Eastdale festival shows it’s back
Eastdale … a community revived!
The day was perfect. The atmosphere was festive … the balloons, the African Drums led the way to the most beautiful event to grace our community … The first Eastdale Elementary Community Festival Reunion & Cookout!
It was an awesome sight to see, over 800 – neighbors, children, mommas, daddies, papas, grandmas – laughing, talking, playing, and oh yeah, the brothers, hugging, giving dap, fist pumps, smiling and staying cool (almost), after seeing each other for the first time in 20, 30, even 40 years!
Memories, oh those memories, the young talent, T-Ran lit up the grounds! All the neighborhoods – Eastdale, Foxwood Heights, Pin Oaks, Dee Drive, Through Street, Greenwood Road, Wilcox and Tunnel boulevards all on one accord!
Eastdale, we thank you, Mrs. Wilkerson, one of our eldest teachers to grace us with her presence, Commissioner [Greg] Beck, Rep. Tommie Brown, some of our loyal supporters, Taylor Funeral Home, Tasty’s Bar-B-Cue, and Balloon A-Fair.
All I can say is mark your calendar for Labor Day weekend Saturday, Sept. 3, 2011, Eastdale it’s on!
ROSIE HART RUSSELL
Coverage priorities at paper offensive
What were the editors and writers at Times Free Press thinking about on the anniversary of the 9/11 attack? Your paper published a large, gross picture of a bed bug with an accompanying article covering two-thirds of the front page and a small article about the terrorist attack at the bottom of the page. Does this really reflect your editorial values and priorities? I find your coverage of these two items to be offensive and disgusting. Don’t bother calling me when my current subscription expires.
JOE CASTLEBERRY
Ooltewah
Why skirt auto deal with women?
Last week, I went car shopping and found a car I liked. I returned the following day to discuss trade-in value and negotiate the dealership’s best price. My discussions with the sales associate and manager were cordial enough, despite the fact the manager stated he would hate to later get a phone call from my husband who might be displeased with the agreement. I responded that my husband was not present but that they were negotiating with me. In spite of the manager’s faux pas, it was just business; both parties must be comfortable with the arrangement.
Later that afternoon, the associate circumvented me and called my husband in an attempt to negotiate a deal. My husband explained I was the buyer and if I wasn’t comfortable with their offer, neither was he.
In the 21st century, women have good salaries, good credit, are educated and are capable of making our own decisions. We may ask for a man’s opinion, but we don’t need it. I’m not a feminist, nor am I a radical liberal. I’m an educated, reasonable woman who is disgusted that a man would try to renegotiate a deal with my husband that I’ve already rejected.
I suggest the dealership discuss the buying power of women with their staff. In today’s economy, can they really afford to alienate women? I’m not suggesting a boycott, but I for one will never step another high-heeled foot on their lot again.
MARY WURM
Ooltewah
Protect children from sexual abuse
Is your child safe from sexual predators?
Statistics are alarming: 1 out of 3 females will be sexually abused by the time they are 18; 1 out of 7 males will be abused. And these are only the reported cases, according to research cited by Dr. Elliot Briere. Other researchers have found that 88 percent of childhood sexual abuse cases are never reported.
Sexual predators come from all socio-economic, racial and religious backgrounds. Ninety percent of predators are known and trusted by their victims.
According to NAMBLA (The North American Man Boy Love Association), the easiest place to obtain a child is church!
Many churches do not require background checks for youth workers. Even if they did, it is no guarantee because many abusers have no record. What is a parent/pastor to do?
We need to educate ourselves to ensure our precious children are protected. www.kidssafeministries.com can teach your church how to protect its children. Another helpful organization is www.StopItNow.org. They offer advice on warning signs of sexual molestation, how to protect your child, how to handle a child’s disclosure, how sexual molesters manipulate their victims, and what to do if a sexual molester lives in your neighborhood.
Additional resources are: nomorevictim.com, for survivors of incest; The Sex Abuse Treatment Alliance, at www.satasort.org; and Beyond Survival, a sexual abuse recovery group for women.
CONNIE POPA, R.N.
Brooks an advocate for public education
On behalf of the students, faculty and staff at Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts, I wish to thank former Hamilton County Commissioner John Allen Brooks for his extraordinary support during his term in office. He is a tireless advocate for public education, and he has been a generous and helpful friend to us. We are deeply grateful for the remarkable impact he has had on our school, where the arts and academics truly do “share center stage.”
DEBORAH B. SMITH,
Principal
Chattanooga
High School
Center for Creative Arts
We don’t have right to moral superiority
I have been watching the moving ceremonies commemorating the terrorist attack on 9/11. I certainly sympathize with the families and firefighters who were emotionally and physically traumatized by that dastardly act.
My thoughts then turned to the people of Baghdad and wondered if they had similar commemorative ceremonies for the tens of thousands of innocent men, women, and children who were killed and mangled by Bush’s “shock and awe.”
There is no reason to think Iraqis are less devoted to their families than Americans are.
As to who is called a terrorist, it just depends on who is doing the name-calling. Both Bush and bin Laden are still at large and have eluded the World Court of Justice.
We have a right to anger and grief about 9/11, but we don’t have a right to moral superiority.
FRED H. WRIGHT
‘American dream’ now a nightmare
An interesting observation at a busy grocery store in East Ridge: There were four lines with no fewer than eight people in each line. Customers were mostly mid-40s and appeared healthy.
All but one paid for their groceries with food stamps.
The cashiers who were hard at work are retired ladies now supplementing their Social Security.
What is wrong here? We have too many people who do not want to work. That would mess up their government-funded housing, welfare check and food stamps. Why work when you can sell your food stamps, get a plasma TV and sit at home?
Then there is the immigration problem. Why would they come here if no one would rent to them? Where could they get money if no one would hire them?
If they have a child, they should all be deported. The child should not become a citizen of the U.S. if born to illegals.
This is crazy to offer free hospital care. Who can continue to pay for all of this? The four old ladies at the grocery store?
The “American dream” is now a nightmare.
STEPHEN THOMPSON
Rock Spring, Ga.
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