Dooley remembered as Friend of the Park
As University of Georgia fans and football fans everywhere mourn the passing of legendary Coach Vince Dooley, I write to make our Chattanooga and Northwest Georgia communities aware of our special connection to him in the 1990s.
With a master's degree in history, Dooley, then University of Georgia's athletics director, was approached by former UGA All-America swimmer, the late Hal Morris, to be the honorary Georgia chairman of the 100th anniversary celebration of the establishment of the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park. He agreed immediately. Throughout the celebration year of 1989-1990, Coach Dooley and his wife, Barbara, visited the park several times to learn more about its history.
He was on the dais along with Tennessee honorary chairwoman Dixie Carter, Tennessee Gov. Ned McWherter, Georgia Gov. Joe Frank Harris and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Manuel Lujan at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly constructed addition to the park's visitor center in August 1990. Always interested in learning and genial to everyone, Coach Dooley was a true Friend of the Park.
Karen Diamond
Former director, Friends of Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park
Words matter with Arabs, Israelis
A recent article about Israeli elections incorrectly called Arab citizens of Israel "Palestinian voters." In Israel and elsewhere, these people are called Arab Israelis. There are several Arab parties, a group of which comprises the Arab list for the Knesset (parliament). An Arab party, Saar, was in the recent, short-lived Knesset ruling coalition.
The geo-political region called Palestine was created in the division of the Ottoman Empire after World War I and was governed under a British mandate until the founding of the state of Israel in May 1948. Jewish residents of Mandatory Palestine were called Palestinians. After Israeli statehood, Arab residents who fled or were displaced by Israel came to call themselves Palestinians. The continuing conflict between the two is generally called the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Arab citizens of Israel vote and have most, not all, of the rights and obligations of Jewish citizens. Palestinians living in the area variously called the West Bank, the Occupied Territories or the Administered Areas do not vote in Israeli elections and are represented by the Palestinian Authority.
The use of the term "Palestinian voters" suggests that Israel should become an Arab majority country and not be a Jewish state.
Words matter.
Gary Lander
Support Iranian women, democracy
The current Iranian women's movement began with the attack and subsequent death of Mahsa Amini. She was a 22-year-old woman who was stopped by the morality police, who took her by van to a detention center because, they claimed, her headscarf was not being worn properly.
While in that van or detention center, or both, Mahsa was beaten. Video shows her slumping, then falling. She died in a Tehran hospital. Authorities blamed her, saying she had prior health problems. When her parents denied this, protests began.
Chants evolved from "I am Mahsa! We are all Mahsa!" to "Zan, Zendegi, Azadi!" ("Women, life, freedom!").
What started as a fight against oppression of women has become a fight against religious fundamentalism. Each day in Iran, citizens are being attacked by state police not necessarily in uniform but in everyday clothes.
State authority is challenged by the continuing protests. The freedom they desire is democracy. We in the U.S. need to support Iranian women (and men) in their fight.
Crystal Kadivar, Hixson
Let 'Where's Nancy?' be our 'battle cry'
"Where's Nancy?" the intruder yelled as he severely beat Paul Pelosi. I believe this should be the "battle cry" for those concerned with the threats and acts of violence being made against politicians and people in the news. Protests are occurring at judges' homes. People are threatening violence if they don't win an election.
Important people should be condemning these acts of violence! Why hasn't Donald Trump come out publicly and condemned the attack on Paul Pelosi? Why hasn't Congress condemned this act also? We can't survive as a democracy if we continue on this path of violence!
Joel Blake
Amendment 1 will protect us
An issue currently facing those of us who live in Tennessee is the opportunity to vote on constitutional Amendment 1 to preserve Tennessee's 1947 right-to-work law, which ensures people cannot be forced to join a union and pay dues against their will. Please vote yes on Amendment 1 to add the law to the state constitution.
I work for a manufacturing company where the team members voted out a long-standing union 21 years ago. In my opinion, several unions accomplished good work in the history of our country when some companies were taking advantage of the men and women under their care. Thankfully, since that time, enough laws have been put in place to protect team members. Whether you favor unions or not, a person should not be forced to join a union in order to get or keep a job, which is what Amendment 1 will protect.
Election Day is Tuesday. Thank you for your consideration to vote yes on Amendment 1.
T. W. Francescon Jr.
Don't duplicate: Vote no on No. 1
For 75 years (since just after WWII), it's been illegal under Tennessee law to require union membership in the workplace.
So why are politicians pushing an unnecessary state constitutional amendment that duplicates the law in place?
Amendment 1 is one of four proposed amendments on the Nov. 8 general election ballot. Its proponents like to refer to it as a "right-to-work" law. This deceptive term is intended to mislead voters into thinking the measure is pro-worker, when in fact, wages are lower in the 27 states with such laws.
It ignores the fact federal law already protects workers' rights to not join a union, or be fired for their membership or non-membership, even as non-members benefit from the collective bargaining of their dues-paying coworkers that lead to higher wages, safer workplaces and other job protections.
Even if Amendment 1 is defeated, it won't make a lick of difference to existing state law.
Truth is, this proposed amendment is an example of Big Government overreach and politicians infringing on the private sector. A more accurate description would be the "right to work for less" amendment.
Vote no on Amendment 1.
Larry Morrison
UA Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 43
Big thanks for printing letters
Thank you for printing most of the letters I have sent to you. A big thanks for: correcting my grammar, punctuation, sentence structure and other things.
I am 84 years old and retiring from writing. Many people told me they enjoyed reading my letters. I enjoyed writing them.
Again, thanks and to be honest, I love the Sunday printed paper. I am still trying to love the computer paper.
Have a blessed day.
Ruth Cote
Hixson