ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, May 24, 1996 TAG: 9605240003
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-8 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: LETTERS
IN RESPONSE to your May 12 news article (``Dying teen makes a wish: to bag big bear in Alaska'') about a teen-ager who had requested a bear hunt from the Make-A-Wish Foundation:
When the foundation honored his wish, it immediately drew the wrath of several extremist animal-rights groups, including the Humane Society of the United States and the Fund for Animals. I commend the Make-A-Wish board of directors for having the courage to stand up to the animal-rights people and do the right thing.
Once again, the bunny huggers have shown their insensitivity, callousness and outright ignorance - this time to the extent that they would try to deny a terminally ill teen-ager his final wish. At least one organization predicted dire financial repercussions for Make-A-Wish, especially from the Hollywood community.
I, for one, will now include Make-A-Wish on my list of organizations I contribute to annually. I hope Make-A-Wish will not feel that it can only grant "appropriate" wishes.
PAUL BISBEE
BEDFORD
Evolution won't bear up under scrutiny
IN THE ONGOING debate on your editorial pages over creation, science and evolution, there have been several letters or commentaries from area college professors claiming that the evidence from paleontology (the study of fossils) and biology supports evolution beyond any doubt.
Well, that should settle the question, shouldn't it? Now we of the average workaday world can go about our lives knowing we're only accidental products of a chemical process that began millions (gosh, billions!) of years ago. As such, we certainly aren't accountable to the laws of any creator God or the laws of anyone else for that matter. OK, maybe the laws of government, because government has the force to make us obey. And so, force takes the place of God. Brute force and survival of the fittest become the final reality.
But maybe those who reject such a degrading view of humanity should ask more questions. Really, where's all this evidence from paleontology that compels such a belief in evolution? After all, if evolution is true, it would seem the fossil layers should contain millions and millions of obvious transitional links between species. If not between species, at least between classes. We should be able to easily trace the links between invertebrates and fish, fish and amphibians, reptiles and birds, apes and men. (Or maybe between whales and men. I forgot how the myth goes.) There should be multiplied millions of these links. Where are they?
Ever since Darwin, evolutionists have tried to claim various fossil finds as being transitional links. But upon closer scrutiny, these efforts have been so ludicrous that evolution should have died of embarrassment years ago.
TOM TAYLOR
ROANOKE
Navy dishonored by Admiral Boorda
THAT THE media seek to avoid confronting the meaning of the suicide of Admiral Jeremy Boorda (May 17 article, ``Admiral commits suicide'') should come as no surprise. However, it comes as no surprise to me because he was the quintessential Clinton appointee. A fake hero to command a cowards' Navy!
That Admiral Boorda sought to elevate himself by wearing combat decorations he wasn't entitled to wear is apparently small beer to many, and this may accurately reflect the Clintonian times we live in. But it isn't a minor affair. That the chief of naval operations would dishonor those decorations, himself and the Navy is the most egregious, flagrant and foul action a military officer has committed since Lt. William Calley was arrested for war crimes in the My Lai massacre. In an act of self-promoting vanity, Admiral Boorda besmirched the integrity and honor of an American institution that once stood proud.
It is no secret that Admiral Boorda was held in disrepute for his adherence to a political agenda anathema to most Navy officers, and that many lives and careers were destroyed as a result of his tenure as CNO isn't in question. It is even worse that he disgraced his uniform.
SCOTT ANGELL
HILLSVILLE
Nonvoters invited council's contempt
REGARDING your May 15 editorial, ``City Council's show of contempt'':
We got exactly what we asked for in our local elections in Roanoke city. When only 30 percent of registered voters even cared enough to vote, this should be expected.
HARRY SHAY JR.
ROANOKE
LENGTH: Medium: 87 linesby CNB