Letters to the Editors

Men are needed in children's lives

For generations, we have been imprisoning black males for petty crimes.

Marijuana being the number one reason for incarceration today. By taking one out of the equation, instead of having two parents, we are left with a female to tend to all of the care and work. It is extremely hard to be a single parent, and no one can make it on minimum wage pay unless there are two people in the family working.

We put the father in prison and then we turn around and blame the women and the children for the misdeeds they are doing.

It escalates into children who are left to fend for themselves and disobey their mother because they have no father in their life. Even if these men wanted to be in their child's life they are not allowed.

Young men grow up thinking that is the way it is. It should not be that way. The young men need respect, they need love, they need mentors -- both black and white.

They need training for jobs and they need apprenticeship programs.

Why should they grow up like this? Stop putting their fathers in prison. They grow up angry and hateful. Wouldn't you?

PENNY FURMAN

Cleveland, Tenn.

Pierce best choice for Red Bank job

The Red Bank city commissioners have the opportunity to vote for one of the four candidates to fill the open spot they have.

One of the candidates meets or exceeds all of the requirements that they set for a person to qualify for the job. This is Eddie Pierce, who lives in the district, who has lived in Red bank for 17 years, graduated from Red Bank High School, along with his family owned and operated the Red Bank Athletic Shop for 32 years.

He has supported Red Bank sports of all kinds, grass cutter football, Dixie Youth baseball, and Red Bank High School's sports.

We have known Eddie for at least 40 years. He is an upstanding member of the Red Bank community, a member of the Red Bank Cumberland Presbyterian Church, has held many leadership positions in the church and has been a businessman for 32 years.

He is the best man for this job and we would appreciate all of the commissioners voting for Eddie Pierce.

JAMES AND HELEN LaMANCE

Business not office qualification

Small business has become an icon. Every political candidate begins his campaign with "I am a businessman" as his qualification for office. Most of them hate government and claim to be Christians.

Business is purely self-seeking. Their one aim is to make as much money for themselves as possible however they can. Business is necessary but not as a form of government. Businessmen dislike government because it interferes with their profits by protecting the public against predators.

The Bible says to honor the king, pray for your rulers, obey the laws and care for the less fortunate.

The preamble to the Constitution says, "... the people ... in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare ... ."

A government is not a business, it is a union established for the welfare of all citizens.

Should being a businessman qualify one for public office? You be the judge.

EDNA TAYLOR

Paterno's legacy colored by greed

I am sorry that Joe Paterno passed away because he has left his family behind and by all accounts was a decent man who tried to do things the right way.

But there is something that I can't ever forget about. It's just like the way I remember Woody Hayes at Ohio State. The only image I can see is him punching Charlie Bowden of Clemson in the throat. The last thing I will remember about Joe Pa is that he had to know what was going on, but he was too preoccupied with getting the most wins, and having more than Bobby Bowden, who by the way would still be coaching now if his win/loss record were better.

Now we know why the athletic director tried to force Joe Pa to retire in 2005. He was enamored with the record just like politicians are with power, and millionaires are with money. They are never satisfied no matter how much of it they have.

Greed is a terrible thing when you will sacrifice anything to get it, and it cost Paterno his legacy.

RONNIE HORTON

'Riding' now just a business venture

I want to thank the Chambliss family for the beautiful Reflection Riding Land Trust they so graciously gave to us to enjoy.

For many years and in every season, I have walked the paths of this garden.

It soothed my soul and allowed my imagination to wander. I admire the wooden signage and marveled at the many plants and trees. I could feel the love the elder Chamblisses must have had for this place. It's a love I share.

I was furious, then saddened, that the name was changed to Chattanooga Arboretum.

A new metal sign has been erected, and many events will be planned. The Walden Pond of Chattanooga has turned into a business venture. How sad.

Thank you, John and Margaret Chambliss. You are heroes to me. I understand your Reflection Riding, and I will silently thank you as I walk your paths.

It will always be Reflection Riding to me, a perfect name for a perfect place.

REBA SMITH

St. Elmo

National debt very destructive

I don't believe there are many U.S. citizens who are aware of how huge our national debt is, how fast it is growing and how destructive it is to this country's future.

Federal fiscal figures are too huge to understand, so let's reduce it to a simple taxpayer's budget.

1. Annual salary: $21,700.

2. Money spent: $38,200.

3. New debt: $16,500.

4. Credit card balance: $152,000.

What would your bank say if you asked them to borrow money to pay the interest on your debt?

With this being an election year, I have several additional questions for all politicians running.

1. Why do both political parties just mean bigger government?

2. What if our right to bear arms only applied to the government?

3. Who owns our income -- you or the government?

Last question: What is the beginning of the end for any nation? As someone has said, it's when half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they worked for. Vote!

E. LEE GERALDSON

Harrison

Don't favor one religion over others

I see some of our state legislators are again trying to blur the separation of church and state.

I would have no problem with the Ten Commandments being posted on public property as long as the five tenets of Isalm, a fat happy Buddha and a Hindu Shiva god with seven arms were placed next to it.

Otherwise I will ask the ACLU to file suit when they try again to favor one religion over another.

ROBERT PALMER

Treat causes to tame gangs

Youth violence is a challenge for our city.

Every week, scores of children are shot or assaulted on our streets.

I attended a recent meeting held by the NAACP and the mayor of Chattanooga's anti-gang unit staff. Their policing and anti-violence community-based strategy is wrong-headed. They don't see these youth violence acts as a disease or epidemic, but only as criminal behavior.

As a man with a B.S. degree in criminal justice from UTC, I will share with you and city government that the cure lies not with haphazard treatment of the symptoms, but should be focused more on the targeted scientific treatment of the causes.

The citizens of Chattanooga should not see violence solely as episodic criminal behavior, but as a public health issue to be treated like other diseases and combated like other seemingly intractable problems of drugs.

The city approach should be a lesson of science itself. Criminal justice research into the relationship between brain development and human behavior provides a better understanding of the causes of youth violence and offers hope that evidence based interventions, eventually, can change destructive behaviors.

CHESTER

HEATHINGTON

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