Gender equity and service
I'm wondering why only men are required to register for the military draft. This traditional practice is based on an outdated assumption that men are more fit for military service than women. The last barriers to exposure to front-line combat by women are gradually being torn down for those women who wish to sit in foxholes with their male comrades.
Right now, the privilege of women to fight in front-line combat would be voluntary. Should the draft be re-instated, however, only men would be forced into combat roles. Women would be free of this obligation. This is clearly gender discrimination.
I urge young men reading this letter to sue the federal government because of this unfair practice. I cannot see the possibility of them losing such a case.
I also think that the families of young men who died as draftees in Vietnam should sue the government as well. These families deserve compensation for a terrible past injustice. Males' lives were lost in Vietnam because women were not allowed to serve in combat. In fact, gender discrimination has led to the unnecessary deaths of thousands of young men throughout American history.
MARCUS SHEFFIELD, Ooltewah
Bennett cartoon taken to task
What can we deduce from Clay Bennett's latest display of tasteless vitriol, showing an impeachment "cross" burning on the White House lawn with the Obamas warily peeking out from behind the curtains? A burning cross is usually associated with the KKK, a notably white supremacist organization. Impeachment is usually associated with the U.S. House of Representatives. Since articles of impeachment require a simple majority vote in the House, and the Republicans hold a strong majority, one can deduce that Clay's burning impeachment cross was planted by a Republican white supremacist majority. I guess Clay thinks it's OK to paint Republicans as members of a truly despicable organization just because he doesn't like them. What a loser! What's worse is that the Times Free-Press prints his trash.
STEVE BERNTHAL, Blairsville, Ga.
GOP can't stop the train wreck
Maybe you do not read your own paper, but the fact is that so far the GOP has not been able to obstructed any part or segment of Obamacare. The act was forced through Congress and passed by Democrats without Republican input. It was also a Democrat Senator who called the implementation a "train wreck." Nearly 50 percent of the deadlines set by the law have not been met. Major provisions such as the employer mandate have been illegally delayed by a lawless administration so people in this country won't realize before the 2014 and 2016 elections how really devastating and costly for the taxpayers of this country full implementation of the Affordable Care Act will be, then Democrats will be voted out of office. You people worry about Republicans spending 88 hours on futile repeal efforts while the White House spends $700 million in advertising to sell it now two years after its passage on a plan that is as dopey as your editorial. Tell everyone how popular the plan is after the penalties kick in and their health insurance premiums double!
JEFF WELLS, Hixson