than they'd like. And for that I give a hearty "Bravo" to the readers! Somebody has gotta call it like they see it or we'll never keep moving ahead as a city. The south has an ugly troubled past and it'll take more than new laws and time to make that go away. It'll take honest open discussion. It'll take these types of forms. And most importantly, it will take a lot of humility. And if you ask me, the TFP just showed why they don't have what it takes to keep up with the times. It can't be that people honestly just object to their subtle attempts to present slanted news articles as factual. It can't be that maybe they should try balancing out their reporting before they send them to print, making certain that they don't have a social, political, or movement based leaning in the matter. Oh no, I can't be that they're doing anything wrong. Nope, its these cowardly rednecks hiding behind their monitors causing the real problems. So instead, their people got offended. Their pride got hurt. So they shut it down. Well happy new year Chattanooga, and here's to another step in the wrong direction of this long and storied franchise!
I"d believe that this would be a good and fair approach if the articles of this paper that were supposedly fact based weren't slanted toward the writers sympathies. For instance, Yolanda Putnam obviously handles stories that relate to inner city blacks. Yolanda Putnam is black and her accounts are always slanted in favor of the black "subject" being written about. Yolanda Putnam would probably not be doing this if she were white. Yet her articles would fall under the "fact" column, unchallengeable, purely motivated by a desire to communicate information to TFP readers. I mean, come on!
The problem of course, for both her and the TFP is that she and the African-American community are getting killed by the commenters. But I believe that this is as much the fault of her writing slant as it is any latent racism hidden in the mind of their readers. I am African-American as well, and I hate the fact that she defends some of the indefensible positions of the "black" community with her name and picture posted at the bottom of the browser. I hate that their are still so many prominent blacks who are so insecure that they believe we have to defend everything that any other black person does in this city. A life long "hood-rat", drug dealer, prostitute, or government representative that steals from their own people in the name of their own people have nothing to do with me. They have nothing to do with "us" as a people.
But you wouldn't know that if you were reading the TFP. As a white person, you'd think that all black people felt the same way about these subjects. And you'd be right and honest to voice your disagreements in a public form.
What I believe that the commenters really do is make the TFP look in the mirror a lot more than they'd like. And for that I give a hearty "Bravo" to the readers! Somebody has gotta call it like they see it or we'll never keep moving ahead as a city. The south has an ugly troubled past and it'll take more than new laws and time to make that go away. It'll take honest open discussion. It'll take these types of forms. And most importantly, it will take a lot of humility. And if you ask me, the TFP just showed why they don't have what it takes to keep up with the times. It can't be that people honestly just object to their subtle attempts to present slanted news articles as factual. It can't be that maybe they should try balancing out their reporting before they send them to print, making certain that they don't have a social, political, or movement based leaning in the matter. Oh no, I can't be that they're doing anything wrong. Nope, its these cowardly rednecks hiding behind their monitors causing the real problems. So instead, their people got offended. Their pride got hurt. So they shut it down. Well happy new year Chattanooga, and here's to another step in the wrong direction of this long and storied franchise!
An "e-mail blast" huh?....Hah! I don't think anyone will be touching this entity with a 20 foot pool. They are being investigated by everybody and their mama, but good ole Sherry can only come out from hiding under her desk long enough to ask more people for money. I guess she really is as dumb as she looks.
All of you that think that this is a black versus white issue have got it wrong. Black people own land and pay taxes in Hamilton County as well. This is an anti-establishment assault, cloaked in a racial defense. So called black leaders have been committing crimes in the name of racial solidarity for years, and until the entire racial issue goes away in this country this will not change. I mean, what do you expect when you allow a group to have their own race based Chamber of Commerce?
But in my opinion, this type of thing is getting real old, real fast. If Gilchrist were the CEO of a publicly held Wall Street firm, she'd be on her way to criminal court for "misappropriation" of funds. Why do we not hold our politicians to this same standard? I mean, you don't HAVE to contribute to a 401k, but you DO have to pay taxes. C.H.A. officials pulled the same crap a couple years ago when they misused funds for the Mayfair on Market project. Still, no one went to jail...so this will continue to occur until you start putting these criminals in federal prison were they belong.
