Wamp not the one to chastise others

Now Zach Wamp's son has rubbed this blue-collar worker the wrong way. This boy has never had to worry about anything, like how to feed his children with no work or money to pay his mortgage or find a doctor with no money, yet has the audacity to tell anyone to roll up their sleeve and bite the bullet.

Wake up, America, especially Chattanooga. Is this what we want running any public office? Take back your pride and kick this kid to the curb.

I am truly disgusted with all politicians.

JAMES GORDY

Ringgold, Ga.

Roberts' views are sickening

Dalton Roberts said, "I can't turn on the talking heads on TV without getting sick to my stomach."

I know how he feels for I get that way reading his liberal views.

WILLIE GRANT

Soddy-Daisy

Wamp needs real world experience

To Weston Wamp's comment about the need of the occupiers "rolling up their sleeves" as a more effective way of dealing with our problems; I should not have to tell you that a great many people, from wage-earners to well established business owners, have had lives shattered by this economy, many having had their shirt sleeves rolled up since before he was born into this world.

May I suggest that Wamp take a page from the Bob Corker playbook in helping lead us into the future. Spend at least the next 20 years working his way up as an employee, then an employer making a payroll all the while dealing with people and government and all the myriad challenges he would encounter. Then come back and tell us what we need to do to solve our problems. With two or three decades of real world experience, he may then be one of the gifted leaders we will need.

Even our best minds disagree about what we need to do to solve our problems. Though one thing is certain, we do not need more career politicians with simplistic sound bites.

EDDIE GRAHAM

Hixson

GOP treating some unfairly

I am in my 70s, and I feel like the hopeless crying out in the wilderness. Have my fellow Americans closed off their ears and shut off the functions of their brains?

The Republicans are pushing hard to force our welfare mothers to endure drug tests. Rather than feeling compassion for the needy, the Repugnants, as is their nature, choose to test them as citizens of Germany in the '30s.

What's the result, take away their children, put them in concentration camps? More victims for their bogus drug war? Drugs are a health issue, not a crime issue.

Wake up, America. We are in the throes of some very evil people who hate our country and themselves, having been taught since childhood by their sociopathic preachers proclaiming this as Satan's world.

Our Constitution demands of me to dissent. One of our few outlets is your unbiased editorial page. As patriots, we would perish without your help.

I thank you for printing my, and my mother's letters all these years.

God save us from ourselves.

ROBERT LEE BROWN

Missionary Ridge

Brickman concert a pleasant time

I want to thank the newspaper for the free tickets to the Jim Brickman concert.

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the relaxing and refreshing music. The volume of the concert brought pleasure to the ears.

As a musician, I appreciate his talents and love of music and for sharing it with others.

ANNA SUE WRIGHT

Ringgold, Ga.

Apartments closing causes hardships

My family and I recently moved our aunt from St. Barnabas Senior Apartments because of the decision of the board to sell the building and disrupt the lives of 100 senior citizens. As neighbors came to bid my aunt goodbye, several of them told me that they had no idea where they would go and no one to help them relocate.

Despite earlier comments by the board chairman in the newspaper, no assistance was offered by management to my aunt to help in her relocation.

I know that money talks in this era of overpaid executives and greedy managers, and the well-bieng of older people who have made valuable contributions to American life matters little. However, this sell-out and its resulting hardship to residents is completely inappropriate.

Surely the late Dr. John Bonner, whose foresight and compassion gave the St. Barnabas organization its beginning, never intended this sell-out to happen.

Familes of people who are in the St. Barnabas Nursing Home beware; your loved one may be the next recipient of a "goodbye" letter.

TIM McDONALD

Iraq's Chalabi to blame in war

Playing a major role in President Bush's decision for war with Iraq, Ahmed Chalabi convinced those in the center of power that Saddam Hussein had WMD and must be overthrown.

Chalabi, con artist and convicted criminal, persuaded Wolfowitz, Pearle, Feith and Rumsfeld that Saddam was a threat to the United States. His motive was to overthrow Saddam so he could become prime minister of Iraq. He conned CIA Director George Tenet and Vice President Cheney. Both of them believed and supported him.

All that Chalabi told them was a lie that led to the address of Secretary Colin Powell to the United Nations, which soon afterward Powell stated was "based on false information" given to him by Tenet.

Today, Chalabi sides with Iran and says Bush's war against Iraq was a mistake.

JOHN BRATTON

Sewanee, Tenn.

Were trips into wars necessary?

During World War II some of us older people remember when gasoline was rationed with the slogan "Was That Trip Necessary?" Since the beginning of the Iraq War and the Afghanistan War, we are asking the same question, "Were the trips into these hopeless, bloody wars necessary?"

All our brave men and women in the military know from the recent suicide bombings in Baghdad immediately after the troops left, the beat goes on and people are still dying at the hands of the terrorists. The families who have lost loved ones and the wounded warriors still coming home are forced into different lives besides the 4,500 who didn't make it home.

How much longer are our brave troops going to be asked to put themselves in harms' way in far-off places where they may not make it back home. Our military is also trying to control the border of Mexico. There seems to be no end to the continued violence as it's everywhere we look.

Once again it's time to pray for peace.

RICHARD D. BLOOD

Ringgold, Ga.

Meet transport needs with rail

Contemplating the economy, it struck me that we lack what many other countries take for granted -- a state-of-the -art, viable, money-making public transportation system. In other words, railroads!

When I came to this country many years ago, we had a fine network of rail services, with up-to-date trains, competent personnel and accommodating schedules. Did you want to spend the winter in Florida, accompanied by the old Mercedes? There was not only a train for you, but also one for your car! Now all we have left is Amtrak, ancient rolling stock on even more ancient rails.

So let's get busy and catch up with places like Japan and Europe. Think of the benefits to the economy: jobs of all kinds, a new industrial focus, and less reliance on cars and their ever more costly fuel. In addition (something that should bring a big grin to us all) the loss of monopoly status which the airlines now enjoy. Maybe they'll start treating us like people again!

What do you say? Let's throw out the studies of feasibility; they've done so many in our area (Chattanooga-Atlanta). We probably could have built the railroad with the money expended. So let's give it a go!

JOAN DICKENSON

Dayton, Tenn.