Welcome to The RT. That’s The Roanoke Times RoundTable, our new editorial page blog.
What The RT becomes will be largely up to readers. But we envision a place for a healthy and civil dialogue among The Roanoke Times editorial page staff and the community.
Read more.
In his introductory column back in 1998, retired editorial page editor Tommy Denton said of the opinion and commentary pages, “Here is where the bully pulpit and the soapbox become one, extending one of the finest and most enduring of this nation's traditions: the raucous harmony of a free people holding forth.”
We hope The RT will bring that raucous harmony to The Times’ corner of the digital world, where more people can join in, and where there is the possibility for real discussion.We want this to be a lively, cordial place for people of contrary points of view to come explore their differences, educate themselves and others, and enjoy stimulating conversation.
In addition, The RT is home to our new virtual editorial board. Readers will be able to weigh in on editorials before we even write them.
After our morning editorial board meeting, we’ll post the topics and a brief summary of the editorials we’re working on for the next day. Readers will be able to comment, and perhaps even direct us to information on the topic we weren’t aware of.
We’ll also be able to share more of our sources with you, including links to the full studies, reports, legislation and articles that inform our editorials. In addition, we’ll link to other blogs that comment on our editorials.
This is your chance to get to know the editorial page staff of The Roanoke Times better, and for us to learn more about you.
We hope the discussion will stimulate minds open to considering the honestly held opinions of others.
So, pull up your seat at the RoundTable. Let the raucous harmony begin.
Comments
[October 30, 2006 2:34 PM]
DORSEY TAYLORNot quite knowing how campaign monies work, I wonder why Mr. Virgil Goode's eyebrows didn't go up when that $90,000 came in contributions from the company he helped, MZM. It seems to me it was obvious that it was a pay back whether he (Goode) knew it or not. He did accept it and gave it away only after public scrutiny.
[January 10, 2007 9:58 AM]
JoshYou people might get more response from hard-working conservatives if you get this thing up and going each day by 7AM. Here it is 10:00 and nothing.
I guess it's comparable to Bush arriving at work at 7:30a.m. sharp after having exercised whereas Clinton would saunter in at 11:30. I guess it's the liberal 'work ethic'.
[January 10, 2007 11:52 AM]
WillObviously, you haven't followed me in my daily routine. Up at 4 AM to catch a 6 AM flight to begin my week on Monday morning and then in on the last flight at 11 PM on Friday night. I don't think it's either a liberal or a conservative work "ethic". It's what you do to get the job done.
By the way, how many "Western White House 'Working' Vacations" have occurred during the past 6 years? Now thats a work ethic if I ever saw one!
[January 10, 2007 12:32 PM]
WillBy the way, I've since changed jobs and now am only up at 6:30 AM and am usually home by 7 PM or so.
[January 10, 2007 3:12 PM]
JoshWill,
With modern communciation and electronic technology, do you think it really matters where a president is, physically? This ain't 1900. A president can do a lot from any location. BTW, when a president is on call everyday for four or eight years, is he ever really on vacation?
I guess Clinton was the exception to that. Most nights he couldn't be reached.
[January 10, 2007 4:13 PM]
WillPerhaps in this day of deficit spending, it would have been prudent for the current administration to spend more time in D.C. After all we, the taxpayers, have to absorb the added expense of securing the "Western Whitehouse" along with getting all of the necessary support staff and equipment on site for immediate preparedness. The cost of operating AF1 as well as the two C5 Galaxy's that accompany the President is extraodinary. I've always thought that if you seek the office, then you damn well better stay there and do the work that is expected. This holds true for Democrats and Republicans.
I don't think our troops (especially those in Iraq or Afganistan) are getting the same "luxury" of enjoying a vacation anytime they want it (especially those that are on their second, third and now it appears perhaps a fourth rotation in the regions).
As for being able to get in touch with a President at any time of the day or night, I can't say that I've ever tried. Have you?
[January 26, 2007 12:22 PM]
LouiePark'n Surf
I'm starting to see more vehicles parking in the downtown area with motorists still in them. The eye-catcher is these people have a notebook computer perched somewhere on their person in the vehicle, and they're surfing away using the city's wi-fi. When you notice these folks, however, they cower like they're looking at dirty pictures.
