Trump 'movement' has been seen before and more letters to the editors

Letters to the Editor
Letters to the Editor

Trump 'movement' has been seen before

The Trump "movement" is well under way. We have a dictatorship in the making.

Trump likes the way Putin does things, so now he excludes intelligence agencies and the Joint Chiefs of Staff from Security Council meetings and he demonizes an independent, free press. He and his friend Steve Bannon will decide who is a threat to America. The new immigration rules are the first step.

Fascism starts that way - small steps. Trump may ask local police forces to profile fellow Americans because they are Muslim. Then will come arrests of American citizens he and Steve believe are sympathetic to the cause of "radical Muslim extremism." They will single out individual imams and mosques first. Anyone who sees an injustice in this action will be targeted next. How long will it take before Trump's "final solution" to the Muslim problem is proposed?

Government representing all the people could very easily be destroyed by divisions from within. The vehement, emotional support of this "movement" by Trump followers is reminiscent of Europe 78 years ago. The world has seen this before.

Jonathan D. Nessle

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Prayer complaint is waste of time, energy

The Freedom From Religion Foundation filed a complaint against Hamilton County Schools because a county football coach bowed his head as a local pastor led students in prayer for a seriously injured player.

The FFRF complaint claims, "Public school coaches must refrain not only from leading prayers themselves, but also from participating in students' prayers."

The complaint cites three court opinions, vaguely implying that the facts of these prior cases are similar to the current situation. However, after reading those opinions, it is not at all clear that they are relevant, either for precedent or analogy.

Any court determination prohibiting a public school employee from joining in prayer for an injured student should be zealously challenged. Prohibiting the free exercise of religion is unconstitutional.

There is also a question of standing. Is the anonymous FFRF complainant a resident of Hamilton County?

Either way, the polite response to FFRF by school district attorney Scott Bennett was more than enough. If the plan to provide schools employees additional training on the establishment and free exercise causes was prompted by the FFRF complaint, that plan should be dropped. The school district has better ways to spend time and money.

Sue Hughbanks, Sequatchie County

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Columnist Hart misreads march intent

I was dismayed to read Free Press columnist Ron Hart's Jan. 27 op-ed "The Ladies Doth Protest Too Much" about the Women's March. "They have no idea what they are protesting. Mostly, they do it so they can bring it up at cocktail parties."

I assure you, Mr. Hart, the 3,000 participants in Chattanooga knew exactly what they were marching for. My sign said, "I am marching for my granddaughter's future" so that she inherits a planet unmolested by climate change deniers. My daughter Christie marched for her daughter's public schools; my daughter Jessica marched to ensure LGBT rights are protected.

My friend Jen marched for reproductive rights; my friend Linda marched for immigrant neighbors; acquaintance Shelly marched for justice for a slain black youth; my friend Nancy marched for her life (her sign read "Obamacare saved my life"). We marched in love and unity; there was no violence, no incidents. Instead of "loathing men and calling them pigs" as you wrote, we thank the many men who marched with us.

Mr. Hart, you may disagree with these issues that are so important to women, but you are wrong to denigrate and belittle us. You should save your ridicule for your cocktail parties.

Sharon Alexander

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Rescind order on travel ban

Dear Mr. Trump,

Exactly one week after assuming the presidency, you have issued an executive order effectively banning travelers from seven Mideast countries. Issuing such an order is illogical, unnecessarily divisive and maybe illegal.

This order is illogical because none of these seven countries have ever terrorized or killed anyone in the USA. The attacks of 9/11, the Orlando nightclub and San Bernadino all were perpetuated by citizens of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait and Afghanistan. If preventing terrorism is your goal, why were none of these listed?

Your order is unnecessarily divisive during a time when you need to encourage unity. American Muslims already feel threatened as they go about their daily lives. In addition, you are fueling anti-American hate groups!

This order may be, finally, illegal. It is contrary to the Civil Rights Act, which states, "no differentiation shall be made among people on the basis of race, religion or national origin." These words are enshrined in our Constitution and implicit on the Statue of Liberty wording.

Mr. Trump, please act like the president you swore to be Jan. 20 and rescind this order. It is not worthy of our (already) great country.

Crystal Kadivar

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Fixing city roads key to securing vote

I'm ready to cross party lines.

I don't care if a Republican, Democrat, independent, libertarian, socialist, fascist, communist or three-headed alien from Mars is running for Chattanoog mayor.

Whichever one is running on the platform of fixing our roads has my vote. Our roads are an embarrassment and a hazard to our great city.

Ken Maury

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