Letters to the Editor

Dismiss Jason Pimentel

(This is a petition posted on change.org to Longwood University President Taylor Reveley and athletic director Troy Austin. To sign the petition, go to https://www.change.org/p/longwood-university-president-taylor-reveley-athletic-director-troy-austin-dismiss-jason-pimentel?just_created=true)

In November 2014, Longwood University junior basketball player Jason Pimentel was arrested, and charged with sexual battery. Longwood Chief of Police Robert Beach discussed the investigation, “The victim said that in the early morning hours of Nov. 2, she was ‘forcibly fondled’ by an individual who was later determined to be Jason Pimentel.”

Beach continued, “At the conclusion of the investigation, information was provided to the Commonwealth Attorney, who decided to go forward with prosecution of Mr. Pimentel.”

He was immediately suspended from all team activities. In a press release from Longwood Athletics, Head Coach Jayson Gee commented on the violation, “I’m concerned and disappointed when a player violates team rules and handles himself in a manner inconsistent with the values of our program. This issue has my full attention as well as that of the athletics department, and we will handle it with the seriousness it deserves.”

But has it been? Has the issue been handled with the seriousness it deserves? It seems not. On February 2, 2015, Jason Pimentel was convicted of sexual battery, and just 12 days later, was reinstated to the team, and suited up to take on Big South Conference opponent Charleston Southern. (In fact, Pimentel had been traveling and practicing — that is, participating in team activities — since returning from winter break in January.)

University administration has said only that, “the decision [was] Troy [Austin]’s.” When asked to comment, Athletic Director Troy Austin stood defiant: “I don’t reflect on whether someone is going to disagree with me. I think about whether I’m doing something right or wrong in respect to Longwood.”

But to you, President Reveley; and to you, Mr. Austin, we — students, alumni, parents, friends, men, and women — too stand, to defiantly ask why: Why has this troubled young man who was previously dismissed from Old Dominion University’s basketball team been given special treatment? Why was Pimentel’s participation in the final games of the season, and in the Big South conference tournament deemed “right,” while the protection and safety of the young woman he violated, and the sanctity of a university that is, to this day, 70 percent female, deemed “wrong”?

Our beloved Longwood University has been defiled.

Dismiss Jason Pimentel.

Lia Milgram,

Fairfax, Virginia

The Real Embarrassment Was the Supervisors

Charlotte County is defined by its beautiful courthouse and the square surrounding it. We need a new courthouse but that doesn’t give any entity the right to destroy the old one or disturb the square in any way. Why can’t the new courthouse be built on the field below the parking lot? At the Board of Supervisors meeting when the new plans were revealed, Kathy Liston tried to get an answer to this question. Noel Oliver, reporting for the Southside Messenger, called the question embarrassing. What’s embarrassing is that the supervisors won’t answer the question or listen to their constituents. Everyone I have talked to is horrified by the idea of

an enormous building overshadowing the entire square and Ms. Liston is absolutely right – she speaks for all of us who wish to be heard.

Anne Anderson

Saxe, Virginia

Let Us Tremble for Our Country

Today, many thinking persons are seriously concerned that human society is heading for collapse.

Even casual observers must see society eroding through such foolish, base actions as:

Promoting the devaluation of the miracle of life by taking the life of the unborn child through on-demand abortion.

Turning a blind eye to political corruption that “buys” votes of various classes of people.

Permitting “big money” contributors who “buy” votes of legislators.

Distorting the definition of marriage to include same-sex marriage; logic tells us that this definition will eventually lead to polygamy and incestual unions, such unions being found in Zoroastrianism, an ancient, pagan Iranian religion.

Attempting to ignore oppressive, run-away debt, both government and private.

Allowing politicians to equivocate, fabricate, and deceive rather than tell the truth to their constituents.

Voting for politicians who ignore law because law is a barrier to their egotism and narcissism.

Allowing secular, materialistic, relativistic theories to be taught to our children in public schools, but denying the exploring of any theory that incorporates a supernatural entity, God.

