I would like to thank the Good Samaritan who witnessed the Aug. 12 accident on Bonny Oaks Drive early in the morning. You saved my son’s life. In six minutes, emergency personnel arrived. A nice woman in the ER at Erlanger gave me $25. Judy and Bobby Marshall, Molly and Chris Marshall, Charman and Tim Putnam and Beth Edwards, who had a patient next to my son, treated me like family. They brought me food and gave me snacks. Beth Edwards, a total stranger, gave me $200 when my car was towed.
This is the hardest thing I ever had to deal with in my 77 years. These people, along with many others, prayed for us, which my God answers.
No words can express how much all of this was appreciated.
Barbara Howard
Hixson
Find common ground on key issues
I wonder if conservative-leaning people read letters from unabashedly liberal writers? I am unabashedly liberal. And I want to talk to my Chattanooga neighbors about a few things:
I know you believe in conservatism. But do you know that I think that balancing the federal budget and eliminating the deficit are some of the most important work needed? It will cost programs I favor and some you favor. But, let’s agree, isn’t this a serious long-term problem?
I support people who genuinely, thoughtfully put forth their conservative agenda. Don’t we agree that a leader who tells unsubstantiated tales and engages in other activity that no ethical person would is in the wrong place?
And finally, I know you think the business of business is cynical in its nature. When business doesn’t act as an ethical moral civic partner, when a business cheats, uses and abuses its customers, employees, and neighbors don’t we agree that the business needs to be made to account for its actions?
We, conservatives and liberals alike, have moral and ethical principles sacred to us. We can find common ground without “going to our corners” over every idea put forth by the other.
Lincoln Christensen
Elect Democrats for compassion
I have found the Republicans as a whole to be lacking in compassion and kindness and not even trying. Where is the compassion for the millions of uninsured citizens at the state and national level? Certainly not by refusing to expand Medicaid and trying to destroy the ACA.
Where is the compassion for my 5-year-old granddaughter and millions of others with special needs with pre-existing condition? Where is the compassion for the working class by skewing the tax cuts to the top 1 percent? Where is the compassion in ignoring the fact that millions of women have been sexually assaulted?
Why do most women earn less than men in the same job? Why are the Republican women ignoring the plight of their fellow women? Where is the compassion for teachers, firemen and policemen who are paid subsistence wages for jobs with great responsibility?
Where is the compassion for children kidnapped from their families at our borders? Where is the compassion for Puerto Rico and all of those who died or still suffer?
It is time to elect Democrats – and especially Democratic women – at all levels of government who have compassion and empathy.
Biram C. Hicks, M.D.
Erlanger East care lauded by patient
My wife had a surgical procedure which involved a three-day stay at Erlanger East on Gunbarrel Road. We want to thank each staff member and volunteer at Erlanger East for making the experience as pleasant and pain-free as possible.
Beginning with warm and friendly greetings we received when we arrived at 5:30 a.m. on Friday until our departure on Monday morning, every person from every department, those on the front-lines who are the face of Erlanger East and each person working behind the scene, provided excellent service with kindness, understanding, patience, and caring that go beyond dedication and service to others.
Again, our sincere thanks and gratitude to every staff member and volunteer at Erlanger East.
Richard and Dianne Moore
Cleveland, Tenn.
City praised on two road repairs
I am a frequent traveler on two roads in Chattanooga, Hickory Valley and Mountain View in Ooltewah. Both roads were in dire need of repair a year ago. Thanks to the Chattanooga Transportation Department, they have both been repaired.
This makes traveling so much easier now that they have been repaired. Thank you for attending to these much-needed road repairs.
Rhonda Gentry
Decatur, Tenn.
All disabilities not readily evident
In response to a recent letter:
I was on a motorcycle and hit by a car when I was 19. I was severely injured (fractured left hip, knee and ankle). Since then, I have endured more than 20 surgeries, including four hip procedures. My left foot is paralyzed. On good days, I may opt not to take my cane into the grocery store; on bad days, I just don’t even go.
Though over 60, I still like cars. I drive a Porsche but have endured years of stares as I stepped out of Corvettes, BMWs or other exotic vehicles with permanent disability license tags.
No one can ascertain all disabilities by visual observation. A person’s disability could be heart/lung issues that impede them from walking long distances.
I have a pronounced limp, but not all do. I have tried to hide it by relearning to walk so it is less noticeable. The last time I was approached, an older gentleman who saw me park in a handicapped spot and exit my Porsche said, “You don’t look handicapped, and you have no hang tag!” I politely responded, “I’m sorry, but you don’t look ignorant, either.”
M. Sanford Hodges
Soddy-Daisy
Through with NFL for rest of my life
I always considered myself as being patriotic, not more or less than anyone else. That is why I am so baffled at all this pro football controversy.
I just can’t imagine driving two or three hours and spending several hundred dollars to watch my favorite pro team play, and before the game even starts, be subjected to players disrespecting our national anthem, our nation, all of our veterans (dead or alive) and me.
After this, I am supposed to put all of this aside and out of my mind and sit back and enjoy the game. For me, that is impossible. My day is ruined. It hurts, and I can’t get it out of my mind. If I stayed, I would feel like I was condoning it. For the life of me, I cannot understand why anyone is in those stands. As for me, the damage has already been done, no matter what the NFL decides. I will never watch another NFL game as long as I live.
Wayne Long
Jasper, Tenn.
Trump reason Will, others left the GOP
As one who has voted Republican, I have no difficulty understanding the leading conservative intellectual spokesman, George Will, when he said, “I did not leave the GOP, the GOP left me.” The principal reason was Donald Trump.
Will’s decision to leave the Republican Party was prompted by Trump going after the “Mexican” judge presiding over the Trump University case, followed by Speaker Ryan’s endorsement of Trump. Presumably figuring into Will’s decision was Trump’s question of Sen. McCain as a war hero and his assertion that Republican Sen. Cruz’s father conspired with Lee Harvey Oswald prior to the assassination of President Kennedy. Trump smeared Cruz during the primaries, his wife and father, then slammed Cruz for not endorsing him. Egocentric sociopath?
Anyone supporting Trump should consider what Will had to say, or those who left the convention, Republican Women for Hillary, both presidents Bush, Jeb Bush, Lindsey Graham, Mitt Romney, George Pataki, Ben Sasse, Jeff Flake, among others in GOP who do not blindly support Trump.
John Bratton
Sewanee, Tenn.