Looking backward is going backward
The NAACP needs to re-evaluate its purpose. The origin was the advancement of colored people. One of the A's stands for advancement.
Advancement would be showing a concern for the youth of the black culture and then going into the high schools to encourage education rather then dropping out. I would be going into the projects and working with the youth to prevent gang participation.
Going around the country because the people who lived 150 years ago who fought in a war over slavery really don't help anyone in the present. Advancement means living in the present and moving forward. Stirring up racism over what happened 150 years ago is not benefiting their culture.
The black culture would benefit far more if the NAACP and Black Lives Matter would focus on the youth in the culture who are its future. Dwelling on the past is not moving the culture forward.
Hazel Steel, Cleveland, Tenn.
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Trump's mental health a danger
Sen. Bob Corker recently called out the president for his most recent behavior. This was long overdue - not just by those in notable political positions but by experts in various mental health professions.
Despite possible ethical sanctions, individuals like me have begun publicly expressing what we have known since our first exposure to Donald Trump, before he entered the political arena. We believe we must warn the country since we adhere to another ethical obligation that requires us to alert likely victims of those we believe pose an imminent danger to the safety of others - the general public.
Our national organization, Duty to Warn, including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, psychiatric nurses, and pastoral and mental health counselors, doesn't claim to be an official voice of mental health, but we fail to understand how competent practitioners fail to observe the president's obvious indications of dangerousness.
Duty to Warn hopes to raise awareness. Several cities will host town meetings across the nation Oct. 14. Our meeting will be in UTC's University Center (Signal Mountain Room), 9 a.m.-noon. Seating is limited; priority will be given to mental health professionals. Visit www.ADutytoWarn.org to register.
W. Ed Smith, Ph.D
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Grasses, waterweeds need another look
About the article "Growing Concern" on the front page of last Monday's edition: I think this was a slanted article and barely mentioned invasive weeds.
The native grasses are not what are being killed. It is the hydrilla and milfoil.
I have lived on this lake for 46 years and we did not have a problem then. The invasive weeds came up river and now are affecting even Watts Bar lake. I live next to a public boat launching ramp that is sprayed and the native grasses are doing just fine, growing and thriving.
Please ask boat owners who spend big bucks on boats, and marinas that depend on their business to make a living, how they feel. Then write an article giving both sides of the issue.
Judy McKeehan, Harrison