This practice distorts for our youth the various dimensions of reality. Such restrictions fly in the face of great world teachers, including Moses, Aristotle, Plato, Socrates, and Jesus, the Master teacher, who demonstrated His power over death by rising from the grave, as confirmed by many New Testament eye-witnesses.

Let us look more closely at Plato, the fifth-century B.C. Greek philosopher.  Platonism is the philosophy that affirms the existence of abstract objects, which are believed to exist in a third realm, distinct from both the sensible external world and from the internal experience of human consciousness.  Plato, being a scholar and traveler was, no doubt, influenced by the books of Moses, who first wrote of the third realm of abstraction in his early chapters of Genesis; these describe an eternal, omnipotent God who brings all things into existence, including plant, animal, and human life.

Restricting the examining of the abstract, supernatural realm in our schools is like attempting to explain to youth how an automobile operates without lifting the hood to investigate the motor.  Material objects did not come into existence through spontaneous generation, an archaic idea long rejected by both science and philosophy.  The natural realm, the temporal, exists because it was created by the supernatural realm, the eternal, in which God operates.  Can the human race be saved from self-imposed ignorance, which is pointing us toward self-destruction?

Thomas Jefferson wrote, “I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just….” We, too, should tremble when we consider that God will judge us!

Dr. Fillmer Hevener

Farmville, Virginia

Community Health Centers Could Disappear

Community Health Centers have a long history of bipartisan support.  Since the first community health centers were founded fifty years ago, health centers have become the nation’s largest primary care networks.  Health centers are locally governed small businesses that provide a comprehensive range of primary care services while remaining responsive to community needs.  In a time where healthcare is a hot button issue, health centers generate $24 billion in savings to the health care system and are one of the most prudent investments we can make within this.  By October 2015, the funding for the health center program will be cut by 70%, unless we act NOW.

Community health centers are community based, independent non-profit organizations found all over the country in medically underserved areas.  This means that a particular area is extremely rural, the health outcomes are poor in the area, or there are not enough primary care doctors to meet the needs of the residents of the community.  Health centers offer all of their services on a sliding fee discount, based on family size and income.  Everyone pays something towards the cost of their care. Health centers will see anyone regardless of whether they have insurance or not; everyone who qualifies can benefit from the sliding scale.

Central Virginia Health Services originally began in 1970 with three trailers in Buckingham, Fluvanna, and Cumberland Counties.  Since then, CVHS has redefined “central Virginia” and has grown to fifteen sites across the state—including sites in Buckingham, Brunswick, and Charlotte counties.  Last year, CVHS saw over 40,000 patients at its sites.  What would the budget cut mean for CVHS?  Some of our sites may be forced to close or reduce hours.  People will lose their jobs.  Some communities will lose their only health care provider.  Any way you put it, these budget cuts will have a devastating effect on our patients AND on the jobs we generate.

We are calling on our communities to reach out to our members of Congress and ask them to “FIX THE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER Funding CLIFF.” One call or one email can make a difference. YOU have the power to keep YOUR local health center in YOUR community.

Roderick V. Manifold, Executive Director

Central Virginia Health Services, Inc.

Republicans Overstepped Their Authority

I am appalled and shocked by the recent actions of some of the members of the Republican Party in the House who are supposed to be the Representatives of our great nation.

First, I do not agree with the invitation of a Prime Minister of a foreign nation to speak to Congress without the knowledge or approval of the President of the United States (who by the U. S. Constitution is to be in charge of the diplomacy with other countries).

Then, second, forty-two of the Republican members of Congress had the audacity to send a letter to a foreign enemy putting down the authority of the President to negotiate any form of treaty or agreement with them, thereby embarrassing him, his Executive Office (which is esteemed above all others by everyone except some of you), as well as embarrassing the people of this country!

I believe these actions could be deemed a form of treason against this great nation, in my opinion!

 Maurice L. Brown, Sr.

Phenix, Virginia