Ridgeside offers welcoming locale
A few weeks ago, in an unflattering Sunday cover story (“Ridgeside cuts tie,” Sept. 18), you asserted that, because we had closed off a couple of our entrances for safety, our neighborhood was closing itself off from the city and the surrounding communities.
I wonder if the reporter who wrote that story was in Ridgeside Saturday night for our annual trick or treating event. If so, he or she would have seen streets literally packed with the hundreds and hundreds of costumed children and their families visiting our neighborhood. This was, by far, the largest group of trick or treaters we have had in the 17 years I’ve lived in Ridgeside. No doubt, these parents wanted to bring their children to a safe, generous, welcoming neighborhood, especially in these tough times. That’s why they choose Ridgeside.
BOB BIRES
Ridgeside, Tenn.
We need Knowleses off our payroll
I read a reader’s comments on the Knowleses in Friday’s letters (Oct. 29). They may be good people, but I have problems with the letter.
With three generations in our government, I find it insulting to be asked to believe the senior Knowles extended no influence in these appointments.
My main problem is with the writer defending Alan Knowles’ side business on county time as a charity for the underprivileged. How can you look at a man making $65,000 a year on tax dollars and using time we pay for to pocket another $50,000-plus a year off a charity part time and call him good? How does anyone make $50,000 a year off a charity part time? The only good being done here is again for the Knowles family only. We need to have these people off our payrolls.
CHRIS MOFFAT
Democrats should check message
Every time Democrats lose, they claim their message did not get out, or as Maureen Dowd said, they were “outcommunicated.”
Listen carefully, Democrats. We heard your message. We understood your message. We rejected your message. Check your message, not your communications skills.
LARRY CHANDLER
Hixson
Halt binge drinking before it starts
In 2004, 34 students at a school in Delaware were treated for alcohol poisoning during the same period of time. In today’s time the number of college students that binge drink is increasing very rapidly. Many parents think it’s a phase all young adults go through. So instead of putting a stop to alcohol consumption they simply brush it to the side, hoping it will eventually disappear.
Binge drinking leads to a long line of problems and addictions. Sexual assault, memory blackouts, vandalism and riots are some of the instant effects of binge drinking. This normally leads to a long line of criminal involvement that’s hard to break away from. Parents, do you want your children to possibly spend some time or even a lifetime in jail?
Binge drinking doesn’t just lead to criminal acts, but to drug use and addiction problems. In 2007, students from a college in Colorado who admitted to binge drinking also admitted to experimenting with drugs, which can lead to drug addictions. Alcoholism is also a cause from binge drinking which can cause major health problems. You as parents need to put an end to alcohol consumption before it ever starts. Stopping binge drinking can help save young and old lives.
TIMOTHY
STUBBLEFIELD
Founders certain on religion issue
This letter is in response to a letter which stated that America was not a Christian nation and appealed, for support, to the Treaty of Tripoli’s claim that “America is not founded on Christianity.”
However, noted historian John Eidsmoe points out that that phrase appears in Article 11, which was actually not even a part of the original Treaty of Tripoli and that the translation of the Treaty into English from Arabic was faulty and inconsistent.
To discover whether or not America was founded upon Christianity, let us instead heed the words of the Founding Fathers themselves.
“It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religion but on the gospel of Jesus Christ.” — Patrick Henry
“Providence has given our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.” — John Jay, first Supreme Court chief justice.
“The Bible is the rock on which this Republic rests.” — Andrew Jackson.
REBEKAH SHADOIN
Ooltewah
Opinion smacks of ‘sour grapes’
Talk about a “sore loser”! The Times editorial on the morning after the election stating “It was a foregone conclusion that they would seize the governor’s office. …” was a bit extreme. The most common perception of the word “seize” means “to take by force” aka my dictionary. Wouldn’t it have been more beneficial to speak of working toward more cohesiveness in the future? In other words, make lemonade from lemons instead of sour grapes. After all, your public has spoken.
MARCIA BIGGS
Policy on gays weakens military
“Court extends life of gay military policy,” Nov. 2.
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” should no longer be an issue within our military because a person’s sexuality in no way affects how people perform their jobs.
Openly gay servicemen shouldn’t have to serve our country in fear they will be discharged solely because of their sexual orientation.
It would be the same as discharging women because of their gender.
The stereotypes these people have been branded by in no way determine what type of a person they are or the work ethic they may employ.
Closed-minded individuals are taking these generalizations about a group and creating a problem that wouldn’t even be an issue if they would look beyond who a person is attracted to and see who they are behind the stereotype.
The courts should stop hindering the government from repealing this law because it doesn’t help the military in any way by refusing to accept potential servicemen because of this aspect of their lives which don’t affect the manner or quality of their job.
The law only weakens our military and creates an irrevocable gulf between “us” and “them.” Someone has to be brave enough to make the first step in closing this gap.
KELSEY BOZARTH
Writer’s criticisms remarkably inane
Steve Barrett was in his usual high dudgeon in Sunday’s column (Oct. 31) about the prayer drama at high school sports events here. He criticized the U.S. Supreme Court (for “undercutting religious liberty”) and sneered at allegedly surrender-prone county school administrators (read: Superintendent Jim Scales). Both criticisms were remarkably inane.
Barrett’s primary target was the Freedom from Religion Foundation for deploying “taffy-footed” (huh?) rationales for silencing prayers in Hamilton County schools. The accusation is absurd.
FRF Director Annie Gaylor merely reminded administrators of the Supreme Court opinion regarding public prayers at schools. Secondly, there is no evidence our students have quit praying at school. Granted, schools won’t be blasting amped-up prayers over football fields, but does anyone really think the athletes won’t pray for injury-free games?
His targeting of Ms. Gaylor failed because her quoted comments were irrelevant, given the governing Supreme Court ruling some years back. The truly relevant comments came from school board attorney Scott Bennett, who pointedly reminded the school board of its obligation to remain neutral in school prayer issues.
As for those who apparently think their prayers can be rendered moot merely because a delivery method has been ruled improper, that would seem to reflect a weak view in the power of prayer itself.
MICHAEL LOFTIN
Hixson