Personally, I'm excited to see more people taking advantage of our wi-fi. And seeing people having to access our wi-fi from their cars just screams of opportunity.
How about making an internet drive-in? The coffee shops are done, so why not expand on the wi-fi functionality?
How about surfing the web at the bus station? At the doctor's office? How about at the movie theater?
Wow! Talk about a sign of things to come!
[January 30, 2007 11:18 AM]
JoshI have a suggestion.
Could you have a section for general responses to things in your paper that day, or a designated area to respond to various columnists?
The reason is Tommy Denton writes so much stupid stuff, I need a place to respond.
[March 14, 2007 11:25 PM]
ValerieI agree with Josh believe it or not - need to be able to post on various articles of the day. Much is lost with limited topics. Much is lost when no one is putting out the blog they submit in a timely manner. Most get off work before they can post and it is early evening not late. If it is only day and no evening then readers will lose interest. If you are not going to put out a submitted blog after 5:00 PM then say so - we don't want to waste our time.
[March 16, 2007 3:08 PM]
L. TraudValerie, there isn't a round-the-clock staff working this blog. There's just us, a handful of editorial writers posting comments. Some of us check in the evening and weekends from home to see if comments are awaiting posting. I think you can appreciate that we cannot devote 24-7 of our lives to this blog.
We can and do spend some of our "free" time (as if that animal actually exists) on this so that posts don't wait too long.
As to whether you are wasting your time, you can best judge that.
This blog isn't a chatroom. It is a place to contribute thoughts to a long-running, reasoned debate. So if your comments must wait a few hours for a response, it shouldn't lessen their impact or importance.
I hope that addresses your concern.
[March 16, 2007 6:38 PM]
ValerieL. Traud - I understand but if no one has time to spend in the evening then that is discouraging. Dan and Christian "use" to respond in the evenings. There should be information on the site that after 5:00 PM your post will not be viewable until 8:00 AM the next day or whatever the hours may be. I guess I'll see this Monday. This is not how other blogs function. The blog only allows for seasoned debate to take place for those not having a day job. I certainly did not expect 24 X 7 as my comment did not say that. As far as wasting time the point was that the "season" changes before the post appears.
[March 17, 2007 10:16 AM]
Andrwe MorfesiIn reply to L. Truad's posting on limited man power to screen the submissions to the blog, that is an understandable predicament
I submitted a posting that was never approved to the Trejbal travesty (Shedding light on concealed handguns).
My first question is there a numerical limit of submissions to the blog?
What is the total number of submissions to the blog both approved and unapproved to this point in time?
My last question is that having read all of the current postings to the blog, I have not seen a single expression of a threat of personal physical violence to Mr. Trejbal. To clarify, the definition of “personal physical violence” will be limited to the example of a writer to the blog actually threatening to bring physical harm to Mr. Trejbal.
The question is that when Mr. Trejbal uses the term "threatened" does that mean physical violence or the desire by most of us to see him spend some time becoming intimately familiar with the legal and judicial systems?
If he has indeed been threatened with personal physical violence, I suspect that would be a number significantly smaller than one percent of all of the responses and I would not be surprised that the number is zero. Making a direct physical threat against some one could be used as grounds for revocation of a concealed carry license.
[March 22, 2007 6:39 PM]
ValerieOK, RT, I can take a hint. I don't get anymore Breaking News in my email and my pet message topic has been removed.
[April 6, 2007 9:59 AM]
Evie Slone, Pres. RVPFOn April 2, 2007, the Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation (RVPF) Board met to discuss preservation projects and issues in the Roanoke Valley. We discussed the issue of Mill Mountain and the Board voted to oppose any commercial development on Mill Mountain. We support the provisions set forth in the Council adopted Roanoke Comprehensive Plan 2001-2020 and its 2006 amendment which incorporated the Mill Mountain Park Management Plan. Both of these documents were publicly developed and supported by citizens; they cite a prevailing sentiment among the public for keeping the mountain natural. Mill Mountain is one of our greatest assets and critical amenities. Its natural environment and undeveloped ambiance should be protected and carefully guarded for future generations.
