's attempt to pass meaningful, needed reform -- most notably health care reform -- has been blocked at every opportunity by obstructionist Republicans whose manifest concern is not the American people, but a desire to politically damage Obama and his needed, wanted agenda.
Will seems to be telling us that not only have the Democratic proposals been inconsistent, but that Obama himself is either confused or politically cynical as to selling such an agenda to Americans; that Obama blames himself that such agenda/reform/progress is still not understood; that partisan perspective is damaging to the process; that he will proceed forward because, regardless of public opinion as manifested in recent elections, he and his know what's best.
Please, read both articles and ask yourself which rings clearer of the truth.
Last president showed worth of experience
I am compelled to respond to Bill Hart's comments regarding his thoughts of being "Obamanated" ("Inexperience is causing government failure," Jan. 31 letter).
It is surprising that his view is so narrow that he has concluded these issues of poorly managed government have just recently occurred during President Obama's brief stint in office.
It certainly does not take some mysterious prophet, such as Nostradamus, to derive conclusions about the problems plaguing our country and the direction it has been snowballing toward for the past nine years. The past presidency confirmed that experience was no more beneficial, and was definitely more detrimental than the inexperience Hart refers to.
It is clear that before he was allegedly Obamanated, he was and is most definitely Bush-whacked.
Faults, not the devil, cause earthquakes
Anyone remember comedian Flip Wilson's "The devil made me do it"? Now Pat Robertson is blaming earthquakes on the devil. He has really upstaged Wilson. I wonder upon whom he is blaming other earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, fires and ever-occurring natural disasters?
Maybe he would be well-served to look into his dictionary and understand that earthquakes are caused by faults in the Earth, which are breaks in rock strata and cause dislocation along the line of fracture. Nowhere does it say they are a result of God's judgment, nor the devil's action. Fault is spelled f-a-u-l-t, not d-e-v-i-l.
The saying "give the devil his due" in no way applies to earthquakes. Robertson would be well-served to keep his errant philosophy to himself. The devil is in enough trouble already.
Get rid of don't ask, don't tell policy
Tuesday, Washington was the setting for real progress in the quest for full civil and employment rights for all Americans.
First, Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced his full support for President Obama's decision to prepare for repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and policy.
Then, Adm. Mike Mullen, the country's joint chiefs chairman and senior military officer, noted that he had served with gay service members throughout his career and that he could not escape being troubled that we have a policy that forces young men and women to lie about who they are to defend their fellow citizens. "It is my personal and professional belief that allowing homosexuals to serve openly would be the right thing to do," he said.
Finally, Rep. Joe Sestak, a retired admiral, the highest-ranking veteran in Congress, issued a statement calling DADT "a compromise on our American principles that is counter to our civil rights and weakens our national security ... . I call on my colleagues in Congress to move quickly toward a complete repeal."
I agree with them all and especially endorse Sestak's call for prompt congressional repeal of the DADT statute.
Retired Colonel U.S. Army
