Be Selfless and more editors to the editors

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Life is short; don't waste it

Almost 22 years ago, 50 unique, individual and yet forever-bonded souls participated in one official last act as the sum of a whole.

When we graduated from Lookout Valley High School in June 1995, most of us had known each other from the ages of day care. It seems like only a brief amount of time has passed, even though we are now screaming literally, into our 40s. We always felt invincible. Powerful. Even with our differences, we somehow were a mostly cohesive bunch. We were there for each other. Life happened to us all. Good and bad. We still know we can call on one another.

We have started to experience loss. Our invincibility was an illusion. We have lost another dear friend. She was selfless, that even in loss, as an organ donor.She not only will live on in our memories, but her gifts of life will help others live.

Please make time to reach out to those you love. Mend a misunderstanding or right a wrong. If you want to talk to an old friend, do it now. Help others when and where you can.

Ricky Hendricks Smith

If Hamilton had known future

Twice, in 2016 and 2001, Americans have been denied their choice for president by the Electoral College. It's improbable Sen. Albert Gore, if awarded the presidency with his majority vote (539,000), would have entered office with a balanced budget but ended it with more than a trillion dollar deficit.

Nor would Gore have taken this country into what most citizens, some military commanders and even Trump said was an unnecessary Iraq war with devastating consequences at home and abroad. It's unlikely the Wall Street Journal would have said at the time "worst job loss on record," with the country on the brink of a depression, the legacy of the George W. Bush administration.

If Alexander Hamilton could have envisioned such a vast number of citizens disenfranchised (Clinton's winning margin of 2.8 million votes) by the Electoral College, he would never have enacted it into our Constitution.

It is spurious to argue Trump's Electoral College win is justified because the 2.8 million mostly came from the same state. Should citizens' votes be discounted because of where they live? Are we not supposed to be a government by the people?

John Bratton

Sewanee, Tenn.

Save Democrats from their far left

In the past, I have supported candidates in both parties. We need our two major parties.

The recent election has been enough to destroy the Democrat Party. It encouraged and allowed extremists to participate in and join its campaigns. It weakened its self-control, inviting radicals (socialists, Marxists, illegals and malcontents) to gain a foothold.

It is no longer worthy of the name Democrat. The "uglies" now carry the banner. It happened in a flash. It is far more serious than just having Hillary lose the election.

Hillary is a duped woman, who played into extremists' hands. Motivated by her driving ambition, with encouragement from the base, coupled with her desire to become our first female president - to the point of including Elizabeth Warren in her campaign - the party was weakened and lost the election.

Far left dissidents have taken over the party, and they smell blood. The more conservative Democrats must act quickly, or this could degenerate into a loss of our Constitution and treasured form of government.

We need two reputable parties, standing strong, to sustain a healthy tension of political thought and dialogue.

Della Tenney

Fort Oglethorpe

Reconnect Act has 2.0 backing

Hamilton County has seen incredible economic growth in recent years, but not all have shared this success. That's why Chattanooga 2.0 coalition members have been working together to help ensure direct pathways for all students and residents to obtain the training, skills, confidence and connections needed to fill the growing number of higher-wage jobs in our community.

Thanks to the Tennessee Reconnect Act proposed by Gov. Haslam, we can have another state-funded resource to help us. Through the proposal, Tennessee can become the first state in the nation to offer a community college education tuition-free to all adults without a postsecondary degree.

That can be an immediate game-changer. And it aligns with two of the Chattanooga 2.0 priorities - to double the number of local residents with postsecondary education or training and to connect more Hamilton County residents with high-demand jobs in our community.

We are pleased to support Tennessee Reconnect as we work together to make Chattanooga/Hamilton County the "Smartest Community in the South."

Jared Bigham

executive director, Chattanooga 2.0

Price-gouging OK with Big Pharma

According to Bruce Richards, Marathon Asset Management, who appeared on Bloomberg TV on Feb. 8, 2017, the Food & Drug Administration permits monopoly/oligopoly-pricing and price-gouging among pharmaceutical companies.

These firms attend conventions in locales such as Las Vegas, where they divvy up profits through collaborative price increases that are often astronomical. In contrast, nations like the U.K. permit only across-the-board drug-price increases up to about 1 percent annually.

One must wonder how much Big Pharma donates to its politician cronies and what affect this has in the complicity of drug-price administration through the FDA. And how do these donations connect with federal policy and comport with our ethics laws?

John F. Eary

Ringgold, Ga.

Pray-for-alls and Friday football

I can't wait for Friday night high school football games. As soon as someone is injured, there will be a dash to midfield.

Muslims will be throwing out prayer rugs pointing toward Mecca, yelling "Allahu Akbar."

Snake-handlers will be cavorting around with rattlesnakes. Southern Baptists will be screaming at the snake-handlers to stop dancing while they pray to God for more saints like Jerry Falwell and sing "Just As I Am." Pentecostals will be speaking in tongues while stretched out doing dying cockroach quivers.

Pagans can cast spells with toads and witch's brew, while Satanists can run around in red union-suits with pitchforks and horns asking Old Scratch for the healing rain of bull's blood.

Meanwhile, the poor injured football player dies because the paramedics can't get through the crowd of devotees to administer CPR.

Schools could double admission price for the entertainment and make Friday night football a regular religious free-for-all just like Jehovah, Allah, God, Zeus and Lucifer intended.

Stephen Greenfield

Cleveland, Tenn.

Gun silencers are unsuitable for use

Your Tuesday front-page article about gun suppressors omitted an important detail. You can't attach a suppressor to just any gun. It must have a threaded barrel or a quick-detach device. Duct tape won't do the job. I doubt there is even one gun that could use a suppressor in Chattanooga gangs.

James Chandler

Hixson

Protesters are 'carried away'

I am dismayed at the number and purpose of many protests going on. Do people really think the Affordable Care Act would be voided and nothing put in its place? Education needs to be improved: vouchers and charter schools are good options. Betsy DeVos has long worked to improve educational opportunities. Protesting is a protected practice in our country, but to those who want to scream, be thankful for the right to protest, and think before you get carried away.

Annabelle Laudeman

Red Bank

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