Trump vote is vote for hate, bigotry
A vote for Donald Trump is a vote for bigotry. Like George Wallace, he appeals to the lowest common denominator: hate. Our country is trending away from hate ever since its peak during the Joe McCarthy days. For a man who has gone bankrupt four times, Trump’s ideas are bankrupt as well.
To people who feel hurt by economic globalization, blame our politicians. But also blame our system of capitalism. But blame most our United States Congress.
But a vote for Trump will not fix America. Getting rid of polarizing gerrymandering will fix America. Our citizenry is battling between two extremist factions; moderate statesmanship has disappeared. If we must blame somebody, it is ourselves: those who would allow themselves to be hoodwinked by name-calling and sloganeering rather than educating themselves on the issues.
Thomas Jefferson warned that a democracy depends on the level of enlightenment of its citizens, not its divisions. This is why I am voting for Hillary Clinton.
Mike C. Bodine
Cook displays air of superiority
I was absolutely appalled when I read David Cook’s column on Bob Corker. I hope others were also. We don’t need his kind to be allowed, encouraged or tolerated. We don’t and can’t appreciate hate in any form. He spews hatred for anyone who doesn’t agree with him.
I was raised to respect our elected officials, not to denigrate them because I didn’t agree with their decisions. They should serve all the people. They aren’t in office just to make him happy. I raised my children to respect and discuss the views of everybody. Evidently, he wasn’t raised this way or has extremely embarrassed his parents. His air of superiority smacks of racism. I am not inferior to him, nor is Mr. Corker because we support Donald Trump.
Yes, I am a Republican most of the time. My husband and son served in the military. Another son is a happily gay married man. We live in a mixed-race neighborhood. I don’t live in a bubble. I doubt he can relate to any of the above.
He reminds me of the child who throws a tantrum and takes his ball and goes home.
Joyce Johnson
Hixson
Make air quality a top priority
Every new parent has quietly peeked in the bassinet to watch that tiny chest rise and fall. It’s the most basic sign that things are OK.
For parents of kids with asthma, checking on that chest never goes away. We sacrifice savings accounts to pay for allergy shots. We nag the kids to take their inhalers. But there is one thing that has no shots, no medications, nothing we can look out for: air pollution. Just this week, Chattanooga had a “Code Orange” for a dangerous level of smog.
Doctors tell us that chemicals in the air can trigger asthma. But what are we supposed to do? We can stop supporting companies that negatively affect air quality, learn more about air quality problems through organizations like Moms Clean Air Force, and encourage our state and federal legislators to make air quality a priority.
What is at stake is the rising and falling of little chests everywhere, not just the ones with asthma but the ones who jump and run at the park, the ones who breathe deeply and evenly in their beds, and the ones who are drawing their very first breaths today.
Sarah Steffner