Michelle Fiscus' firing is infuriating, despicable
In the months preceding my retirement in May 2020, I sat as chairman of my hospital's Physicians' COVID-19 Committee. I am now infuriated by the firing of Dr. Fiscus for her attempts to promote COVID-19 vaccinations in Tennessee. Those responsible are guilty of contributing to thousands of avoidable impending COVID infections, hospitalizations and deaths.
The criticism of Dr. Fiscus centers on imagined circumvention of parental authority. The contention is that mature teens should not be vaccinated without specific authorization by a parent. She then states that the Mature Minors Doctrine (MMD) is "not code" and should not be promulgated by the state health department. She is wrong. The MMD is established by case precedent dating back to 1987 and by specific statutes applicable to treatment of these minors for STDs, drug abuse, emergencies, prenatal care, and contraception without parental consent.
Gov. Bill Lee and the majority in our legislature are wrong in the rationale for condemnation of Dr. Fiscus. Their pressure resulting in her firing was motivated by political expediency. Our Republican leadership is doing all it can to impede vaccination. Be it intentional or collateral to their political careers, their actions are despicable and lethal.
Robert Landry, M.D.
Southside Sculpture Fields adds value to city
One summer I stood before Henry Moore's "Sculpture Form with Cut" located in Florence, Italy. Through the empty space in the cut, my eye caught the view of the Duomo. Since then, Chattanooga has become a city of sculpture. With classical sculptures near the Market Street Bridge, the sculpture garden in the Art District, and the Ed Johnson Memorial, our city offers a variety of forms from Chattanooga State to the Sculpture Fields.
John Henry's vision for this space is still in flux as a terraced amphitheater creates space for poets and musicians to perform in open space. The Education Committee continues to prepare lesson plans for schools and hopes to make space for rotating student sculptures and teaching sculptors.
In this age of Instagram, we need a natural space for visual education. A welcome center will be that creative place where visitors will be able to learn and see how the elements of clay, metal, aluminum and earth shape vision and form.
From "Keystone in Space" to "Anchors," the eye is continually challenged with wonder and beauty calling out new abstract thoughts.
Sculpture Fields preserves the idea of a public park and contemplative space on the Southside.
Kemmer Anderson
Republicans putting America in danger
Two hundred words can't reveal the damage Republicans are doing to our democracy. Looking for bamboo in phantom ballots voted in Arizona is nonsense. Not allowing water for people in hot voting lines in Georgia is cruel. Against looking into Trump's inspired insurrection is unAmerican. Believing the "Big Lie" about the election being stolen is absurd. Passing laws that social studies teachers can't teach about systemic racism and wanting to fire Dr. Fauci is insane.
Republicans have no regard for the tenants of democracy any longer. They saw democracy in action in Georgia and didn't like it. Representative democracy means everyone gets to vote; Republicans want no part of that. That's totalitarianism. The party of Lincoln, Dirksen and Howard Baker is extinct. They have become Trump's cult.
Refusing water to a voter should never happen in America, and refusing a commission to investigate "the insurrection" is preposterous. We had commissions for Pearl Harbor, 9-11 and Kennedy' Assassination. Why not the insurrection? This should wake up decent Republicans. Our way of life is in peril. If you can't see that, your brain's not in gear.
Wilbourne C. Markham Sr.
Signal Mountain