Trump's our guy, bad hair and all
Yes, Donald Trump is this or that, but we don't care. The country is a mess because politicians have screwed it up. Illegals are everywhere, Obamacare is a disaster, IRS targeting conservative groups, federal government illegally selling guns to Mexican drug cartels. We want it fixed. We don't care that Trump is crude, insults people, been friendly with Hillary, changed positions, been married three times.
This country is weak, bankrupt and our enemies make fun of us. We are becoming a nation of victims where every Tom, Ricardo and Hasid have special rights to a point where we don't recognize our country. Trump is the only guy who seems to understand what the people want.
We're sick of politicians, of the Democratic Party, Republican Party and of what these politicians have done to us. Trump may not be a saint, but he doesn't have lobbyist money holding him and doesn't have political correctness restraining him. He has been successful, a good negotiator and built a lot of things. He's also not a politician.
We believe him because he is too much of an egotist to be proven wrong.
And we don't care if he has bad hair.
Gary Hayes
Ooltewah
Robinson needed for school board
I am supporting Tiffanie Robinson for Hamilton County Board of Education in District 4 because she is both passionate about our public schools and highly qualified to serve.
Our current school board is often focused on the wrong things. Tiffanie will focus on making our schools safe for all students. Tiffanie will focus on building equity in our school system so geography and a parent's income level don't define a student's chances of success. Tiffanie will focus on bringing resources to bear on the fact only 1 percent of students graduating from Howard High School will hit ACT college-ready benchmarks. Tiffanie will bring students, teachers, parents and community members together to focus on the things that matter most in our system.
Tiffanie has experience managing complex projects with million-dollar budgets. She has experience working with and bringing together diverse groups of people. She has experience managing and leading staff and volunteers. She is a smart, hard-working mother with young children who soon will attend our public schools.
I hope you'll join me in supporting Tiffanie Robinson on Aug. 4.
Heather DeGaetano
Women: Be wary, don't be a target
I read the Stanford rape victim's letter to her assailant - every word. My words are inadequate to convey how deeply her story touched me, or the disgust, contempt and anger I hold for her rapist, his supporters and a justice system that added to her anguish.
In Sunday's Perspective, Rex Huppke wrote he intends to require his boys to read, and understand, the woman's letter. He suggests other fathers do likewise. I agree. Maybe our girls need to read it too, so they will never be forced to write a similar letter.
The reality is predators are always lurking among us, searching for that wounded antelope in the herd. And they don't all look like a dirty old man in a dark ally. They might be a good-looking guy at a party.
Regardless how provocatively a woman dresses or dances, or how much she drinks, or flirts, there are no acceptable excuses for unwanted contact at any level, let alone rape.
I don't want my daughters to live in fear, but I would advise them to be wary. The best first defense is to not let yourself get into circumstances where you become a target.
Bill Bartle
Cleveland, Tenn.