Thank you, Chattanooga! and more letters to the editors

Thank you, Chattanooga!

Our beautiful city and river were once again host to the second-largest rowing event in the USA last weekend. More than 5,000 athletes converged on Chattanooga in 2,077 boats for "The last of the great fall regattas." This year's TVA Head of the Hooch Regatta was watched by more than 100,000 viewers on the YouTube live-stream from Ross's Landing.

We want to thank the city and county for their enormous support. The police, fire, Coast Guard, TWRA, STARS and sheriff's department and public works department made everything beautiful and safe. Promotional efforts by Chattanooga Sports and Outdoor Chattanooga made sure every restaurant table and hotel room within 30 miles of the city were full for the event, the largest tourism weekend every year in the Scenic City.

When the 21st Century Waterfront was designed almost 30 years ago, this community dreamed of bringing the world to our beautiful waterfront. Hosting the largest human-powered boat race in the southern U.S. is a dream come true.

Ron Harr, Mike Connors, Fred Robinson and Chris Thomas

Chattanooga Board members

"Friends of the Hooch"


Thanks, John Henry, for Sculpture Fields

I was sad to hear of the passing of the famed sculptor and former Chattanooga icon, John Henry. He was nearly equal in stature to his legendary namesake, the steel-driving man of American folklore.

When I met Mr. Henry, it was not in a studio. He was driving a tractor around a barren landscape that would later become Sculpture Fields, grading the land by building berms and scooping out drainage areas. He was unpretentious, straightforward and hard-working. He also had a big vision for the park that few, including myself, believed would ever be realized, but he made it happen.

The recent festival there featuring music, food trucks and the signature wooden sculpture burn was attended by thousands. Chattanooga should honor his memory by dedicating the remaining acres of Montague Park to the completion of Mr. Henry's vision and allowing for Sculpture Fields to expand. We can build those soccer fields in any number of other places. Thank you, Mr. Henry, for the wonderful gift that you gave to our city.

John C. Reis


Attorney's computer contents will tell

The solution to the Hamilton County attorney controversy seems to be simple. Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp says the county attorney works at his own business while on the county time clock. Release the contents of the county attorney's county-owned computer and see if any records other than county concerns are on the computer.

If the computer's contents reveal what the mayor claims, dismissal seems to be in order, contract or no contract. All citizens want Hamilton County government run like a business.

This is just business.

Steve Ray

Ooltewah, Tenn.


Shouldn't we promote peace in Ukraine?

A Nov. 3 cartoon by Michael Ramirez shows Iran support for Russia "behind the curtain."

To be fair, could not a similar cartoon show U.S. support for Ukraine with "the curtain" open even wider? ($65 billion in U.S. aid -- "Bipartisanship on Ukraine was nice while it lasted," Doyle McManus, Nov. 3)

Shouldn't we be thinking in terms of promoting the de-escalation of this conflict instead of taking sides and possibly provoking a wider conflict?

Doris Rausch

Tullahoma Tenn.


Are you sure that's what Jesus would do?

The Nov. 6 Chattanooga Times editorial admonishes us to house the homeless in the name of Jesus.

There's plenty of housing available in Hamilton County for those willing to pay for it. Thus, would Jesus just pay rent for anyone who would ask or [would] he establish boundaries for the gifts he gave?

In addressing homelessness, one must address the poverty- generators resulting in such. Sadly, the Democratic Party promises create the poverties Jesus opposes based on what he or his apostle, Paul, stated, such as:

› Lust outside a monogamous heterosexual marriage

› Increased access to addictive psychoactive substances

› Providing money or preferences for able-bodied people unwilling to work for it

If our nation stayed chemically sober, pursued sexuality within a monogamous heterosexual relationship, disciplined ourselves toward training youth to be productive workers, and, yes, followed the Ten Commandments that Jesus encouraged us to, we not only would avoid the costs inherent to these poverty generators but we would have wealth essential to addressing others' sinfulness.

That is what I believe Jesus would do. Alternatively, I would be open to learning how the Times editor is opening [her] home to the homeless she wants others to take care of.

Jim Kennedy

Smyrna, Tenn.


Democrats: definition of a terrorist group

People complain about only two major political parties in America. The problem is worse because the Democrats are no longer a "party" but an entity that meets the definition of a domestic-terrorist group.

Examples? The party opposes our Christian Constitution, Bill of Rights (to those who would argue America isn't a Christian nation, your biased, propagandized drivel in schools and universities is a tenet of the problem), and even the right to life. Further, it thinks it has some right to slander/libel those who oppose its pro-perversion, anti-American agenda. (We've seen its venom toward the likes of Donald Trump, Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas, and we've seen its actions in Portland, Seattle, etc.)

Now the party has added voter fraud to its resume after alleging voter fraud against Hillary (who colluded with Vladimir Putin and still lost), is harassing those who oppose what was clearly voter fraud in 2020, and is trying to intimidate us into accepting future voter fraud.

The "woke" agenda didn't spread on its own. It was promoted by credibility-lacking propagandists in the entertainment world, Saul Alinsky tactics, biased educators and silence by those who knew better.

We'd better bring [it to] a stop.

Ronald Millsaps


Defeated candidates, accept the results

By the time this is published, election results will be over. For those candidates who have openly expressed they will only accept results if they win, it is up to us -- the majority who love our democracy -- to take a stand and reject this, even if it is our candidate who loses.

Many of our poll workers (both parties) have shown up for years with no intention except to assure free and fair elections. They should be honored -- not vilified -- even when things don't go our way.

For the first time, Benjamin Franklin's quote, "a republic if you can keep it," has really registered with me because this is the first time in my lifetime we have not witnessed the peaceful transfer of power.

Vivian Ervin

Lynchburg, Tenn

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