Media coverage of protest off target and other letters to the editors

Media coverage of protest off target

I am sickened by how the Chattanooga media treated young people trying to exercise their First Amendment rights on the National Day of Protest. Instead of writing about their cause of trying to end police brutality nationwide, Chattanooga media outlets posted their mug shots. Who would ever want to move to Chattanooga knowing the minute you try to express your right to peaceful protest, you will be treated like a high-profile criminal? Maybe if they were all white and were organized by a "charity" where their leader pulls in $100,000 yearly salary, you would be cheering them on with free advertisement, and the city would give them a permit. Nice job standing up for the people's constitutional rights, Chattanooga. Disgraceful.

NANCY RUS


Hazlewood Thanks District 27 Voters

I want to thank all of you who exercised your constitutional right by voting in the general election on Nov. 4. I especially want to express my appreciation to the voters of District 27 who have entrusted me with the opportunity and honor of representing you in Nashville. There are many important issues our state must address - education, health care, transportation, to name a few. We must deal with these, and more, while continuing to operate within revenues collected so that we meet Tennessee's constitutional requirement to balance the budget. While there are challenges ahead, I know that working together we can overcome these challenges and grow the positive momentum in our state, county and district. Knowing that pleasing everyone and gaining full agreement on every issue is impossible, my commitment to all I've been elected to represent is simple: I'll work hard for you. Before taking a position, I'll listen, I'll learn as much about the issue as possible, and then, thoughtfully and prayerfully, make an informed decision. Thank you again for allowing me to work for you. Together we can make this a better community, not just for us but for our children and grandchildren.

PATSY HAZLEWOOD, Signal Mountain


Forgive DesJarlais, but don't be blind

In our 4th Congressional District, practically everyone of voting age swears allegiance to a pro-life stance, deeming abortion equivalent to murder and against biblical teaching. Therefore, it's puzzling that the good Christian voters of our district overwhelmingly re-elected Scott DesJarlais to Congress. This is a man whose history is replete with his attempts to persuade women, both wives and mistresses, to undergo abortions to deal with his messy past, although publicly he, too, claims to be pro-life. Should you ask anyone of these pious East Tennessee voters how they could possibly vote for such a reprehensible man, the reply runs thus: "But Jesus said we should be forgiving." Very true, Jesus did say that, but he didn't say we should be blind, stupid and hypocritical. How would these same wonderfully forgiving voters react if a similar squalid history came out about some other politician, say - the president?

THOMAS RODGERS Dayton, Tenn.


Causing danger is not nonviolent

A recent letter to the editor was off the mark. I wasn't at the protest, either, and I don't see where anyone has a problem with nonviolent dissenters, but in my eyes, as soon as the protesters sat down in the street at Market and Main, they were no longer "nonviolent." They were putting themselves and the citizens at that intersection in extreme danger, and they were indeed violent dissenters and should be treated as such. There are right ways and wrong ways to protest.

SAM THAL

Upcoming Events