We must choose: Violence or freedom
After Donald Trump released his inflammatory plans about banning Muslims, many of us are realizing how blessed we are to live in a country with freedom of religion, press and speech as three unbreakable tenants of the law.
But being a 15-year-old Muslim American, I believe Trump has spoken a grain of truth when he says Muslims are responsible for terrorism.
As adherents of a peaceful and tolerant religion, I encourage the Muslim American community to hold the responsibility of speaking out against and stopping senseless acts of violence, regardless of whether the perpetrators were white, black, Christian or Muslim.
One thing is clear in this chaotic world: Each and every American citizen needs to pick a side in the struggle between violence and hate, and the values of peace, tolerance and freedom.
Ahmad Nisar, Dalton, Ga.
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Recruit brightest, best to our schools
Jill Levine’s commentary in last Friday’s Chattanooga Times editorial page was impressive. But why shouldn’t the kind of attention and understanding that was given to “John” be available to all students in every school?
Of course, that would require having a highly-qualified, well-trained teacher in every classroom.
Plus, that would mean our teacher training programs would need to be more rigorous and we would need to attract and recruit our brightest and best young people into the teaching profession.
Now, how would we do that? The same way we now attract and recruit our brightest and best into other professions: higher salaries!
Catherine Murray
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They’re Democrats: Enough said
Question: Why would the TVA board members give themselves million dollar bonuses and underfund the employees’ pension fund?
Answer: They are all Democrats.
Second question: Do you know why Bill and Hillary Clinton attended Donald and Melania Trump’s wedding? Same Answer.
Bill Goins, Soddy-Daisy
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TFP missed Dec. 7 Pearl Harbor mention
My wife and I searched through the Times Free Press for an article on Dec. 7 about the bombing of Pearl Harbor – and guess what? There was not a single article to be found in that edition. Have we forgotten one of the most terrible days in American history – the day that President Roosevelt called “A Day of Infamy”?
The reason Pearl Harbor is so special to me is because my late father-in-law, Roland Adkins, was in the Army stationed there when the bombing took place. Almost 3,000 lives were lost.
In 1991, I wrote an article about Roland Adkins’ duty at Pearl Harbor, and I will never forget his words about the bombing: “I forgive those who did this terrible thing – but it’s etched in my heart, I can’t forget.”
Pastor Jimmie Styers, Sequatchie, Tenn.
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Highway bill good for economy, safety
On Dec. 4, President Obama signed into law a fully funded five-year, $305 billion federal highway bill. I would like to thank U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann and Sen. Lamar Alexander for their hard work to make sure that this bill was passed in the House and in the Senate so that it could be signed into law.
This bill is significant for our local, state, and national economies. Highways in good repair with adequate capacity are the backbone of our county’s ability to safely move our people, agriculture, and products in an efficient manner versus our global competitor countries.
The bill is a true commitment to our long-term economic competitiveness and our citizens’ safety as a whole.
Ben Brock, president and CEO, Astec Industries