In addition, we support the original intentions of the Fishburn family declared in the transfer of the Mill Mountain property to the City of Roanoke. Specifically, the language in the deed states that the property is to be "developed and forever preserved, improved and maintained for the use and pleasure of the people of the City of Roanoke, Virginia, and vicinity as a public park."
To ensure that this original intent is sustained, the RVPF recommends that Roanoke City Council establish a conservation easement on the Mill Mountain property. Commercial development of this precious resource should not occur. An easement will ensure Mill Mountain preservation for the future. Finally, we urge City Council to uphold the adopted Environmental Policy for Views and Viewsheds set forth in the Comprehensive Plan and pursue the action strategy for implementing this policy. Specifically, on pages 49 and 50:
Policy EC P3 for Viewsheds: Roanoke will protect steep slopes, ridgetops, and viewsheds within the City as important environmental and scenic resources and will cooperate regionally to protect such resources located outside of the City).
Action EC A9: Develop a viewshed protection ordinance and seek regional approaches.
While we commend Valley Forward for its community efforts, we recommend that another location be considered for this type of commercial development.
[April 6, 2007 10:26 AM]
WillWhile the RVPF is at it, why don't you see if you can do something to stop Carilion from eating away at the base of Mill Mountain. As anyone can see when looking at the site, the facility is continually digging into the side of the mountain.
I guess it will be okay for the mountain to be eroded from the bottom up as opposed to being developed from the top down.
Interesting....
[April 12, 2007 12:55 PM]
JoshI would hope you are planning on an editorial on the huge story of the Duke lacrosse witch hunt.
I expect a complete condemnation of the mainstream media, of Jesse Jackson, of all the liberal talking heads who had these boys guilty in advance.
I expect a condemnation of all the feature stories last year talking about Duke and privilege and racism in relation to these allegations.
I expect a condemnation of prosecutor Nifong who refused to accept evidence from the players, and who conducted a partisan racial witch hunt for bald political reasons.
I will be waiting.
[April 12, 2007 2:02 PM]
MaxWill just hit on the answer to everything! Let's develop the INSIDE of Mill Mountain. Once we tunnel in, we have virtually unlimited, multi-level commercial space to develop without affecting anyones "viewshed". Imagine - an underground mall, an underground farmers market, an undergound weiner stand... we could even build an undergound ampitheater AND a new Victory Stadium! And we would be cool! A constant 54 degrees.
[April 12, 2007 2:18 PM]
WillAnd while you're at the condemnation table, let's not forget the people or orchestrated the event that put the Duke lacrosse players in a situation where the stripper or strippers were present in the first place.
I don't see any social, academic or athletic necessity at having the team at such an event; consequently, whoever organized the event should also be held accountable as well.
[April 12, 2007 5:01 PM]
JoshWill,
I normally hate lawsuits, but if there was ever a time one was justified, it's now.
Those boys who had their reputations smeared by the media, who had their lacrosse program closed down, who had faculty at their school condemn them, ought to sue the hell out of Duke University, DA Nifong, and media outlets as well.
These lacrosse players were the ones who were raped.
Interestingly, none of the MSM is calling for this lying stripper to be prosecuted. Why the hell is that? Maybe the Times can be the first. Let's see.
[April 12, 2007 8:26 PM]
WillJosh,
You've missed the point, AGAIN!
Why were these boys along with the rest of the lacrosse team being entertained by a stripper at a "so-called team function" in the first place.
Common sense, and I know thats a fleeting commodity around here, should tell you that when you mix alcohol with a frat boy lacrosse team and add to the mix a stripper of any social demeanor, you're going to have trouble. The two elements shouldn't have been put together at all.
It's one thing to shoot the dog after its gotten into the barnyard but someone needs to be held responsible for leaving the gate open in the first place.
Hold the person or persons responsible for organizing this little party to begin with.
[April 12, 2007 9:50 PM]
JayJosh,
I take serious offense to you calling the woman a "lying stripper". There is no evidence that she didn't tell the truth -- there's simply not enough evidence to back it up. As we all know from out 8th grade social studies class or from TV shows like Law and Order, the lack of evidence in a case does not necessarily mean the crime never happened.
Josh, I happen to agree with some of what you said. I think the MSM, as well as certain quick-to-speak civil rights leaders, should apologize to these lacrosse players. That being said, please watch your words next time. Just as the lacrosse players deserve the benefit of doubt, so does the "lying stripper.
