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Published: November 5, 2009
Battle lines forming for 2010 election
Despite her solid credentials, integrity, demonstrated leadership abilities and outstanding record in Richmond, Del. Shannon Valentine apparently has lost her seat in the Virginia House of Delegates. She ran a positive campaign, articulating her values, beliefs and goals for our region and beyond. I trust she knows how much we appreciate having had a person of her caliber representing us.
On the other hand, we should not forget the behavior of her opponent, Scott Garrett. His campaign was almost entirely negative, at times mean-spirited — focusing not on his own accomplishments but on attacking Valentine as some sort of deceiver with a “hidden plan” to raise our taxes. Informed members of the electorate saw through the distortions and fear tactics that the Garrett campaign employed. Regrettably, the voters in one precinct gave Garrett nearly 2,000 votes to ensure his roughly 200-vote victory. It is no coincidence that that precinct is where hundreds of Liberty University students (read: sheep), having been given the day off and bused to the polls, cast their ballots. Nor is it a surprise that these no doubt well-intentioned young people voted largely as a bloc against the nice lady who had the dreaded “D” after her name on the ballot.
Many Lynchburgers will remember the infamous 2007 removal of the highly respected Tom Webb, vice chairman of the School Board, and the appointment of a member who would not have been selected had the council as a whole voted. This was not only a “shifty” act relative to other council members, but it was a patently stupid decision to place a person never involved in public schools in a position of power relative to ours. There is little question that Scott Garrett’s participation in that nonsensical appointment was a blatant attempt to pander to the LU/TRBC folks who would like nothing better than to see the demise of public schools. (The late Jerry Falwell Sr. once stated, “I hope I live to see the day when…we won’t have any public schools. The churches will have taken them over…and Christians will be running them.”) Well, Mr. Garrett has now received his payback from that constituency. Only time will tell what other “favors” may be exchanged in this unholy alliance.
There will be much discussion between now and next spring about the role and impact of LU students on City Council elections. It is not too early to encourage capable people of integrity to fill the at-large seats that will be up for grabs. Jerry Falwell Jr. has already indicated that the council elections will be the ultimate test of LU’s ability to exert additional influence and power in Lynchburg. I for one do not intend to sit quietly by while my hometown becomes some kind of appendage of the far-right, fundamentalist “machine” on Candlers Mountain.
BILL BLACKWELL
Lynchburg
Power of prayer?
I am amused by the hypocrisy of Wendell Walker, former chairman of the Lynchburg Republican Committee, who claimed the power of prayer had helped Scott Garrett to win the election, in his statement to The News & Advance.
If this is true, what happened to that power when Barack Obama was elected last year against all the Republican prayers? Perhaps trying to make prayer serve a local political purpose is a religious abuse, especially for a campaign that was shamefully dishonest.
WILLIAM HAYNES
Lynchburg
Just desserts
I deeply believe, that in the end, we all get what we deserve.
Scott Garrett told me recently, “I have to be right 100 percent of the time” and “I give 110 percent effort.” Although I’ve never met a person who can accomplish either of those extraordinary feats, I will admit, he’s giving it one heck of a try and appears to be successful. I imagine that he might have difficulty working with peers but am sure that the den he is now entering will welcome him with open fangs.
Del. Shannon Valentine, simply put, in our household, you are a gem. Any person, who in the midst of such negative personal attacks, remains positive without striking back similarly, not only understands … but is living the Gospel. You have inspired us with your dedication, honesty, hard work and most of all your grace. Thank you for your service. Please know, your hard work is appreciated.
Enjoy some time off with your incredibly patient and supportive family!
Congratulations to both persons on arriving at their current destinations, and it is my sincere hope, that while you are there, you will continue to get exactly what you deserve!
RONNY ROSEVEARE
Lynchburg
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Reader Reactions
hardcore @ 7:01 pm : “Besides, a tree isn’t any good for anything until you kill it. You can’t build with it, you can’t make paper with it, and you can’t heat with it until it is dead.“
Of course, you can’t clean the air with it, or stop erosion with it, unless it is alive.
RealityCheck—
Pardon me for being slightly vulgar but in my opinion, the monogram is the equivalent to the stain left after a dog pees to mark it’s territory. Because, simply put, that is in my opinion what it is—a claim to the mountain and visibility darn near anywhere one may wish to go in the community. A big reminder that no matter where you go there is a wish to permeate the atmosphere and force one to see exactly what you want them to see. People who live here are certainly aware that Liberty exists therefore—really? Is there a need for it?
To me, it’s the same legal, deceptive language Jerry Falwell Jr. uses when he explains,“Oh no. We aren’t telling them who to vote for! Heavens no!“
Is there truthfully and honestly anyone who will claim that they don’t realize that basically ALL Evangelical Christians think that Christian is synonymous with Republican? After all, in their minds all Democrats are good for is killing babies, marrying perverts, and giving money to lazy minorities who have babies they can’t pay for.