I haven't been back in town long enough to have a real opinion on this matter, so I've basically just watched and listened to the debate. Having heard both sides however, I must say that its a little scary that a person like Rhonda has that type of power over our schools. I went to vocational school with Soddy Daisy kids, and they were, hands down, the worst racist I've ever dealt with in my life. I grew up in the inner city and I went to school in the suburbs of Chattanooga. In my opinion, the inner city schools are much better than they were when I was a kid. My daughter attended a local magnet school and I was always impressed with both their personnel and professionalism. At the same time, I do believe that my old high school has taken a real nose dive since the early ninety's, so I can see her point on this matter. On the other hand, why did they rush the Smith decision if he was the best man for the job? Wouldn't that prove to be just as true after a nationwide search? And, if Scales ouster wasn't personal, why not save the money and allow his contract to expire? Was his removal really worth more to us than a quarter of a million dollars?
Anyone that's ever been "railroaded" in life knows that this sounds like a "railroading." What we need is real, radical change in our school system that, quite frankly, requires much longer hours and much higher standards. We need that just to KEEP PACE with the Chinese. I seriously doubt that a local guy thats been around forever will make that kind of change. So we will be right back here having this discussion again, when the democrats get back into power in a couple years and remove Rick Smith's figurative head the first chance they get. Hopefully, my daughter will be out of school by then.
Our Chattanooga representative needs to take care of this Michael Corleone style with a bullet to the eyes (figuratively that is). I would pull anything I had to in order to get this tax collecting effort squashed. Did anyone notice where the South Carolina jobs went? China! It's a sad day when Republicans shoot themselves in the foot this badly. I believe that there is some jealousy at the root of this, as the Chattanooga area got not one but two fulfillment centers. Not even a small warehouse was in it for poor Oak Ridge. What a bunch of losers! We are better businessmen here and their lousy efforts to stop the momentum in Chatt-town won't work. It would be terrible if we lost Amazon, but truth be told, we'd find a replacement.
I'm sure that these representatives believe that their constituents are being asked to make a sacrifice with nothing in return from the Chattanooga region. Forget the great publicity for Tennessee in general, they want quid-pro quo, and they want it NOW. That's why we're on our way to being the best city in this state, because we cooperate and understand that in business what's good for one is good for all. I that what is happening may surprise most of you, but this is the way business is done (or better said not done) every day. Get used to it. This will not be the last time we see this sort of stupidity.
That's the way it works at every other community in this country (it's called a crime-free/drug-free addendum and its signed along with the resident lease). It's about time the CHA stepped into the 21st century. I believe that what they will find is that many of their residents will no longer qualify and, as a result, there will be no need for so much public housing in this city.
Gerber: Our online comments policy is changing
than they'd like. And for that I give a hearty "Bravo" to the readers! Somebody has gotta call it like they see it or we'll never keep moving ahead as a city. The south has an ugly troubled past and it'll take more than new laws and time to make that go away. It'll take honest open discussion. It'll take these types of forms. And most importantly, it will take a lot of humility. And if you ask me, the TFP just showed why they don't have what it takes to keep up with the times. It can't be that people honestly just object to their subtle attempts to present slanted news articles as factual. It can't be that maybe they should try balancing out their reporting before they send them to print, making certain that they don't have a social, political, or movement based leaning in the matter. Oh no, I can't be that they're doing anything wrong. Nope, its these cowardly rednecks hiding behind their monitors causing the real problems. So instead, their people got offended. Their pride got hurt. So they shut it down. Well happy new year Chattanooga, and here's to another step in the wrong direction of this long and storied franchise!
Gerber: Our online comments policy is changing
I"d believe that this would be a good and fair approach if the articles of this paper that were supposedly fact based weren't slanted toward the writers sympathies. For instance, Yolanda Putnam obviously handles stories that relate to inner city blacks. Yolanda Putnam is black and her accounts are always slanted in favor of the black "subject" being written about. Yolanda Putnam would probably not be doing this if she were white. Yet her articles would fall under the "fact" column, unchallengeable, purely motivated by a desire to communicate information to TFP readers. I mean, come on! The problem of course, for both her and the TFP is that she and the African-American community are getting killed by the commenters. But I believe that this is as much the fault of her writing slant as it is any latent racism hidden in the mind of their readers. I am African-American as well, and I hate the fact that she defends some of the indefensible positions of the "black" community with her name and picture posted at the bottom of the browser. I hate that their are still so many prominent blacks who are so insecure that they believe we have to defend everything that any other black person does in this city. A life long "hood-rat", drug dealer, prostitute, or government representative that steals from their own people in the name of their own people have nothing to do with me. They have nothing to do with "us" as a people.
