Letters

Editor
Northern Virginia Daily

Sir:

As I have been watching the Republican debates, I am struck with the Republican theme that President Obama exhibits a total lack of leadership.

As I am a retired Army officer, I think I know a little about leadership. When a unit changes command, those in the unit salute the new commander and follow his new directions. We do not decide that we will do everything in our power to defeat the new commander and stop him at every turn. But this is exactly what the Republicans in Congress have done for the last three years.

We have a two-party system and our congressional representatives have the right and duty to those who elected them to represent all views when drafting and approving legislation. But the representatives also have the duty to move the ball forward.

Congressman Bob Goodlatte has followed the Republican playbook and voted against almost every bill and initiative the Democrats and the president have offered to help the middle class in this time of economic hardship.

He is for the repeal of the comprehensive health-care law; against providing health care for 9/11 first responders; against the food safety modernization act; against the children's health insurance program reauthorization act; against repealing tax cuts to oil companies; against implementing the 9/11 Commission recommendations. The list goes on and on.

Goodlatte is serving his 10th term and will be running for election to his 11th term in November. Fortunately, there is an alternative this year. Congressman Goodlatte will be opposed by a new face in Virginia politics, Andy Schmookler.

Andy is for stopping lying and hypocrisy; for uniting groups to help each other; for a positive vision for the country; for helping not preying on the most vulnerable; willing to sacrifice for any larger good; and always choosing cooperation over conflict.

Please go on the Internet, look him up and see why he is best suited to be the new congressman from the 6th District of Virginia. Andy can be found at andyschmooklerforcongress.com.

Robert Thomas
236 Morrie Drive
Basye
Jan. 28, 2012

Editor
Northern Virginia Daily

Sir:

Family homes are prized possessions, and it can be challenging to pass them from one generation to the next. However, when we are able to do so, we gain a much fuller understanding of our ancestors' lives, surrounded by the furnishings and art that reflect their history.

For four years, Gov. McDonnell and I have the honor of living in one of Virginia's oldest "family" homes, the Executive Mansion. Celebrating its 200th anniversary in 2013, it is the oldest continually occupied governor's residence in the 50 states. As you can imagine, this translates to a home full of history and stories of everyday family life.

With the 200th birthday of the mansion approaching, we are looking to gain a more intimate understanding of this historic home, one that has not yet been told in the history books.

This fall, the official book of the Executive Mansion's 200th Anniversary will be released. Our commemorative coffee table book will chronicle the experiences of the 54 governors' families who have occupied the mansion. It is being written by Virginia historian Mary Miley Theobald, with an introduction by Virginia author David Baldacci and designed by Carol Roper Hoffler. We are also planning a yearlong celebration with special events, exhibits and programs.

I believe that the key to unlocking the untold stories of the mansion lies with the people of Virginia, and I'd like to involve you in this endeavor. If you are a descendant of a former "first family" or of someone who worked in the mansion, we'd love to hear your stories about your ancestors and the mansion.

We are looking for old photographs of governors' families taken in the mansion and any letters and objects with a history of having been in the mansion that we might exhibit.

If you have stories or images, please join us in this opportunity to recapture them as we celebrate the bicentennial. Please contact us by mail at Commonwealth of Virginia, Executive Mansion, P.O. Box 1475, Richmond, or by e-mail at ExecutiveMansion@governor.virginia.gov and help us bring the history of Virginia's Executive Mansion to life.

Maureen McDonnell
Executive Mansion
P.O. Box 1475
Richmond
Jan. 27, 2012

Editor
Northern Virginia Daily

Sir:

So, let's be sure I have the Republicans right ...

• It's the party of individual wealth accumulation, using freewheeling capitalism -- except if that capitalism is too freewheeling or creates too much individual wealth.

• It's the party of individual rights without government interference -- except where those rights occur in the privacy of the bedroom, as with sexual preference or a woman's womb.

• It's the party promoting the sanctity of life -- except for executions.

• It's the party of strong family values -- except if they involve serial adultery and divorce when the spouse is "in sickness."

• It's the party of lower taxes for the wealthy job creators -- except when members are shocked, shocked to learn that some of those creators pay taxes at less than half the rate they do.

