Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 8, 1994 TAG: 9403080174
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Sun Belt and Rustbelt are metaphors. There are no parallels that define either region and no straight lines from point A to point B, etc.
The Sun Belt starts south of us, probably around the Myrtle Beach area, takes in southern Georgia and all of Florida. It starts again in New Mexico, through Arizona, and included southern California until a decade ago.
These areas are deemed prime retirement areas, and retirees can live and play in the sun year-round. There's no industry to speak of, so the cost of living is relatively low. States in between, with their large ethnic populations, humidity and business interests, are less desirable for retirement.
The Rustbelt, to take an arbitrary starting point, begins at Flint, Mich., runs through Detroit, Gary, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Wheeling and other towns and cities not mentioned. Their common denominator is heavy manufacturing, steel production or manufactured products made primarily of steel, with the raw material and finished products transported mainly by rail. As overseas competitors took this business and jobs from us, the facilities oxidized; hence, the Rustbelt, Roanoke being one of the cities not mentioned.
Then there's the Bible Belt. But since you didn't mention that, I won't bore you further with my unsolicited views on that subject.
DOUGLAS CHANDLER GRAHAM
SALEM
Providing cover for Clinton's 'lies'
ISN'T It written somewhere, ``He who is without sin, cast the first stone?''
Regarding Oliver North, how many career politicians are perfect, without sin? How often do they lie to the public to cover their tails?
North has made a clean breast of the allegations against him. He has, on several occasions, explained with dignity the circumstances surrounding his involvement in the Iran-Contra dealings.
On the other hand, there's Clinton and his alleged involvement with the Whitewater case. It is being swept under the carpet. Every time he tells another lie, people try to cover for him. Clinton's made so many misstatements that I've lost count. He doesn't take responsibility for anything he does, but blames others around him. Clinton doesn't have to atone for his indiscretions. People continually make excuses for him and his bungling administration.
TERESA L. LILLY
MARTINSVILLE
Too much silence on abortion issue
FOR THOSE who've suffered in silence for the unborn aborted, and for their mothers who chose abortion, let's heed the beautiful truth spoken by Mother Teresa: ``If we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill each other?''
Cal Thomas quoted these words spoken at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. (Feb. 16 column, ``Mother Teresa brings power of the truth to the powerful''). He noted in his column the large numbers who applauded her and the noted few - President and Mrs. Clinton and Vice President and Mrs. Gore - who didn't.
All praise and thanksgiving to those who know the truth in Mother Teresa's message and the tragedies of abortion. For those who applauded then, and nod in agreement now, we must ask: What actions are we taking to prevent further atrocity to the unborn through legalized abortion?
As a fellow Catholic with Mother Teresa, I'm equally concerned about the lack of leadership in our local Catholic churches that fail to address the teaching of the Catholic church on the sanctity of life. The beautiful words spoken by her should resound from the walls of Catholic churches, but more often our leaders are silent. For all who've been touched by the truth spoken by Mother Teresa, let's not be silent.
PATRICIA HENRY
Spokeswoman, Catholic Pro-Life Foundation of the Blue Ridge
ROANOKE
A shocker in the news
IN VIEW of today's society, perhaps I shouldn't have been as shocked as I was when I read the Feb. 14 news story by staff writers Brian Kelley and Michael Stowe, ``New River Valley hotels still flooded with the powerless.'' In the first paragraph, they took God's name in vain. I'm asking that this never be allowed to happen again in this newspaper.
MARGARET HARVEY
ROANOKE
Editor's note: Our newsroom has written guidelines that state: ``This is a family newspaper, and where possible we want to avoid use of obscene, vulgar, profane or otherwise offensive language.''
Sometimes it's difficult to make a call on where to draw the line with such matters. (If a president utters a profanity, our readers need to know it; however, if a football coach does - six times in the same sentence - we think the quote should die in the locker room.)
We let our standards lapse with the weather story, and we shouldn't have.
by CNB