Scapegoat needed in Ooltewah affair
I am personally sorry for the coach of the Ooltewah basketball team; however, he must be fired or allowed to resign. I have no knowledge of whether there was an encouraged thug culture as some suggest, or just things ran out of control.
He is not responsible for this heinous act, but it did happen on a school-sponsored trip under his watch. He must be held accountable. There must be adult supervision and responsibility. Otherwise the "inmates" run the asylum.
We will justly pay millions to the victim. I totally approve.
The VW CEO promptly resigned due to the company's scandal, as he should have. We must have a scapegoat also. I hope the coach can go on to a successful career elsewhere.
Let our school district make very clear we do not accept hazing, assault, rape or unsportsmanlike conduct from our athletes. We don't need thugs. I am ashamed of my town. I'm sorry this is why we made national news.
The school district has handled this totally ineptly. They are fools being led by lawyers. Can you imagine a bigger mess?
Remember Shakespeare said, "First, kill all the lawyers."
Jim Howard, McDonald, Tenn.
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I gave blood; now won't you?
It has happened again. In the Friday, Jan. 8 issue of the Times Free Press in the Region section, there is another appeal for blood donors to Blood Assurance. What can I say about that?
I can say that I urge readers to donate! Blood product is needed whenever it is needed. For the most part, it is needed continuously.
On New Years Eve, I donated a single unit of platelets. On the day after Thanksgiving, I rendered a double unit of platelets, and I gave a single unit of platelets in between.
Harry Geller
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Ignorance is bliss when facts involved
I thought I had seen everything when I read that 36 percent of Cruz supporters did not know he was born in Canada; moreover, 24 percent of his supporters do not think someone born outside of the U.S. should be president.
Then I read the Jan. 14 Obama "essence" is arrogance gem in letters to the editor. The writer asserts we had to attack Iraq as a response to 9/11.
Just a refresher, on 9/11 we were attacked by 19 hijackers. Of those, 15 came from our supposed ally Saudi Arabia (where Osama bin Laden, the ringleader hiding out in Afghanistan, also came from). Two of the hijackers came from the United Arab Emirates, one from Egypt and one from Lebanon.
Add them up, and that leaves exactly how many from Iraq? Zero!
Some people should do a little research before sending off their opinion, but as they say, ignorance is bliss!
Scott Kelly, Ooltewah