• It's the party of law and order -- except when a leading candidate says the federal judicial system can be ignored at the whim of either the executive or legislative branches.

• It's the party of common-sense thinking -- except if that thinking involves scientific theories or actual facts.

• It's the party of balanced budgets -- except if the balancing involves "my" benefits.

• It's the party of anti-European socialism -- except the U.S. currently lags behind Europe in almost every quality-of-life measure there is: life expectancy, infant mortality, education, etc.

• It's the party of the big tent -- except if you're not white and not of a Protestant faith.
For now, I think I'll just stick with the party of a Muslim, non-native born, Afro-American, USA-hating, socialist president.

Nicholas Yarnold
127 S. Church St.
Woodstock
Jan 30, 2012

Editor
Northern Virginia Daily

Sir:

As a former executive director of the Downtown Business Association and nearly 20-year employee of the town of Front Royal, I was disappointed to learn of the town's purchase of the BB&T building.

At a time when municipalities are adopting zoning regulations to prohibit first-floor offices on their main streets because of their harm to the retailers, the town purchased one of the largest buildings on Main Street for offices.

In addition, even with the auxiliary BB&T parking lot, there is not enough parking in this area for the town's employees, town vehicles, merchants and their employees. By the time customers arrive, there will be no spaces left, further harming the merchants.

It would seem to me that a better use would be to put the building into the hands of the Economic Development Authority for the development of a multiple-business incubator.

Perhaps a commercial kitchen could be put on the second floor for people wanting to develop food-related businesses (baked goods, sauces, etc.) that cannot afford to build one on their own, with their products being sold on the first floor. The EDA could help those businesses market their products and grow, with the "stores" then moving to vacant Main Street spaces when they are able.

Finally, it seems to me that if the town needs additional office space, it should consider maximizing the investments it has already made in existing buildings by placing the second-floor additions on them that they are capable of supporting and renovating/expanding Town Hall as was previously planned.

Rhonda North
1019 Goodview Drive
Front Royal
Jan. 31, 2012

Editor
Northern Virginia Daily

Sir:

If there are lessons to be learned from the Penn State/Joe Paterno tragedy, one of them is surely the lose/lose situation in which employees often find themselves with respect to ethical conduct at work.

Whether the corporate entity in question be a university, a financial institution or the Roman Catholic Church, whether the scandal be monetary or sexual, one thing is clear: Confidentiality is expected of the employee until the scandal explodes before the eyes of the public.

Once that occurs, the business shields itself from the public censure by turning out the employee whose dedication to confidentiality is now viewed as little short of criminal.

JOHN CLEM
680 Cave Spring Lane
Edinburg
Jan. 30, 2012

Editor
Northern Virginia Daily

Sir:

A young girl in high school marveled at all the new people but was even more interested in a senior with whom she quickly became infatuated. When they were alone for the first time, she was so absorbed that she didn't stop to think of the consequences.

She lost her virginity to a boy who broke her heart. However, the real pain came when morning sickness prompted her mother to make her an appointment, where she discovered that her 14-year-old daughter was pregnant.

If this girl had the proper protection, she could have continued her high school experience as every teenager should. There is no stereotypical type of teen who will engage in premarital sex; there is no requirement. This is why, in order to further prevent teen pregnancy, contraceptives should be available in all public high schools.

With the rate of teen pregnancy rising, the issue has become the center of fear for parents everywhere. According to a study by the Guttmacher Institute, almost 750,000 teenagers between the ages of 15 and 19 become pregnant each year.

These girls are forced to miss school and fall behind due to their pregnancies, which, in turn, cause their grade point average to plummet, making college and other possible opportunities they would once have disappear.

Because males do not have to "endure" the pregnancy physically, they are rarely as concerned as the girl may be in the situation, which is dangerous, especially if the girl is convinced that, in order to keep him around, she must engage in sexual intercourse.

The idea of handing out contraceptives to teenagers horrifies some parents who believe that this will promote premarital sex, and, because of the high cost of distributing contraceptives -- roughly $1.5 million -- many are against this distribution.

However, even after taking the high cost into consideration, is it really more important than keeping America's teenage girls safe? Surely all parents who truly care about the welfare of their daughter would agree.

Hannah Bacon
327 Jefferson St.
Winchester
Jan. 28, 2012