Letters to the Editor

GOP Convention Vibrant and Unified
Editor, Times-Dispatch: My take on this year's Republican Party of Virginia state convention is slightly different from what was reported in the newspaper article, "Cucchinelli, Bolling Join Republican Ticket."

I saw a large crowd -- in fact, the largest Virginia GOP convention in about 15 years. The more-than-enthusiastic crowd, over 11,000 in number, did not "fall short" in any way. Rather, the crowd stood tall quite often in united applause for its candidates. Gubernatorial nominee Bob McDonnell is perhaps the most qualified (veteran, business manager, member of the House of Delegates, accomplished attorney general) and philanthropic good guy who has ever pursued that office. McDonnell is also a man of ideas who will revive Virginia's economy.

At the convention, I also saw an inclusive party. African-Americans kicked off the convention by serving in positions of convention chairperson and the deliverer of the invocation and pledge. I saw young mothers (including myself) stand up and cheer when we learned of McDonnell's achievement in the minimum 25-year sentence for those who would harm our children. I saw veterans stand and beam with pride as a young man of Middle Eastern descent, who had overcome many challenges to rise to the office of regimental commander of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, delivered a rousing testimony that brought raucous applause and proved the Virginia GOP's patriotism, unity, and its steadfast belief that the individual, when free from governmental restraint, can soar to unimaginable heights.

I saw a very alive, energized, and ready group of thousands who may just take back the governor's mansion, and hold onto the offices of lieutenant governor with Bill Bolling and attorney general with Ken Cuccinelli.

The report from the cheap seats is that the Virginia GOP is alive and well.

Greta Ippolito.
Henrico.

First, the "theory of evolution" is not "anti-scientific." It is used as a basis of scientific study for all biological disciplines. Even medical students are expected to have a thorough grasp of it.

In ordinary English, the word "theory" suggests something that is merely a proposal with limited factual support. However, in science and math, a theory is backed by lots of empirical observations and is assumed to be true as a working model until an observation has disproved it.

This has not yet happened with evolution by natural selection. The fossil record, genetic and embryonic similarities between organisms, and even our own agricultural practices which speed up the process by quickly producing changes in organisms, all provide us with overwhelming evidence.

I must also clarify that no good evolutionary scientist would claim that evolution results in "better," "more complex," or "perfect" organisms. Selective pressures work only on existing traits, so there is no way to achieve any sort of "ideal." Natural selection simply means that the organism with the traits that allow it to survive better in its environment will be more likely to survive and reproduce, passing those traits on to its offspring. Over time this results in organisms better adapted than their ancestors -- but by no means more complex or more perfect than before.

It is undeniable that organisms change over time. To ignore this in a classroom is to deliberately mask the truth. The only possible debate is whether the change is guided by purely natural forces or by the hand of some supernatural presence.

Maggie Spriggs.
Richmond.

Bob McDonnell and Bill Bolling are to be commended for making judicial selection reform an element of their good government plan for Virginia, and for recognizing that citizens need greater access to and information about the judicial appointment and reappointment process. They miss the mark, however, by holding up Fairfax County as a model for other parts of the commonwealth.

I have witnessed firsthand the judicial appointment and reappointment process in Fairfax County. The process does not facilitate citizen participation in decisions about judicial appointments and reappointments. In Fairfax, as in other jurisdictions across the commonwealth, information about the process for appointing and reappointing judges and evaluations of judges is not easily accessible by the public and the process is not designed to encourage citizens to participate and provide their opinions on judicial selections.

It will take much more than minor tweaking to fix the problems with the judicial selection process in Virginia. The problems in Fairfax and elsewhere in the commonwealth were the issue of much correspondence and lobbying this past legislative session, and many of us believe the judicial selection process is seriously flawed and needs a complete and total review with an eye toward overhaul.

McDonnell and Bolling, along with all the other candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general, recently received an "open letter" from citizens outlining our concerns with the judicial selection process and offering recommendations for improvement. It is our hope that all of the candidates will read that letter and carefully consider those recommendations. Bruce Bennett. Vienna.