But you wouldn't know that if you were reading the TFP. As a white person, you'd think that all black people felt the same way about these subjects. And you'd be right and honest to voice your disagreements in a public form.
Times Free Press cartoonist Clay Bennett wins 2011 United Nations Political Cartoon award
I don't agree with any of your cartoons but at least you rep the area well...congrats clay!
The Lifeguard
Clay,
You're kidding. Right?
HUD questions Tennessee Multicultural Chamber
An "e-mail blast" huh?....Hah! I don't think anyone will be touching this entity with a 20 foot pool. They are being investigated by everybody and their mama, but good ole Sherry can only come out from hiding under her desk long enough to ask more people for money. I guess she really is as dumb as she looks.
Multicultural director on board that lent money
All of you that think that this is a black versus white issue have got it wrong. Black people own land and pay taxes in Hamilton County as well. This is an anti-establishment assault, cloaked in a racial defense. So called black leaders have been committing crimes in the name of racial solidarity for years, and until the entire racial issue goes away in this country this will not change. I mean, what do you expect when you allow a group to have their own race based Chamber of Commerce?
But in my opinion, this type of thing is getting real old, real fast. If Gilchrist were the CEO of a publicly held Wall Street firm, she'd be on her way to criminal court for "misappropriation" of funds. Why do we not hold our politicians to this same standard? I mean, you don't HAVE to contribute to a 401k, but you DO have to pay taxes. C.H.A. officials pulled the same crap a couple years ago when they misused funds for the Mayfair on Market project. Still, no one went to jail...so this will continue to occur until you start putting these criminals in federal prison were they belong.
Former Hamilton County School Superintendent Jim Scales tells his side of the story
I haven't been back in town long enough to have a real opinion on this matter, so I've basically just watched and listened to the debate. Having heard both sides however, I must say that its a little scary that a person like Rhonda has that type of power over our schools. I went to vocational school with Soddy Daisy kids, and they were, hands down, the worst racist I've ever dealt with in my life. I grew up in the inner city and I went to school in the suburbs of Chattanooga. In my opinion, the inner city schools are much better than they were when I was a kid. My daughter attended a local magnet school and I was always impressed with both their personnel and professionalism. At the same time, I do believe that my old high school has taken a real nose dive since the early ninety's, so I can see her point on this matter. On the other hand, why did they rush the Smith decision if he was the best man for the job? Wouldn't that prove to be just as true after a nationwide search? And, if Scales ouster wasn't personal, why not save the money and allow his contract to expire? Was his removal really worth more to us than a quarter of a million dollars? Anyone that's ever been "railroaded" in life knows that this sounds like a "railroading." What we need is real, radical change in our school system that, quite frankly, requires much longer hours and much higher standards. We need that just to KEEP PACE with the Chinese. I seriously doubt that a local guy thats been around forever will make that kind of change. So we will be right back here having this discussion again, when the democrats get back into power in a couple years and remove Rick Smith's figurative head the first chance they get. Hopefully, my daughter will be out of school by then.
Sales tax demand could drive Amazon away
Our Chattanooga representative needs to take care of this Michael Corleone style with a bullet to the eyes (figuratively that is). I would pull anything I had to in order to get this tax collecting effort squashed. Did anyone notice where the South Carolina jobs went? China! It's a sad day when Republicans shoot themselves in the foot this badly. I believe that there is some jealousy at the root of this, as the Chattanooga area got not one but two fulfillment centers. Not even a small warehouse was in it for poor Oak Ridge. What a bunch of losers! We are better businessmen here and their lousy efforts to stop the momentum in Chatt-town won't work. It would be terrible if we lost Amazon, but truth be told, we'd find a replacement.
I'm sure that these representatives believe that their constituents are being asked to make a sacrifice with nothing in return from the Chattanooga region. Forget the great publicity for Tennessee in general, they want quid-pro quo, and they want it NOW. That's why we're on our way to being the best city in this state, because we cooperate and understand that in business what's good for one is good for all. I that what is happening may surprise most of you, but this is the way business is done (or better said not done) every day. Get used to it. This will not be the last time we see this sort of stupidity.
City votes to let sales tax agreement expire
Oz, you can make that video happen here, then you've got my vote.
3 days and out
That's the way it works at every other community in this country (it's called a crime-free/drug-free addendum and its signed along with the resident lease). It's about time the CHA stepped into the 21st century. I believe that what they will find is that many of their residents will no longer qualify and, as a result, there will be no need for so much public housing in this city.