One duplex and Afghanistan

By Published by The Editorial Board

Published: July 19, 2008

All that for just one duplex

To the editor:

I don’t know what the citizens of the Route 41 area, the Pittsylvania County Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors all have against our senior citizens. We proposed building a duplex — just two rental units — and this senior housing duplex was recently denied with strong opposition.

Cited reasons for denial included traffic congestion, an overcrowded school and more police calls. I hardly see how two additional cars can contribute to such congestion. Regarding the overcrowded schools, I think it would be akin to a miracle if one of our senior tenants of these units (with their average age being about 72) still had a child attending Twin Springs Elementary School. I also doubt the police would ever get called to this duplex, since no police calls have ever been documented for any problems since we started renting these Franklin Turnpike units 10 years ago.

When you need a safe, comfortable place in the Route 41 corridor for your elderly parents or for a senior family member to rent before they concede going to a nursing home, don’t call us since we were denied this request to fill a growing need in the area. Unfortunately, we don’t have anything to offer you.

BOBBY MARSHALL,

To the editor:

I just finished watching a video that in the current political campaign could cause a lot of voters to rethink their choice for president in the upcoming election.

The shocking video — made in 2003 — shows Sen. John McCain in front of the Council on Foreign Relations saying he was more concerned with the war in Iraq and that we could “muddle through in Afghanistan” without a large number of forces.

Given Sen. McCain’s recent comment — “I know how to win wars” — this shows poor judgment and forethought. This is very disturbing given that he tells us this area is his strong suit.

We cannot “muddle through” in Afghanistan. We have done this for five years now, and look what has happened. The Taliban has recaptured a large chunk of that country, al-Qaida is back at pre-9/11 strength and Osama bin Laden is free and plotting against America.

Sen. McCain’s strategy for launching an indefinite war in Iraq, unlike Sen. Barack Obama’s, is a policy of retreat in the war on terror. Extremists in Afghanistan and Pakistan have regained their strength, thus making us less secure. John McCain in 2003 was horribly wrong — there was no “muddling through” in Afghanistan. The choice in 2003 was taking the fight to the enemy — or not. McCain chose not! That was a grave error in his judgment.

JIM F. MARTIN

Danville