Libya, parking, energy and more in today’s letters to the editor.

Hoist by their own petard

Three wise men of Roanoke with gifts of “time, talent and resources” bid us to ingratiate ourselves to their demigods with “applause, admiration” and “gratitude.”

And while these wise men dress their sovereigns in sparkling clothes for all to see, they chide a herald for seeing their beloved emperors undressed.

In their commentary “Parody can be useful; disrespect never is” (Nov. 1), Warner Dalhouse, Bittle W. PorterfieldIII and JamesM. TurnerJr., while wallowing in “self-indulgence,” arrogantly dismiss Dan Casey’s exercise in free speech with “disrespectful” and “obtuse” rhetoric (“Dream a little dream of the Taubman,” Oct. 28 column).

Well done, gentlemen, well done.

It is all a matter of perspective. From the perspective of this lower class, uncultured, Roanoke County hick, it’s all about free speech, that pesky old right that’s in the Constitution.

“It is there; it isn’t going away … get over it.”

CONSTANCE A. WRIGHT

ROANOKE