THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 14, 1996 TAG: 9606120137
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 48 lines
Since Flag Day is this week, I feel compelled to write to bring attention to the appalling abuse our American flag is receiving at auto dealerships and fast-food establishments.
Those that I observe most frequently are the dealerships along South Military Highway in the Greenbrier area.
In a military community such as the Tidewater area, these proprietors must not realize the negative impact the mistreatment of the flag for the sake of marketing must have on their sales. One can easily see through the guise of ``patriotism'' when the flags they fly are tattered and threadbare.
A fast-food chain (now out of business) left the flags to fly by a single grommet at an abandoned location until the winds tore the flags from the flagpole. What a disgrace!
If you fly the American flag, fly it with respect or don't fly it at all!
Patricia M. Dussia
N. Waterside Drive Opposes uniforms
I am writing in reference to the issue of uniforms in public schools.
Students in a lot of private schools have worn uniforms for years, whether it be a special uniform or just a strict dress code. Students in other countries wear uniforms to school. Some people are now pushing for uniforms in American public schools.
I believe that if students in public schools are going to have to start wearing boring uniforms instead of the current fashions that they love, this nation's youth will cry out in such rebellion that no one will be able to control them.
If the privilege of wearing their own clothes is taken away, they just won't go to school or they will show up in what they want to wear. Personally, I believe that everyone will come to school wearing their own clothes and when every student gets suspended or whatever the punishment is, they will just come back again doing the same thing. I know because I am a student at Western Branch High School and every other student that I have talked to agrees with my opinion.
I feel that a possible solution to this problem is to have some uniformed public schools and some non-uniformed public schools. This way, the student can pick which school they want to attend and no conflict will arise.
Jason Ward
Rochelle Court by CNB