Hurricane victim thanks Chattanooga crew for coming to the rescue
I would like to thank the city of Chattanooga for sending help to Tampa, Fla., after Hurricane Irma.
After days of no power, there they were, three angels starting to work on our power lines. My neighbors and I rushed out to greet them. They must have taken a second look at us all coming from different directions. We could not control our gratitude.
So many people look at the negative aspects after an emergency, but there is so much good. I can never show or express the gratitude I feel for these wonderful people who came here to help. Thank you, Chattanooga!
Mariann Parkinson
Tampa, Fla.
Forgive deeds the dead committed
I believe it is time a symbol of slavery and oppression that towers over the people of Atlanta must stand no more. I am talking about the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. In the 1930s and 1940s, Mercedes-Benz (Daimler) used "forced laborers" to work in their plants to produce military vehicles, jet engines, etc., that were used in the German war effort to kill Americans and their allies. Forced laborers is a sanitized term for slaves. Jews and other people the Nazi party did not like were forced to work in the Daimler factories for no pay. If they refused, they would be killed by the Nazis Daimler had aligned with. OK, I am not serious about tearing down a just completed billion-dollar stadium. My point is if you focus tight enough, a multitude of symbols in plain sight will offend us every day. Instead, we should embrace forgiveness for offensive deeds of people who are dead and do what we can to make the world a better, more peaceful place. If we do not, I fear the current state of bitter contentiousness that consumes our country will continue to divide us be our undoing.
Dan Sawyer
Signal Mountain
Corker: Focus on helping Trump
As a former mayor of a New Jersey township, I know the power of a mayor's position. I also know the positives and negatives of that office. Bob Corker did good as mayor of Chattanooga but has fallen in the trap of the swamp in Washington. He has become self-centered and doesn't represent the public who put him in office. It is my understanding he voted to repeal and replace Obamacare, but when it came time to support the president, he failed to support that vote. He did not fight when Obama took fuel and food out of the CPI, which seniors of this country depend on for increases to our Social Security checks. With no fuel or food in the CPI, there is no cost of living increase since we have very little inflation. This means no S.S. increase. It's my opinion Corker is now looking at higher office in 2020. It is time for Corker to support President Trump, the first politician I know who is trying to keep the commitments he made to the citizens of this county when he ran for office.
Hey, Bob. It's time to get out of the swamp.
Richard Tornquist
Ooltewah
Single-payer will mean big savings
The primary concern about a single-payer health care system seems to be the probable increase in taxes. Surely they will increase, but consider the savings to be shared by all citizens: No health insurance companies with their need for profit, employing armies of people deciding whether they will pay, will be needed.
Health care providers will not need staff to handle insurance with a multitude of providers. Employers and individuals will not be paying insurance premiums. Perhaps prescription medicine costs can be reduced to the level paid by Canadians through volume pricing.
It is difficult to see why the overall economy would not enjoy reduced costs.
John D. Beck
Ooltewah
Bible says Isaac was to be sacrifice
In a letter published Sept. 7, a writer discussed Abraham being willing to sacrifice his son Ishmael. Many Muslims believe it was Ishmael who Abraham was willing to sacrifice. But according to the Bible, in Genesis 22:1-14, it was Isaac who was to be offered up as a sacrifice to God. According to Genesis 21:9-21, Hagar, the mother of Ishmael, and Ishmael were cast out.
Janette Roberts
Look for strength in numbers
From a white guy to my friends in the minority community: Your strength was always in your cohesion. Historically, churches were the incubators of community organization and protest. As religion loses its popularity with science-based thinkers, we still need the community and brotherhood created in those churches. We are all better when we stick together and look out for each other.
Too many of our kids are left to their own devices when parental attention isn't available. Too many households forfeit success by settling for the current trend of single-parent incomes.
Further, it's imperative that we protect our next generation by forging a government which represents them. Campaigning and voting may seem like futile activities, but surely not voting ensures your divestment in your government. For the sake of the entire human family, let's get back together, stay together and live better, together. There's strength in numbers.
Mike McKenna