B'nai Zion food spread appreciated
With the flu bug in full swarm, my family had the misfortune of spending Christmas sequestered at Erlanger hospital. The day looked bleak, as Santa had not visited the night before; visitors were limited because of the contagious nature of the bug; and no carolers were present. Imagine my surprise when I ventured to the cafeteria at lunchtime to find a resplendent banquet table filled with a traditional holiday meal, tables donned with red and white tablecloths and smiling volunteers serving patients' family members turkey, ham, trimmings and delicious homemade goodies. The B'Nai Zion Congregation did a good deed on Christmas Day by providing a delicious meal to families of patients who needed season's greetings and good cheer on an otherwise joyless day. Because of the efforts of Rabbi Susan Tendler, her daughter, David Eichenthal and 50 volunteers, who sacrificed their time by preparing a wonderful holiday meal, the true spirit of giving was personified.
Dan Liner
Bennett's work is clever artistry
I'm thinking the small dots under the elephant in cartoonist Clay Bennett's Dec. 20 cartoon represent the "droppings" of the GOP on unsuspecting voters, maybe going back to the trickle-down theory days. Yea, Bennett, for such clever work. I continue to be amazed and disappointed that so many angry white folks and other voters support politicians who work against them in favor of banks, corporations, plutocrats, tea party and feathering their personal nests. Think of current needy folks, our need to support Operation Hero (due to lack of government's funding), failure to pay for recent and ongoing wars, failure to support good education and the 30-plus- year trend of maldistributed wealth and income as supporting my point. More than one politician has been heard saying, "I ran because that's where the money is." When will these voters wake up and start the reversal of these trends? History suggests it takes up to 40 years! Meanwhile, keep trying, Mr. Bennett.
Marvin Turner, Hixson
Christian faith rejects hatred
The birth place of Muhammad -- Saudi Arabia -- is the breeding ground for Wahhabi Islamic extremism and consequently the source of hatred that impels international terrorist organizations. Mass murder is regarded by these groups as an act of faith that can bring them closer to Allah. On the contrary, Christians throughout the world sing the songs of brotherhood and peace. The birth of Jesus brings the good news of hope that peace is possible for all humankind. Early Christians carried forward the spirit of the classical world as regards the unity of humankind, which was a defining aspect of the Christian understanding of history. "God hath made of one blood all nations, to dwell on all the face of the Earth, that they should seek the Lord and find him." "In Christ there is neither circumcision nor uncircumcision, bond nor free, but Christ is all and in all." The Christians strove against any exclusiveness based on race. The Christian doctrine known as Christian "universalism" upholds that all free moral creatures, whether Christian or not, will share in the grace of salvation. It is a strand in Christian thought that has persisted to modern times. Amos Taj Ooltewah Beware Haslam's TennCare version Once upon a time, Tennessee had its own insurance program called TennCare. It was a dismal failure. The governor was a Republican named Don Sundquist; his chief financial officer was Bob Corker. The chairman of the state fiscal review board once said if something is not done about TennCare, the state is going broke. Eventually, Gov. Sundquist left office. Bob Corker resigned, came home, became mayor and eventually a multi-millionaire. Fast forward to the present. Gov. Haslam, after refusing to accept Obamacare and denying thousands of Tennessee citizens the opportunity to receive Medicaid, has asked the state legislature to accept Obamacare with a stipulation. The governor will take a more conservative view of who and how much citizens will receive. Can another picture ID be in our future?
Don Myers, Hixson
Cheney, Gingrich not credible
There is no excuse for networks to air Dick Cheney talking about torture. The man has no credibility. He beat the drum for war based on lies and for his own profit -- witness Haliburton. Nor should we have to listen to Newt Gingrich, who thinks the hullabaloo over North Korea's hacking of Sony is a provocation to war. How many wars are we going to start? Who are we going to send into battle? We can hardly take care of the wounded from our most recent invasions. It is impossible not to notice that the people quickest to promote war are those who have never been. I may take issue with John McCain's politics, but the man understands that war is costly to the combatants in ways the rest of us can't fathom, and that "enhanced interrogation" is a pitiful euphemism for torture that only a nation that has lost its soul would endorse.
Kate Stulce, Ooltewah
Thanks, Erlanger, for 'appreciation'
[Bonuses] so obviously show the greed of Erlanger elites, they really speak for themselves. Here's a salute to the one board member, Gerald Webb, who dared to speak up. But, bless his heart, the rest of these misers will probably find a way to take his job! Hopefully, their dreams will be filled with the nightmares many of their employees live every day trying to put food on the table. As for the employee appreciation dinner, they don't need it. You've already publicly shown your "appreciation" to every one of them! Enjoy your money -- and the reputation you've just earned.
Nettie Ferry
Privatize board, let buyer beware
A Ph.D. (Letters, Dec. 18) finds "identical" Bush's men keeping bad guys awake and Pol Pot's men killing people for wearing glasses. Liberalism is willful ignorance, eh? Crony capitalist David Cook (Dec. 17) wants Chattanooga to protect Mercury Cab from competition by Uber. What wickedness, to keep poor people from earning money and to raise the prices poor people pay by reducing the supply of those who sell what they want! Liberalism: what loathsome paternalism, making "the ephah small, and the shekel great." Rich people making choices for poor people by force of law. Taxi board: the Bureaucratic Party at "work," making us pay them to tell us what we must do or not do, as if we couldn't figure this out ourselves, choosing what fits our circumstances. Privatize the board so taxi companies and drivers can pay to get board certified if they want to, and advertise this, while those who don't can charge less for people willing to risk uncertified cabs.
Andrew Lohr
Hearings needed representation
On Dec 16, the Tennessee Joint Government Operations Committee held an informational hearing on two proposed EPA regulations -- the Clean Air Act, Section 111(d), or the Clean Power Plan, and the Clean Waters Act ("Waters of the United States"). I heard of it after it was over. According to the chairman of the committee, Sen Mike Bell, the hearing was to hear from all major stakeholders. I feel I have a major stake in clean air and water. There are two questions that need to be answered: 1. Why wasn't the environmental community given prior notice of this hearing? 2. Why were only TDEC and industry lobbyists invited to give presentations? If this is a foretaste of dealing with the legislature in 2015, things look gloomy indeed for the future of Tennessee's environment. Citizens have a right to know what meetings are being held to decide the fate of our communities and the fate of our children, who will have to live with their decisions.
Alice Demetreon, Whitwell, Tenn.