Pollution in America and other letters to the editors

Pollution in America

Pollution in America is one of the major issues that our country faces on a daily basis. Every time something is thrown out the window on the interstate, it adds to the growing problem.

There are several ways to control this issue. From recycling to simply throwing a piece of plastic into a trash can, anything will help keep the environment that we live in a much cleaner and healthier place to live.

A great example of how littering can effect the environment would be The Great Pacific Garbage Patch located in the Pacific Ocean. There are over one million tons of garbage floating in the ocean today and it is all because of neglect on our part.

If we all put forth the effort, the issue of pollution can be eliminated once and for all.

Ashley Williams, Chattanooga


Gun control really people control

Who to blame for the Sandy Hook massacre? Dim-witted politicians accuse the NRA and those opposed to Obama's gun-control initiative. However, gun-control legislation and those who support it contribute more to gun violence than anything the NRA has ever done.

"Gun control" is a euphemism for people control. Legislation forcibly controls people, not inanimate objects. Control freaks would legislate freedom out of existence with such sophistry.

The World Health Organization defines violence as: "The intentional use of physical force or power threatened or actual, against a person, or against a group or community, that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment or deprivation." Gun-control legislation fits that definition. It forcibly deprives people of their right to acquire, keep or bear arms. It is axiomatic: Violence begets only more violence. It is insane to adopt violent means to reduce violence.

The president and legislators are deemed leaders. They set a horrible example by their own routine use of force, even murdering people in foreign lands by remote-control drones. Did Adam Lanza's fevered mind concoct his murderous scheme from Obama's violent example?

NED NETTERVILLE, Lone Oak, Tenn.


Bill of Rights, guns part of founding

Following the reading of the paper (April 19), "Senate never meant to expand gun checks" tells me your editor failed to recognize that in almost all home burglaries, the most common item most stolen is firearms! Why? Because criminals can't pass background checks! Why don't some people understand that background checks do not include mental instability as a portion of the check itself. How would the horrible school shooting be deterred by a background check of the women who purchased the firearms following her background check. Her son killed her first, before attacking and killing the defenseless children and teachers at the school, knowing full well no one there posed a threat to him. If history shows us that all of the other countries of the world that remain gun free have been rendered defenseless from oppression, would it not prove that gun control does not work? Our nation was founded with a Bill of Rights and guns, and has remained free for several hundred years. God Bless America!

BILL BLAIR, Whitwell, Tenn.


Spring Hill lessons will apply to VW

The VW workers and management of Chattanooga would be wise to first review the lessons of the Spring Hill Saturn/UAW Labor-Management works council that operated from 1985 to 2005. The devil is in the detail. Over these 20 years there were real lessons learned about what worked and what didn't that could prove useful to VW workers and management.

The first lesson involves changes in leadership that will occur and the impact of those changes on the organizational culture. Then there is the lesson of dealing with 80 years of antiquated American labor law and legal precedents that promote adversarialism over partnership. Lest you overlook it, the UAW constitution requires local union representatives to be elected, and that introduces union politics into the organization. Critical to VW's success will be the extent VW workers are empowered to make decisions, solve problems and manage the organizational conflicts that will arise. Ask yourself, if VW workers are so empowered then what do elected union representatives and middle management do? Unquestionably, the labor-management partnership in Spring Hill was a success by all accounts. In fact, it was too successful, and you should learn what that got them.

MICHAEL BENNETT, Spring Hill, Tenn.


Democrats' policies make things worse

Elections have consequences. Any public policy has predictable (even if not foreseen or revealed) consequences, good, bad or ugly.

Sixty years ago, the goals that conservatives, liberals, Democrats and Republicans wanted for the country were more or less the same, the argument being on how to get there. Such is no longer the case. What conservatives want now, and the policies they promote, would lead to what the U.S. economically was in the 1950s, minus the racism. The policies the Democrats propose and have enacted will lead us to what the Soviet Union was in the 1950s, with them in control.

The (un)Affordable Care Act is Exhibit A in this argument. Those who wrote it are not stupid; they had to understand that 1) The public would reject it if its contents were known (hence it was "rammed through" without any debate); 2) It would cause the cost of health care to soar, as we have already seen, leading to eventual demise of the private health insurance market and ushering in a single payer system similar to Great Britain's.

The soviets are winning, and things will get worse as a result.

DAVID CLOSE, M.D.


City government needs transparency

Why in the world would the city of Chattanooga give CARTA the new parking authority? They report a huge deficit every year. If CARTA can sign a third-party contract with Republic Parking, why couldn't the city? This is just extra money stripped from the city budget and could be desperately used. CARTA says they put the money toward the electric shuttle.

No one ever asked Mr. Berke where one of his largest fundraisers was. It was at McKamey Animal Center, which has numerous city employees that he verbally told in his speech that he would do everything he could to keep them on board. So what are we really getting ourselves into? I want an open government where what is going on is transparent. I have a bitter taste in my mouth from the start. Just need something to believe in.

MARK STEVENS


City should accept liability if needed

On April 5, while driving my son to school, I sustained significant damage to my vehicle due to road construction at the 4400 block of Delashmitt Road in Chattanooga. This area was not marked to warn drivers and was unattended. Subsequently, I incurred a $1,600 bill to replace two tires and two wheels on my car.

I filed a claim with the city, which was denied. I was informed by a claims adjuster for Chattanooga that the reason for the denial was due to the fact that I was the only individual who reported damage at that area. I also sent a letter to Mayor Berke, asking for his assistance in this matter, and have yet to receive a response. I feel that I should be compensated by the city for its negligence. Had the area been properly marked, that would have been my negligence. I am disheartened that the city doesn't feel the need to accept liability for failing to do its job correctly.

JANET LENTZ, Red Bank


Blood banks show vital cooperation

Recently, I visited Blood Assurance on Third Street to make an appointment to donate platelets. As I entered, I saw the aftermath of a taped television interview of Lacey Wilson of the marketing department there. After the crew left, I asked Lacey what she told them. She informed me that Blood Assurance sent five bags of type O-negative blood (the universal donor) to a blood bank in Rhode Island which shipped the same number of type O-negative to bomb-ravaged Boston.

Lacey told the reporter of the need for area donors to give enough of this precious blood type to Blood Assurance. (The interview was telecast that evening on WTVC).

I am both impressed and moved by such cooperation among blood banks. If it were not for the normal magnificent outpouring of sharing of blood product by area and regional donors, Blood Assurance may not have been called upon and matters in Boston and Rhode Island may not have proceeded quite so well.

Please donate. One may not know where one's blood may be used.

HARRY GELLER

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