Evolutionists 'sully' science

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS

Evolutionists 'sully' science

I'm not a supporter of Rick Perry, and this letter should not be construed as an endorsement of his politics or his campaign.

In your editorial of Aug. 28, you state that a belief in creationism (intelligent design) "is an affront to people of genuine faith" and a "sullying of science." Let's face it - creationists cannot prove their theory. They must base their belief on two things - God exists and the Bible is accurate. Archaeology and history have proven the accuracy of much of the Bible, but they can only take us back so far. There was no eyewitness to creation. It must be accepted by faith. The same is true of God. His existence must be accepted by faith.

On the other hand, there is no eyewitness account of a bunch of matter sloshing around and accidentally getting swished together and forming some sort of living organism. In fact, it can be shown to be mathematically impossible. Let's face it - evolutionism is, at its roots, a theory that must be accepted by faith.

I challenge you to talk with scientists on both sides of this debate, and ask hard questions. Examine the evidence and you may find that is the evolutionists who are "sullying" their science.

PETE SUNDIN

Apison

There are good, bad corporations

Thank you, Chattanooga Times, for your Aug. 13 editorial on corporations paying fair share of taxes. Corporations should not be compared to people. Corporations may not be our enemy, but they are all about profit. The CEOs and shareholders have a personal share of that profit. Corporations should not be making government policy, and they need to pay their fair share of taxes. Their fair share has no comparison whatsoever to how much individual taxpayers pay.

The only comparison of corporations to being like people is there are good and bad. Those corporations that take all the jobs out of this country, and those that hide their money in other countries so they don't have to pay taxes, refuse to invest in clean technologies and help pollute our country and other countries, are some of the worst corporations. Good corporations invest in people, education and the environment. They invest in the government by paying their fair share of taxes.

Corporations are lobbying hard to reflect their profit values on to government policy. If you would like to know more about what corporations are up to, see the documentary, "The Corporation." http://www.thecorporation.com/index.cfm?page_id=2. Knowledge is the new Social Security.

LOU McKENZIE

Sale Creek

Some need explanations

A. Sheldon Gelburd's letter on Sept. 4 was clearly satirical in nature. It's a shame you have to explain that to some of your readers. On the other hand, it's exactly how some media outlets and certain politicians have become so successful.

JOSEPH S. HODGIN

Cleveland, Tenn.

Heed the lessons of Rome's demise

Will Durant, noted historian and philosopher stated, "A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself within. The essential causes of Rome's decline lay in her people, her morals, her class struggle, her failing trade, her bureaucratic despotism, her stifling taxes, her consuming wars."

Government works by compromise. The Republican Party's goal is to bring down President Obama even at the expense to our citizens - no compromise.

Corporate culture is keeping wages low to ensure cheap labor with little or no benefits. The Republican Party supports this culture. Our largest companies have become multinational corporations with tax havens to hide profits and minimize taxes.

Taxes stifling America are not on corporations or the rich, now lowest in modern history. Higher costs and taxes on everything that lower- and middle-income citizens pay are a larger percentage of their dwindling income than the rich. This is fact, not class warfare.

President Bush took America to war with Iraq, a country that had not attacked us. An indisputable fact. President Obama should extricate our military as soon as possible.

Pay attention, citizens, and heed the lessons of the demise of Rome.

PAT TABOR

Estill Springs, Tenn.

GOP message is fear, greed

The mantra and platform of the tea party that now runs roughshod over the Republican Party is Obamaphobia, Islamophobia, EPA-phobia, regulation-phobia, xenophobia, IRS-phobia, government-phobia, and you-phobia.

If you don't look and talk like them, you are anti-American. This from the Republican Party that enacted a platform at its 1948 convention for expanding Social Security, more funding for public housing, civil rights legislation and promotion of health and education by the federal government.

It is inconceivable that they have drifted so far from the core values of this nation. The Republicans' message is now one of fear, greed, anger and rejection.

Lacking any innovative ideas to assist in bringing America out of the Bush recession, the Republicans, and their mainstream corporate media propaganda, oppose and resist all effort by President Obama to address the nation's long-term economic challenges.

As one pundit noted: "It has been obvious since Rush Limbaugh's 'I want Obama to fail' that this president will suffer Republican Derangement Syndrome. He could in fact, be the Messiah and they would find a reason to avoid, ignore and assail."

The ultra-conservative, obstructionist tendencies of the Republican Party leadership have laid the foundation for America's 2012 election of discontent.

JOHN HIGHT

Global warming not man-made

I believe in global warming and cooling.

This cycle has been going on since the earth accrued its present state and atmosphere. To contend that man can have an influence is pseudoscience which is a collection of beliefs or practices mistakenly regarded as based on scientific method.

Issac Asimov stated, "Inspect every piece of pseudoscience and you will find a security blanket, a thumb to suck, a skirt to hold."

Look what "man-made global warming" frenzy is leading us to. All sorts of scams from failing solar-panel projects to massive wind farms which do little, if anything, to reduce our dependence on foreign oil or help the environment but give those who need a "thumb to suck."

The Department of Energy was created to decrease our dependence on foreign oil. It has ballooned to 16,000 employees with a budget of $24 billion, and we import more oil than ever before.

Bjorn Lomborg, a global warming proponent, stated, "Global warming is real and man-made," but many of the elaborate and expensive actions being considered to stop global warming will cost hundreds of billions of dollars, are often based on emotional rather than scientific assumptions.

WILLIAM GODSEY

Crossville, Tenn.

Call Waters 'Big Mouth'

Sorry, Leonard Pitts (column in Perspective, Sept. 4), I have another name for Rep. Maxine Waters - it is "Big Mouth."

While employed by the California Highway Patrol, I was assigned a motorcycle escort detail for two slain policemen in Inglewood, Calif.

The church was filled, so public address systems were used on patrol vehicles for officers who could not be seated in the church.

There were about 50 Los Angeles motor officers present.

This funeral was approximately two months after the Rodney King arrest. Even though the church was not in Ms. Waters' district, she was allowed to speak.

Ms. Waters stated, "These two officers were good officers, not like those Los Angeles policemen."

The Los Angeles motor sergeant directed his unit to disconnect the PA, and then all his officers left the church parking lot.

The Rodney King riots started some time later. At what point is the Times Free Press going to stop Mr. Pitts' comments.

JACK ALLEN

Ringgold, Ga.

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