'No guns? People use knives, axes' and more letters to the editors

Friday, January 1, 1904

No guns? People use knives, axes

Your Dec. 15 Times editorial is exactly what I expected. But take a moment to look at the past events in China where guns are outlawed: The slaughter in schools of kindergarten children, not with guns but knives, hammers and axes.

I doubt we can stop someone from committing a horrendous crime such as that on Friday. No guns, use knives. No knives, how about the hammer, axe, or a bomb. Need I continue?

When someone wants to commit a crime, they find a way to do it.

Should we look into better control to school access? Do we need more security cameras, easier ways to lock access in the schools quickly in a potential emergency?

But then, how do we stop someone from committing this type of crime outside the school as the children arrive or leave?

Will we ever be able to protect our children 100 percent? I have my doubts, and it's unfortunate.

ED JUAIRE, Ringgold, Ga.


Santa program made senior happy

Home Instead Senior Care has just completed the ninth year of our "Be a Santa to a Senior" program. We have made 560 seniors very happy this Christmas season. Many of these seniors do not have family and would not receive anything other than through this program.

I thank the 12 Walgreens and their staffs that participated, and the non-profit organizations that provided the names to us and the many people who purchased the many gifts, and the CAREGivers and the many people who helped with the wrapping and helped with the distribution of the gifts.

Merry Christmas.

JAMES GARDENHIRE, President/Owner


Something must be done

My letter is one of many that tries to put to paper the sadness, dismay and sense of helplessness that invades my every waking moment since the horrific tragedy of Newtown, Conn. But now more than ever before, I'm so filled with questions that I don't know how to proceed. What is happening to our country?

Prayer obviously isn't the only answer. More talk about gun control, limiting access to weapons doesn't seem to be the answer. I believe that the same day this horrible thing happened in Newtown, other violent, tragic, life-ending violence to men, women and children occurred around our country. What is happening? How can we help stop this insanity? I just need someone to get the heck off their political, religious or some other soap box and look me in the eye to tell me what I can do! We can do something!

SCOTT C. WILSON, Ooltewah


What do editorial, cartoon mean?

Does the Friday Times' pro-union editorial mean that the Times Free Press is now or soon will become a Guild newspaper as was the original Chattanooga Times for years? I noticed that the Free Press side of the editorial section featured an anti-union cartoon. What, if anything, does this mean?

BILL CASTEEL