Stop hate speech against Christians
When accepting an Emmy award recently, the actress Kathy Griffin (made an anti-Jesus remark). Suppose she had voiced this hate speech against Muhammad.
As a Christian American, I protest the hate speech levied against us Christians. We Christians and our Jewish brothers and sisters have the right to honor the one true living God. The Jewish and Christian population make up almost 90 percent of this country’s citizenry. Thus, I ask this question: When did the majority number cease to rule our nation?
I have and treasure the right to teach my grandchildren to honor the American flag. To teach them that Christ is a must for our family to truly celebrate Christmas.
If I choose, I also have the right to teach them about the history and reverence of the days of the Jewish Hanukkah and other religious holy days celebrated during this season.
We Christians hold these rights, as do all red, yellow, black, brown, white, and mixed-race Americans.
BETTY SUE EWTON
WOODEN
Dunlap, Tenn.
You have a choice with independent
Let this letter say I am running for governor as an independent.
The shabby treatment I have received from the Republican Party shouldn’t have happened to any red-blooded American. In three separate instances when I was running against Congressman Zach Wamp, he used strong-armed tactics to keep me from speaking to the Republicans.
I have given more for God and country than all the authorized candidates and their vested-interest. My record speaks for itself. Thus I am running as an independent. You will again have a choice.
JUNE GRIFFIN
Dayton, Tenn.
Obama hypocrisy goes on and on
Barack Obama’s hypocrisy of hype continues, while blaming others for his failures and waging class warfare against those who own businesses, provide jobs and pay the taxes (top 1 percent wage earners pay over 40 percent of taxes).
Ironically, Obama and his czars seek new ways to spend our money while asking that those he has demonized pick up the tab for their excesses. You would think he would have more pride.
$800 billion to bail out those terrible bankers, $800 billion “jobs bill” which did not produce any jobs, except for the 50 jobs produced by that lawn mower. And of course there is their effort to add 30 million to the Medicare roles while reducing costs by over $1 trillion. Really?
Over 40 percent of U.S. citizens pay no taxes at all; 60 percent collect more from our treasury than they pay. These citizens have no “skin in the game” but continue to demand more money and services. Our elected “leaders” buy their votes by pacifying them; as a result, our government is essentially bankrupt.
All government workers, welfare, Social Security and Medicare payment recipients should carefully consider what will happen when actual taxpayers finally decide they have had enough.
JERRY HENDERSON
Cleveland, Tenn.
Do something about the ‘Notch’
Next election be sure you know who you vote for. I have sent letters after letters trying to get something done about “Notch.”
I have written to our congressman and several others. Mr. Zach Wamp said they needed to do something about it. It has gone on for too long and needed to be corrected. The only thing you hear is let’s don’t do anything. It won’t be long until they will all be dead d we can forget about it.
They are all working for what they can get and do nothing for the people. They voted for us not to get a raise for three years, but they didn’t vote for themselves not to get one. They got a raise much bigger than people in the “Notch” get in a year.
I get letters from people saying they get from $400 to $800 a month; that’s less than $10,000 a year (for the years we’re not credited). I wish they would try living on that.
Congress is the one that put us in the “Notch” and admitted they made a mistake because they used the wrong formula and didn’t correct it.
We need to use the right formula and put them out of office.
RUBY GREENE
Bravo to Lebovitz, Bernhardt, WTCI
As I was channel flipping, I came across a WTCI program called the “A-List.” Ann Lebovitz interviewed Maestro Bob Bernhardt of the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera. It was a very interesting and enjoyable show.
Maestro Bernhardt has been the music director of the CSO for about 17 years and has had a wonderful influence on the orchestra and on the cultural life of Chattanooga. (I wish he would stay another 17 years!)
I want to say a big “Thank you” to WTCI, to Annie Lebovitz, and to Bob Bernhardt. I would encourage Chattanoogans to go see and hear the CSO, which is truly amazingly good for a medium-sized, laid-back Southern town. By the way, the interview is available on DVD from WTCI, and I’m going to get it!
DR. MARSHALL C.
ST. JOHN,
Pastor, Wayside
Presbyterian Church
Signal Mountain
Simplify process for tax preparation
“Tax rules offer plenty new for filers this year.” This article was in your “C” section on Feb. 16. Not only this article, but it was in the company of nine more.
This is ridiculous. The tax forms have become so complicated most taxpayers must pay to have their forms prepared. The IRS will get your money without a doubt, so why not simplify the process.
JOE T. MCBAY
Look at issues with Normal Park
As a single mother, it perplexes me why I have to pay $30 round-trip cab ride to get to my child’s school at Red Bank Elementary when I could walk up the street for 10 minutes to get to Normal Park Elementary. One may already suspect that I have no car.
My child is bused to the foot of the mountain out of my reach until the bus drops him off. I hesitate to say this is racial segregation, but explain to me why Normal Park is saving seats for the impending Volkswagen students, trying to keep computers bought on Title 1 funds, cutting out a six-block section of Spears that happens to be mostly minority, and trying to have a private school ($5,000 for pre-K) in a magnet school that all of a sudden will have limited seating for lottery.
I can’t give my demographic for fear I will lose my job with Hamilton County Schools. I implore the school board to carefully look at this issue before they are looking at a civil rights lawsuit.
CECILIA ANN
WILSON