Pain clinic closings will be a disaster
Well, no one would believe me when I told them that this state government’s unconscionable, overreactive interference in everyone’s lives because of an imagined, media-created “crisis” was going to cause a real disaster. Well, here it is. Now, shortly there will be 50,000 people in real non-cancer chronic pain who will soon have no place to go but to heroin.
As soon as all the Comprehensive Pain Specialists clinics close, there will be heroin dealers popping up on every street corner in Chattanooga and the surrounding metro area, and then there will be a real crisis. I hope the government of Tennessee likes the idea of the stats on mugging, armed robbery and burglary going through the roof because now they will, as people who otherwise would probably never commit any of these crimes will start committing them to pay for heroin.
Pain is the most powerful of motivations and can rarely be overcome. Now it is going to cause a real disaster unless the government of this state eases its ridiculous restrictions on prescription opioid pain medications and lets things get back to at least a semblance of normal.
Richard W. Shultz
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Where are Berrigans when we need them?
Donald Trump, elected president by a minority of the American electorate aided by Russian sabotage, embodies not only the principle of chaos but the opposite of what American democracy was founded on and the values that have sustained it: truth, justice, freedom. The more immoral and malevolent Trump’s behavior is, domestically and in foreign affairs, the more his three classes of supporters, the underprivileged, the overprivileged and congressional Republicans, worship him.
I am disappointed that I have heard nothing from the church against Trump. The evangelical wing of the church fawns over him because he opposes women’s freedom over their own bodies. My own Anglo-Catholic branch maintains its customary dignified silence, as far as I can tell. Where are Daniel and Philip Berrigan when we need them?
Faye Walter, Sewanee, Tenn.
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‘Friends’ now see the truth of Trump
Divide and conquer have been Donald Trump’s M.O., beginning with the Republican debates. He used hateful rhetoric to shock our nation. The disparaging comment about John McCain was appalling. By using division, he received the nomination, bewildering mainstream Republicans.
Once nominated, he began the hatred rhetoric on his next opponent, “Crooked Hillary.” He convinced our nation the Democratic Party was not patriotic but weak and untrustworthy, chanting “lock her up.”
As president, he now divides our country through health care, immigration, religion, supremacy, environment, women’s rights, Iran, Korea, tariffs, and, of course, the witch hunt.
He parades the Republican tax cut to give us the impression his presidency is successful but can’t explain Helsinki. And, unfortunately, our children will foot the bill for our good times today.
Through division, Trump has played our country, especially the Republican Party. However for Trump, the beginning of the end is here. “Friends” are talking, and we are beginning to see the dreadful truth behind Trump.
Once we do see it, hopefully we can then awaken to one of John McCain’s strongest requests: “I would like to see us recover our sense that we are more alike than different …”.
Roger Shipley, Ringgold, Ga.