Vance’s practice covers generations
In honor of Dr. Minnie Vance again, I believe my son was the first black child to be admitted to the regular floor of T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital, 58 or 59 years ago. I hope she yet remembers him, Jerry Moon, a 10 pounder at 10 months old.
Dr. Vance was a tall, stately woman with long, blond hair. In her practice, she has been my grandson Reggie and granddaughter Tabatha’s doctor.
I thank God for her. Jerry is now 60 years old, and as of Oct. 11, Reggie is 45 and Tabatha is 43. We love you, Dr. Minnie Vance.
MARIAN MOON
Scrooge awoke as a Republican
I beg to differ with the individual who wrote in “Rant” in Sunday’s paper that Mr. Scrooge went to bed a Republican and awoke as a Democrat. He or she obviously hasn’t paid detailed attention to the movie.
I offer that Mr. Scrooge actually went to bed a Democrat because he was always hunkered down over his money and wanted to keep it all for himself. If you keep in mind most of the financial and tax disclosures of some of the most famous Democrats in Congress, including Mr. Al Gore when he was running for president, there is always a conspicuous lack of charitable giving.
The opposite is true in almost every case of Republican scrutiny. Mr. Scrooge awoke on Christmas morning with a burning desire to give whatever portion of his own money it would take to make everything right. Had he awakened as a Democrat, he most assuredly would have been trying to figure out how to give away someone else’s money rather than his own.
JAMES E. BUTTS
Ooltewah
Change food stamp system
We need a serious evaluation of the food stamp system. A more efficient system would be to provide nutritionally balanced packages for those in need. I actually know a man who feasts on lobster, crab, steak and shrimp paid for with food stamps, and yet he has money to purchase beer, wine, liquor and cigarettes to complement his menus.
Another man gave up a chiropractic career to sell TVs at Walmart. When that job ended, he accepted public assistance for an apartment and food. He called it a six-month “spiritual quest.”
Yet another man works construction jobs “under the table” while receiving food stamps. His 79-year-old mother takes care of his teenage children. And, yes, he has money to drink, smoke and do drugs.
Helping sometimes requires that we refuse a handout to those who can help themselves.
There should be incentive to get out of the program (someone else picks what you get), and no one who can afford to smoke, drink or do drugs should be eligible.
ANNE HANNAH