Newspaper botched earthquake reports
“Disaster averted after earthquake in Chile” screamed the headline across the top of the Times Free Press on Sunday, Feb. 28. What? Hadn’t all reports Saturday put the strength of the earthquake at 8.8 on the Richter scale, one of the highest ever? Was it some massive hallucination that shook Chileans from their beds and sent them fleeing into the blackened night as their dwellings collapsed around them?
But no, the headline and accompanying story gave new meaning to the word “disaster.” The “averted” disaster was a day on the beach or golf course lost by Hawaiian residents and tourists because of warnings of quake-produced tsunamis racing across the Pacific and devastating any landfalls in their paths.
It wasn’t until the reader reached Page 6 that words and pictures of the real devastation became available. It hasn’t been two months since Times Free Press editors “blew” coverage of the Haiti earthquake by burying the short, initial story far back in the A section. And they ask themselves why newspapers decline.
VAN A. CAVETT
Lookout Mountain
Shunning vaccines not a healthy choice
I appreciate Dr. Mark Anderson’s column in the Sunday Perspective section on the importance of vaccinations and the damage done by anti-vaccination conspiracy theorists.
Leonard Pitts’ column further illustrated the difficulty of trying to reason with irrational extremists once they have embraced a viewpoint.
People often ask my opinion of the dangers of vaccines because of my education and experience as an R.N. I explain that the evidence for the safety of vaccines is large, the evidence for the effectiveness of vaccines is larger and that the evidence that junk food is damaging to one’s health is larger still. They will not abandon junk food but their eyes bug and they sputter and hyperventilate over vaccines. It is discouraging to see them waddling about gobbling hamburgers and French fries and feeding them to their unvaccinated children and then finding an e-mail inbox full of their anti-vaccine, nutso conspiracy propaganda.
FRANK WHITE
Missionary Ridge
Rawlings’ impact extensive in area
The staff and administration at Parkridge Medical Center would like to extend condolences to the Rawlings family on the recent passing of Dr. Maurice Rawlings Sr. Dr. Rawlings led a full life, accomplishing more in his 87 years than most people could do in several lifetimes.
He was a great man and a fine physician whose medical practice gave him the opportunity to touch patients on a local and national level. Among his accomplishments was founding the Diagnostic Center physician group, a large part of his medical legacy in this area.
His passion for bettering the lives of others combined with his creativity and spirit of entrepreneurship to create a career with lasting impact. He will be remembered for providing Chattanoogans with the same quality care that he once delivered to our nation’s leadership as physician to President Eisenhower and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Dr. Rawlings’ commitment to quality patient care is certainly something that Parkridge Medical Center has long embraced. We join the family and friends of Dr. Maurice Rawlings Sr. in mourning but we remain grateful for his inspiration.
DARRELL MOORE
President,
Parkridge
Medical Center Inc.
Memories of ‘Big Nine’ not enough
There are many ways to celebrate African-American history. My reactions are bittersweet when my mother, Wilma L. Scruggs, shares with me some of her history during the time of segregation. In the 1920s and 1930s her father, Henry “Brother” Logue, owned a popular restaurant on the “Big Nine.” The restaurant was called “Logue’s Café” and it was known for the place where local African-Americans gathered with acquaintances. It was especially a place where many very famous African-American celebrities ate.
I am still proud to hear about this. Yet I wonder how many changes have been made. I can remember feeling a sense of pride when I walked or rode down “9th Street/The Big Nine.” The selection of fine restaurants, barber and beauty shops, nightclubs, and even the homes of many African-American organizations, for example, the Elks Cub and the American Legion Hall gave me pride.
“Big Nine” changed, and we began to have more choices. Nevertheless, I venture to say that in many instances, segregation remained, especially our places of worship, organizational memberships and some educational institutions.
Finding the answers is not that easy, but I suggest that more dialogue, discussions and collaborative efforts will help.
EVA J. “SADDLER”
JOHNSON
Senior citizens left out in cold
As you know, President Obama did not put in money to help us senior citizens. Oh no, he put it where he chose so we can starve — no insurance coverage in his Obama insurance coverage. The fewer of us left, the more for his distribution and giveaway to any country that hollers wolf.
We get no caregivers. We get no meals on delivery. Washington has their 2-inch steaks any time. No Social Security increase. Our college sons and daughters get no money to help many of them.
Did Obama ever work to earn a paycheck? I and many others would like to know.
Haiti — disaster — no worse than we have here every day. Who helps us? No one. Who cares? No one; we suffer.
DOROTHY LOVELESS
East Ridge