Tea party not so keen on being profiled

Tea party not so keen on being profiled

I would think tea partiers across the nation would take it as a point of pride that the IRS took their anti-tax, anti-government rhetoric seriously enough to watch them, not as another excuse to whine and play the victim. I suppose profiling suddenly doesn't seem like such a good idea when you're the one being profiled.

WES SMITH


45-minute-long wait for train excessive

On Wednesday, my wife and I were on our way to a doctor's office on Gunbarrel Road. Driving down Graysville Road, I noticed traffic was backed up at the CSX railroad tracks. This is a frequent occurrence but the wait is usually not very long, just annoying. We arrived at 8:20 a.m. It was 9:05 a.m. before the track was cleared.

A 45-minute wait is entirely too long. It was my impression that CSX is not supposed to block an intersection for that length of time. If the railroad needs to park a train at the intersection, the train crew should split the train so the motoring public can be on its way. At least our appointment was not an emergency.

MARK WOMACK, Fort Oglethorpe


Rundown river barge needs to be relocated

The barge moored across from Ross's Landing has been discussed enough. Whenever the subject is brought up, there is enough work done on it to pacify everyone into thinking progress is being made. The current holdup is supposedly getting financing in place.

Alan Casey has owned the property on Manufacturers Road since the mid-'90s. There have been several big projects announced that have never come to fruition. The common denominator in all of these not being started has been financing. I rented a slip at the docks adjacent to the barge from Alan for over eight years. I was told I needed to relocate my boat because construction was about to start on his project. That was in spring 2007.

I hope his proposed restaurant does get built. However, until he can prove to the Corp of Engineers that his financing is eminent, they should make him move it somewhere else immediately.

MIKE NATION


More support needed for smokers

Smoking is addictive. They pass away because they get lung cancer and emphysema. People and pets who are affected by second-hand smoke also can die.

I think it would be a good idea if the government gave out nicotine patches and gum to smokers. They could go to pharmacies to get nicotine patches and gum. I also think it would be a good idea if smokers would see counselors and go to rehab centers that can help them quit smoking sooner, so there will be fewer people dying of emphysema and lung cancer later.

Health classes in middle schools should warn about the dangers of smoking.

Did you know that the main harmful ingredients in tobacco are nicotine, carbon monoxide, tar, benzene, formaldehyde, ammonia, acetone, arsenic and hydrogen cyanide? So why would people smoke if they know it is bad for them?

LEVI ALEXANDER, Signal Mountain


Boston bombers were already radicals

I have noticed that the print, radio and television media have stated the Boston bombers have been "radicalized" as if they were taken advantage of. We need to be reminded that they were not victims of some slick Muslim cleric who talked them into something that they were not already open to. The true victims were those who lost their lives or were maimed for life. These evil men were not radicalized they are radicals.

GERALD WHITELY, Ringgold, Ga.

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