Apison residents thankful for help
As a citizen of the Apison community, I thank everyone for helping my family and friends as it relates to the recent tornado.
Special thanks go to members of the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department, Tri-Community Fire Department, Collegedale Police, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Chattanooga Police and SWAT, Red Bank Police, LifeForce, STARS, Apison Elementary School, Apison Baptist Church, all area churches, and many more people I've never known who pitched in to help us all.
Our community was devastated yet remained safe due to members of law enforcement.
These officers, police and fire, worked many 20-plus-hour days for our protection; to you, I say "Thank You."
Many church members came out with chain saws, water and food for us from the start of the storm.
Your kind words of encouragement were needed by all of us affected by the storm.
To walk outside that night and see neighbors' homes destroyed and search for missing friends was devastating.
To you all, I say "Thank you."
Apison will be forever changed, yet we remain a strong community, blessed by God to be alive and thankful for everyone who came in our hour of need.
Thanks to everyone who has helped us in any way.
PERRY AND MONICA PERKINS, Apison
Times editors speak the truth
As a teacher attending my high school's graduation at McKenzie Arena on Saturday evening, I was able to speak very briefly to Dr. Jim Scales. I wished him well, and said, "This is a good town, Dr. Scales. Everybody knows what the deal is, but nobody wants to say it."
Well, I awoke Sunday morning to find that the editors of the Chattanooga Times half of this town's venerable newspaper ("A haunted school system") had said it to perfection. The Free Press side has remained un-strangely silent, which speaks more than loudly for itself.
Thank you, gentlemen, for having the courage to stand for and speak the truth.
MARK H. HOLDEN
Columnist needs to broaden world
I generally just glance at Leonard Pitts' column as I know exactly what the theme will be: White people bad, all other races good. I have only been reading your paper a few years, but he keeps beating this same old tired, worn drum. Granted, he does sometimes hide what I view as racism, in a touching human interest story.
I wonder what would happen if someone proposed an opinion column where the author made it clear that he would only trumpet the achievements of white, heterosexual males? So - Leonard, why not step out of your narrow world and look around a bit. Walter Williams and Thomas Sowell certainly do.
PATRICIA OCONNOR
Skillern's actions demand he resign
The Times editorial, "A haunted school system," (May 15), notes that in 2004 Commissioner Fred Skillern in an apparent violation of the state's Sunshine Law, had white commissioners come to his house where discussions took place on impending public school financing matters, while leaving out the three black commissioners. He offered the excuse for excluding the black commissioners, as he "could not cook barbecue like them Ns."
Since that time, Mr. Skillern's actions have not ameliorated the perception that his actions are unsuitable for an elected official. The citizens of Hamilton County have worked hard to promote diversity, tolerance and transparency. We live, work, and share a common bond of being in Chattanooga, and we have the same dreams for our children.
Hamilton County taxpayers spent millions of dollars to attract first-class and well-respected industries to our area. We should be proud to invest in our schools with the goal of attracting additional high-paying jobs. In return, we citizens deserve having a commissioner who acts fairly and has a long-term vision for the community.
Because of Mr. Skillern's apparently unrepentant exhibited disregard for the law and racial issues, he should resign immediately.
SANDY LUSK, President, Greater Chattanooga Democratic Women's Group
Use technology to control storms
Who can we blame for all the destructive tornadoes? As everyone knows, this past wild month of April has been unbelievable! It's as if Mother Nature has declared war on us.
My question is why our modern technology has not come up with a way to control these killer storms? After all, we have heard about the seeding of clouds that makes it rain. There should be more research done in an attempt to find a way to keep funnel clouds from forming.
There will be more destruction with the coming hurricane season.
Japan is another grim reminder as they continue trying to recover from a devastating earthquake and tsunami. The insane leaders of countries who are killing their own people and everyone is upset over it, rightfully so.
Then there are the wars where the killing continues besides the high crime rate.
The planet Earth is like a crumbling foundation. If this is a war between the devil and God, we should all pray that God wins and guides our scientists to get these problems solved. If it takes money to accomplish this, we caring people should give until it hurts.
RICHARD BLOOD, Ringgold, Ga.
Proud to live in Chattanooga
I just cannot say it any more!
I am so proud to be from Chattanooga!
We are a family of friends and neighbors who always step up to the plate to help each other.
You can shoot us, you can uproot our trees, you can blow our homes off the foundations, but our love for our town will never die!
In our time of sorrow just look to your neighbor and smile because we are safe!
Our emergency personnel, officers, firemen and medical (staff) all make us safe and sound.
No matter how bad the news, we're a family.
Thank God I live in Chattanooga.
RICK BURNETTE
Medicare shouldn't be held hostage
My wife Nada died of cancer 11/2 years ago. While undergoing the ordeal of multiple treatments, we met many people of all walks of life with similar concerns. The conversation always came around to the multiple approaches to treatment and the associated costs. How costs would be handled was a universal concern and cause for anguish. Treatment meant a chance for success, and non-treatment could not be an option.
Congressman Chuck Fleischmann, I urge you not to add to the anguish of families going through the torture of dealing with cancer and wondering about how they would deal with the costs.
Medicare as we know it, with a reasonably priced supplement, worked for us. You need to represent your constituents and stand for us and not the insurance companies.
This is not the time to hold Medicare hostage during a philosophical debt-ceiling debate. We will be watching!
IRV GINSBURG, Ooltewah
Most people just want to work
I thought I saw it all in almost 50 years of life until I got laid off at a large corporation in 2008.
Any veteran who wants to work and is qualified should be able to get a job with any local, state or the federal government, period!
Call me offensive. I served this great country for six years and because I'm white, male, 49, I'm over-qualified. What a joke!
My ancestors were not slave owners and struggled hard to make the U.S.A. a better place to live.
Ninety percent of us don't want a handout, just work to support our families.
DANIEL J. TOMASZEWSKI, Ringgold, Ga.