Paying fair share not 'class warfare'

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS

Friday, January 1, 1904

Paying fair share not 'class warfare'

Republicans who insist that we not tax the super rich, and who insist that those citizens who demand that they be taxed, "class warfare," are neither following the teachings of Christ nor of the Constitution.

Jesus said: "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required." A "Christian nation," huh?

The rest of us should get beyond the GOP-Fox spin and stop our squeamishness about demanding the rich pay their fair share. This is not "class warfare."

B.J. PASCHALL

Sevierville, Tenn.

Don't tamper with the Bible

"For I (Jesus) testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book (or tree) of life, and out of the holy city (Jerusalem), and from the things which are written in this book" Revelation 22:18,19.

Revelation, the final book of the Bible, was written in the first century A.D. The dire warnings apply to all who edit, take from, or to add to the Bible (at least the book quoted). It does not matter what you call yourself. God is the judge of those to whom this Scripture portion applies. It's one thing to comment upon the Bible. It's another to make up "stuff" about God's message to man. Be warned: of heresy, of plagues, or worse, separation.

RAY STASZEWSKI

Harrison

GOP not working with the president

When we as Americans went to the polls to elect the president of the United States, I think everybody thought Barack Obama could fix all of the problems we now have, and he very well could. But how can he when the Republicans won't work with him?

They refuse to listen to anything he says. He was told that they would do nothing to help him get re-elected because of his attitude. He would go down in history as the first black president that the United States had elected, but refused to work with.

JEAN HEARD

Customer service makes a difference

For the past two months, I was employed as a security officer at Erlanger. I'd like to present the following observations:

I saw Walden as extremely dedicated, well-trained and professional. Erlanger employees said Walden was on scene and more prompt to calls. Many said they rarely saw the prior force and that Walden officers were more professional.

I did observe one problem. When confronting unruly or combative patients, officers should attempt to talk the patient or individual down, rather than match their anger or stress. I found some Walden officers overly aggressive. Some circumstances do require an officer to establish control of the situation, but I suggest improvement here is much needed.

I practiced customer service. I greeted everyone I came in contact with with a smile and a "hello." Who responded the most? The "no-name workers" who keep the hospital running ... housekeeping, the transporters, the cafeteria workers! They made me feel very welcome and appreciated. I felt I was making a difference. I was being accepted as part of the team at Erlanger! And what's that? Shucks, just plain 'ol customer service! I'll truly miss the many friends I made at Erlanger!

PAUL PAYNE

Hixson

Benson priorities are out of order

Where was City Councilman Jack Benson when the Chattanooga City Planning Board approved the construction of a 22-unit, two-story residential complex facing the two-lane 8500 block of East Brainerd Road?

Talk about a "high traffic snarl." Every day East Brainerd Road, between Thelmeta Avenue and Morris Hill Road, (1.1 miles), experiences a parade of bumper-to-bumper eastbound traffic from approximately 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. What is the traffic going to be like on that portion of East Brainerd Road when all of the 22 apartments are occupied? More "fender benders" and delays?

If Councilman Benson doesn't see a problem with that scenario, then how can he honestly be opposed to the location of the new IHOP?

WILLIS M. MARTIN

Businesses need to play by rules

Right-wing politicians have been working overtime to mislead the public in their attacks on an agency with a congressionally mandated mission to protect workers. Now opinion leaders also are pushing falsehoods and drumming up controversy over the National Labor Relations Board's decision to investigate Boeing for a potential violation of labor law ("Sen. Bob Corker hits National Labor Relations Board," Oct. 10).

The facts of the case hardly warrant the uproar: Boeing stated publicly and repeatedly that it was moving production from its Washington state plant to South Carolina in response to workers exercising their protected rights. And newly surfaced documents from Boeing reveal that it expected cost increases and productivity declines in South Carolina, which strongly suggests that the company's actions were about retaliation, not the bottom line.

Regardless, no one is telling Boeing where to do business. The NLRB's complaint has nothing to do with South Carolina's status as a "right-to-work" state -- it's illegal to penalize workers for exercising their rights in every state.

At the end of the day, working people play by the rules, and so should businesses.

KIMBERLY FREEMAN BROWN

Executive Director, American Rights at Work

Washington, D.C.

Good quality of life beats development

We are very concerned about the proposed development of high-density apartments and shopping mall(s) in the Highway 153/Boy Scout Road area. Have the following issues been addressed before approval is given?

1. The north Hixson and Red Bank areas are already bloated with rental housing.

2. Traffic patterns at the intersection of Highway 153 and Boy Scout Road, and the merging traffic from Dayton Boulevard, are already hazardous.

3. Boy Scout Road, a two-lane road with no shoulders and flooding issues, is inadequate to support the large flow of traffic that would result from an adjacent high-density apartment complex.

4. There are already numerous developed commercial spaces along Highway 153/Hixson Pike that have sat vacant for years.

5. What is the impact on schools and community services? According to recent Times Free Press articles, some schools in the Hixson and Falling Water areas are already overcrowded and/or need replacement.

Do we really want Highway 153 to become further congested with commercial sprawl or do we want a stable, well-planned community that offers green spaces, free of gridlock? Isn't the long-term quality of life in this community more important than another complex of look-alike chain stores?

JOHN AND SANDY RATHJEN

Hixson