Institute modified draft for military
There’s an excellent article in your paper’s Nov. 7 Perspective section by Kevin Cullen. It deals with our military forces in what he calls America’s forgotten wars. Readers who missed it could do themselves a favor and go back and read it. He writes about something as simple as reading the names of the killed-in-action soldiers, and about how some people are trying to honor these heroes and share in the grief and sense of loss that we all should feel.
One opinion in this column says that if America is going to war, everyone should have some skin in the game, and that can only be done through a military draft. I agree, but unlike the Vietnam-era draft, there should be no college deferment and no 4-Fs for ingrown toenails. That way there would be no more Iraqs — we would only fight as the last resort, and we’d bring the soldiers home as soon as possible.
To add insult to injury, ESPN is now running ads by multimillionaire athletes thanking our military for being willing to make the ultimate sacrifice so they can freely pursue their dreams. That’s disgusting, and ESPN should be ashamed of itself. What about the fallen’s dreams? Who will speak for them?
Do your part — serve your country.
ALLAN BAGGETT
Trion, Ga.
Voters put thieves back in charge
Reflections on the recent election: It is a sad day for America when voters with limited attention spans and a need for instant gratification have taken actions which have put the chicken thieves back in charge of the hen house, so that they can line their pockets with more feathers!
RICHARD B. TEETER
There is help for the abused
Shae Wiser was a loving mother who ended up dead, beaten to death in front of her two terrified children. One out of three women is abused by her partner. One-third of female homicides are committed by a partner.
Emotional abuse always precedes physical abuse; physical abuse escalates over time. Emotional abuse is very damaging. Your partner yells at you, curses and uses degrading terms. He may isolate you from others, be jealous or possessive, emotionally distant, unforgiving and blames you for problems.
Abused women suffer from depression and low self-esteem and blame themselves for abuse. There is help! The National Abuse Hotline, 800-799-7233. Focus on the Family, 800-232-6459; they’ll guide you to a qualified counselor.
Books like “Angry Men and the Women Who Love Them,” “The Verbally Abusive Relationship” and the Christian book “Keeping the Faith” are available.
Lifeskills International, a counseling group known for helping these families, 303- 340-0598, can help. Locally, The Lighthouse, 423-499-9335.
Pastors must know there are women suffering silently in their congregations. If a counselor blames you for your partner’s abuse, find another counselor! An abuser is always responsible for his actions.
CONNIE POPA
Make right choice concerning alcohol
The citizens of five towns in our area voted to allow alcohol to be served in restaurants. I would still encourage everyone who can to search “effects of alcohol” on the Internet.
A report from the National Institutes of Health has sobering information about the effects of moderate drinking and social drinking. Even some who have had one or two drinks do not escape unaffected.
If a driver thought he or she was unimpaired but had blurred vision and slowed reaction time, their ability to drive safely could be compromised.
In our town, we were encouraged to vote “Yes” to help keep property taxes from increasing and promote the establishment of “high-end businesses.”
It makes me wonder if an impaired driver involved in an “accident” might try a new legal defense.
Imagine the grief and astonishment of the wife and mother whose young husband is now completely paralyzed or the parents whose son or daughter died from their injuries if they heard the defendant say, “I should be treated with leniency because the alcoholic beverages I bought helped reduce your taxes and promoted economic growth in your town!”
Life is precious. Let’s make choices that protect it.
CHRISTINE PAYNE
Ooltewah
Add third name to meltdown list
I read with interest the letter “Frank and Dodd aided meltdown” (Nov. 7) and I agree with the letter, but would like to add another person’s name who had as much to do with this reprehensible act as they did. His name is Henry Cisneros, who was the secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the administration of President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997. He is known for having “formulated policies that contributed to achieving the nation’s highest ever homeownership rate.” I remember him saying he believed that “every American should own a home.” In a Wall Street Journal article within the last two years, I remember him stating that he realized that he was wrong about his statement about “every American.” Too bad he did not realize his terrible error sooner, because in my opinion he was not only wrong but dead wrong, and our nation is suffering terribly from his actions.
GEORGE S. ELDER
Some voters need sobriety testing
Finally I agree with a Clay Bennett editorial cartoon. After the election, he suggested some voters might need a sobriety test. Here are three groups of voters I suggest testing.
California voters elected Jerry Brown, who was governor 36 years ago and started the Golden State’s downhill slide. Here’s a state that’s $70 billion in debt and has unfunded state pension liabilities of $500 billion, so they elect a 71-year-old governor who’s in the pocket of the government employees unions.
Just as bad is Nevada. Here’s a state with 15 percent unemployment and the highest foreclosure rate in the country. So who do they re-elect? Harry Reid, who carried the water for President Obama’s economic policies in the Senate.
Finally, the voters of DeKalb County, Ga. Here we have a county that’s about to lose accreditation for its school system, so they re-elect three incumbent board members, and two more are involved in runoffs. Considering this is the county that sent Cynthia McKinney to Congress many times and is currently represented by Hank Johnson, who actually asked an admiral in a House hearing if he was worried that Guam might “tip” over if we send more Navy personnel, I guess we shouldn’t be surprised.
DOUGLAS JONES
North Chattanooga
Opposing policies not being racist
Re: editorial “A sweep and a challenge,” Nov. 4.
While knowing that the Chattanooga Times is a liberal editorial page, I’m still surprised by the Nov. 4 editorial more or less condemning conservatives as racists. Your statement, “‘taking back their country’ lay also the undeniable taint of vengeful racism aimed at the nation’s first black president” is very insulting to the thousands of people who voted against his policies and who also are patrons of this paper.
When are the liberals in this country going to realize that being against the policies of this president has nothing to do with the color of his skin? That’s the first thing you scream when someone disagrees with the direction the country is going under this current regime in Washington.
Apparently in your view we can’t be patriotic citizens without being racist.
RICHARD FERGUSON
Chickamauga, Ga.