Principles make America the best
In response to the Times Free Press letter “Children need a renewed America,” the writer detests not being able to mention the name “God” in government buildings.
In America we have so much to be thankful for on the Fourth of July, especially our forefathers’ foresight in the separation of church and state.
This stops religious zealots from rewriting the Constitution and changing our laws to suit their own “personal” agenda.
It is this principle and so many others that make America the greatest country in the world.
JOSHUA HURLEY
Thurman makes a valid point
I congratulate Rhonda Thurman for making no comment on JoAnne Favors accusing Thurman of racism over her statement about poor people and slaves learning to read.
I believe Thurman was making a valid point. Just look at the dropout rate and low scores in schools in the black community directly leading to crime, which is rampant in that community, drugs, and children with no father figure who will grow up and repeat the process.
There were slaves in the Old South who risked their lives to learn to read, since it was against the law then to teach them to read. Their determination and risk is a proud legacy indeed.
It is far too easy for some people to constantly scream racism rather than addressing these issues.
I truly believe that the black leaders who lived and died for equal rights would be dismayed to see what is happening today by young black students and their parents not taking full advantage of the educational opportunities that are available to them at no cost.
They are causing the sacrifices of the previous generation and their dreams to turn into nightmares for all of us.
ANNE REEVES
Give the flag rightful respect
The July 4, 2011, issue of the Times Free Press front-page article “Hot as a Firecracker” opened: “Time to bring out the stars and stripes and the sunscreen.”
The remainder of the article was about the high temperatures forecast for the day. It is regrettable the writer did not include a reminder that as night approaches, the time to bring in the stars and stripes is at sundown unless the flag is illuminated by a light.
Apparently many people are not aware the U.S. Code for the display of our flag states:
“It is the universal custom to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset on buildings and on stationary flagstaffs in the open. However, when a patriotic effect is desired, the flag may be displayed 24 hours a day if properly illuminated during the hours of darkness.”
If you notice, when traveling at night, you will see the U.S. flag left on display without a light in residential areas, at some business establishments, and at times, even on government buildings.
Hopefully, this reminder will encourage people to give our flag the respect it deserves.
WILLIAM WIGGINS
Signal Mountain
Obvious wrongs must be corrected
“There is no right way to do wrong.” These words come to mind when I write about the reports I saw about white males driving through the neighborhood at East Lake Courts throwing firecrackers at people and yelling racial slurs. Witnesses of the attack said they first thought they heard gunshots and didn’t know if they should run, duck or hide.
The attorney representing one of the attackers said that his client, essentially, is not guilty of any wrongdoing. No racial motivation is behind the incident.
People use the First Amendment of the United States Constitution to defend such attacks. Are they truly protected? Should they be? Where is the humanity in imposing your beliefs on and about others using intimidation and violence?
So you don’t like blacks? The Constitution does not – should not – grant you permission to enjoy yourself by intruding upon the “life, liberty and happiness” of the residents of East Lake Courts.
Will this drive-by be prosecuted or ignored and considered to be harmless?
Speak up and speak out! There are too many Chattanoogans murmuring in the shadows and doing nothing to change the obvious wrongs that need to be corrected.
KELLIE CARTER
Make politicians join Medicare
Lay federal employees off due to no money. Don’t pay the politicians. Cut Medicare, only after the politicians have to join us for Medicare for their health care.
CHARLES H. BREWER
Cherrylog, Ga.
Balanced budget will aid recovery
We don’t have a money crisis; we have a spending crisis.
Marco Rubio said it right a couple of days ago: “We don’t need more taxes; we need more taxpayers.”
Small businesses employ half of the employees in the private sector. Small businesses have generated 64 percent of the new jobs over the past 15 years. But the burden of the growing national debt and the stalled debt-ceiling talks have so scared small-business owners that most of them have put off hiring until they see what the government is going to do.
So far, as usual, the government is doing nothing.
More taxes is not the solution; more taxes is the problem.
A balanced budget will not slow the recovery; it will show everyone that we are serious about ending our spending binge, and it will stimulate a stronger recovery.
Call your senators and representatives and tell them to cut our spending and reduce our entitlements in order to save our children’s future.
GERALD WHITELY
Ringgold, Ga.
Thurman, others should be removed
As a longtime resident of our city, I am writing to express my concern about recent discussion and the remarks by a board member. I don’t understand how one person can call the shots on a board of several members. Are we electing weak officials to represent us and especially our children?
I believe that every parent, grandparent and all who are concerned should call for immediate removal of Rhonda Thurman and the school board members who voted to oust Dr. Jim Scales and promote Rick Smith.
If not, I believe sincerely that we should call for a walkout on our schools, instead of registration on Aug. 3, 2011, and the first day of school Aug. 10, 2011.
Since Smith stated layoffs will be coming soon, let us help him by not attending school the first, second or third week or until Mrs. Thurman steps down from the school board and takes Smith with her.
Please, don’t let people unhappy with their lives destroy our children.
RUBYE WILSON
People totally ignorant of facts
People should do some research before they accuse President Obama of misusing Air Force One for personal “vacations.”
President Obama and family, unlike the Bushes and Reagans, do not have a vacation home they can jet off to when they need some R&R.
Bush II made 77 trips to his Crawford, Texas, home spending 490 days “on vacation,” and 149 visits to Camp David for a total of 487 days “on vacation.”
Just counting the Texas and Camp David trips, that’s over two years on “vacation.” It is a fact that President Bush is the most vacationing president ever.
Then there’s the issue of using Air Force One for campaigning, which all presidents have done, but it appears no one has gone apoplectic about it until Obama starting doing it.
The accounting guidelines for use of Air Force One were set in 1992, and if a trip is for political or unofficial purposes, they must reimburse the government the cost of equivalent commercial airfare.
President Obama is doing nothing that any other president – Democrat or Republican – has done in their official capacity as president. It appears people either have a very bad memory, or are totally ignorant of facts.
REBECCA ROCHAT