Chattanooga native overwhelmed by stranger's kindness
I am writing to share what happened to me while I was in your city.
I was born in Chattanooga, and my husband and I love to play there. My husband surprised me for my birthday and took me downtown for the weekend. We had a great time until the following day when I realized my wallet was missing. We retraced our steps and talked with a dozen people. I called my creditors and credit bureau to protect what I could.
But soon everything was going to change.
The following Monday, my veterinarian's office called my husband out of the blue to let him know that a woman, Miss Polly, called from Chattanooga to say she had my wallet. A man, James Kevin Nazor, found it at a bus stop downtown. He gave it to Miss Polly, who figured out how to reach my vet.
I rushed back to Chattanooga and got my wallet back; it was untouched.
I spoke with Mr. Nazor, my hero. He was the most humble and kind person. He strikes me as someone who goes without a lot of the time. I am in awe of his grace, kindness and integrity.
There is still goodness in the world. God bless you, Mr. Nazor, and your friend, Miss Polly.
A. Hendrix
Rome, Ga.
Perhaps Congress can get answers
I must admit that I am an engineer and not an attorney. However, it seems logical that even though Hillary Clinton's aides and advisers have been granted immunity by the Justice Department relative to the investigation into the email scandal, they can still be subpoenaed to testify before Congress.
They do not have immunity from lying to Congress and should still be liable for lying. They should not be able to plead the Fifth Amendment since they cannot incriminate themselves over topics covered in the FBI investigation, but must answer questions relative to the scandal from Congress. Thus, the truth should be available to the Congress.
Grady B. Nichols
Signal Mountain
Both Clinton, Trump unfit
"Deplorable" could describe both candidates running for president of the United States. The agenda of one would only add further to our national debt, the other's agenda is a bit too murky to define. Neither one display the demeanor nor have the image or reputation expected of a chief of state.
The best solution for our country, if possible, would have both candidates withdraw their candidacy and our election would then be for the current vice-presidential nominees. The winner would become president and the loser become vice-president.
I realize the impossibility for my solution as neither candidate would willingly acknowledge their inadequacies.
Tom Creal
Signal Mountain
Trump will taint Corker reputation
"Trump names Corker to security panel," the headline reads. I consider Bob Corker an intelligent public servant who has made real contributions in his role as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee in the U.S. Senate.
He is thoughtful in his review of foreign affairs and is able to communicate his positions so that we all profit by his insights. He deserves our attention and respect. His agreeing to help Donald Trump boggles the mind.
Bob, I urge you to reconsider working on the Trump team. This is a man who is clueless when it comes to world affairs and at times is able to shoot himself in the foot and compliment himself on the aim. Words do matter, and his have already brought real harm to U.S. interests worldwide. Many of your co-legislators have distanced themselves from him. I urge you to do the same. The affiliation is not worth the potential damage to your reputation!
Irwin Ginsburg
Commanders say Trump a danger
Trump claims media bias against him. Not so. Trump maintains with no evidence that President George W. Bush was a war criminal. "They lied. The Bush administration knew Iraq had no WMD." If Clinton made such an assertion about a Republican president, her feet would have been held to the fire.
After bashing the free American press, Trump goes on Kremlin-controlled TV praising our country's adversary. If Clinton had done this, she never would have heard the end of it. Trump, with only prep school military experience, claims to know more than our generals, about whom he says have been "reduced to rubble."
Syria's Assad is responsible for the death of countless thousands of his own people, with Russian forces indirectly helping ISIS in the country. Trump has suggested our country withdraw from NATO, the only counter to Putin ripping off Ukraine and other former Russian-controlled states in his long-range plan to re-establish the Soviet Union. It is understandable that present and past supreme commanders of our military such as Gen. Hayden and Gen. Scowcroft consider a President Trump to be dangerous to our country and the world.
John Bratton
Sewanee, Tenn.
Mud-slinging bad for electorate
The media criticizes Donald Trump about his tax situation (one outlet said he was not fulfilling his civic duties). Yet mainstream media fail to mention others who defy tax laws. A good friend of our president, Al Sharpton, according to Snopes.com, owes about $4.5 million in unpaid taxes. How many others who owe millions in unpaid taxes also manage to stay out of prison? A lot are Democrats, and a lot are Republicans. Both sides are too busy slinging mud this election season to give America any real hope of a bright future.
Kelvin H. Flemings
Soddy-Daisy
Moral choice this year is Johnson
The Republican nominee for president is temperamentally unfit to be an elected official, much less president. He has no respect for constitutional boundaries on executive power, persistently exhibits racist, sexist, xenophobic behavior and has a love affair with the dictator/strongman of one of our largest geopolitical adversaries.
Support for his candidacy undermines the very principles the conservative movement and Republican Party claim to uphold.
This is not to say that his Democratic opponent is worthy of your vote, either. Only Trump surpasses her as the worst presidential nominee in the modern era. She has repeatedly demonstrated wholesale disregard for the American public in her lack of transparency and truthfulness. She, too, is wholly unfit for the office of president.
Casting a positive ballot for either is both politically and morally bankrupt. You can have that on your conscience, but I won't. I'll be voting for Gary Johnson.
Josh Paul
Trump's lead due to bad choices?
I am writing regarding the Oct. 7 article "Vanderbilt poll: Trump leads Clinton in Tennessee by 11 percent."
Eleven percent is undeniably a solid lead, but though Trump will probably get Tennessee, it won't be because of Trump-mania.
As noted in the article, the Republican nominee's lead in Tennessee is only about half the final 20 percent margin Mitt Romney had in the 2012 elections. Also, the Vanderbilt statistics show only 41 percent of Trump voters were "very enthusiastic" about him, and 73 percent of Trump voters identified as angry.
Though he was leading in the Tennessee polls, I believe his lead is due less to Trump-satisfied voters than to Tennessee voters feeling they have to choose between the lesser of two bad candidates.
Courtney Calvert
Collegedale, Tenn.
Reader wants TFP to edit copy better
As a retired lawyer and regular reader and subscriber since 1971 to the Times and the TFP, I have noticed a growing incidence of incorrect grammar and poor usage in its news columns over the last few years, in both wire services and local writing.
I cannot recall, however, a more glaring and fundamental error than the one appearing in an Oct. 11 article: "Fearing for he and his partner's safety, ". It should be either "his own and his partner's safety" or "himself and his partner's safety." I muttered to myself, "doesn't anyone read or edit the copy before it's printed?"
Gary Lander