Friday, June 01, 2007
Salem's air is already dirty
Letters to the Editor
Recent letters to the editor
- Pick of the day: Teacher's conviction should scare parents
- Letters: Payroll tax holiday is no such thing
- The Burgs letters
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From the RoundTable blog
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Salem's air is already dirty
After surrounding communities rejected the Norfolk Southern intermodal transfer station, Salem leaders are proposing that it be located in Salem at Indiana Street. They announced that Salem citizens approve of this. Says who?
Diesel exhaust is deadly. Eighteen-wheelers are the major source of cancer from air pollution in urban areas and contribute over half the soot from highway vehicles. They last 30 years and a million miles.
The current average lifetime diesel exhaust cancer risk for a Salem resident is 178 times greater than the Environmental Protection Agency's acceptable cancer level, and Roanoke is worse.
What will thousands of diesel trucks add to that? Many will develop cancer and asthma with this proposed plan.
Why route heavy trucks into central Salem? It will create toxic pollution in the Roanoke Valley air, cause congestion, noise pollution, tear up our roads and may attract undesirable businesses.
Our leaders are getting paid enough money to come up with ways to improve our community, not destroy our high quality of life. This is not a good idea for our area.
Focus on what unites rather than divides
In response to John Domalski's May 20 letter to the editor, "Catholic Church might be preaching fiction":
First off, every time we ask anyone to pray for us, we are asking their intercession -- whether it be our parents on Earth or our Lord's own mother, who Catholics feel loves us as our own spiritual mother.
We honor Mary because it was by her acceptance to become Jesus' mother that he came into the world to be our one and only redeemer.
Also, the Bible was originally written in different languages. In some languages the words "brother" and "sister" are translated to mean any relative. Therefore, as Catholics, we believe that Mary did not have other children.
Jesus himself said, "Who is not against us is for us." Therefore, I pray that all Christians will cease to dwell on those things that divide us and focus on what unites us -- Jesus Christ.
The photo doesn't do Taylor justice
Thank you for the story of Duffie Taylor, the Hollins University graduate (May 20 news article, "Hollins graduate's life displaces plans").
I very much enjoyed the article, but was most disappointed in the photograph that you chose to use. That image of a determined, yet sad, young woman casts a tragic gloom over the story.
The Duffie Taylor I know is nothing like that. Determined, yes; but tragic, no way.
As a volunteer at the Pilot Street Project, I have gotten to know Duffie. Through the tragedies and responsibilities that life has thrust upon this remarkable young woman, she has remained positive, looking forward and always eager to help others.
Her personal trials, which I know have hit her very hard, are something that she deals with privately, and from what I've seen, with a maturity far beyond her years.
Your article would have been better served and much more accurate with a photo that shows her as she really is -- positive, smiling and determined.
This amazing young woman should be held up as an example of perseverance, someone to be emulated. Your article more or less reflects that; the photo does not. The photographer obviously had an agenda.
DON McMULLEN
The farm bill touches everyone who eats
In his commentary "Cut a fairer deal" (May 13 Horizon section), the Rev. David Beckmann addressed the upcoming renewal of the farm bill, which occurs every five years. He proposed that major changes to U.S. farm policy are needed to make progress against hunger and poverty.
Like many people, there was a time when I did not understand the importance of the farm bill. Thanks to groups like Bread for the World and the Presbyterian Hunger Program, I now understand that it is about much more than just farms and farmers.
As Beckmann wrote, "it touches everyone in this country -- everyone who eats and especially those who struggle to have enough to eat. Even people outside the United States ... ."
Thousands of Americans are coming to the same realization. I will join many of them on Capitol Hill on June 12 to visit with our elected leaders about improving U.S. food and farm policy.
If you are not familiar with the farm bill, I urge you to take time to learn about it ("Seeds of Change: Help Farmers End Hunger," www.bread.org.).
If concerned, take time to write. The actions that we take, or don't take, matter deeply.
Immigration bill offers a workable solution
The proposed Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007 (S. 1348) merits support.
Trying to expel 12 million illegal immigrants would alienate many who work hard to support their families.
The French riots show that alienating immigrants does not improve national security. Threatened by deportation, many will become underground criminals to feed their children.
Instead, S. 1348 offers a workable "plea bargain" deal. To stay, unlawful immigrants will have to obey the laws, be employed, pay back taxes, pay stiff fines and learn English. Only deserving immigrants will be admitted to permanent residency or citizenship.
The bill greatly strengthens border protection, screening at the point of employment, background checks and other interior enforcement.
If insufficient American workers are available, the bill allows temporary foreign workers, reducing demand for illegal immigrants.
S. 1348 provides for ongoing optimization of immigration rates. It rewards individuals and nations who support U.S. foreign interests. It encourages highly skilled individuals to come and stay.
This bill addresses several humanitarian concerns, deals with the social service impacts of noncitizens and promotes citizenship development.
Unfortunately, this excellent compromise legislation is probably doomed unless many more voters indicate their support now to their U.S. senators and later to their representative.
Immigration bill would cost Americans dearly
In 1986, Congress decided to address the problem of illegal immigration. The border was to be closed, employers of illegals were to be punished and the law enforced. At that time, there were approximately 3 million illegals living here.
Of course, none of the promises were kept, and now we have between 12 million and 20 million living here.
If the proposed legislation now in Congress passes, in another 20 years we could have between 48 million and 60 million living here, based on past performance.
According to the Heritage Foundation, if this farcical legislation passes, it will cost the American taxpayer $2.4 trillion -- and that is just for them being added to Social Security. But that is just the beginning.
Each year an illegal family receives $30,160 in government benefits and only pays $10,573 in taxes -- if they pay taxes at all, according to the foundation.
When this proposed bill was written, LaRaza, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Catholic committee were there to represent the illegals. The National Chamber of Commerce was there to represent big business, and guess who was there to represent the taxpayers of America?
How many must die before we learn?
How many lives have to be lost in car accidents before people will realize they must wear their seat belts?
I read so many articles about teenagers and adults who have died and were not buckled up. It is such a simple thing to do and so many lives would be saved.
