Scams claim to help veterans
My parents received a solicitation for money to help with Thanksgiving "Thank You" Meal Project to help provide our struggling military families with food and money. After checking out the parent 501(c)3 company, Coalition to Salute America's Heroes, I found this to be yet another scam. The retired military personnel whose names appear on the company stationery have been paid big bucks for the use of their names, a form of the lowest prostitution.
The website to check out military charities listed some other names but not Maj. Gen. John K. Singlaub, whose name appeared at the bottom of the letter. Some had been paid as much as half a million dollars, and the genius behind the scam draws an annual salary of about the same, which doesn't include untold perks.
As the holidays approach, many of these solicitations will be sent through the mail and by telephone, not only for the military but for law enforcement and firefighters as well. All will sound like a very good cause. Few if any will actually deliver money where they say it will go.
If you or your family would like to make a donation, please make it locally. We have veterans in our communities who will directly benefit from your thoughtful donation.
HELEN COOPER
Signal Mountain
Build in safety for food supply
Re: "Safeguarding the food chain," (Times editorial, Sept. 14):
While I agree the government should step up testing of food given the breakdown in the safety of many foods, there are other steps that would be more effective in ensuring the safety of our food supply.
Manufacturers will tell you that you cannot test quality into a product; you have to build it into the product.
The current system is attempting to test quality in, instead of pushing producers to build it in.
Much of the e. coli issue is caused by huge feed lots where cattle are fed corn and other grains that their systems are unable to digest effectively because they evolved to digest a diet of grass. Putting these cattle on pasture for a relatively short period of time (less than two weeks) eliminates most of the issues with e. coli.
As long as we, as consumers, push to get the cheapest food possible, producers will do what they can to produce at as low a cost as possible. Cutting corners on quality makes things cheaper - but while you may pay less on the front end, you could end up paying way too much in the end.
CATHERINE D. BOETTNER,
Cleveland, Tenn.
Cartoonist misses mark
I've been reading your paper for 18-plus years. I've always been fascinated by Clay Bennett's political cartoons and his attention to detail therein. No matter what the political climate, he always manages to find a way to blame the Republicans (or conservatives in general) for any kind of political or economic crisis, as he did in his cartoon in the Tuesday (Sept. 13) paper. Kudos Clay! Even though you've missed the mark once again, your attention to detail is definitely great. I only wish I had your talent for drawing. We could compete for space on the editorial pages.
STEVE BERNTHAL
Blairsville, Ga.