Wiedmer column on rape saluted
Mark Wiedmer should be commended for his column of Nov. 21 dealing with rape victims.
The response of Butch Jones was as expected, but the primary responsibility to respond falls to those school administrators having final authority in these matters.
Unfortunately, however, the care and feeding of our so-called student athletes seem to be far more important (a fact all too common in many universities) than the well-being of any young lady in our community.
Again, I commend Mark Wiedmer and citizens like Judy Ekiss (letter of Nov. 23 to the sports section) for calling attention to this disgraceful behavior.
JOHN DICKINSON
Time for Obama to show might
This is an open letter to Barack Obama, not President Obama. When he acts as a president I will show him some respect.
How many of our people have to be beheaded before you get off your duff and bomb the living Hades out of those monsters? They’ve called your bluff, and I feel it’s time to answer them with a big, old atomic bomb.
Sure some innocents will be killed, but what about our innocents being murdered?
Do something now! F.D.R. and Harry Truman would not stand for this, and neither should any American.
I’m 82 years old and hoped to never see this day. Might makes right.
MRS. J.L. DOHERTY, Hixson
GOP must pass immigration bill
I have been a voting conservative all my adult life. I have little respect for our extremely liberal, arrogant president.
However, his executive order on immigration is past due. Congress has not been able to forge an immigration bill both parties support. I support the president’s effort. There are many long-time, hard-working immigrants who deserve a chance at citizenship.
The recent election showed that people were tired of a Congress that could not work together toward the good of the nation.
In order for the Republicans to have a successful run for the presidency in 2016, they must show they can govern, which requires them to work with the ones on the other side of the aisle as well as with the White House.
The challenge for the Republicans is to refrain from their current partisanship over this executive order but use it as a basis to construct comprehensive immigration reform.
This would demonstrate a new Congress is ready to roll up its sleeves to work for the good of the people. Otherwise, it’s business as usual, with much frustration for the people of this country.
Call your senators and representatives to share your views.
DAVID LACY, Winchester, Tenn.
What did Ferguson stores do wrong?
Three days before Thanksgiving, people in Ferguson, Mo., rioted, looted and burned when the grand jury refused to indict a white cop in the killing of a black teenager.
And, of course, those people knew all the evidence that was presented to the grand jury to justify their lawlessness.
There were about 25 fires set overnight. Ten cars were burned at a dealership. Walgreens, Little Caesers Pizza, AutoZone, Beauty Town, Title Max, Family Dollar Store and O’Reilly Auto Parts were among those burned.
KMOV-TV reports the majority of stores that were damaged or destroyed were minority owned. Apparently, those rioters believed these businesses had a hand in the killing of Michael Brown.
Yet, when a black officer kills an unarmed white teen Aug. 11 in Salt Lake City at a 7-Eleven, there was no rioting, no looting and no burning.
To me, it’s quite apparent a white-on-black killing fosters racial violence while a black-on-white killing does not.
GARY HAYES, Ooltewah