Vote to protect us from PC lunacy
It seems we are ready to surrender our principles to the politically correct radicals! They are determined to rewrite our Constitution and destroy the very fiber that made this nation great. It starts in the classes of the institutions of higher learning.
We must stop these anarchists from teaching our youth how to promote disorder and excite revolt against any established rule, law or custom before they destroy this republic. We are now involved in a very important presidential election. We must study the candidates carefully for there is one who advocates that we become a socialist nation. I believe it is imperative that we elect a strong man, a staunch supporter of our Constitution, one who is unafraid to challenge the politically correct lunacy sweeping the nation. Folks, its time to turn the country around. The clock is ticking.
Gene O. Wagner Sr.
Rossville
Legislators' skunk debate stinks
The Tennessee state legislature recently spent some time debating whether Tennesseans could legally own spayed, de-scented skunks as pets. This is the august body who receives a daily stipend, some travel expenses, the rent-free use of our capitol building, top quality health insurance and other miscellaneous perks. We assume in return that our legislators would spend their time - and our money - to conduct important state affairs. Perhaps the state legislature should also debate whether to pay for health care insurance for these legally owned skunks. They don't seem to care whether human residents of Tennessee have health care.
Shirley Davis
Sewanee, Tenn.
Detective comments disturbing, dubious
I could only wonder in amazement as I read about the incredulous and opinionated testimony of Rodney Burns in Juvenile Court (addressing him as Detective does serious insult to the many dedicated law enforcement officers in Tennessee). I read that he had been called as a defense witness! Now his current "take" on the "facts" is coming into focus. Perhaps his opinion has been shaped by the realization that all this "overblown reaction" about a young man who was held down by two others while a third "forced a pool cue into his rectum causing serious bodily injury requiring surgery to repair injuries to his bladder, rectum and prostate" is not good publicity for the tourism community of Gatlinburg.
As a former prosecutor for Hamilton County, I can only begin to appreciate the disturbing effect Burns' attitude must be having on the young victim and his family. I sincerely hope arrangements have been made for discussions with District Attorney General Dunn who oversees criminal prosecutions in Sevier County as to how the prosecution will proceed in this matter given the opinions in sworn testimony by Burns, who is currently "in charge" of the case.
Tom Evans
Hixson
Residents eager to vote this year
I wanted to thank you for writing and sharing the early voting dates and locations so that the general public would be aware of them and be able to exercise their basic fundamental right and responsibility to vote. Two other American history and government classmates and I conducted a public opinion poll at Hamilton Place mall about voting in general. All 12 people we talked to said they planned to vote in this year's presidential election if eligible and all 12 claimed to know where to vote. Everyone we talked to agreed that they believed their votes mattered and would make a difference. It's great that Tennessee and other states offer early voting dates to allow citizens ample time to vote without letting bad weather or any other circumstances stand in their way.
America Henry
student, Ooltewah