[April 12, 2007 10:47 PM]
JoshJay,
When a stripper gives "many versions" of the story, in the words of the North Carolina attorney general, what else would she be called other than a lying stripper?
I'd say she could be called a lot worse.
[April 12, 2007 10:52 PM]
JoshWill,
It seems like you are the one missing the enormous story here. Sure, it was stupid to have the party and hire strippers. But that pales in relation to the horrible injustice done to these boys by the damned racist left wing media, by this lying black stripper, and by Duke University.
[April 13, 2007 6:18 AM]
JayJosh,
None of us know what happened that night. But if something did happen, even if it is short of rape, it would be understandable that the woman would be hazy on the details. Sexual assault is like any other traumatic incident -- worse, in fact -- the victims aren't paying attention to details. I work in an ER and know that rape and assault victims are in a state of shock -- I've seen cases where there was definitely rape...no question about it...but the victim gets details wrong because she is emotionally scarred.
Look, I wasn't in that house--I don't know what happened. For all I know, this woman did lie. All I'm saying is don't jump to conclusions. Yes, she did have "many versions" of the story. That doesn't mean she was lying.
[April 13, 2007 9:16 AM]
WillJosh...
Looks like you're conveniently looking the other way when I challenge you to also condemn the people who organized the Duke Lacrosse Team Party in the first place.
Do you not agree that there is some accountability for poor judgement to organize such an event in the first place?
Rather shallow it seems...
[April 13, 2007 9:30 AM]
WillJosh...
Pales in comparison????
For pete sake Josh, get your head out of the sand.
If you're going burn people new ones for inappropriate and down right stupid behavior, then you need to get the whole picture. Your condemation for only part of the problem solves little if anything.
I suspect these kids are pretty good kids. I don't know them personally and for that matter doubt that any of us on this blog do. What I do know and also what I remember from being that age is that you are given choices in life. Those choices are to put yourself in a situation that could compromise your character or remove yourself from that situation.
However, theres more to it. It seems to me that these good boys failed to remove themselves from a potentially explosive situation. In fact, there appear to have been some adults that actually condoned the party in the first place. Stupid on their part.
I don't condone what the DA in Raleigh did. He was pandering for votes and it blew up all over him and rightfully so. He should be punished through the same judicial process that he tried to exploit over these kids.
My bottom line is this: People need to take responsibility for their own actions and think about consequences thereof.
I doubt these boys or the rest of their team went through that thought process, but perhaps its something that someone should explore.
After all, if you choose to dance with a skunk, odds are you're the one thats going to come off smelling like one.
[April 13, 2007 9:41 AM]
LisaNow that the pendulum has swung the other way, I wonder how many outraged citizens there would be if the stripper was white and the three accused were say, black members of the football team? How much press would there be about "lives ruined"? How much money would have been spent on the defense of the "innocent"? (A million dollars as is claimed by supporters of the accused?)
No one should be presumed guilty until proven guilty. But Jay is right, that doesn't mean they were innocent. "Many versions" could be as simple as "he wore a green shirt with a red stripe", "no, wait, it was a red shirt with a green stripe" to the actual accounting of the evening. Under stress and given the purported trauma, female in question may have a legitimate reason to have had "many versions". We just don't know and should not be the judges.
One thing is very clear, the party shouldn't have happened the way it did (booze, boys, and strippers are historically a BAD mix) and Colleges/Universities everywhere should impose harsh sanctions to prevent such events from occuring again.
[April 13, 2007 11:22 AM]
MikeI can't stand the holier than thou attitude being spread on this board. If the players wanted to get a stripper, that is their right. Do you criticize those that have a bachelor/bachelorette party with a stripper involved? I would be willing to guess that the overwhelming majority of people have seen a stripper.
There is plenty of evidence that the woman is liar. There was NO DNA evidence at all that linked to these guys. However, there was DNA from several other men, which suggests she probably didn't do much as far as hygiene goes before she went to the ER. I agree that a woman that has been raped is very traumatized, and that certain details can be mixed up. Everything this woman said was proven incorrect, without a doubt.