I am not apologizing for anyone who dare point fingers at me for making this generalization because I grew up in a Christian school—both high school and college—and all I ever heard about Democrats was about abortion until homosexuals started wanting marital rights and then—OH BOY—there were a whopping TWO issues to hate the party for!
I have to wonder if most Liberty students even know why they’re voting against the Democratic party besides those two issues. But, really, I guess those two moral issues are enough to sway them otherwise. The sad thing is, most of them will move on to marry young, have families of their own, and never see another side of the story or ever WANT to see another side or even respect another side. People ignorantly lobby against things they think are black and white when there are so many deeper issues that stem from one single issue.
There are members of my family who are rigidly Republican. In lengthy conversation with them, all I take away is that they want to rest of the world to subscribe to ideal lives that THEY don’t even live. It just seems to me that at some point in time people need to realize that the world is NOT going to be the Utopia they’d like it to be, accept it, and work together to make the best of it.
hardcore, way to see the glass half full. I know that you are fully aware that “NAFTA, passed by Clinton” was a done deal and the Republican Congress supported it. And those “combined with punitive environmental policies” you disdain are important to mother earth, and that “added to an extreme corporate tax rate” is a euphemism for big business refused to take less profit and pillage so they found a third world country to exploit.
Seriously going, you have a cognizant discord somewhere. I did not say nor imply that the “downtrodden are there because the big wigs put them there” so my foundation is just fine, thank you.
Many “of the people who are downtrodden are there because of the accumulation of the decisions they had made over their lifetime.“ I agree. Never said any different. Same for those who quit or sleep through school, no argument.
I am not mad at you or anyone else for their success and I fully realize that most people, like myself, have worked for everything they have and have had precious little ever handed to us.
I do not advocate Socialism nor “collectivism” so your “points” borrowed from wherever are not applicable to me nor my philosophy.
1-(a) I have no interest in legislating the wealthy out of prosperity, only out of massive greed, fraud and abuse of the system.
(b)While you most certainly can legislate the poor into prosperity, that is not the same as “teaching them to fish” so I do not support it.
2-“What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.“ While simplistically true, that is not the Christian nor American way of having a safe and free society. What one person needs but cannot work for should be provided for by those who can work and provide some help. I believe Jesus used the example of “two coats”.
3-“The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.“ Again, simplistically true but ignores the massive infrastructure, education, military and other government programs that are vital and Constitutionally provided for. You do support the Constitution don’t you? “Promote the general welfare” ever heard that before?
4-When half of the people get the idea that they will be richly rewarded by screwing the other half of the people, and the other half of the people are so afraid that someone will benefit from their labors that they acquiesce to this servitude in order to keep from giving to the government or the poor, THAT is the beginning of the end of any nation. I believe this was the sellers in the temple.
5-“You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.“ Ignorance in the extreme. Every entrepreneur, venture capitalist and investor knows that one is malarkey made up to make political points with those who would rather have a slogan than an idea. Jesus, used the story of the talents for this one.
You are right jg99,
NAFTA, passed by Clinton combined with punitive environmental policies, added to an extreme corporate tax rate, pushed most of the production jobs out of the country. I guess we should be glad we have LU and Wards road to keep some of the tax revenue rolling in.
Actually Hardcore Lynchburg was known as growing technological community in the 1950’s into the 70’s and 80’s when the disaster of the Ericsson merger with GE’s mobile communications caused meltdown of the American portion of the business. Post WWII economic booms added a growth of nuclear technologies. Lynchburg had been famous for producing more millionaires per capita than anywhere in the US during the turn of the 19th century. The “Boom” of Liberty University and Wards Road was a product of the late 90’s shift from an production economy to that of a service economy. The jobs produced by the Big Box stores produced a surplus of minimum wage unskilled jobs which produced a tax base without the increase of property owning individuals that would contribute to city the cities coffers.
Aisli, So, you are upset that LU spent a small percentage of its advertising budget a few years ago to build the monogram instead of giving that money to the poor. First of all, LU is not a church but, if it had chosen your alternative, the money would have been quickly used by the poor to pay for housing and food and then it would have been gone. The monogram is used by LU to help advertise and recruit students who are taught how to make a living and how to live a Christian life. So, that original investment is being used over and over to educate people who will then be able to earn a living and give to the poor throughout their lives. Liberals need to learn that if you give someone a fish, you feed them for one day. If you teach them how to fish, you feed them forever. Plus, if LU stopped spraying “Round Up” on the monogram, the area would reforest itself in a few years and the land would again be just another hillside with trees like so many other in this area. So, where is the long term damage?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8G7kNW9IbU&feature=channel
I kind of liked it when they cut the trees down for the monogram. Until Liberty, Lynchburg was known for Chapstick and Fleet Enemas. Besides, a tree isn’t any good for anything until you kill it. You can’t build with it, you can’t make paper with it, and you can’t heat with it until it is dead. Many more people could have been helped if the mountain had been clear cut.
indibijual…you are only racist if you tell people not to choke on chicken bones.
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