Letters to the Editor

Monday, August 30, 2010

College using students for gain

Once upon a time, an institute was created to offer a better life for many through a higher level of education. This institute is called college.

Over time, our colleges began to really take advantage of the willing students, creating any means they could to make money.

Parking, books and tuition at UTC have soared, but worse than this, the system has been taking it a step further now: Record keepers at UTC lose documents like transfers.

They add one extra course to your required curriculum just to acquire that extra semester of tuition from students, ruining graduation for many.

Petitions and appeals are rarely heard, lost or red tape is added, making it a nightmare for students to actually get out of college. It has become obvious and should be an embarrassment.

Instead of trying to occasionally make any effort to show that the college really does care for students, it's become common knowledge that college is really using students. No matter how many billions of dollars made, it's never enough. Sad but true. I like many others am not blinded by one bit of it.

CHRISTINE DIWAN

Pay for care, get burn unit back

Erlanger hospital and T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital have given free care for a long time to just about everybody who comes in. It is time Georgia and Alabama started giving back.

I worked there for 22 years, and I would put it up against any hospital in the country as far as having the best doctors and nurses. I am sorry they closed the burn unit because it was top notch.

If people started giving back to Erlanger they might be able to reopen the burn unit. Erlanger has a very good trauma unit so why do they not have a burn unit for a city this size? It comes down to money. So let's all chip in and get Erlanger to open the burn unit by helping pay some of the bills.

H. BUDDY ROGERS

Red Bank

Lodge 'residents' bring problems

Regarding recent letter about punishment to all for wrongs of few (Aug. 25).

As a homeowner and citizen of East Ridge, I speak for the majority of my neighborhood in saying many times we have experienced persons trafficking through our neighborhood causing concern and fear among our good community. I have an elderly relative living just across from Superior Creek Lodge which we've confined to stay inside and not walk the public sidewalk to shopping because of fear by some of those "residents" from this establishment.

Superior Creek Lodge is not an apartment complex but licensed as a hotel/motel establishment. However, the entire establishment consists of families living there as permanent residents. Other hotels in the area have 100-plus rooms and don't carry this problem on a weekly basis.

We, the neighboring communities, shouldn't be subject to problems Superior Creek Lodge brings to our neighborhoods by some of its "residents."

I agree it's a shame a few must suffer due to the actions of those who disregard the law and rules. However, that happens every day in our society. The letter stated there were four persons living in one hotel room for six months and yet this is classified as a hotel?

EDWARD HARDING

Lansdell Park

Candidates provide good role models

I'd like to offer a word of optimism in the midst of ad hominem election sniping and bad behavior.

The school board meeting held at Hixson United Methodist Church was a wonderful example of an informative meeting. The timer and moderator performed their jobs efficiently and fairly. The candidates - Everett Fairchild, Marty Rhodes and Ken Smith - presented their views without besmirching each other in any manner.

The audience went home with facts, figures and ideas to think through.

Congratulations to Everett Fairchild for winning the race, and congratulations to all three men for giving us a good role model for discussion.

ALICE JEAN

SEDGWICK

Hixson

Pain medication a blessing for many

We are aware that people will abuse anything. But what is lost in all the uproar over pain meds is the huge good these drugs do for those who actually need them.

I have had over 43 surgeries and suffer from several chronic, debilitating diseases. My husband broke his back at work and suffered a spinal cord injury. We both take pain medication. It allows us to what limited mobility we have and allows us a measure or relief from constant (and at times, excruciating) pain.

We have a pain specialist who closely monitors our meds, the dosages, gives us random (like all his patients) drug tests.

Though we feel bad for those who choose to abuse drugs, their weakness and poor judgment doesn't outweigh the contributions of these drugs or the pain physicians who prescribe them.

What the abusers' actions do is limit availability to those who need them. Those who abuse these medications and those who prescribe them illegally should be punished severely. Do not assume all who take these meds are junkies. Some of us follow the law and our doctors' orders.

MR. & MRS. J.R. OSBORNE

Dalton, Ga.

Tea Partier should read Obama books

I have several suggestions for Stella Fletcher, co-founder of the Catoosa Tea Party, who wants to know who President Obama is and where he comes from.

She could start by reading two books by our chief executive titled "The Audacity of Hope" and "Dreams From My Father."

Next, she could read the well-reviewed studies by David Remnick and Jonathan Alter.

Lastly, am I to assume that, if Barack Obama is a Muslim, that he was some kind of "plant" or "spy" in Rev. Wright's Chicago-based church, which we heard so much about during the last presidential election?

MICHAEL VAUGHAN

WOODWARD

Hixson

Stop giving money to rest of world

This country isn't broke as the politicians want you to believe it is, especially the Republicans. Isn't it odd that we are always broke when Americans need something from the government? Meanwhile, "Uncle Sugar" remains the World Wide Welfare Agency for the rest of the planet.

The $9.1 billion of money that was just sent to Iraq to help them rebuild the country is suddenly unaccounted for. Nobody cares; it was a one-day news item buried in the middle of this paper. Iraq has oil; they don't need a handout.

We have promised billions more to Pakistan for flood relief, and the list just goes on and on. While we are being so generous to the rest of the world, our politicians are afraid of Social Security and Medicare going broke. The solution is simple. Stop giving away the candy store; you don't see any of the other super powers doing it.

RICHARD A. SHANKEN

Rocky Face, Ga.

Clarification

A passage in Emily Brawley's letter to the editor Aug. 27 should have read, "The article cites a poll finding that 18 percent of Americans believe [President Obama] is indeed a Muslim. It then quotes a doctor who says it is the responsibility of traditional media to refute or prove a claim. However, with its headline ['Is Obama Muslim?'] this newspaper abdicates that responsibility by implying that Obama's faith is open to question. It simply isn't, no matter how many people may believe otherwise."