Love has power to overcome the evil
In a letter to editor on March 1, a man wrote with his opinion about the evil and hate that some people have within them. I, too, am a white man who was taught by my wonderful mother from as early as I can remember. (That would have been back in the early 1950s.)
She told me to love everyone. She told me to never use the “N” word. I asked mommy what she meant. With tears in her eyes, in a sensible manner, she told me.
As I became older I would see my mother’s tears many times. It was especially bad when the four little girls were killed in their church when it was bombed while they were in Sunday school in Birmingham, Ala. My tears came as I saw on the news the little children, some dead or gasping for breath.
Yes, I know from the beginning there has been hate and evil. It would be so wonderful if everyone loved one another.
Brian Kisner, LaFayette, Ga.
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Tariffs a misguided move by president
I hope and pray that the new tariffs announced by President Donald Trump will not be implemented. They will scuttle so much of the American industrial economy.
Mr. Trump seems to believe that he can subdue countries like North Korea as well as our NAFTA partners Mexico and Canada by wielding the symbolic sword of a widespread implementation of tariffs.
His childish claim that a trade war could be a good thing reveals a petulance worthy of a spoiled toddler.
I praise Tennessee U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan for speaking out against the steel and aluminum tariffs. I hope that Chuck Fleischmann and Scott DesJarlais follow suit.
At least then-President George W. Bush saw the error of his decision to impose a tariff on steel. Does Donald Trump have the maturity and intellect to do likewise?
Harry Geller
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Memorial design, cost hard to justify
I am writing about the memorial to the five brave servicemen whose lives were so callously ended in July 2015.
That anyone could justify the expenditure of at least $150,000 for so-called plans and construction of five pillars in tribute amazes me.
Most children could come up with more imaginative and appropriate designs.
Jill Eischeid
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Gun violence needs comprehensive fix
I saw the headline Wednesday on the front page: “Stage Set for Walkout.”
I did not walk out for this at my school. However, I would walk out to protest violent video games. I would walk out to protest the gun violence in movies, and the glamorization of criminal life Hollywood produces. I would walk out to protest violent rap lyrics. I would walk out to protest the dearth of mental health care for adolescents.
It’s not guns. It’s not the NRA. It’s not Trump. That’s too easy, not to mention that the last two had nothing to do with the recent tragedy. It’s all of the above.
A walkout to protest “gun violence” would have to address the places kids see it everyday, which is on their many devices, churned out for profit in the media they voraciously consume.
Wednesday’s walk-out was a meaningless exercise and will do nothing to educate students about the real issues at play, and will do nothing to decrease “gun violence.”
Everyone needs to take 17 minutes to look in the mirror and ask “How do I support our violent culture?,” then vow to make changes. That’d be a better exercise.
Charlotte Bishop, Hixson