Make Forrest bust reflect real history
Gov.-elect Bill Lee does not want to remove the bust of Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest from the Capitol in Nashville. Apparently clueless to his ironic choice of words, Lee declares that it would be “a mistake to whitewash history.”
Does he know the history of the Fort Pillow Massacre when Forrest’s troops yelled “take the white men, kill the n*****s” as they proceeded to slaughter the surrendering U.S. colored troops who had laid down their arms?
Lee says, “The Ku Klux Klan is a part of our history that we’re not proud of in Tennessee, and we need to be reminded of that and make certain that we don’t forget it.” I couldn’t agree more, but the bust doesn’t mention anything about that, it only glorifies Forrest’s military position.
I would like to propose a compromise in line with the governor’s logic. Leave the bust in place and add the following lines to the pedestal under Confederate States Army: Slave Trader, War Criminal, Founder of the Ku Klux Klan.
There you go, Governor, history preserved in its entirety.
Sheila St. Aubin
Cost, not health risks, can deter teen smoking
I read TFP reporter Elizabeth Fite’s article about funding for anti-smoking programs (Tuesday, page B1 “Health council wants tobacco funds reinstated”). Most anti-smoking programs are based largely on the health issues caused by smoking. Does anyone really think a teenager wanting to “be cool” (or whatever the term is today) will be deterred from starting to smoke because of health issues on down the road?
Instead, center programs on cost. The number one brand is Marlboro. The average cost is $6.60 (with tax). Smoking a pack a day is $46 a week, $207 a month, $2,409 a year, and $72,270 over 30 years. Focus smoking education on what they could be buying with all that money right now instead of trying to scare them with possible illnesses down the road.
Joe Kirkpatrick
Cleveland, Tennessee
Pope Francis easy on bishops
I’ve read the letter which Pope Francis sent to our bishops, meeting to pray and consider how best to resolve the scandals resulting from abuse. The Holy Father is too gentle. This elderly uneducated Catholic says this to my beloved bishops:
If you are guilty of crimes, or of covering up the crimes of others, immediately remove yourself from your official position, present yourself to the appropriate civil authorities, admit the crimes and gratefully accept the punishment demanded under law.
To prevent any recurrence of sickening crimes such as we have seen, no ordained clergy should wield financial or civil influence. Turn over control of the “physical plant” and all monetary matters to competent laymen. Ordained ministers must return to their intended role as pastors, shunning all other power. If you want to run the government, request layization and run for political office. If you want to run a business, get a job.
Bill Laudeman
Red Bank
‘No Budget, No Pay’ is a sound approach
I endorse Rep. Jim Cooper’s (D-Tennessee) push for the “No Budget, No Pay Act” and the “Hold Congress Accountable Act.”
Federal government employees do not generally suffer greatly during shutdowns. “Essential” employees who work through the so-called “shutdown” should be paid with an extra amount calculated at a loan rate to cover additional expenses.
Regulations (laws if needed) should be changed allowing “non-essential” employees to do voluntary work. Those who do should be covered the same as “essential,” but not those who choose to not work.
In all previous “shutdowns,” those who do not work are given the same back pay as those who worked. In other words, they get extra paid vacation. That is not right. They should be allowed to use accrued vacation if desired and then be treated the same as “essential,” but no work, no pay. Private employees don’t get extra paid vacation for not working.
Federal employees have almost guaranteed jobs for life, health insurance and retirement benefits that are well above private employees. And the regular salaries are equal or greater than private employees, except for some high level executives and some technical, scientific and medical employees.
Jim Hill
Harrison
Trump misplayed wall promise
I am highly amused watching Donald Trump struggle to force Congress to fund the wall he promised during his election campaign. It could have been so easy.
When Trump was first elected, the big money wing of the Republican Party was determined to pass a large tax cut bill. If Trump had said that he would veto any tax cut bill that did not include $15 billion for his wall, he would now have plenty of money. Instead, he publicly belittled and denigrated Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan for failing to repeal the Affordable Care Act. They could have retaliated by taking on Trump in public, as many pundits have urged them and other Republicans to do. Their response was both more subtle and more lethal: They simply ignored Trump’s promise to build a wall. Trump signed the tax cut bill without getting so much as a verbal commitment to fund the wall.
I wonder how the Trump re-election campaign will work if Trump has to promise, again, to build a wall.
Jim Olson
Trump’s insults of military shameful
While I was watching the television recently, our president came on and said our military service members were suckers. I guess my uncles and my dad were suckers, too. They were in World War II and Korea. Also, I was in Vietnam.
All I have to say is shame on the American people who voted for Donald Trump and shame on him.
Robert Kain
Soddy-Daisy
TSA’s tactics are a bit overreaching
I am almost 74 years old and have been living in the same place for more than 25 years. I am a 100 percent disabled veteran. I went through security at Chattanooga Airport in early January. I had just renewed my license in Rome, Ga., so I got the paper copy until my renewal came.
The TSA would not accept my driver’s license or my VA card with my photo on it. I went through a thorough and embarrassing search. I understand they have an important job to do but after being groped in front of everyone it was traumatic. I had a choice of doing it privately but I was scared to go back to the private area with them. I do feel their tactics should be exposed.
Ed Teems
Trion, Georgia
Tivoli, please fix HVAC, security
I spent almost $500 to take my family to see “Nutcracker” Sunday, Dec. 30, at the Tivoli. The upper balcony became so hot many of us were having problems staying awake even though the Moscow Ballet and local ballet were wonderful. The Tivoli was one of the first facilities to have air conditioning in Chattanooga. I know because my father, Charles Addison, was the engineer/contractor who tore out and replaced the original units. I complained during intermission but didn’t notice any improvement. Whoever the facility manager is let the audience down. If they can’t get this right in mild weather, what would it be like in summer?
Also, security is atrocious! A bad guy could easily force entry, take out the one uniformed guard and wreak havoc until running out of ammunition or the police arrive. The screening means instead of having dozens of concealed carry permit holders, trained law-abiding citizens who can defend themselves and others, the one uniformed armed guard might as well have a target on his chest. I can’t think of any place in the Chattanooga area more inviting to a bad guy than the Tivoli. That’s why we rarely go anymore.
Andy Addison
Ringgold