Community helps Honor Guard
The William E. Blair American Legion Post 95 Honor Guard's 1986 Dodge van was not repairable. Two members, David Kay and Robert Sims, took it upon themselves to form a committee to secure a replacement.
Several businesses in East Ridge and other areas were asked to help. They also set up times for the honor guard to ask for public support at Walmart on the weekends.
Their efforts paid off. Now we have a different van. Thanks to Mr. Kay and Mr. Sims and everyone else who donated to this worthwhile cause.
American Legon Post 95 Honor Guard
Islam antithetical to Constitution
You must have heard from liberals and the politically correct crowd that everyone around the world should be welcomed to the U.S. because this land is made up of immigrants.
There is an inviting spirit when we sing, "This land is your land; this land is my land this land was made for you and me."
However, the Constitution prohibits those who would be prejudiced toward public interests and endanger the welfare, safety and security of this land. It also prohibits entry of people affiliated with any organization that advocates overthrowing by force and publishes the unconstitutional changes of our laws.
The Quran, Sharia law and hadiths require total submission only to Islam, which is antithetical to the Constitution. But liberals and the politically correct crowd would say Islam is a religion. And religion is not the test to keep anyone out of the country.
Religion is defined by its indoctrination of the people who follow it - how it affects their behavior, belief, motivation, precepts, perception and cognition. Maybe the president knows Islam better than liberals and the politically correct crowd.
Amos Taj
Ooltewah
'Market-based' system eyed
Back during my Air Force years, there was a standing joke about people who "dropped in" to an outpatient medical clinic on base while en route to shopping at the commissary (the PX). Somehow, I don't see this as one of the possible downsides of universal health care in this country.
However, I'm sure there might be downsides, such as how we will pay for it, which will probably include some kind of tax on those who are more affluent. Which is already the case anyhow. With politicians being apprehensive about attempting to change, it will probably lead to a two-tiered health care system, but that is also currently the case.
Those who can afford it or are fortunate to have employer-based health care insurance have more options than those who don't. Not that I think it should be "free," either. It's fascinating that some people who have insurance relate to the benefits of it being something "they don't actually pay for."
Consider the amount of time, energy and money that various entities in this country expend toward attempting to maintain a "market-based" system. Then think about those who benefit from this.
Becky Young
Signal Mountain
Democratic Party awash in scandal
The DNC rigs the Democratic primary election against Bernie Sanders so Hillary can win the nomination. Obama's administration starts to request surveillance on Trump. Donna Brazile gives Hillary the questions to a debate against Trump.
Bill Clinton meets with Loretta Lynch on a plane in Phoenix just days before James Comey announces he would not press charges against Hillary over her email server.
Trump wins the election. Obama orders an investigation into Russia meddling in the election. He also changes an executive order to allow agencies to have access to surveillance data. The Democratic Party comes up with a scandal that Trump colluded with Russia with no evidence.
All this Russia collusion is an attempt to cover up the fact that the Obama administration, the intelligence community, the DNC and the mainstream media used our nation's surveillance as a tool to get Hillary elected.
This is the most outrageous scandal our country has ever seen - against the Democratic Party. I take heart that millions of Americans see right through the scandalous Democratic party and the mainstream media.
Trump is the only one who could take this dirty fight back to them. Thank God for Trump.
Jim Huff
TFP dropped the ball on coverage
The mission statement of the Times Free Press as printed daily is "To give the news impartially without fear or favor;" however on July 14, on the eve of our community honoring the Fallen Five, the TFP totally ignored a local event that also recognizes wounded veterans who serve our great country.
The local Honoring the Sacrifice Foundation held its fourth annual banquet. This is a local organization that helps fill the gap for the needs of wounded veterans and their families as they adjust to life after being in action.
A noted military veteran, statesman and author Lt. Col. Oliver North, U.S. Marines (retired), was the speaker. There was not a single drop of ink by the TFP covering this fantastic event.
What a shame for an organization whose published statement is as stated above. Was it ignored because of the organization's conservative values and support of those who served to protect our values?
Joe Fisher
Writer's heart goes to Clinton
Tribalism is a growing threat. It has produced a monster for a president. I don't dislike Donald Trump as much as I feel a sadness for the majority of Hillary voters, who voted in far greater numbers than Trump voters did. Trump's childish tweet defaming Mika Brzezinski is a recent example.
There seems no end. He is our first anti-intellectual president. But truth be told, he could lose the popular vote a second time and be re-elected to a second term. So what does this portend? It doesn't mean anything any more to win a presidential election. My heart goes out to Hillary Clinton.
Mike Bodine
GOP tax plan is befuddling
In Tuesday's TFP, a letter writer takes to task a recent Times column by Timothy Egan. In the column, Egan maintains the speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, proposes to cut the income taxes of the wealthy.
The letter writer claims Mr. Egan is all wet. The letter writer argues that what Mr. Ryan proposes is a cut in the tax rate of the wealthy. I fail to grasp the writer's logic.
As I understand our federal income system, the amount of taxes due by an individual taxpayer is based on the applicable tax rate applied to the taxpayer's taxable income. If the tax rate is reduced, taxes are decreased. But in truth, I have not been able to grasp Republican logic for many years, and Trumpism has only compounded my problem.
Archie Thurman