Letters: VITA Initiative Is Ongoing Process

VITA Initiative Is Ongoing Process
Editor, Times-Dispatch: Bill Leighty's Op/Ed column, "Initiatives Still Make Good Sense," regarding the VITA initiative was right on point. As someone with vast experience in information technology issues and someone who has worked directly on this issue, there is nothing as challenging as IT integration.

Changing any process is challenging. Changing something of the magnitude and complexity of the state government's IT infrastructure is extremely challenging. Rather than thinking about the process being a black or white failure or succes, it's better to think about IT integration as a process of continual improvement. Improvements are made, but issues arise that need to be addressed. Fixes are proposed and eventually the issues get resolved. With time, experience, and patience, the outcomes are almost always much better than what was previously in place.

Another benefit of the VITA project is the positive impact on SWAM contractors (small, woman, and minority-owned businesses). Northrop Grumman has gone to great lengths to encourage SWAM participation on the project and the public benefits of this will be important to the future.

The bottom line is that while mistakes have been made, lessons have been learned, and the process is improving. Virginia is a leader with regard to IT infrastructure, but sometimes being a leader also means suffering through some initial problems. Ranjit Sen, President and CEO, Code X Inc.


Richmond.

It's Time to Outlaw All Discrimination
Editor, Times-Dispatch: As a life-long Republican, and a constituent in Rep. Eric Cantor's district, I hope that despite the rush to adjourn this fall, Congress will consider and pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2009. This legislation would prohibit private employers with more than 15 employees from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Religious organizations, non-profit membership clubs (except labor unions), and the military services would be exempt from the law.

Policies prohibiting employment discrimination are already in place in the overwhelming majority of Fortune 500 companies, and in 20 states (not including Virginia) and the District of Columbia. But the patchwork of state and local legal protections for gay and lesbian employees argues for a federal solution. Gay and lesbian individuals should not have to turn down job opportunities because moving to a different state could put their jobs at risk. As former Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce of Ohio stated last year, "Gay Americans currently hold the dubious distinction of being the only segment of our work force that can be overtly denied an opportunity to contribute to our economy and to earn a living."

Although many congressional Republicans have co-sponsored the ENDA legislation, Republican opposition remains. Opponents should remember that the party of Lincoln, who signed the Emancipation Proclamation, also helped overcome Southern Democratic opposition to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. I hope that Cantor (the minority whip) and all members of Congress will outlaw this last remnant of employment discrimination and enact ENDA into law.

Jeff Jacobs.
Richmond.

It was fine to support Bob McDonnell for governor on the basis of policy even though she has been a supporter of Democratic candidates in the past. It was not appropriate or responsible for her to discredit Deeds because he stutters. She acted like a 13-year-old, trying to cover her own insecurity and jealousy by attacking a disability he has no control of. The disability obviously hasn't hindered Deeds, as he managed to win the Virginia primary with less money and star power than Terry McAuliffe.

I would disagree with the notion that because one stutters, one would not be an excellent communicator and advocate for a cause. It hasn't affected my ability to graduate from the University of Virginia and be immersed in a combined MD/MPH program now. James Earl Jones, John Stossel, Bill Walton, and Vice President Joe Biden all stuttered, but have considerable influence in their respective fields.

If Johnson wanted to discredit Deeds, she should have done it on policy, not by making personal attacks. She, of all people, should have known that, based on the historical and current tactics people in power have used to discredit African-Americans in the past and President Barack Obama in the present. This was definitely not the rhetoric and backlash McDonnell wanted during the last few weeks of the campaign. Johnson's outrageous comments have done more harm than good. I wasn't for McDonnell to begin with -- now I am not for Sheila Johnson.

Brian Freeman.
Richmond.