Letters to the Editor: September 17 – 23, 2015
F.C. GOP Not Behind Anonymous Ads
Editor,
Do we have quirky confusion? The Falls Church Republican Committee has been asked if we Republicans, or our chairman, Ken Feltman, are behind the advertisements being run in the News-Press under the banner “Smart Lil City Theorem.” The ads appear to be leading up to endorsements in the upcoming City Council and School Board elections.
There would be no confusion if the ads indicated who is behind them. Usually, political ads are required by federal law and laws in many states to state who paid for the ad. I think most readers would like to know that information.
In March GOP Chairman Ken Feltman wrote a guest commentary for the News-Press titled, “Falls Church City: Just a Little Bit Quirky?” Sometimes, Ken can be seen around Falls Church wearing a shirt with that slogan printed on it. Ken might qualify as quirky at times but so are many others in both parties. Does that make him a suspect?
When I asked Ken what he knew about the quirky blind ads, he denied responsibility and said he did not know who is behind the ads. I asked our treasurer. Like so many Republicans, tight-fisted Treasurer Margarette Shovlin is a known quirky-person. She said no Republican Committee funds have gone or will go for the quirky political ads. So there must be other quirky people loose in Falls Church. We Republicans have not been able to corner the quirky market.
Is this just coincidental use of the same word that is causing confusion? No matter who is using the word quirky in local political ads, the Republican Committee and Ken Feltman deserve no credit or blame.
Mark Rhoads
Media Director, Falls Church City Republican Central Committee
Concern Over Style, Design of New F.C. Development
Editor,
I’d like to comment about the incredible amount of building that is going on in and around the City of Falls Church. I assume all of these projects and their designs have been approved and there is not much that can be done to change anything.
My great concern is the style and design of the buildings that will change the face and look of Falls Church. I drive by the construction at the old post office (sorry I do not know all of the official names of these projects) and the pictures that are now on the fence of the Burger King site and cringe.
I am an artist and taught art (mostly sculpture) for 35 years and to my eye the buildings that are rising are the most dull, boring, plain, uninspiring structures that I have seen in a long time. Who ever approved these buildings must think that changing the color of the brick here and there is great architecture. Some tan bricks here, some brown bricks on a different row, Wow! In some cases a row of bricks are sticking out an inch, Wow!
If you look in any travel or architecture magazine some of the apartment buildings that are going up around the United States and the rest of the world are fantastic and become landmarks that put a unique stamp on a city or neighborhood.
For the projects that have not broken ground yet, it would be nice to evaluate the designs and erect something so that when you drive by it you will take notice of its interest and beauty.
My definition of great architecture is when people want to have their picture taken in front of it.
Jeffrey Meizlik
Falls Church
Planned Parenthood ‘Solves’ Social Problems By Violence
Editor,
Scot Walker’s doubt (Letters to the Editor: September 10 – 16, 2015) about the charity of protesters at the local Planned Parenthood facility is jejune.
If he were to “follow the money,” he would find that each of the good works he rhetorically wonders about are clearly and generously undertaken by members of the pro-life movement both individually and through the many non-governmental organizations to which they belong. This stands in stark contrast to the actions of Planned Parenthood, which collects money from clients, our taxes, and fees from the trafficking of human body parts while falsely claiming to “solve” tragic social problems by violence.
T. D. Blodgett
Falls Church
Men & Women Should Use Birth Control, Not Abortion
Editor,
I would like to help Scot Walker with his wondering over Planned Parenthood protestors in last week’s Letter to the Editor.
Men and women should accept responsibility for their acts, by using birth control which is readily available to all, even free. Then Mr. Walker would not have to waste his time wondering.
I am not Catholic, do not demonstrate, but I am a Christian who chooses life over death!
Shirley Martin
Falls Church
Renaming J.E.B. Stuart High Won’t Solve Our Problems
Editor,
Does the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s Fairfax County branch really think for one minute by changing the name of J.E.B. Stuart High School to the Thurgood Marshall High School is going to help reduce crime and violence in our county? Is this now going to be the norm every time a crime is committed by the use of a gun, by renaming a school, building or removing a statue that it will help deter violence.
The Civil War, regardless how painful it was, did take place. J.E.B. Stuart, Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson lead the Confederacy and represented the South and fought for what they believed in.
Renaming a school because of actions of a deranged individual in a black church in Charleston, S.C. is not going to solve our racial or crime problems.
Doug Goodgion
Falls Church
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