May 10: Sunday sales, ethanol and 22.2 percent

By Published by The Editorial Board

Published: May 10, 2008

It won’t stop local DUIs

To the editor:
I am having a problem with something in the letter, “Stop this idea right now,” (May 8, page A6): “I don’t want my children killed by a drunken driver while they are returning from a Sunday worship service by someone who purchased their beer or wine at a county store.”
What makes you think that people can’t just buy more beer or wine on Saturday to consume on Sunday?
The letter continues: “… if we do away with the ban, we can expect more DUIs and alcohol-related deaths.”
I formally pose this question — and I would love a response: Do you really believe that sales of beer and wine on Sunday in Pittsylvania County would increase DUIs and alcohol-related injuries?
Get real. There are literally thousands of counties that allow Sunday sales of beer and wine.
I would like to see the hard statistics that show an increased rate of DUIs and injuries in counties that allow Sunday sales based on population.
I personally don’t care about the Sunday ban. I buy enough beer on Saturday — as does anyone else who would like to enjoy a cold beer or glass of wine on Sunday.

TIMOTHY C. DAVIS
South Boston

To the editor:
Where are the pressures promoting the use of ethanol as a vehicle fuel coming from? Why is it being promoted?
Much of the gasoline being marketed today contains ethanol, even though most of the automobile manufacturers — in their owner’s manuals — recommend that fuels containing ethanol not be used in their vehicles. There is a good reason for this recommendation, since residues left in engines from burning ethanol can be quite harmful to engines!
Aside from damages to our car engines, the energy available from ethanol is less than what is consumed in growing the grains and converting them to ethanol. Who gains from this crazy promotion of ethanol? There has to be some private interest gain in this promotion. There certainly is no general public interest in this promotion.
In the last 36 months, ethanol competition for food grains (corn, wheat, oats, rye and even rice) has resulted in the lowest reserves for these grains in 30 years — and the doubling and tripling of prices. This is a big part of the increase in food prices you are seeing in the grocery stores.
How many millions of the world’s poor must starve before enough of us realize the promotion of ethanol is a scam, not a sensible science and economical answer to our energy problem? Ask your service station operator if his gas has ethanol in it.

FRANK B. TURBERVILLE JR.
Milton, N.C.

To the editor:
Citizens of Danville — did you vote this week?
Just 22.2 percent of the registered voters in our city did.
Now, this is just one man’s opinion, but I am disgusted.
Think for a minute or so about how we actually earned that formidable right to vote. Thousands of men and women have given their lives so that all American citizens could enjoy the freedom to vote, to assemble, to worship (or not), and the many other privileges we enjoy.
If you need reminding of the prerogatives, read our Constitution. It’s all laid out.
Many of you will scowl at my next thought, but I have a right to speak out. If you did not vote, you do not deserve that right.
Not voting is a serious offense. For me, it is as if you are spitting on the graves of those that did give their lives so that we can all speak out, foolishly or intelligently.
How about it? Next election, vote! You will be glad that you did.

AL NEWMAN
Danville