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Bush squanders the nation's treasures

George W. Bush, whose patriotism is always on display, wants to hang a "For Sale" sign on 300,000 acres of national forest land. This sale of public lands will raise approximately $1 billion for the federal treasury.

It will take the Bush administration less than a day to spend that God-given treasure on the military and a war in a desert a half a world away.

This is not patriotism. It is squandering a national treasure.

Throughout our history, presidents of both parties have had the foresight to set aside parts of this beautiful country for the enjoyment of future generations. Not this one.

Rather than enriching future generations, the Bush administration will leave our grandchildren paying for a war they had no voice in.

If we can afford to give tax cuts to the very wealthy, it would seem unfair to pay for it with the sale of public lands.

Selling public forest lands is a dangerous precedent. Our national heritage should not be sold to cover the blunders of an inept administration.

False patriotism and false economy are selling this nation and its values down the drain.

Richard W. Koffman

fincastle

Lawmakers will have blood on their hands

Thanks to Del. Matthew Lohr, R-Rockingham County, the Virginia legislature hasn't been as shamefully bigoted since it voted for "massive resistance" some 50 years ago to keep the races in separate schools.

Those who voted for Lohr's bill are unbelievably naïve to think that high schoolers won't talk about sex in schools (or just about any place else).

Make no mistake, Lohr and his cohorts have an agenda, and legions of children and young adults will end their lives because of the shameful hatred and intolerance exhibited in our legislature.

Methinks that is their real agenda. The lives ended too soon will be their legacy.

Thomas Jefferson must be spinning in his grave.

Richard Herring

Bent Mountain

Bill tells smokers to step outside

Kudos to Sen. Brandon Bell for summoning the political courage required to sponsor Senate Bill 648.

The issue of smokers imposing their habit on the public is but a microcosm of a very alarming trend in this great democracy known as America.

Somehow, at some point in our recent history, the acceptance of the minority dictating the public's behavior has become vogue.

In addition to smokers, the minority group that consists of atheists and agnostics has gained the upper hand in the ongoing battle to eliminate God from our schools, jobs and sporting events.

I was educated to believe that within a democracy the majority ruled.

Virginia's law requiring restaurants that serve 50 or more people to provide a smoking section is a joke.

I would urge Bell to inquire of those in the legislature that own a swimming pool if they have a urinating-only section in their pool.

Imagine that all swimming pools in our commonwealth have a urinating section and that if you enjoy swimming, as I and many other Virginians enjoy eating out, you must endure this most displeasing activity.

If I can get out of the pool to relieve myself, then I'm sure smokers can get out of the restaurant.

Michael Dorman

Christiansburg

Cherished rights are slipping away

I have never written a letter to the editor before, but I felt compelled to do so after reading the Feb. 10 commentaries by Art Poskocil ("Teaching Goebbels a thing or two") and Gordon Dillow ("Anti-war cartoonist denigrates our troops") about freedom of speech.

I cherish my right to free speech. That is what this country was founded on.

I get so angry when I see the government trying every way possible to take that away from me. It scares me also.

Like Poskocil, I wish more people would wake up to the fact that what we are allowed to feel and express is being controlled more now than ever.

Our government is trying to shove democracy down the throats of people who don't even want to hear it and taking away that very same democracy from its own people.

That is something Dillow will probably never get.

Like Carl Scott (letter to the editor, "Can't wait for Bush to pack his bags"), I'm looking forward to the end of King George W.'s reign.

I just hope when that day comes we can celebrate without getting arrested in the name of national defense.

Theresa Bowles

Narrows

Leftwich grasps the big picture

We take much pride in endorsing Randy L. Leftwich for Roanoke City Council.

We are not Roanoke residents and cannot vote for him, but we are natives of the Roanoke Valley and have known Leftwich for a number of years through various Democratic Party initiatives and, more recently, via his service in the Kiwanis Club of Roanoke.

Like Leftwich, we were not born into privilege or wealth and are proud to have worked hard for what we have achieved.

Like him, we have a strong sense of dedication and service to our constituents and to the Roanoke Valley as a whole.

We have great respect for Leftwich's solid professionalism and his youthful approach to solving some of the valley's most glaring problems while capitalizing on its many attributes, capabilities and resources.

Leftwich is a big-picture person who will not get bogged down in single-issue arguments, disagreements and disputes.

Therefore, we are urging our many friends, family members and citizens of Roanoke to support Leftwich's candidacy for city council by voting for him at the Democratic Party mass meeting at William Fleming High School Saturday and then at the ballot box on May 2.

Steven A. McGraw

Clerk

Roanoke County Circuit Court

Gerald S. Holt

Sheriff

Roanoke County

Just think, Gore was nearly the president

So, Al Gore doesn't think we were nice enough to the Saudis in the United States after 9/11 (Feb. 13 news article, "Gore criticizes treatment of Arabs after Sept. 11").

Three questions to the almost 2000 president:

n Has he heard of the number of Saudis who were allowed to leave the U.S. immediately after the attack, including several of the numerous Osama bin Laden relatives?

n Who paid for Gore's trip to Saudi Arabia?

n Is he really sure he is right on global warming, too?

Gore's bicycle to Carthage, Tenn., awaits.

Save gas, don't pollute, pedal -- or is it peddle?

John J. Hand

Roanoke

Should all nonwhites vacate the region?

Hurray for great Americans like Susan R. Larsen (Feb. 6 letter to the editor, "Illegal immigrants will take over Roanoke").

Wow, and here I thought that Southern California once belonged to Mexico.

And that there were even one or two Mexican-Americans in the armed forces fighting in, of all places, Iraq. Silly me.

It's time to light the torches and restart the midnight rides of our great forefathers. Forget that liberal malarkey printed on the base of the Statue of Liberty.

It's time to get back to the great white way so that Roanoke and, indeed, all of Southwest Virginia can keep its reputation of segregation and bigotry that it so richly deserves.

Of course, if people like Larsen have anything to say about it, that reputation will remain intact.

The last time I drove around the city, I'm sure I saw quite a few Jews, Asians and blacks, along with some folks who were unidentifiable as any race, but they sure weren't white.

Anyway, I'm with you. So, while we're taking care of those darned illegal immigrants (and don't let 'em fool you, they're all illegal), let's round up all the non-whites and ship them off to wherever. Hey, how about Southern California?

rob neukirch

floyd