Luckovich cartoon too cruel portrayal
I think the cartoon which showed a grossly obese drawing of President Trump by Mike Luckovich (on the Chattanooga Times editorial page recently) was out of line.
I have never been a fan of Trump (and definitely not of Biden), but I don't like seeing anyone portrayed so cruelly.
Doris Rausch, Tullahoma, Tennessee
'Illegals' are really American natives
Think it over.
In 1492, Columbus started it. Immediately Cortez, Pizarro and others carried on, wiping out Aztecs, Incas and others. Quickly Indian populations plummeted to less than 90% of that before Columbus, due to disease and genocide.
In North America, European immigrants, taking a little longer but equally effective, gradually wiped out most of the native Indian populations. So, practically all of the few American Indians you encounter today are but a tiny remnant of these natives and of very-mixed parentage.
Now, consider the "illegal" immigrants coming to our Southern border. Most of these certainly seem pretty much American Indian. So, are those of us cursing and lambasting these travelers simply continuing a very long attack on these American natives of long standing?
Finally, are those of us spewing curses at these modern Indians doing so with the blessings of Jesus? Would Christ be at the border hurling shouts and rocks or welcoming with open arms?
Thomas Rodgers, Dayton, Tennessee
Are Trump's acts worthy of Christians?
As a "born again" Christian, I'm dumbfounded that people support Donald Trump! Would Jesus say it's OK with any of the following? I don't believe my Jewish or Muslin friends would.
1) Have sex with a porn star when wife was having their baby.
2) Refuse housing to African Americans.
3) Sexually assaulting a lady for which he's paying millions.
4) Said Joints Chiefs of Staff head, General Milley, should be executed.
5) It's OK to touch a woman's most private parts.
6) Pardon felons because they are supporters.
7) Pay $130,000 "hush money" to Stormy Daniels.
8) Pose as a victim to fleece millions from his base.
9) Lie more than 30,000 times while president.
10) Refuse to turn over nuclear classified documents.
11) Degrade war hero John McCain.
12) Degrade Gold Star parents and a handicapped reporter.
13) Incite an insurrection.
14) Call soldiers who died in war "suckers and losers."
15) Say Russia "can do whatever the hell they want to with NATO members."
There's many more. Please check these out, and think about it, independents and smart Republican Christians.
Wilbourne C. Markham Sr.,
Signal Mountain
Jews' DNA is to care for poor, minorities
I write to comment on Cal Thomas' Feb. 22 commentary, in which he touts a new book by Professor Benjamin Ginsberg, "The New American Antisemitism."
In the editorial, Thomas writes: "In view of this, Ginsberg wonders why a large majority of Jews still vote for Democrats. "Since 1932," he writes, "Jews have unfailingly given a plurality of their votes to Democratic presidential candidates. ... On seven occasions (they) received more than 80 percent of the Jewish vote."
Professor Ginsberg was born Jewish in Germany in 1947, emigrated with his parents to the U.S. in 1949, and became a naturalized citizen in 1955. I am not aware of the extent of his Jewish upbringing, much less the extent of his Jewish education and ongoing Jewish identity or practice. That said, as a lifelong, practicing and engaged Jew, I offer a strong objection to Ginsberg's above query, and submit an-often overlooked and little-appreciated explanation for the "Jewish vote" going predominately for Democrats. The reasons are connected to values and teachings stringently and passionately handed down l'dor v'dor — from generation to generation. Our Hebrew Bible is jam-packed with lessons and commandments to take care of the poor, to welcome the stranger, to seek justice, to protect the rights of women and minorities — yes, especially slaves, who were a part of ancient biblical life.
The modern Jew carries these burdens deep within our DNA. They are not obligatory. They are commandments. Most enlightened Jewish voters understand this. The hope — hatikva — is that politicians and policy wonks understand and accept this reality not as an aberration but as a millennials-old certainty.
Richard Zachary
Epiphany is needed against Trumpism
Evangelicals, once highly respected for their faithfulness to fundamental Christian biblical teaching, now employing Trumpism as their worship symbol, have allowed their faith to be sabotaged in the interest of Christian nationalism. Their long-respected biblical teaching has been destroyed by their unhinged reaction to the feeling of being the object of political persecution. Regrettably, they have shifted from their long, closely held biblical standards to the justification and acceptance of political criminal activity, all in the interest of promoting an ill-advised evangelical Christian nationalist political agenda.
Even while facing some 91 criminal charges, according to the Pew Research Center, 78% of white evangelical voters — believing God sent Trump — still say they would willingly accept the criminal activities and vote for him if the election was held today. It appears the evangelical acceptance of criminal activity has gone mainstream. Regardless, let us celebrate the clear thinking of the remaining 22%! How long will we continue to tolerate a narcissistic, sociopathic, sick, weak person toying with our judges and judicial system? Let's hope that action by our courts will interrupt and preserve democracy! Church leaders, the country needs an evangelical epiphany.
Johnny Jones, Hixson
IRS, immigrants work for all of us
As part of Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, the Internal Revenue Service got $80 billion. Already the infusion of funds to the IRS has allowed it to collect more than $520 million from 1,600 millionaires who had unpaid tax bills of more than $250,000.
The Treasury Department now predicts over the next decade the IRS could collect an additional $561 billion. Republicans are against the wealthy paying their rightful share. Biden did the right thing.
Republicans in the House of Representatives kowtowed to Trump and refused to solve the immigration problem.
Studies from New American Economy in 2019 showed that immigrants paid $492 billion in taxes (including state, municipal, and sales taxes) and immigrant entrepreneurs generated $88.5 billion. In 2016, 30% of new entrepreneurs were immigrants, despite only making up 14% of the U.S. population. Almost 45% of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children.
According to New American Economy, undocumented immigrants contributed $13 billion into the Social Security funds and $3 billion to Medicare in 2016 alone, of which they will get nothing in return. An undocumented immigrant is paying part of your Social Security for free.
David Bean
Chatsworth, Georgia