Shooter's actions raise questions
Just read the chilling account of a woman, Julia Shields, shooting up a neighborhood in Hixson and pointing her gun at the police and living!
For the record, I am very glad of that fact, because she obviously needs help. But a couple of questions immediately come to mind.
First, was she a registered gun owner? Second and more importantly, if she had been of color would the outcome have been the same?
And going back to Ferguson, was the most obvious racist Michael Brown? Would he have robbed and assaulted a black shop owner? Would he have attacked a black police officer?
Unfortunately racism does exist, has for a very long time and probably will continue. If we are honest, we have all been guilty of at least thinking racist thoughts at some times in our lives. Hopefully, through discussions and meaningful actions, it will be reduced and minimized as we go forward.
Michael Lawrence
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Thank police for keeping us safe
The police are the defenders of the rich, poor, unfortunate, young and old, and they do this without fear and very little pay. Just think what it would be like without the protection by these brave people. Our country, cities and townships would be in utter chaos.
There is a segment of our society that without the protection of law enforcement would take advantage of the weak and less intelligent. It may be hard to believe, but there are people who lay awake at night trying to figure a way to cheat someone out of their hard earned money and possessions or to kill them if necessary. We need the police to keep this segment in check.
The police deserve our respect, and we need to take a stand against these agitators, the ones who stir up others to take militant action against these brave law enforcement officers. As we come in contact with these brave men and woman, let us take the time to thank them for keeping us safe.
Gene O. Wagner Sr., Rossville
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Commentary based on erroneous premise
Flush from her recent book on slavery in America, guest editorialist Anne Farrow begins her Dec. 30 piece with, "we may never know what happened in Ferguson" and concludes with exactly the opposite premise: Slavery is the culprit and we need not look any further. Seriously?
You're entitled to your own opinion but not your own facts. At the outbreak of the Civil War, two-thirds of the U.S. population did not condone slavery and strongly supported abolition.
From her academic research, Farrow was magically able to connect the dots and conclude that because the terrible institution once existed, the residue from that era produced a prejudiced police officer who acted without provocation to take the life of an innocent black man.
That kind of thinking grants a free pass for bad behavior, ignores the rule of law to adjudicate tough issues (the grand jury) and raises ignorance to the level of virtue.
Denny Pistoll, Rising Fawn, GA