This woman has destroyed three lives and needs to be held accountable for it. She has cost these families their entire life savings in attorney fees. Every time we hear their name, we will think Duke rapists.
[April 13, 2007 12:20 PM]
WillMike...
I don't think it's a "holier than thou" attitude for someone to suggest that people act in a responsible manner. I've said all along that there's enough blame to go around on ALL sides.
People have to act with a little common sense. I still contend when you have frat boys, booze and a stripper you have a potent mixture that will ultimately have problems. I suspect that these boys will think twice about becoming involved with similar circumstances in the future. They learned a tough lession about risk avoidance.
I suspect that this whole affair could have been avoided had the people organizing the party acted in a more responsible fashion to begin with. I've yet to hear what the social, academic or athletic value was for a lacrosse team party with a stripper.
If anyone can shed any light on that, I would be interested in hearing it.
[April 13, 2007 5:51 PM]
JoshWill,
I already acknowledged this was a stupid thing for the players to do. What more do you want?
But the reason this story is news is because of the rape charges. College kids have parties all the time. The party even though ill-advised, is small potatoes to the character crucifixion done to these boys.
Note how the leftist MSM isn't calling for Nifong's head. He apologized and said he hopes that's the end of it. Funny how that didn't work for Don Imus. Imus fell all over himself sucking up to the offended liberal elite,s and look where it got him. And Imus' offense isn't even on the scale in comparison to Nifong's.
These Rutgers players are whining about how injured they are. Oprah has had them on her show. They've made the rounds on the network morning shows. When is the Duke lacross team going to be invited on Oprah? When will Matt Lauer interview them? These boys were injured far more than the Rutgers girls.
It's stupid, Will, for you continue to harp that 'the boys shouldn't have had the party.' Fine. How does that diminish the politics driven slander done to them by the Nifong, Duke University, and the damned liberal media?
[April 15, 2007 3:51 PM]
JayJosh,
I agree with much of what you say, but do your research first. There is plenty of left-sided MSM calling for Nifong's firing or for criminal charges to be brought against him.
A simple search online shows several columns and blogs on the subject -- and there are several AP/wire reports about Nifong's actions.
Do your homework.
[April 15, 2007 5:03 PM]
JoshI had read and heard a number of MSM opinions that Don Imus should be ousted for doing nothing nearly as bad as Nifong's offense.
Please provide for me a link to a MSM opinion piece saying Nifong should be removed from his post or disbarred.
Find me a piece from the MSM that says the lying black stripper should be prosecuted.
Here's your chance to do homework, Jay.
[April 15, 2007 5:54 PM]
WillJosh,
I've said all along that the DA in Raleigh should be hung out to dry and any others that rushed to judgement before the evidence was in. The same could be said for a lot of media prosecuted people over the course of the last several years.
My point is, again, that if you're going to condemn and crucify people that should be held accountable for the Duke situation, then you have to encompass all who were responsible and that starts right with the party organizers. I'm not saying don't go after the others, but just be sure you include ALL the guilty parties in this thing.
[April 15, 2007 6:06 PM]
Jayhttp://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1609677,00.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/04/11/opinion/courtwatch/main2673571.shtml
The two links above regard Nifong either stepping down or being fired.
As for the "lying black stripper"...there is no evidence that she lied, so as of right now why would anyone call for her prosecution?
[April 15, 2007 7:48 PM]
JoshJay,
Sorry, neither of your two sources called for Nifong to step down. The first one was a news piece that didn't even mention him resigning. The second article comes closer. It was an opinion piece that said Nifong is likely finished as a prosecutor, but the author never actually called for him to resign.
So, in other words, my claim stands. The MSM, was NOT even handed in the reporting and analysis of the Duke case. It's because they have a clear liberal agenda.
In fact, the New York Times as late as August said the prosecution's case was much stronger than the defense's. Just an incredibly blatant lie.
As for the lying black stripper, Jay, the North Carolina AG cited "the many different stories that she has been telling." Isn't it lying when you keep telling contradictory stories?
Come on, Jay. Admit it. The MSM screwed up because of its blind political bias.
[April 15, 2007 7:54 PM]
JoshWill,
Your comment is ridiculous. You are equating the party organizers' lack of judgment with the vile PC liberal bias shown by Nifong and the media that was intended to destroy these boys.
