Hypocrite, thy name is Hobby Lobby
In the wake of Hobby Lobby’s $3 million fine for looting antiquities from Iraq, the fundamentalist Christian store chain has adopted several additions to the Ten Commandments:
“Thou shall not steal, unless it promotes Christian fundamentalism.”
“Thou shall not lie, unless it promotes Christian fundamentalism.”
“Thou shall not covet thy neighbor’s antiquities, unless it promotes Christian fundamentalism.”
In the Bible museum that the owners of Hobby Lobby proudly built to promote ancient scriptures as literal history and science, one can find old editions of the Bible. There are ancient manuscripts, the King James version, and the recently new and improved Hobby Lobby version.
In his “Letters from the Earth,” Mark Twain captured the Bible perfectly in this quote: “It is full of interest. It has noble poetry in it; and some clever fables; and some blood-drenched history; and some good morals; and a wealth of obscenity; and upwards of a thousand lies.”
Amen, Brother Twain, amen.
Stephen Greenfield
Cleveland, Tenn.
What does Trump’s election say about us?
I am disturbed by many of the things President Trump has said and done. On the campaign trail he made fun of a disabled reporter, said he can grab any woman by the privates, said he can shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and get away with many other things. Any one of those things might have derailed anyone else’s campaign and yet America elected him as its president.
As president he has a nearly all-white cabinet, has been openly racist and sexist in his actions and policies. The list goes on. Yet much of America still supports him.
My question is what does this say about the American people? Why are we willing to put up with bad behavior with our president that we would not put up with from any other politician? People who elected Trump and continue to support him need to examine their collective consciences and wonder why they aren’t ashamed of themselves and their president.
Mary C. Caliandro
Ooltewah
Tweak ACA, then pass universal care
I’m not very eloquent, so I will get right to the point. I believe in the Affordable Care Act. It is stupid to repeal something that just needs tweaking.
Congress needs to form bipartisan groups which include women, men and mixed ethnicities and make the needed corrections to the ACA. The proposed GOP legislation would significantly increase the cost of medical care for those who need it most – the extremely sick and the elderly. At the same time, it would decrease taxes for the super rich, who have no problem paying for anything. Ultimately, millions of people would lose their health care coverage.
Congress needs to form a second group of bipartisan members to work on moving America toward universal health care. This group could research Australia and Canada, etc., and determine how to evolve into this.
Health care is more important than making rich people richer. I just wonder how people feel now that our country is forgetting all of its wonderful standards. Never thought I would be ashamed of my United States.
Grace Ashford