Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 2, 1995 TAG: 9505020080
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
I wrote to my representatives and senators urging them to take the time necessary to properly write this legislation. I pointed out that such poorly written legislation left an open door for abuse, and issues that would have to be decided by the courts and defined by our court system on a case-by-case basis.
Congress, in its shortsighted wisdom, didn't agree. Even Congress members were astounded when lawsuits were more than triple their highest estimates the first full year ADA was in effect. The frivolous lawsuits covered everything from a fired lying salesman who claimed that his lying was a disability to fired alcoholics, drug addicts and nymphomaniacs who claimed theirs was a disability covered by ADA.
Congress should revisit ADA and amend this poorly written legislation so that it will define just exactly who is really disabled in a meaningful, easily understood way. Some have wondered if the fact that a majority of Congress members are lawyers had any bearing on the final legislation. After all, lawyers seem to have benefited financially from ADA more than the truly disabled the legislation was supposed to assist.
BILL CORBITT
VINTON
Why liberalism is bankrupt
I'M NOT really angry, but after 30-plus years of this blame-the-white-man-for-everything nonsense, I'm getting cranky. And I'm not alone.
Conservatism is on the rise because many voters see the liberal agenda of the past three or more decades as a string of ill-conceived social experiments that created more divisiveness and racism than it cured by manufacturing anger, dysfunction, anti-social/criminal attitudes and behavior. Liberals rely on a larger-than-life enemy to justify their often larger-than-needed programs, and the white man has been their reliable target. But new conservatives are black, Hispanic, Asian, Moslem, Baptist, Catholic, college students, white- and blue-collar workers, gays and women who no longer believe their communities can survive liberals' divide-and-conquer tactics.
As a movement, liberalism can be compared to unionism - both went too far. When the goal was fair working conditions with fair wages, union support by average workers was almost universal. But when union demands exceeded fairness, and strikes became automatic with the end of each contract, workers making $4.25 an hour lost sympathy for union members crying that their $15 an hour was too little. Even longtime union members tired of never-satisfied co-workers when contract demands bankrupted companies.
Unions ``busted'' themselves with greed and excesses, but the villain they point to is government. Likewise, liberals exceeded fairness and common sense long ago, but continue to cry wolf, using unfair social conditions of the '60s to bankrupt the '90s. Now, liberals are seeing their movement busted by greed, hate and excesses, but the villain they point to is the angry white man.
New conservatives want the business of America to succeed so we can all live and work together for better, safer and more social communities. The only way to do that is to end the continual strikes against progress that liberals seem to call with each election year. Calling angry white men ``scabs'' only means they have run out of ideas, and the old ideas didn't work. But the racist rocks thrown at me have lost their effect because I know others are willing to cross the liberals' picket line with me, and more will follow.
JEROME C. WATKINS
SALEM
That others may live to be brave
I READ Faith Dower's April 19 letter to the editor (``Agency's staff shows courage''). She spoke of making Planned Parenthood a safe haven for everyone. Should there be a safer place than a mother's womb?
While she's shedding tears for those brave souls at Planned Parenthood, how about a few for the millions of unborn children who are being slaughtered?
Just maybe they could grow up to be brave souls.
RALPH FITZGERALD
ROANOKE
A gift that has no price tag
I WOULD like Andrew Akers (April 22 letter to the editor, ``Donor law needs to be changed'') to tell me how much my heart is worth. Someone special had it first before me. It came from a perfect stranger on June 12, 1993, so that I could have a second chance at life. I don't even know his or her name.
My greatest wish is to some day meet my donor family. I already know they're courageous, loving and unselfish. The first question I wouldn't ask them is, ``How much do I owe you for your loved one's heart since you didn't get paid for it when the loved one died?'' Tell me how much a family from my home town is worth for giving their young son's organs so that others could live? I'm sure they'd love to know.
I agree that it would be wonderful to have a surplus of organs available so that Akers or others wouldn't have to lie in a hospital bed and hear a doctor say that the only way they could leave is for someone to die. I can't describe my thoughts during my wait. I never asked God one time for anyone to die. If we had a surplus of organs, maybe the one who had been waiting before I was admitted, and was still waiting when I left, wouldn't have died because a match never came. I also hope Akers never has to camp out in an intensive-care unit's waiting room as my family did, where my husband said every time the door opened his heart felt like it might stop beating also.
No law says you have to be an organ donor. I respect Akers' reasons for not becoming one, even though I don't understand them. It takes special people to be donors.
If a law is passed for donors to be paid, I'm sure his name will be on top of the list. Believe me, I know one name that won't - mine. My organs will be given freely from love and the knowledge of need, not greed.
CAROL POWELL
GLASGOW
Christians shouldn't hide their faith
REGARDING the April 18 letter to the editor by Catherine Carter, ``Don't make a show of righteousness'':
I agree on one point of her comments - that Christians shouldn't boast of themselves, but give God the glory for everything. Jesus is talking in Matthew 6 to those (hypocrites) who would rather receive praise of themselves than glorify God. However, he doesn't tell us to practice our religion in secret. He tells us that we're the light of the world - ``Let your light so shine before men.'' How can one keep his commandments and hide his or her Christianity?
In a world searching for the answer to peace and happiness, it's our job as Christians to show them the way to the only one - Jesus Christ - who can give true peace and happiness.
WAYNE LINKOUS
CHRISTIANSBURG
Pick up litter wherever it's seen
I CHALLENGE the fine people of the Roanoke Valley to help keep this beautiful city litter free. I'm disgusted at the empty cans, papers and trash that litter this area.
I live in the older section of Wasena, and my neighbors and I take pride in our old homes and nice, landscaped yards. There are beautiful trees and flowers all around, and we're proud of the hard work we put into making this area look so nice.
However, some of us literally have to step over litter when going to our car every morning. Maybe we think it's not our responsibility. But if we are to teach our children and grandchildren to be responsible, we have to show them the way.
Every day I pick up litter on my street, and I feel much better when I look at the nice, clean street I live on. Please pick up litter, not only in your neighborhood but anywhere you might be. You'll feel like you're helping to keep God's beautiful world as he meant it to be. Now, if we can just get the police and other authorities to enforce our litter laws, we'll be one more step ahead.
If you have trash in your car, don't throw it on our streets and yards. Keep it until you get home and can properly dispose of it. Think about the commercial on television recently that shows the American Indian on horseback looking over modern America and shedding tears as he sees litter and trash covering the beautiful land.
Let me meet you out on the street, and we'll clean up our neighborhoods together.
BOB GREGORY
ROANOKE
by CNB