As I said before, it's like saying Matthew Shepard's stupidity for going to a redneck bar is as egregious as the fact that he was beaten to death for being gay.
[April 15, 2007 9:46 PM]
JayJosh,
"Nifong now deserves to be held accountable for his grievous errors in judgment and tactics."
How much more explicit do you want it?
And yes, it is lying when someone tells contradictory stories. But this woman didn't necessarily do that -- she simply told differing accounts to different people. If she was scared, traumatized, or even just shaken up it is understandable that she might not remember insignificant details of the night. Add to that the fact that she was probably drunk or on drugs, and you have a mix of things that would effect her memory.
The MSM didn't screw up in reporting the facts as we knew them at the time. Most DA's are trustworthy people who are officers of the law. When the MSM reports on what a DA and law enforcement do/say, it isn't biased -- it's reporting , plain and simple.
I might agree that the left-wing MSM hasn't written nearly as much opinion/editorials calling for Nifong to resign. That being said, their factual reporting is not biased. There are plenty of articles about Nifong's potential legal troubles.
P.S. Some other stories/opinions:
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=591011
http://media.www.dukechronicle.com/media/storage/paper884/news/2007/04/12/Editorial/Disbar.Mike.Nifong-2837833.shtml
[April 15, 2007 9:48 PM]
JayMatthew Shepard? I mean really...are you seriously equating using drugs and hiring strippers with being gay?
I suppose from now on I will assume that anybody who is gay is automatically irresponsible. Afterall, we all know about what being gay does to your inhibitions. Oh and I guess that's why you're not allowed to be gay and drive.
What the heck are you talking about?
[April 16, 2007 3:43 AM]
JoshJay,
Asking for someone to be held accountable is a lot different than calling for him to be fired. And the latter is what I saw nothing of from the MSM opinion pieces. Yet I saw and heard them call for Imus to be fired. That's just pure leftwing racial bigotry, something we, sadly, have see a lot of lately.
Your comment on the black stripper doesn't make sense. She most certainly DID tell conflicting accounts. The AG said she did. Why are you saying 'she didn't necessarily do that?'
Read carefully. The New York Times may have factually reported what the crooked DA spoon-fed them, but did they bother to get accounts from the students or do critical analysis of the facts themselves? Hell no. Otherwise, they would have come to a different conclusion about the evidence 'be greater for the prosecution than for the defense.' I never talked to the DA, but even I could see that nothing they said amounted to evidence of any type.
As with the man-made global warming hoax, liberals are stunningly non-curious when it comes to subjects about which they have a political agenda.
Predictably, you screwed up the Matthew Shepard analogy. My point is that Will is making the party organizers' stupidity as culpable and egregious as the blatant racism of the DA and the media. He's saying the lesson here is the boys shouldn't have been partying, which is insane. It's like saying the lesson of the Shepard case is he was foolish to go the redneck bar.
[April 16, 2007 9:26 AM]
WillJosh...
It appears that your bias against media outlets has completely jaded your ability to grasp the point that I've tried to make to you.
I'll try one more time and then I'm done talking about this. I AGREE with you that the MSM needs to address this situation as vigorously as they jumped on the DA's bandwagon. I think the DA himself should be hauled up on charges and punished to the maximum extent of the law. Any others who piled on should also face the music as well.
At the same time, though, the people who foolishly organized such an event in the first place have to hold responsibility for putting the "party" together in the first place. It was a lethal mixture of booze, boys and a performer of questionable character at best.
As for your analogy regarding Matthew Shepard, as tragic and ugly and indecent as his murder was...indeed in the back of my mind I've wondered why he went into the bar in the first place.
Sure, we should all be able to go and do freely without having to fear reprocussions from people within establishments or events that we want to attend. The fact of the matter is that is not the case. My parents taught me early on not to run from a fight; however, they also taught me early on about being mindful of your surroundings and being able to quickly extract yourself from a situation that is potentially problematic. I've used the phrase before...it's Risk Avoidance.
Perhaps some like living on that particular edge. For me, it's not a reasonable and rational choice; consequently I try not to. Those who do have to be prepared for the consequence. Sadly, the consequence can be deadly as in Matthew Shepard's case or harmful in the Duke lacrosse player's case.
