ROANOKE TIMES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, December 5, 1993                   TAG: 9312060197
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: D2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Long


SENTENCING IN VIRGINIA ISN'T FAIR

I WAS in the Roanoke courtroom when Judge Weckstein refused to reduce the 34- and 39-year sentences of my brother and sister-in-law, Paul and Anita Gallagher, and I couldn't agree more with your Nov. 17 editorial, ``Legislators asked good questions.''

Legislators who wrote to the court weren't endorsing activities of the LaRouche associates, but were pointing out the disparity of their sentences with those given to other nonviolent first offenders in Virginia and in the United States. Their statements were confirmed by an expert in alternative sentences who endorsed and had arranged for specific community-service jobs for the Gallaghers. These jobs would have allowed them to use their talents in the service of the people of Virginia while reporting to the county jail each night.

Are Virginia taxpayers better served by having to keep and protect nonviolent first offenders in maximum-security prisons for extraordinarily long periods of time? Is an already overcrowded prison system made more effective by having to provide services for people who'll never commit another crime?

Judge Weckstein had the power to modify the sentences. He chose not to, and didn't explain his reasons. Perhaps there's no logical explanation to be offered, or the explanation was unrelated to issues of justice. As your editorial pointed out, the LaRouche group's political views are neither mainstream nor popular. And during the trial, they aggravated the judge by repeatedly accusing him of conflict of interest.

You question whether the sentences would've been different with a different judge, jury or in a different city. The fact is that LaRouche associates received jury sentences in Virginia of 88, 77, 34, 39, 40 and 25 years. The 88- year sentence was reduced to 10 by a Loudon County judge. The other five sentences, all pronounced in Roanoke by Judge Weckstein, stand. All subsequent LaRouche offenders, under bench trials rather than jury trials, received suspended sentences, community service and fines. Same country, same state; different judges, different locales. Is this justice?

Legislators caring about good and sound government for Virginia should pass guidelines regulating punishment for non-violent crimes. Judges caring about fairness should modify sentences that are out of line. Newspapers, such as the Roanoke Times & World-News, should continue to advocate reform of the sentencing system. Thank you for doing so.

MARIANNE RIESS GREENWICH, CT

The unprincipled sold out on NAFTA

AMERICA has lost its way when there's not a general outcry of disgust at what we've just witnessed in the actions of our pseudo-democratic government over the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Are we so cynical in our apathy that we'll tolerate the overt corruption of the democratic process? Americans were clearly opposed to NAFTA, and yet the consummate political chameleon, Bill Clinton, went about panhandling with our tax dollars to buy off the politically corruptible with favors for votes.

Is it any wonder that our children look to sports figures and movie stars for their heroes and role models. Martin Luther King, and those who really understood and were touched by his dream, are left wondering if the day will ever dawn when we will, as he said, judge others as worthy of our emulation and respect, based on something truly meaningful, like the content of a person's character.

The nobility of character seen in George Washington and Robert E. Lee's lives, or in the selflessness of a Nathan Hale and Sam Davis, ought to be what we hold up before our children as worthy of emulation and veneration. Instead, we've too many politicians without principles or convictions. Where's the sense of duty to one's constituents?

I'm disheartened by it all. It may be time to reconsider, state by state, whether our interest would be better served by renegotiating the extent to which we've allowed our ``reserved powers'' to be delegated to the federal government. I don't fear words like nullification or secession. They've been defamed because the present power structure fears them. We're supposed to be the government.

Our loyalty and sense of patriotism should be to the principles and ideals on which our forefathers first established the Constitution, not to a government that's perverted these principles for its own purposes. Be fervent in your defense of democratic liberty and don't be satisfied with the idea that we're powerless to bring about change.

WAYNE D. CARLSEN

RADFORD

They don't know what they're missing

I AGREE with the Nov. 20 editorial entitled ``Treading water in a sea of poverty,'' which was a commentary on the Nov. 18 ``Pregnant and proud'' story by Beth Macy about two of Roanoke's pregnant, unmarried teen-agers.

I'd go a step further. I'd suggest that the youngsters caught up in this immoral lifestyle thoughtfully read what God says about fornication. God pressure should win out over peer pressure if they heard and believed the truth.

Finally, in the Neighbors section on the same day, there was a more heartening story, ``Father-son banquet bridges generations of black men.'' If Tasha and Shannon read it, I wonder if it gave them some inkling of what they, their children, and, yes, the fathers of their children are missing in choosing the path that seems so good to them now.

HELEN K. McMULLEN

VINTON

The audacity of those in need

I'VE RECENTLY become aware that Roanoke city and the local merchants association have decided to tackle the panhandling problem. Signs on the side of Valley Metro buses are really a stroke of genius. They send a message.

I want to thank all concerned for taking on the task of deciding whether panhandlers have the right to ask and whether I have the right to respond favorably or unfavorably. Perhaps in time, these dirty, homeless, harmless and often ill vagrants will not have the audacity to approach us proper and prosperous folks. Must take gall, huh!

I personally would be most appreciative if these good Samaritans would take on one more small task. Decide who has the larger problem, them or us. This is the giving season, remember.

EDWIN PLUNKETT

ROANOKE

What if young moms have regrets?

IT'S A SHAME that the Roanoke Times & World-News has nothing better to write about except articles like ``Pregnant and proud'' by Beth Macy on the front page of the Nov. 18 Extra section.

It baffles me to hear that the Alternative Education Center can find so much joy and is so proud and happy to hear that young girls are getting pregnant. What's going to happen after the children are born? Who's going to pay for their care, food, clothing, etc.? When the young mothers get older and think of the good times they missed as teen-agers and want to go out at night, who's going to watch the children?

PHILLIP CARROLL

ROANOKE

Put no faith in false heroes

ONE SENTENCE from Keith Hamblin's Nov. 22 letter to the editor (``Must `anything go' on television?'') especially caught my eye: ``Heaven help us all.''

The Barney letter below Hamblin's by Lisa Poole (``Let kids have their purple hero'') stated, ``In a world filled with drugs, disease and violence, let the children have one `sweety-sweet' purple hero.'' Haven't we given children one false hero after another - Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, Batman, Rambo, etc.? They don't last or work, or we wouldn't need new ones to replace whatever the current fad. I agree that children (adults are just grown-up children) need a hero.

In a world filled with drugs, disease and violence, heaven would help us all if we'd quit looking elsewhere.

PAT FORD

SALEM

Wood used to help others

THERE were statistics recently in the Roanoke Times & World-News on how Western Virginians keep warm in the winter. There's an obvious large demand for cut wood in this area with Franklin County listed as 3,040 homes and Bedford County with 3,307 homes heated with wood (Roanoke figures not printed).

There's a real need in this area to assist those who can use help, as is recognized by this newspaper. However, most of the assistance to keep warm is through donations to assist with utility costs such as electricity bills, etc. With cut and split wood selling for $100-plus a cord delivered, and the number of homes heated by wood, this may be an area where assistance could be readily available considering the amount of timber in this area.

If there were a poll taken (by this newspaper or a TV medium) of (a) those needing assistance in receiving wood for heat and (b) those who need trees cut down or lots cleared, I'll bet you would find the need (a) and a plentiful availability of the product (b).

As generous as Roanokers are (experienced by the assistance to the Midwest flood victims), there surely could be a way to get the wood from (b) to (a).

Just a thought to help someone keep warm.

DON C. ATKINSON

WIRTZ



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