John Neslon Darby
Christian Premillennialism

The Moore Street Controversy

by Lewis Loflin

update: Virginia Intermont College has closed.

Update August 2000: The controversy over the closure of Moore Street in Bristol, Virginia has come to an end. Earlier this year in local elections, one proponent of the closure was ousted from the city counsel while another almost met the same fate. To its credit, Virginia Intermont College withdrew its request for closing the street. In June, the city removed the barriers and hoped it all would just go away. This is what happens when citizens put aside apathy and fear and work to clean up local politics.

The controversy of closing Moore Street in Bristol, Virginia has so far produced a lot of name calling, finger pointing, and accusations of racism. While local politicians claim Virginia Intermont College is an asset and it is dangerous for college students to cross the street, nobody cares to mention the children who live around the Moore Street area.

According to a police officer, the rerouting of traffic on Moore Street has put the children the surrounding public housing at possible risk. The traffic flow is utter chaos with much of it cutting through public housing jammed with children.

All of our children are assets and Bristol needs to decide what is more important. Here are the pictures I took of the Moore Street area, click on the thumbnail for the full size picture. Below is a reprint of a local news article, be your own judge.