H.S. Activities Not About Making It to the ‘Show’
Editor,
In response to editorial “The Artist and the Jock”; demeaning sports by saying they only teach one skills for becoming “fodder for some war” sets up the contention between “athletes and jocks” that the editorial seemed to find unfavorable at its onset.
Clearly the Editor did not participate in athletics or else the positive life lessons and personal experiences would be immediately obvious. Secondly, How is that fact any different than acting or singing post-high school? Do most high school musical participants end up on Broadway? Doing musicals in college? I was unaware participation in musicals after high school was any more prevalent than NCAA athletes, intramural sports, pick up games, or sport for exercise. I was also unaware that knowing the words to Gilbert and Sullivan songs was anymore worthwhile or “academic” than running a fake punt.
Lets face it, for almost all high schoolers extracurricular activities are about doing something interesting and constructive in your life, not about making it to “the Show”, whichever show that may be.
Paul Stroup
Via the Internet
Lauderdale Arrest In Arlington is ‘Abuse of Power’
Editor,
I really can’t believe this story but it’s true. At 4:30 a.m. on June 10 Arlington’s finest arrested and handcuffed Mr. Lauderdale at his apartment for removing illegal signs and for directly asking those who were placing them to stop. Mr. Lauderdale was then asked by a detective to come to the police station and he said he’d be glad to before or after work the next day. Instead they arrested him at O Dark Thirty, 12 hours later.
UDR, management company for Crescent Apartments near I-66 at the Arlington-Falls Church border made the complaint. So County, which knows Robert Lauderdale well, knows him to be honest, reliable, not a flight risk, has him arrested. I find this an abuse of power against a citizen leader, while a complete collapse of will to enforce laws on big businesses repeatedly and deliberately breaking the law.
UDR owns or manages Crescent apartments and hires the sign contractors. Through-out the County, Crescent Apartments apparently routinely and flagrantly violates county rules on signage. Wouldn’t we all love free advertising for our businesses? No tax for using public land? No apologies for making our medians cluttered and ugly?
Personally, I have written to the County Board asking for a response. Why arrest Robert when he said he’d come in? Why is County failing to enforce signage rules? County’s two-year commission to revise and update signage rules (a ridiculous stall) does not include a plan to discuss or recommend enforcement, nor a method to allow citizens to remove illegal signs. That’s what Robert has been fighting for – and this is what happens instead.
This affects Cherrydale. It is due to our vigilance that we have fewer signs on medians than other areas. I routinely call county on illegal professional signs. So do others. But county can take days to take them down. What if Dominion Heights decides once built they need to put up signs along our medians the way Crescent does? I don’t think Christopher Company is like that, I doubt they will, but Crescent is precedent setting…
Maureen Ross
Via the Internet
Common Sense Applies to Rules of Bike Trail
Editor,
Regarding the bike trails in and around Falls Church, it’s very simple! When on the bike trail, come to a complete stop at the stop sign. Look both ways. If the way is clear of traffic, proceed with caution. When on the road, yield to bikes and pedestrians when they are in the crosswalk, clearly marked by white lines on the asphalt. Be safe and teach our precious children to obey these laws before they get hurt. Or worse! Bikes have to follow the rules of the road just like automobiles! Remember, cars are much bigger and heavier than bikes or people. Common sense applies!
Dave Elliott
Via the Internet
Godless Capitalism Supports Right of The Right to Life
Editor,
It seems odd tha the current Republican Party is hoping to please and influence the Religious Right by advocating the “right to life.”
Actually they intend only the right to be born. Once born, they would deny a person’s family any public assistance for medical care or other support.
But that’s not so strange since many of the Republicans and their supporters are followers of Ayn Rand who was no more Christian (or any other faith) than Karl Marx.
Thus, they are opposed to “socialism” or “godless communism” by advocating godless capitalism.
Bernard Spector
Falls Church
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