Saturday, September 08, 2007
On issue of guns, Tech report contradicts itself
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On issue of guns, Tech report contradicts itself
The Virginia Tech Review Panel, recommends that guns be banned on campus. Cho was already banned from having guns under Tech's administrative rules. Would a different ban have been more effective? Aren't the experts on this panel supposed to be intelligent?
On page 75 there is this statement: "The panel knows of no case in which a shooter in campus homicides has been shot or scared off by a student or faculty member with a weapon." But Appendix L states of the Pearl, Miss., school shooting: "the assistant principal retrieves a .45 pistol from the glove compartment of his truck and subdues Woodham."
Appendix L also discusses the Appalachian School of Law shooting in Grundy that, though not stated in the report, was ended when two students armed themselves and confronted the shooter.
This fact was widely reported in the mainstream news media. Could this exhaustive review and report have actually overlooked the fact that they were unaware of an incident that was reported in their own findings?
Spend Roanoke's money on education
Roanoke city is always behind on Standards of Learning and does not know why. Go to your city schools and look at the textbooks and you find many that are so far out of date that the students may still think Jimmy Carter is president.
Science, history, government and math books are so old and in poor condition that you can see why SOLs are low.
Money needs to be spent on education and quickly. More money for teachers is badly needed.
Forget the trolley, hotels on Mill Mountain, walking trails and art museums. Spend some on teachers and text books.
Roanoke is falling behind in education and each day it gets harder to catch up.
Competence more important than creed
In a recent letter, ("Clinton thinks there is another way to heaven," Sept. 3) Elizabeth Simmons was concerned about Hillary Clinton's ability to be president because Hillary is not sure Jesus is the only way to heaven.
Because I would rather light a candle than curse the darkness, I have to tell Simmons that Hillary wants to be elected president, not preacher. It is an easy mistake to make.
Our current president has a delusion he is our minister-in-chief and this tends to confuse the simple-minded congregants.
Actually, this is a good lesson on why the separation of church and state is so important. The wall of separation is an essential, practical protection for us all, even if you think this is a "Christian nation."
Because today's majority may be tomorrow's minority, you must protect the wall of separation today in order to guarantee your future rights.
Assuming Hillary can keep her personal religious beliefs separate from the job of president (if she's elected), Simmons could focus on Hillary's policies instead of her soul. I hope we can all look past our own personal self-interest this next election to consider what is best for the country and vote for a candidate based on competence instead of creed.
Salem residents' health is at stake
I am very concerned about the intermodal trucking facility proposed for Salem.
Consider that Salem already has the dubious distinction of having one of Virginia's highest soot levels. This alone should disqualify it from contributing further health hazards.
Salem built many athletic fields to enhance the healthy environment of children and adults. Who will use these complexes once it is realized they pose a serious threat to the participants' health?
This is false economy. Tax breaks would not be realized for years. Who would want these tax breaks if they cause a clear and present danger to the inhabitants of the city?
With Andrew Lewis Middle School nearby, how long will it be before the city will have to take on the burden of building a new school to protect the students and faculty from serious lung and respiratory illness?
Many neighborhoods surround this area as well.
Noise pollution will be detrimental to the peace and tranquility of the city. Beautiful Salem is a bird sanctuary.
The contradiction of what Salem represents and what the intermodal facility stands to take away is obvious. We cannot let this happen to an already fragile environment.
