Time is allowed for sick children
In response to the parent who was called in for a truancy meeting for absences of a sick child.
What about the other 14 days before being referred to the truancy board? This is what is crippling our schools and teachers, parents who only offer excuses for not having children in school, prepared, on time, and ready to be educated. Sorry, no empathy from any educator. There is enough built-in time to get around sickness you talked about.
JANET LOGAN
Chickamauga, Ga.
Traffic cameras help drivers behave
Once again Red Bank is taking heat for their traffic cameras, and once again it in my opinion they are right in their decision to use them. This is not the same world anymore, as the few who have no respect for authority are making it tough for everyone else.
Traffic cameras have reduced speeding through school zones and red-light running by 40 percent (92,000 crashes, 90,000 injured, 950 killed nationally). That means that 60 percent still don't get it because it's not their children or because rules don't apply to them.
I blame the state of Tennessee for not properly instilling adequate responsibilities for issuing a driver's license. Getting my motorcycle license was a joke, and something needs to be done to make people understand that driving is a privilege and not a requirement.
If you practice rolling through a stop sign or hitting the gas pedal every time the light turns yellow then sooner or later you are going to strike a vehicle broadside and possibly kill someone. If people are not going to behave, then they have to be monitored by cameras. Traffic cameras are federally ruled constitutional, so stop whining and obey all the traffic laws.
RAY CHERRY
Walden, Tenn.
Statements further wedge
Christians do most of the adoptions, as seen in the movie "The Blind Side." One could also say that Christians do most of the proselytizing, as seen in the movie "Jesus Camp."
To say that few people know Dr. Martin Luther King was a Baptist preacher seems very shortsighted. It is far more likely that few Baptists know how influential the Hindu, Mahatma Gandhi, was to Dr. King's non-violence movement. Dr. King once said that Mahatma Gandhi was shot for committing the crime of wanting to heal the wounds of a divided nation. Stating that "sin can only be overcome by knowing Jesus" is one more example of divisiveness that furthers the wedge of understanding between Christians and non-Christians.
ANGELIQUE JONES
Develop plan in Washington
Organize for America at BarackObama.com requested a letter to the newspaper. This is my response. Please:
(1) Only fix what is broken with health care;
(2) Stop borrowing from China and be financially responsible;
(3) Eliminate your travel and get to work in Washington;
(4) Halt Congress's squandering tax money on wasteful projects and trips to Copenhagen;
(5) Close the borders and document illegals; deport illegals including your aunt
(6) Try the prisoners in GITMO;
(7) Tell Holder to back off terror suspects and focus on political corruption and crime;
(8) Cut taxes;
(9) Set high expectations for teachers and students. Reward performance; teach reading, writing and math; eliminate disruptive students; help the disadvantaged but not to the detriment of other students; eliminate weak administrators who inhibit and interfere rather than support and enhance the educational process.
(10) You knew what you were getting into when you ran for the position, so quit blaming others for the mess. Get everyone with a dog in this fight in a room, develop a plan and get something done. Be responsible for your performance, and if you can't fix the messes then, get out of the way and let someone who can!
JERRY PEYTON
Action needed now on health care
A new federal study shows that health care spending rose to $8,047 and may double by 2019.
If we don't act it will mean more lost jobs and more people in bankruptcy in our nation. We cannot ignore this issue even one more year.
I stand with President Obama in calling on Congress to finish the job. I am on Medicare, and as a concerned American I want action now.
PATRICK
REINSHAGEN
Signal Mountain
Health coverage should be for all
Folks who put down our current administration and push for a "no" position on health care reform are being selfish. If they, themselves, were without coverage they would see the merit in a system that covers all, just as education, transportation and national security covers all. How can folks be so self-serving and not "walk the talk" of the gospels in reaching out to those less fortunate members of our community?
I hope caring people run our national, state and local governments. People who work for the good of all citizens, not just the ones who can afford to collect Social Security and complain that the government is taking over!
It seems obvious to me that the government has to be an over-arching umbrella that supplies services through and because of our tax dollars and that the services are fairly distributed to all citizens. Let's urge all government powers to work together and push for a caring bill that gives all citizens fair coverage at reasonable rates.
And, let's reserve our anger for the big insurance companies who deny the poor and make health-care coverage affordable to only the ones who have disposable income.
ROBERT FAZIO
Soddy-Daisy