by Ritchie Duffy

Re: “Keep sexuality out of Scouting” (May 1 commentary):

Jeff Powell makes me glad I have daughters and did not have to choose between Scouting or no-Scouting. I would never allow an impressionable child to join an organization that so blatantly discriminates against a group of people.

Children are not born with prejudice and discriminatory feelings; they are taught these things by parents, other adults in their lives and their peer groups. Prejudice (pre-judgment) against gays or any other identifiable group is rooted in ignorance, and ignorance is curable.

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Duffy is a retired sales manager from the phramaceuticals industy. He lives in Moneta.

Stratton Wayne St.Clair

Re: Robert F. Boyd’s commentary of April 13, “There is no peace process”:

A few years ago, I spent a couple of weeks in Israel. Toward the end of my visit, I was staying at a hotel smack dab in the middle of the Muslim quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. I was the only Westerner in the entire place. The rest were a contingent of South African Muslims making their rounds before going down to Mecca for pilgrimage.

The hotel had a rooftop restaurant that overlooked the old city.

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St. Clair is a former chef, graphic artist, Coast Guard veteran and works part-time up at the Salem VA.

Wikimedia Commons

by Adam Monroe

Re: “Overhaul the fuel standard,” April 18 editorial:

The editors suggest that “by the measures most Americans care about, [the Renewable Fuel Standard] is failing.” But by those measures, we believe the RFS is working.

Renewable fuel, which makes up nearly 10 percent of our current gasoline supply, is already saving consumers a big chunk of their take-home pay.

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Monroe is president of Novozymes North America Inc., headquartered in Washington, D.C.

by Kathy Cohen

Once again, Robert F. Boyd (“There is no peace process,” April 13 commentary) has placed before the readership of The Roanoke Times a one-sided, simplistic view of Israel and its desire for peace. This particular piece, in which he refers to Jews grubbing for money, has such an anti-Semitic bias that it was ill-advised of the newspaper to print.

Whether or not Boyd’s understanding of the Pew survey he cites is correct matters little. As many immigrant groups, Jews came to America with a drive to educate ourselves and serve this country. It is a Jewish value to educate our children, often through post-baccalaureate programs, then to serve through varied professions.

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Cohen is the rabbi at Temple Emanuel and lives in Roanoke.

by Betty Bondurant Graham

I wish to continue the war of words regarding “musical snobbery.”

Any suggestion that Conductor David Wiley has ever done less than he should is erroneous. Alan Weinstein states in his letter (“ ‘Music snob’ just doesn’t ring true,” April 1 Pick of the day) that the number of rehearsals for the symphony has been cut because of additional concerts.

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Graham lives in Roanoke County, where she is deputy registrar.

by Gene Marrano

Fear not, Nancy Kamwell (“Oppose ICLEI; support Bailey,” April 1 letter) and other conspiracy theorists from the Roanoke Tea Party et al.: You have nothing to fear from RC CLEAR, the Roanoke County citizens committee affiliated with ICLEI.

Learn the facts at icleiusa.org; go to the FAQ page under “About ICLEI.”

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Marrano is the Cave Spring representative on the RC CLEAR committee.

by Pat Webb

Re: “Guns and skunks” (March 24 commentary):

Linda Hopkins asserts that if the right to gun ownership were God-given then, “every baby born here would exit the womb packing heat.”

She uses the fact that skunks and other animals are born with defensive tools, such as the ability to spray noxious liquid, poisonous venom, etc., as proof that humans are not intended this basic right to self-preservation.

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Webb is the national coordinator for Second Amendment Sisters, a group of women whose motto is: Self-defense is a basic human right.

By Larry Thomas Black

An editorial in The Roanoke Times on Nov. 27 was entitled “The Market’s finishing touch.” The editorial contained some truths. There are some niceties that have been proposed, including pavers, more vendor stalls and shrubs.

Aside from the niceties, the editorial mentioned another truth having to do with the vast network of underground utilities – water, storm drains and electrical vaults – that are the basement of the Historic Roanoke City Market.

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 Black lives in Roanoke County and was market manager of the Historic Roanoke City Market from 2002 to 2004.

By Pam Humphrey

Jerry Frawley’s commentary (“No logic in continuing Sunday hunting ban”) published Jan.21 disputed Marlene Condon’s prior submission (“Sunday hunting is no cure-all,” Jan. 11). As a thinking Virginian, I must side with Condon.

I believe the foundation of the American system is for the populace to speak through elected representatives. Evidently, four delegates represent the views of their constituents by continuing to vote against Sunday hunting.

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 Humphrey is retired from the College of Veterinary Medicine in Gainesville, Fla., and lives on a farm in Newport where she pursues her passion of native plant photography.

By William H. Fralin Jr.

It was most surprising to learn that it has become the editorial positon of The Roanoke Times to no longer enthusiastically support the building of the Smart Road (“County makes a silly Smart Road request,” Jan. 20 editorial, The Burgs). In fact, apparently the region should just throw in the towel on every getting this important project finished and sit back and accept whatever road improvements the state deigns to give us.

Why chase “pipe dreams” when there are smaller (and more accessible) fish to catch.

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Fralin, of Roanoke, is president and CEO of Medical Facilities of America In.