Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, October 21, 1993 TAG: 9310280360
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A18 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Rather than spend additional money on legal actions, why doesn't the VMI Foundation use the funds for a free educational field trip for the two or three young ladies attempting to break down the gates of VMI? The trip should include a few days' familiarization in Mogadishu, where they could accompany an infantry unit on foot patrol through the streets at night and then perhaps ride as aircrew on one of the gunships stalking Aidid's legions at low altitudes. If further indoctrination is required, a visit to Port-Au-Prince to observe the disarming of Gen. Cedras' thugs could also be arranged.
Isn't it strange that we heard nothing from Congresswoman Pat Shroeder deploring the absence of female personnel in the contingent of Army Rangers that was assigned to the task of assaulting Gen. Aidid's headquarters? How about it, Mrs. Shroeder? Isn't that just a further example of the blatant sexism practiced by the military?
MADLYN P. ROBERTS
BLACKSBURG
Terry, Beyer guilty by association
MARY SUE Terry, Don Beyer and other members of the religious left are trying hard to smear Mike Farris. They insinuate Farris is bad somehow, because he's had some connections with Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell. We are supposed to believe Robertson and Falwell are evil, although no reason is given.
If association is so important, perhaps we should consider the association of Ms. Terry and Beyer with the Clintons. Beyer was the first statewide official to endorse Clinton after he became a presidential candidate. Ms. Clinton sponsored a fund-raiser with liberal fat cats to raise money for Terry's campaign.
The Clintons are appointing liberal extremists to high governmental positions. The appointment of Dr. Joycelyn Elders to be the surgeon general is one example. As Arkansas' state secretary of health, she refused to warn thousands of young people when she learned they had been given defective condoms by government agencies. Clinton's ``condom queen'' says she was afraid these young people might lose confidence in condoms.
The former American Civil Liberties Union lawyer appointed by Clinton to the U.S. Supreme Court is another typical radical liberal. Ruth Bader Ginsburg has stated that prostitution must be legalized, that the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts must change their names and become sexually integrated, and she wants the age of consent for sexual acts to be 12 years old.
Clinton also appointed Thomas Payzant and Roberta Achtenberg to high positions. Payzant and Ms. Achtenberg used previous positions of influence to discriminate against the Boy Scouts, because Boy Scouts won't let homosexuals be scoutmasters.
Using the logic of the religious left, Terry and Beyer are far-left extremists because they are associated with the ultra-left Clintons. Terry and Beyer ought to stew in their own juice.
DENNIS L. FRITH
RADFORD
Parties' agendas are starkly different
AS THE TENTACLES of government reach farther into the affairs of the governed, the importance of the question ``Who controls the government?'' increases exponentially. As government's influence increases and expands (be this by the implementation of rules, regulations, policies or programs), the pressure to control government also increases because control becomes essential if one is to effectuate one's goals.
Sadly, the cost of the fight for this control is not borne merely by those directly involved in the fight. The corporate body of the governed suffers because human and financial resources expended on the right to control government are unavailable for other enterprises. As a result, society is robbed of jobs that may have been created, or the medical or scientific advances that may have been discovered - had these resources been available for their use.
Your vote for the next governor of Virginia will decide more than who will occupy the governor's mansion in Richmond. For, you see, there are fundamental differences between the philosophies of the Democrat and Republican parties. The Democratic Party, with its elitist ``we-know-best'' policies, must control government if it's to implement its social agenda. The Republican Party, on the other hand, believes that government should be limited to ensure individuals the broadest range of opportunities and choices so that they may make their own decisions about their future.
The question, therefore, is: Who do you want to control government?
JAMES K. LOWE JR.
ROANOKE
Getting the willies from political gab
UH-OH, there's another felon ( Willie Horton?) running loose. He's spotted morning, noon and night by George Allen, who puts the blame on Mary Sue Terry. Suppose he could be somewhere on U.S. 58?
Since I don't have remote-control television, I currently get my daily exercise by rushing to the tube to mute all political rhetoric.
Hoo-boy. Don't you wish Allen and Ms. Terry would just go away and take Dickie, Bud and the rest of the aspirants with them? It's enough to drive a man and woman to drink.
GENE EVANS
ROANOKE
by CNB