Bills would affect church outreach and other letters to the editors

Bills would affect church outreach

Two bills recently have been proposed in the House and Senate. If passed, House Bill 1111 and Senate Bill 1222 will hurt our local economy and impact our church's outreach into the community.

These bills, as written, will double the rates charged to cable companies in Tennessee for poles they rent from electric utility companies. These increased rates will end up causing consumers to pay more in their cable bills. In addition, companies would be discouraged from investing in quality communications services due to high costs.

Olivet Baptist Church has built a mobile religious program so that anyone can tune into our church online or listen to sermons via a live stream on their cell phones each Sunday. This is particularly important for those who cannot physically attend our services due to illness, impairment or distance.

Connectivity to the broadband services that are provided by those who rent on these poles in Tennessee is vital to the spiritual development of our listeners. Any increased fees that would be passed down to our community would discourage them from connecting; therefore, we strongly encourage you to just say no to this proposed legislation.

DR. KEVIN ADAMS SR., Olivet Baptist Church


U.S. visibility in Islamic areas is vital

In the Perspective on Sunday, March 3, was an interesting discussion: "Should U.S. consider withdrawal from Middle East and North Africa?" Mr. Haas supports "That 58 percent Americans who think that we should leave things alone in the Islamic world have it backwards. America needs more engagement not less in the greater Middle East." The opposing contender, Mr. Quigley, argues, "that our military presence and our interest may suffer because of our presence in the region."

I believe American visibility is crucial in that part of the world. During the last 60 years America has invested billions of dollars and American lives in the region only to hope that someday they will live in a free and open society under a representative and responsible government. America's foreign policy has always been one of accommodation rather than antagonism and has consistently extended friendship of empathetic attitude toward Muslim societies.

America will never change or modernize the people whose vision of reform is to live in the seventh century rather than catch the American dream.

AMOS TAJ, Ooltewah


Bennett's cartoons are an embarrassment

Having lived in North Carolina, St. Petersburg Fla., and Atlanta Ga., and seen plenty of political cartoons, Clay Bennett's are the most vindictive and pitiful I have seen.

I do not know how he can make fun of the death of Margaret Thatcher. He must be the product of a sorry education institution and not a student of history.

He is an embarrassment to our city.

CHARLES O. MASON JR.

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