Do your politics control your life?
Be kind to your friends and family. If you are allowing politics to control how you treat people, then you are contributing to horrible division. Why judge others based on their beliefs?
It is very important for me to see all sides. I have always believed that I need to gather and accept information from different perspectives. How can I possibly believe anyone if I don't investigate everyone's perspectives? If you wallow in your own beliefs without knowing the beliefs of others, how can you possibly know how you feel?
Knowledge is power; understanding others is power. If you are so entitled that you will not understand the feelings of your friends, good luck.
Michele Dunn Roach
Ooltewah
Georgia GOP making state look 'backward'
Our legislators are making Georgia look like a backward, racist, redneck state with their bills to suppress the voting rights of minority Georgia residents.
We came through the national 2020 election as that "shining city on the hill." Georgia was a beacon to the world for free and fair elections. Our governor and secretary of state stood up to the president, who wanted to overthrow our election results. They and others faced death threats to not only themselves but to their family members. The secretary of state impressed the country and the world when he vowed the mail-in ballot process was secure and there was no "widespread" voter fraud.
Now, Republicans want to suppress the ability of Georgia voters to obtain a mail-in ballot. Shame on them. If Republicans can't win an election fairly without suppressing the vote, they need to try to become the party that meets the needs of all Georgians. Think about how Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger's brave and honest statements will be used in court to refute Republican racist excuses to suppress the vote.
Republicans need to stop trying to cheat in order to win.
Jim and Pat Garrett
Trion, Georgia
Candidates: Do you know where your voters live?
Judging the majority of the mayoral candidates, Chattanooga is in real trouble. These people don't know their city from a hole in the ground. I have received messages on my home phone from no less than 10 of the candidates.
I don't even live in the city.
Herb Spaulding
Oil, gas won't fuel our travel forever
The "no" [of the point-counterpoint in Sunday's Perspective section] shows how out of focus this view has become.
President Biden has barely been in office 30 days, has a pandemic ongoing and violent weather devastating much of the country, and he has "come up short" because of lack of infrastructure investment and hasn't created a good-paying union job? We can't ignore signs that oil may not fuel our travel forever. GM (by 2030) and Volkswagen are switching to electric vehicles, and Tesla can't keep up with demand.
As Florida and other low parts of the country sink beneath the waters of the rising oceans and the Arctic melts, the future requires remedial measures if we want to survive. I think it's time to take a deep breath and face the future (and divest some oil stocks) that will be bleak unless we take the necessary steps to clean up the air and water. Also the reported 11,000 workers the XL Pipeline would employ is only a temporary number, lasting until the line is complete.
Oil will still flow on steel rails as it does now, and railroads will not have to lay off workers (who aren't temporary.)
Marvin Thomasson
Use 'rainy day' fund to help state's poor
Gov. Lee: I am terribly disturbed by the fact that you are not willing to help the poor in Tennessee.
As a progressive Christian, I take seriously the words of God and Jesus: "Love your neighbor as yourself." That is our moral and material obligation. We who have enough should do everything in our power to help the poor, not to judge them.
In this time of crisis, our legislature should be accepting Medicaid from the federal government to help all those who have no insurance.
It seems that the legislature only thinks about block grants, abortion and gun control. In case you don't know, abortions are down because of groups like A Step Ahead Chattanooga, which provides long-term birth control for people who cannot afford it. Also, many of us believe that it is OK for people to have guns as long as every one of them is registered.
Maybe we would get more help if legislators took some of that huge "rainy day" fund and spent it on the needs of the people instead of hoarding it. I am sure that there is plenty of money for all!
Shannon B. Mowrer
Hixson
Mayoral campaigns praised for positivity
After witnessing the brutal presidential campaign where most advertisements were vicious and designed to destroy the reputation of their opponent, it is so pleasant to witness this year's Chattanooga mayoral campaign where the candidates are focusing their ads on expressing their ideas to make the Scenic City a better city and not trying to tear each other down.
Refreshing indeed.
Ben Brycht
Hixson
Slatery: Practice law, not politics
According to an article in the Feb. 13 paper, Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery is requesting $700,000 to hire five additional lawyers and $2.15 million to increase salaries for his current staff.
The article also states Slatery joined Texas Attorney General Kenneth Paxton's lawsuit asking the U.S. Supreme Court to invalidate the election results in four states Biden won. Election law professor Richard Hasen said the lawsuit "was both legally extreme - there's no basis in the Constitution for one state to challenge how another state's legislature decides on procedures for choosing presidential electors - and factually extreme, raising debunked or ridiculously weak claims of election fraud and irregularities to try to justify flipping the election from Biden to Trump. It was outrageous and antidemocratic."
University of Texas law professor Stephen Vladeck described the lawsuit as unprecedented. A law student who completed a course in civil procedure could conclude Texas lacked standing to bring the suit. Shortly after the suit was filed, the Supreme Court dismissed it in a brief unsigned order for lack of standing.
Slatery should serve the residents of this state by practicing law - and not by practicing politics.
John J. Sabourin Jr.
Preachers, leave law to Hammond
With regard to the article penned by Wyatt Massey on area pastors and Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond:
My advice for those several dozens of pastors who want Hammond to resign due to him not being transparent enough - stick to preaching. I am certain that each of you are well qualified to preach the Gospel and pastor a church; however, I doubt any one of you are qualified to tell the highest-ranking law enforcement official in Hamilton County how to run his office.
I do not know the reason why you always choose to blame law enforcement for the indiscretions of a few young men/women, Black and white. Why not put the blame where it belongs: moms, dads and pastors. We as parents need to cease bailing out, apologizing and condoning our kids' behavior when they mess up.
Hammond is not obligated to get an approval from any person, especially those of us who know little to nothing about law enforcement.
Rev. Ronnie Case