All faiths hurt by senseless act
I am an American, a graduate of Girls Preparatory School and I am also a Muslim. Today I pray for peace.
The shooting that shook our town recently devastated us all. Regardless of our faith preferences, we are hurt by the pain of those killed for dedicating themselves to our country.
The perpetrator of such a heinous crime had no religion – how could he, when he had no basic regard for humanity? Islam, the religion attributed to this attack, explicitly promotes the sanctity of human life.
The Holy Quran states, ” whosoever killed a person it shall be as if he has killed all mankind; and who so gave life to one, it shall be as if he had given life to all mankind” (5:33). I invite all Muslims in America to pay heed to this teaching and condemn this shooting.
I pray sincerely for the victims of this attack and for their families. May God grant them comfort after their distress and peace after their fear.
Najia Humayun, Tunnel Hill, Ga.
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Marines were defenseless
No military-oriented site or facility should ever be a “gun-free zone.”
If anyone has earned the right and trust to possess and carry firearms, and have them available for protection and defense – especially at such obvious target locations – it’s the military. Why would we remove that ability and leave them so vulnerable? Because it’s a stateside office job?
That’s like taking chainsaws and axes away from lumberjacks because “they’re sharp, and someone might get hurt” (and expecting them to do their job with a nail file and steak knives).
The Marines here were sitting ducks. “Hide behind a desk or landscaping, and hope for the best” should never be how a U.S. Marine – or any member of military – is forced to deal with such a scenario.
The wrong person had a gun Thursday, as usual. And the folks who should’ve had one – and who could have addressed the situation before it spilled to a second location – didn’t. That’s just inexcusable, unacceptable and idiotic on so many levels.
Paul H. Scates
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Soldiers, unborn need our prayers
Four soldiers brutally murdered, and as in Genesis 4:10, the voice of their blood is crying to God from the ground. Please petition Congress and our president to allow our soldiers to carry weapons to defend themselves.
The day before our city’s tragedy, another national tragedy came to light. An undercover video revealed a Planned Parenthood doctor callously speaking about the way their doctors perform abortions to harvest intact heads, livers, kidneys and hearts, which are then sold.
The blood of these precious babies is also crying to God from the ground.
The price for sexual freedom in our country has led to more than 60 million babies losing their lives.
Pray that mothers will choose adoption and let their little ones be given the gift of life. Please pray, Chattanooga, for the protection of our soldiers, police and first responders. Then pray for the protection of our unborn, for they have no voice but ours.
Sandy Harris, Cloudland, Ga.
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Marine deaths ‘punch in gut’
As a retired Marine lieutenant colonel and a former commanding officer of the Chattanooga Marine reserve unit, “The Chattanooga Marines,” the news of the cowardly attack that killed four brave, young Marines was a personal punch in the gut.
I didn’t personally know any of the four, but I can describe them to you. They were young, physically fit, “squared away” and proud of the Marine Corps and of the country they had sworn to protect and defend with their own lives if necessary.
In fact, I’m sure one or more of them either had been or would be sent to combat in Afghanistan or Iraq.
Each of these Marines had a family who was very proud of their son or daughter, husband or wife, and I mourn the loss of these American heroes as if they were my own. I only hope the American public will join me in honoring these young Marines and gain some appreciation of the sacrifices our servicemen and servicewomen make for us.
Dale Buchanan, Signal Mountain
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We need gun-free America now
I was sitting in my room, and I heard my sister cry my name. Within moments she was twisting the handle of my door, her face contorted with a look of panic. “There is a dangerous person on the loose. Mama just called. We have to lock all the doors,” she sputtered.
Gun violence has always been something I have deplored. After Newtown I lobbied for better gun control in Tennessee. I rallied with Amnesty International when a 3-year-old was shot in Philly, chanting, “End gun violence now!”
But never had the violence been so near.
The look of fear on my sister’s face was enough to tell me that now is the time for an end to the open use of lethal weaponry not only in our city but across America.
We thought Sandy Hook would be enough, but we have yet to come together as a nation to take an active stand against the open circulation of armed weapons.
I hope and pray our legislators take this incident as a warning and implement the changes we need to ensure my sister and thousands of other kids here in Chattanooga can grow up in a safe, gun-free community.
Anjali Chandra
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Muslim American condemns attack
Last Thursday, five people died in our city, four of whom were U.S. Marines.
As a Muslim and as an American, I completely condemn the barbaric shooter. Islam teaches peace and love, not violence and hate.
The motto of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, of which I am a part, is “Love for All, Hatred for None.” No matter what religion, race, nationality or culture you belong to, it is the duty of every human being to respect and care for one another, especially in such somber times.
I hope that this attack does not change our beautiful city.
Sultan Humayun, Tunnel Hill, Ga.