Students are leading the way on guns
The school kids from Florida are not only passionate and amazingly articulate but have experienced everyone’s worst nightmare, staring down the barrel of a weapon of war and witnessing the unspeakable horror of our out-of-control gun culture. Their common sense message, free of any hidden political agenda, has exposed our lawmakers for exactly what they are – spineless sycophants shamelessly beholden to the deep pockets of the NRA.
Trump may think he holds all the cards but the real trump card will be played in the upcoming elections.
Denny Pistoll
Rising Fawn, Ga.
Traitors among us; get smart, America
For weeks I have noticed how letters from Trump Republicans sound eerily similar to Russian trolls. The glee they express as Trump divides the people of America and degrades our cherished democratic principles is nothing short of disgusting. Then when Robert Mueller posted the indictments of 13 Russians, it all became crystal clear. These Republicans were repeating the thoughts and words of Russian saboteurs.
“Vote Republican, vote Trump, support the 2nd amendment”,” join our #Hilary Clinton for Prison 2016″,”Donald wants to fight Terrorism. Hilary wants to sponsor it.” These messages were created by the Kremlin and spoon fed through fake Twitter feeds and websites to Republican rubes.
One of Russia’s biggest rube farms was in Tennessee. On @TEN__GOP had 100,000 rube followers. Much of the propaganda was retweeted or reposted by Republican hacks like Donald Jr., Kellyanne Conway and Michael Flynn.
The Russians engaged in multimillion-dollar attacks on American democracy by attacking our weaknesses. They stole an election for Donald Trump by taking advantage of our antiquated electoral system that does not award the presidency to the person with the most votes and by conning ignorant voters without critical thinking skills.
Terry Stulce
Ooltewah
Apply clear, present danger application
Obvious issues to be addressed in the problem of mass shootings are mental health and gun control. Another issue that should be discussed centers on civil liberties, especially free speech. Most European nations do not have the constitutional guarantees of these liberties that we have in the U.S., and therefore have more tools at their disposal to hold in custody, allowing time for evaluation, those who openly and publicly declare their desire to kill people.
Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and other American Founding Fathers based their views of civil liberties on John Locke, Montesquieu and other 18th-century philosophers who were combating autocratic monarchies with centuries of abusing the rights of their citizens. Many world nations, such as North Korea, still do so. Fortunately, at least at this time, we in America do not have that same level of governmental abuse.
At one time in the U.S., the principle of “clear and present danger” was applied to such liberties as freedom of speech. If this principle could now be applied to those who publicly declare their desire to commit mass murder, many innocent lives might be saved.
Glenn L. Swygart
Sewanee, Tenn.
Columnist Cook urged to consider a move
Watch what you ask for, [TFP columnist] David Cook, or you just might get another Memphis, which is where I grew up. You think anybody’s moving there? The lopsiders can’t get out fast enough to move to a beautiful city like Chattanooga.
If you don’t like the numbers here, move your bleeding heart to Memphis and you will see lopsided – and not in a good way.
Debra Rodriguez