Letters to the Editors

Officials, staff salute school board

Mayor Jim Coppinger and the Hamilton County Commission recognized our school board members by designating Jan. 22-28, 2012, as School Board Appreciation Week in Hamilton County. We join them in saluting these education leaders.

One school board member is elected in each of our nine county electoral districts to set policy and oversee the multimillion dollar budget which funds public education for more than 42,000 students. Their decisions affect more than 6,100 teachers, administrators and support staff.

Your elected leaders are responsible for local school district policy that helps administrators guide the curricula, maintain school facilities, and adhere to state and federal education law. Legal concerns, policy development and the complexities of school finance require that they spend many hours in board training and personal study to enhance their understanding of the issues.

The administration and staff express our deepest appreciation for the dedicated service of these men and women. We salute them for their commitment and civic responsibility that guide the work that we do for the students in Hamilton County: Chairman Mike Evatt, Vice Chairman George Ricks Sr., Chip Baker, Everett Fairchild, Joe Galloway, Linda Mosley, David Testerman, Rhonda Thurman and Jeffrey Wilson.

RICK SMITH,

Superintendent

Hamilton County

Department of Education

Bhalla puts focus on Manhattan vow

Many good, hard-working individuals are discovering that Ron Bhalla, a Tennessee 3rd District congressional candidate, is re-energizing interest in the Manhattan Declaration. Thank you, Ron.

Please read just one tiny excerpt from this great document: "We ... have united at this hour to reaffirm fundamental truths about justice and the common good, and to call upon our fellow citizens, believers and non-believers alike, to join us in defending them.

"These truths are (1) the sanctity of human life, (2) the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife, and (3) the rights of conscience and religious liberty. Inasmuch as these truths are foundational to human dignity and the well-being of society, they are inviolable and non-negotiable...

"We make this commitment not as partisans of any political group but as followers of Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Lord, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life."

Once again, thank you, Ron Bhalla!

KEN ORR

Ooltewah

Floyd's remarks show his bigotry

I don't think "horrified" is too strong a word to reflect my reaction to Rep. Richard Floyd's, R-Chattanooga, harangue against transgendered people when he reported he would "just try to stomp a mudhole in him and then stomp him dry" if a transgendered male wished to try on feminine clothing near Floyd's wife or daughters in a store's dressing room.

This "good ol' boy" metaphor doesn't mask the violent undertone.

Rep. Floyd is fearful "their perverted way of thinking" might "put my family at risk."

Quite the contrary, stories abound of violence against members of the LGBT community simply because they were courageous enough to leave their houses and enter the mainstream. The "straight" and LGBT communities must voice their opposition when an elected official threatens a violent response to any person.

Were I a business owner considering relocating to the Chattanooga area or even a tourist wanting to visit, I'd think twice before subjecting my culturally diverse employee base or my family to the kind of bigotry voiced by a representative from the area.

This story has gone national, we're in the spotlight, and I'm embarrassed by a representative such as Mr. Floyd. Chattanooga is better than this, and Mr. Floyd certainly doesn't represent me.

SARAH JO SANDEFUR

Hixson

Don't write off the protesters

Is it ignorance? Insensitivity? Naivete? How do people write off the "Occupy" movement, the impact of voter identification, health care reform?

Occupiers aren't there because they are derelict in job hunting or have nothing better to do. They point out the inequities in a system that allows Wall Street to pass out bonuses in amounts most of us won't make in a lifetime while too many in our nation struggle to live on inadequate income or are out of work.

To the person who wrote in to say that people without voter identification can just get someone to take them: Don't assume everyone has such a support system. And did we have a lot of folks impersonating others at the polls, or isn't it just possible that there is some other motivation behind this sudden urge to have everyone photo ID'd?

A country has some responsibility to take care of its citizens, whether to see that voters reasonably can fulfill voter requirements or to "promote the general welfare," as our Constitution states, such that people have opportunity for health, education and work, else we are just individuals out for ourselves.

To ignore this is to be a heartless, soul-less nation.

KATE STULCE

Ooltewah

Obama steadied our ship of state

Sometimes life delivers a metaphor. The unbelievable sight of the Costa Concordia fallen down reminds me of our ship of state before Mr. Bush left office. Mr. Obama had to enter broadside. It took a considerable effort to set it aright. Although the going is slow and precarious, I believe he has us on the right track.

His leadership is remarkable considering how difficult the task has been for him. His crew has not been much help. Many who came from his same school of navigation floundered. Others decided before he took the bridge that they would carp, complain, and obstruct any course he might set. Many among the crew and passengers despised him for some minor offense that they dared not admit publicly.

Here we go trawling along. Will we stay on course or will we elect another captain who comes from the same school of navigation as Mr. Bush? If a conservative is elected again, and he crashes our ship of state again, by returning to Mr. Bush's course again, rather than staying on our current course, will he stand trial for all the lives and lucre lost during his command? Mr. Bush did not.

IAN CLAUDIUS SMITH

Signal Mountain

Food Bank will miss Food Lion aid

Regretfully, the Chattanooga Area Food Bank learned that Food Lion stores would close many stores in our 20-county service area.

The Food Bank and Food Lion have partnered for 20 years with the stores sharing, typically, over 300,000 pounds of nutritious food annually with the Food Bank, which processed and distributed it to hungry families across the region.

In addition, many of our agency partners obtain food from Food Lion stores in outlying areas, which they distribute in their communities. The Food Lion Corp. also funded Food Bank programs, through grants, primarily benefiting children, and ran successful in-store promotions every holiday season.

Corporate decisions are difficult and the effects ripple across local economies. The cost/benefits analyses might not have considered the impact on neighborhoods.

A lead story in a recent Times Free Press pointed out the location of many stores as anchors of small strip centers. Their presence helps hold communities together, and their loss will lead to other business closures and expansion of food desserts beyond the inner city to nearby urban suburbs.

It is likely some of the Food Lion staff who daily gathered products for our pick-up may be on the receiving end of that program.

CLARE M. SAWYER

Chattanooga Area

Food Bank

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