Glasscock a fine community servant
I have known Joe Glasscock for over 50 years. He has always had a dedicated desire to serve and make the city of Red Bank a better place.
I served with Joe when he was president of the Red Bank Highland Jaycees on Clean-up Fix-up campaigns, driver education for Red Bank High School, voter registration, litter pickup, etc.
Joe Glasscock was the leading force in the organization, purchase of fire engine, and the building of the first Red Bank Volunteer Fire Department, and just look what a fine, well-equipped fire department we have in Red Bank today. This all came about because of the foresight, ingenuity and hard work of one dedicated community servant and the helpers he recruited to help him.
Joe also serves his Lord through his membership in Red Bank United Methodist Church.
I have lived in Red Bank since 1939. As I reflect on all those years, I cannot think of a single person who has had a more positive influence in so many areas than Joe Glasscock. I encourage residents to re-elect Joe Glasscock your city commissioner.
Bill Farmer
Red Bank
Fearful politics harm us all
I lament the passing of the Republican Party that I knew — the one using facts, vision and determination. This Republican Party uses anger, anxiety and fear effectively for power. Watch Fox News or listen to Rush Limbaugh; read recent books by Republicans and you will see the strategy (“Young Guns,” “Mad as Hell,” “Trickle Up Poverty,” “Roots of Obama’s Rage,” “Pinheads and Patriots”). The same fear/anger-based strategy exists in other Republican-based media and the blogs.
Surveys show it works: Almost 75 percent surveyed have lost faith in government. Many miss the great country and amazing democracy we live in because of pervasive negativity. Fascists and communists used similar tactics in different political systems to gain power over the past century (Germany, Italy, China, Russia and North Korea, to name a few).
I miss the facts and upbeat common-sense arguments of the old Republican Party. This new strategy reeks of desperation and self-righteousness. Research shows fear works because it degrades our ability to reason; it degrades our mental and physical health. No matter the side of the aisle one sits on, angry and fearful politics harm us all in the end.
Stephen Arnsdorff
Can state bypass U.S. Constitution?
We hear a lot about the federal government ignoring the U.S. Constitution but perhaps this cuts both ways.
Fact 1: Article 1, Section 10 — Powers prohibited of States: No State shall … pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.
Fact 2: On our Georgia ballot, there is a proposed constitutional amendment: Allows competitive contracts to be enforced in Georgia courts. House Resolution No. 178 Ga. L. 2010, p. 1260 “Shall the constitution of Georgia be amended so as to make Georgia more economically competitive by authorizing legislation to uphold reasonable competitive agreements?”
It would seem that on Sept. 17, 1787, when Georgia’s representatives signed the Constitution, they made a contract with the federal government to obey the rules. How is it that Georgia has a law that allows the breaking of voluntary civil contracts? Does anyone but me read the U.S. Constitution?
Bert Loftman
Pickens County, Ga.
Teach students history, the law
Once again, Ms. Thurman shows her ignorance by asking people to donate money to buy an address system for students to use. If Ms. Thurman read the court’s decision in Santa Fe Indiana School District v Doe, she would know her idea doesn’t keep prayer at a government-sponsored event on government-owned property from being a violation of the First Amendment.
Rather than sanctioning ignorance in our students, wouldn’t it be nice for our school board members to be concerned with teaching our kids the law? Have students read the First Amendment? Have students read the Supreme Court decisions?
Rather than perpetuating the falsity that our nation was founded as a Christian nation, use the Treaty of Tripoli, which reads, “The Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion,” as a teaching tool. Teach students that many of the founding fathers were deists, including Jefferson and Madison, and not Christians. Teach students to be tolerant of others’ religious views. Teach students that it is not right to force one group’s religious beliefs onto others.
Would Rhonda Thurman support stopping classes so that Muslims could practice Salah?
BLAIR BENNINGTON CANNON
Elect Glasscock, LeCompte, Smith
Fellow Red Bank citizens: In a few days it will be Election Day. Red Bank needs to make a couple of changes.
Keep Joe Glasscock; his record speaks for itself. Just look around and see all the positive things he has done. Sidewalks, street lights, new businesses and a dog park, plus many others too numerous to name.
The next person we need is Ed LeCompte. Ed was instrumental in the revitalization of downtown and knows how to get the job done. He would be an asset to Red Bank.
