Friday, January 1, 1904
I have been a Democrat all my life. I have gone all the way from being a precinct chairman to a member of the state executive committee. I love the Democratic Party and care about its image.
The rumor that former state Sen. Ward Crutchfield is contemplating running for public office again is troubling. I sincerely hope it is only a rumor. If it is true, he needs to understand that all Democrats do not wish to see him on another ballot. Ever!
He is a convicted felon! He broke the law! And many Democrats believe it may not have been the first time. His being convicted of violating his "public trust" was a slap in the face of all decent Democrats. We have learned that corruption and infidelity are bipartisan, however, we prefer to have no Spiro Agnews representing us.
If the rumor is true, it shows the hubris of Ward Crutchfield. He does not deserve another chance at public office. If state law does not preclude him from running, I will urge all Democrats, Republicans, independents and the power structure to oppose him in the strongest possible ways.
We need individuals in government who are honest; not convicted felons!
WELDON R. MARKHAM
In response to the three-quarter page article on the book "Fifty Shades of Grey" (Aug. 26), I would ask, "Why promote a novel that is perverse, degrading to women, and has no moral value?" I made a choice not to read it several weeks ago when I could not wade through the plot review on the Internet. It was repulsive.
Are you practicing responsible journalism by promoting filth? Why not use the space to feature a book that has high moral value and encourages rather than tears down?
Please, I encourage you to take the high road.
ALLISON WEBB, Signal Mountain
It wasn't long after we bought and moved to the farm that I realized that most of the litter that we were picking up was wrappings, cups, cans and bottles of well-advertised products. Those tossing the litter are obviously reached and influenced by advertisements.
We should enlist those advertisers' help in our struggle against litter. They would be effective by utilizing the knowledge that so successfully reaches and influences litterers. We should seriously consider requiring producers of products that end up as litter to spend as much on advertisements and programs that discourage littering as they spend on the sale of their products. Helping the rest of us pick up their trash should be included.
What brought this to mind was Dr. Clif Cleaveland's Aug. 23 column. Those who produce products that bring on chronic health-related problems should also spend at least what they spend promoting their products on sponsoring and supporting programs that would take care of health-related problems caused by the overuse and misuse of their products.
It behooves producers of any product to anticipate problems to avoid possible mandated laws that will be required if they do not voluntarily adopt programs to alleviate problems that their products might cause.
JAMES O.B. WRIGHT, Sequatchie, Tenn.
I enjoyed perusing the "like" stats of our local businesses in "Fan Base," Sunday, (Aug. 26), as well as the perspectives on the efficacy of the Facebook tool.
I own a local web store called Yoga Evolution, and we have grown our "likes" on Facebook since February. Using Facebook advertising, we have met new customers in places like Raipur, India; Strathfield, Australia and Mt. Juliet, Tenn.
We currently have 4,700 Facebook fans. Twitter is another great way to meet new "fans" from the other side of the planet. We're just at 1,194 dedicated yogi tweeters.
Profits at Yoga Evolution are as yet unmatched with those of our local giants. We're certainly not at even half the "like" equity of companies like BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee -- at least, not in terms of Facebook fans. But we're third among the giants in tweeters. And we only have one employee.
The tools are free to start, so they're worth a shot. The challenge is to offer timely, unique posts that keep your "fans" engaged on what the business is doing to change things. The pulse of social media is change on demand, so that's what the medium invites when your business achieves more "likes."
BETTERTON DWALLACE
For all those shocked by Todd Akin's statement regarding "legitimate" rape, this has been in the GOP platform for years. Paul Ryan and his fellow GOPers have voted overwhelmingly for the "no exception" rule in the abortion law. If Romney/Ryan should succeed, women's rights will be set back to the dark ages. Why is it that men think they should have control over women's health decisions?
Ryan's votes are a matter of record for all voters to see; look it up. How can they claim to be pro-life when Ryan and his cronies voted to send other people's children to an illegal war in Iraq? Vote against allowing hungry children in this, the richest country in the world, go without a meal? Vote against women receiving mammograms, pap smears, breast cancer exams in order to perhaps save them from a certain cruel death sentence? Vote to have all citizens breathing dirty air and drinking toxic water just so their masters (Koch, Adelson, etc.) can stuff another billion in their pockets?
The Romney/Ryan campaign is based on nothing but lies and fear mongering in order to hang on to their uninformed, delusional base.
ANN BENTON, Signal Mountain
Re: Cliff Hightower's Aug. 27 article about Chattanooga Organized for Action: I am president of Hill City Neighborhood Association and I am a member of COA. That does not make HCNA a COA subgroup. HCNA residents have been working for this community for longer than I've been alive. COA is not "the central point of an umbrella group."
Mr. Hightower wrote "COA challenged the Department of Education." COA didn't. The Coalition to Keep the Promise did. Many community and education advocates are disappointed with this ongoing saga. Justice delayed is justice denied. He also wrote, "the school board agreed to start letting in Hill City children." Actually, the board voted for a phase-in plan, and 10 months later we still don't have one. Five kindergartners per year is not a phase-in plan. Nothing phases out, and Hill City never gets zoned.
We need a countywide parents' coalition to hold the school district accountable, and we need citizens engaged in how tax dollars are spent or squandered. Democracy is people-power, not money-power. COA is a platform to train citizens to take the power back. We've had to secure some victories to prove the work works.
RHIANNON MAYNARD
Dalton Roberts (commentary, Life section, Aug. 21) was correct in pointing out the serious need for a new technical high school in Chattanooga. Elimination of Kirkman High School was a mistake, as was moving the program to Howard School.
The location of a new school near Chattanooga State is ideal. The rapid growth of private business schools in this area is ample proof of the shortage of technical training for our young people. The school board needs to put this discussion on their agenda.
ROCKY RENNEISEN, Signal Mountain