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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 11, 1995                   TAG: 9510120002
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

IT'S HARD TO FATHOM OUR O.J. OBSESSION

A FEW months ago, my granddaughter said to me regarding the O.J. Simpson trial that she thought it was really cool that she was going to see the trial of the century. I laughed. ``Not hardly,'' was my reply.

The Scopes ``monkey trial'' was much more important, and the Sacco-Vanzetti trial is a good contender. For sensationalism, of course, there's the Bruno Hauptmann trial for the Lindbergh kidnapping. My son-in-law chimed in regarding the trial of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, which was also a biggie.

My 15-year-old granddaughter, wide-eyed and blank, said that she had never heard of them (so much for American history in the classroom) except for Lindbergh, and she didn't know he was kidnapped. Sigh.

To my dismay, a respected national television news reporter also recently referred to the Simpson case as the trial of the century. What are we about? Once an outstanding athlete, now a product promoter, certainly a wealthy celebrity, Simpson got himself accused of a crime - albeit a heinous one. He's not the first athlete-celebrity to have done so, and he won't be the last.

Local headlines screamed, ``O.J. not guilty.'' Newspaper headlines speak to readers' interests. I must assume that the public is less interested in war and peace, hurricanes and earthquakes, political and economic activity, and decisions that impact their lives than in the legal turmoil of an athlete-celebrity in California - a man we probably never will meet or deal with.

Can someone please explain to me why the Simpson trial for so long hung over our national mind like a swarm of bees? Correction: A swarm of bees is dangerous. This strange obsession was more like a fog of fireflies.

MARILYN FRY

HARDY

Bishop Light needs to be educated

AS A CONCERNED Episcopalian, I'm embarrassed and extremely upset by expressed beliefs and actions of the leader of my church, Bishop A. Heath Light. In several different ways and several different places in the Bible, we're told that homosexuality is wrong and is contrary to those teachings of the prophets and others, notably St. Paul. To those who tell us homosexuality is nothing more than an alternative lifestyle, you're being an apologist for those living a lifestyle contrary to Judeo-Christian beliefs and making light of the sincerely held beliefs of many devout believers.

It's Bishop Light who needs to be educated as to what the Bible says about homosexuality. Those who believe the same as he does certainly aren't among those who take what the Bible says seriously. I don't believe homosexuals should be ostracized and told they shouldn't be a part of the church, but I do feel they shouldn't try to excuse their lifestyle by saying it's simply an alternative one. It's wrong. Those practicing it need to change their lives.

JULIA W. AMES

ROANOKE

Local people were overlooked again

AFTER A five-month search, Roanoke has a chief to lead the city's Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services (Sept. 26 article, ``Chief picked for city''). He'll take over a department that's already one of the best in the business.

The Emergency Medical Services is already a part of the Fire Department, and is in effect as such. Merging these two services shouldn't be a monumental task to the new chief. All of this is very positive, but yet, once again, excellent personnel within the Fire Department were passed over by the committee. Isn't there one person within the city Fire Department who would have been qualified?

BRADLEY C. ROBERTSON

ROANOKE

by CNB