Also, David Smith, a good, honest, hard-working man. These men have the know-how to get the job done for Red Bank. They would not embarrass the city of Red Bank with violating the sunshine law or many other things. We all read the newspaper. Red Bank needs to be seen as a more positive place.
DONNA RUCKER
Pierce should visit seniors program
Letters and political ads proclaim Floy Pierce the champion of Red Bank senior citizens! We have enjoyed the Seniors program at the community center for over a year. Ms. Pierce attended our Christmas party last year with other commissioners. She has never been there to see what we do. If she attended the full day one time, she would realize we have a fine program, with 90 percent of the attendees from Red Bank. Many of the seniors were present to see Ms. Pierce vote against the senior program in a commission meeting. A program she supports?
A letter to the editor (Oct. 21) stated that the seniors need a place to meet to feel we are still part of this community. To the writer and Ms. Pierce, that place has been here for over one year. Join us on Mondays and Thursdays beginning at 10 a.m. We have a clean, bright and pleasant facility to meet, play, dance and enjoy interesting programs on a variety of senior subjects. That facility is one Red Bank can be proud of.
Ms Pierce, come visit, see what teamwork can accomplish.
NORMAN LOWE
Hixson
Savas will fight for our rights
Savas [Kyriadidis] has all the prerequisites independents want in a congressman.
He loves our country and has a strong desire to serve (proven by combat service in the Iraqi War with 101st Airborne Division), is very well educated (has law degree and currently defends our military), a businessman (owner and operator of Acropolis Restaurant), shares our Christian values (pro-life and against gay rights agenda), against big federal government (ObamaCare and huge deficit spending), and for free enterprise and capitalism.
But, more important than all these characteristics, he is not a politician, but rather a servant. He will fight for our rights and freedoms against the establishment.
Margaret Hyder
Let people vote on right to pray
It is good to know that the Soddy-Daisy football players will continue to have prayer before each game. It is also great to know that these boys will continue to go to Wednesday night services. At least these boys are not ashamed to let people know they believe in God.
The student who reported the football coach was leading the team in prayer will have to answer for that, and he won’t be able to lie. The people should be able to have prayer, and the Supreme Court should not have the right to tell us we can’t. The people need to vote to have the right to prayer. They have taken the Bible and prayer out of our schools, and they will answer for this as will the people who won’t stand up to them.
Vote these out of office and get America back on the right track. They have done this to another school in our area: Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, and they didn’t back off. I’m sure we have an attorney in Chattanooga who would be willing to help these Soddy-Daisy players defend their rights.
BARBARA PICHETT
GOP, Democrats are both the same
In regards to the response of Dr. Jim Scales following what the Republicans have been doing since the Bush years by letting the liberals do whatever they want, I simply wanted to inform those who follow both the weak Republicans and the strong liberal groups that the claim that “prayer in schools and at sports activities and graduations is unconstitutional due to separation of church and state” is false. You can read the Constitution for yourself. Separation of church and state is not in there!
What we have is a another prime example of liberals getting their way and the Republicans just sitting there and doing nothing about it. That’s why I have left the Republican Party and switched to Libertarian. If you are concerned about your kids’ and grandkids’ future, you should do the same.
For those of you who get your information from the idiot tube, be it Fox or CNN, pick up a book and you’ll see that Republicans and Democrats are indeed the same. They both want big government and they both want big spending. Republicrats as Ron Paul calls them.
Josh Hale
Soddy Daisy
Knowles story showed good side
Your article, “Family ties bind county offices,” attempted to smear a good name. Instead you proved that the Knowles’ good name is just that, good and upright. Your report even stated it wasn’t against the law for families to work together in government. All branches of government, including the school system, have family working side by side to make our county better.
I’ve been spending time with the homeless for over a year and a half. I go under the bridges and into the woods looking for marginalized citizens who need assistance. My husband, who was homeless, (by choice), for over 20 years rejoined society because of loving people such as Bill and Marlene Knowles. They chose to reach out to a man they did not know and accept him as he was. They didn’t judge him. They didn’t condemn him.
And a word in behalf of Alan Knowles. Dove Ministries provides free concert tickets to children/youth homes. Otherwise some children couldn’t attend.
In closing, I’m not angry at you, for you are doing what you are paid to do – sell papers. Thank you for your time, and please accept my prayers.
Jeannette Fehr
Harrison