Shame on our senators and congressman for failing to condemn Donald Trump’s knowing and intentional fomenting of racial hatred with his vile and demeaning comments about four American women, duly elected by their constituents to serve in the Congress of the United States.
The silence of our representatives speaks volumes about their own moral character, the regard they have for the legislative body they each swore to serve, and the democratic process by which they and their fellow legislators are chosen.
It is a sad day for Tennessee when we are represented by three people who, in failing to stand up to a bully like Donald Trump, become complicit in his actions.
Sandra McCrea, Signal Mountain
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Fix ‘system flaws,’ re-insure children
Children are suffering here in Tennessee. At least 220,000 kids have lost TennCare or Cover Kids health coverage in the past two years! The cause is identified as system flaws, not ineligibility. Bureaucratic red tape leaves Tennessee’s children without insurance to cover their health care.
Why has our legislature not addressed this? Is it because children don’t vote? Is it because their parents are not encouraged to register to vote?
Our senator, Lamar Alexander, has stood up for improved health care. Surely he can wield some influence. State leaders must fix this problem.
As the cost of treatment and medications skyrocket, our health care problems compound. This is wrong.
Helen Barrett
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Improve downtown by voting for BID
The Chattanooga City Council is considering a request by downtown property owners to form a Business Improvement District. The Tennessee state legislature has enabled these districts in an effort to allow private property owners to pay extra for services that are above and beyond those offered by local government.
In Chattanooga, these might include additional trash pick-up, pressure washing of sidewalks, graffiti removal and other services viewed to generally improve the visitor and downtown worker experience.
As required by the state, a vote was taken of property owners within the district. The result was overwhelming support for the formation of the Business Improvement District. Just as in other cities in America, the property owners recognize the value of additional services and a cleaner, safer downtown.
I encourage our city officials to endorse this effort.
John K. Clark
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Overused ‘racist’ means little now
Charges of “racism” are flying high now. Our great country is supposed to be functioning as a colorblind society. Martin Luther King Jr. rightly pointed out the issue should not be drawn to the “color of one’s skin but to the content of one’s character.”
So why is the media interjecting the color of one’s skin into so many of their news accounts? Why does the media list a person’s name, a few details of the story and then the color of the person’s skin? They want to interject race into the story to imply something or stir something, it seems.
Many politicians also want to interject race into the discussion when it only leads to increased tension and divisions. Obviously, many of them want this to happen for some political reason.
With Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minnesota, shouting “racist” at almost any person who disagrees with her, it renders the discourse on this subject meaningless and unproductive.
It is high time for the media and politicians to cease playing the “race card” at every turn. It has been totally worn out now. It is fully divisive and non-productive the way it is being overused and abused!
Jerry Johns, Ringgold