[April 16, 2007 12:09 PM]
JoshWill,
It sounds like we are in agreement on both points, that both sides are at fault, but the mystifying part for me is it has seemed like you are giving equal weight to both offenses, as if those who falsely screamed rape and tarnished those boys are no more in the wrong than the party organizers.
[April 16, 2007 1:06 PM]
WillJosh...
What I've said from the beginning is that the party organizers hold responsibility for putting together a party that was ill-conceived for the audience that was attending. Should they spend time in jail for the next 75 years for it, of course not.
However, I do believe they should bear some of the brunt of the responsibility and should make some atonements for their poor judgement and planning of such an event.
I just didn't want them to get off scott-free and from your original posting, it appeared as though you weren't including them in your condemnation list.
[June 25, 2007 11:28 PM]
joeI thought several of the interesting facts listed in the Miss Virginia bios were mundane. For instance Miss Norfolk likes to drive a stick shift and Miss VA Dogwood spends a lot of time at the lake. I find it more entertaining to add the following phrase at the end of these interesting facts, "after chugging a PBR". For example Miss Appomattox weighted 10 pounds at birth after chugging a PBR.
[September 27, 2007 11:00 PM]
JoshI've noticed a big change in this blog since it started. In the early days, you could ask the editors questions and they would respond.
In recent months, there has been no dialogue on their part. You ask them a question four times and get no answer. I think if the editors claim to be interested in conversation, they should be able to answer simple direct questions.
The problem could be there are many more people in here challenging silly editorials and calling the writers on their misrepresentations. The staff seems to have become what they accuse George Bush of; they have become isolated and have insulated themselves by only associating with their own kind. The result is the paranoia that causes them to reject an increasing number of postings for some violation of ever-evolving "rules"
[October 2, 2007 7:49 PM]
JoshSeptember war deaths lowest in over a year. Iraq deaths declining. Looks like General Petraeus was right. The surge is apparently working. Is an apology in order from the Times?
[October 3, 2007 7:22 AM]
WillJosh...
I guess we should be dancing in the streets because there were fewer deaths!
Somehow I doubt the families of those who did perish feel your enthusiasm and excitement.
An apology? I definitely feel one is in order...but not from talking heads, media outlets or pundits...but from an administration who took us into this mess woefully unprepared for its consequences.
[October 3, 2007 8:52 AM]
HenryConsidering we are losing twice as many people to murder in California than we are losing to war in Iraq, I would say we are woefully unprepared to be in California.
However, the lower casualties should point us towards the need to begin pulling troops out of Iraq.
[October 3, 2007 11:23 AM]
JoshGee, we might see the war, as an issue for the Democrats, vanish before our very eyes. Respected journalist, Rush Limbaugh, predicted the war would barely be an issue in the 2008 election. It sounded incredible then, but it's looking more and more Limbaugh's reputation as a shrewd prognosticator is proving well-founded.
At last week's debate ALL THREE top Democrat candidates REFUSED to say they would pull troops out of Iraq if elected. Contrast that with three months ago when ALL of them said they would.
The horrible MoveOn ad against General Petraeus backfired miserably, Iraq is improving, and you hear almost nothing about the war on the news these days. Democrats are on the verge of looking irrelevant. But the media will help them out by remaining silent about the positive direction of the war.
I'd love to hear from the Times' editors who basically called Petraeus a liar last month. What is their take on why the war is going better? Or would they say "Yes, but...."?
[October 3, 2007 12:34 PM]
WillIt's amazing at just how narrow minded and myopic the conservative view is of this war.
Do you actually think in your mind of minds that the terrorists that are out to do us harm are simply going to vanish if we "win" (whatever that means) in Iraq?
It clearly demonstrates to me that the right wingers don't have a clue as to what goes on in the mind of terrorists. This will not be a battle to be won like that of Normandy or Okinawa.
This one will last for generations...unless someone that's smarter than ALL of us (me included) can figure out a way to difuse the need to kill and find common ground on which to build a foundation for life rather than death.
[October 3, 2007 1:45 PM]
HenryEven you admit it can't be done. Terrorists are driven by a need to inflict terror. Better to kill as many as possible before you decide to call it quits.
Remember, the terrorists struck the WTC in 1994 but failed. We weren't even at war with anyone. They just wanted to knock down the towers to prove they could do it. The same was true of 2001.
[October 3, 2007 3:29 PM]
WillHenry...
You hit the nail on the head!
[October 3, 2007 7:26 PM]
JoshWill,
I am very glad you equate the war in Iraq with the war on terrorism, which it is. Yes, it is true that terrorists will likely be with us whether we win in Iraq or lose like you want us to do. But a Democratic Iraq would be far less a hotbed of terrorist breeding than if we cut and run and allowed Iraq to descend into a chaotic killing field.
I am sorry you dislike the positive news coming out of Iraq, though. I think most people are heartened to hear things are improving there.
[October 4, 2007 6:31 AM]
WillJosh...
You seem hell bent on putting words in my mouth. Have I ever said that I wanted the United States to loose anything in Iraq? You point to one single quote or a full blown post that gives the slightest indication of that. Again...you can't.
War is nothing to be excited about. Period. It creates voids in people's lives that can never be filled. My father was in WW 2 and saw first hand what it means to be at war. Most of us in the US are nothing more than arm chair critics. The pundits and politicians go for their highly secured photo ops to say everything is going well. That's a load of crap and anyone that has a grain of sense knows it.
Excitement over fewer deaths? I can't get excited about death period. Perhaps humbled by the shear impact of it all is a better way to look at it. Our troops know it that way. We should too.
You right wingers are so "rah-rah" over this president and his cavalier attitude that you don't see the far reaching ramifications that will impact this nation and the world for that matter for generations that we haven't dreamt about yet.
I would love to see things improve enough in that sandbox to bring all out troops home. I've said for four years that if it really was strategically important for us, we should have made it a liquid crystal instead of continuing to have hour troops killed and mamed for the sake of the resource that's under the sand.
Again, the right wingers went into this with a poorly conceived plan of how to execute the mission and are playing with our troops like pawns in a chess game. If they play long enough, they might get it right. Who knows.
[October 19, 2007 9:46 AM]
JoshI would like to know why you haven't had an editorial about the Democrats wanting to condemn our ally, Turkey, for their killing of Armenians over 90 years ago.
This move, which can only be explained as an intentional effort to anger one of our key logistical allies in the Iraq war, just as we are starting to win it, is perhaps the most underhanded partisan destructive moves ever made by a political party.
This legislation, which, thankfully is now being abandoned by Democrats was timed and intended solely to harm our chances of prevailing in Iraq, and I am mystified why there has been no commentary on this huge story.
[October 22, 2007 9:20 AM]
JoshI haven't see an editorial on the progress of the war in quite some time now. Why not? You said if there was good news you would write about it. September casualties were very low. October's are on pace to be the lowest in nearly three years. Where's the editorial? I keep waiting.
[November 7, 2007 12:01 AM]
JoshI have been complaining about the lack of interest by the liberal media in the Iraq war for several months now, ever since it became apparent the tide is turning; that American and Iraq casualties have fallen sharply.
OK. So I finally heard something about the war in the MSM today. ABC radio news pounced on the news that five Americans died in two separate attacks in Iraq Tuesday. Their wrap-up line? "2007 has now become the deadliest year since the war started."
Wow. Talk about waiting around for a nugget of bad news, then using it to drive home the most negative spin possible. Pathetic.
[November 30, 2007 5:33 PM]
JoshHow about an editorial condemning CNN (as nearly many other outlets are) for their shameless partisanship concerning the Republican debate?
CNN used at least four workers and supporters of Democrat candidates, who were posing as undecided Republicans, to ask questions which were caricatures of liberal views about Republicans.
What is the RT's view on CNN's handling of the debate? Do you think they can be trusted again, given their undeniable bias?
[February 11, 2008 10:58 AM]
JoshWhere are the Sunday editorials? Oxymoron of the day: liberal work ethic.
[February 27, 2008 9:54 AM]
EdWhat is it about payday lending that so upsets The Roanoke Rag? Is it that someone (somewhere) might be competing successfully to make a profit by providing a legal service? Is it that they feel the burning need to "protect" these low IQ borrowers who are not capable of understanding the loan contract? What? Do these do-gooder nannies just look for "victims" to rescue?