Freedom of the press violated in firing
With all the disgusting, anti-conservative editorials printed on the left side of the editorial pages and vile Clay Bennett cartoons, why would you terminate Drew Johnson for his title "Take your jobs plan and shove it, Mr. President" the day after you made a policy change requiring title oversight?
Guess the Times-Free editor no longer believes in freedom of the press when it comes to being critical of Mr. Obama.
Sad!
KENT FOSHA, LaFayette, Ga.
History won't bear relevance in VW union
Very amusing to read articles in your paper over the past two weeks about re-elected congressional members asking Volkswagen workers to "remember Detroit's history" concerning the union question at VW. Two things:
American car makers were losing the car quality battle to Japan and Germany, and leaving Detroit long before most of the workers at this Chattanooga plant were even born. A 31-year-old autoworker in the southeast United States couldn't care less about the facts concerning the UAW and the big three auto companies haggling over salary, company conditions and health benefits somewhere up north back in 1982.
Why in the world would any member of the U.S. Congress ask a potential voter to remember history? If voters could remember history, there would be no re-elected congressional members.
Glad I could help.
ALLEN BROOKS, Ooltewah
Johnson's dismissal was long overdue
The Times Free Press was correct to dismiss Drew Johnson. Regardless of disobedience to company policy, dismissal for performance was long overdue.
Whether left page or right page, liberal or conservative, editorials should be informative, rational and thought provoking. Many of Mr. Johnson's contributions failed to reach editorial level.
I look forward to an improvement.
IAN GRANT
Unions help keep middle-class families afloat
I would like to give my opinion on the organizing efforts going on at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, I think its great, and the UAW's organizing team should be commended. The employee's working there should be represented and paid a decent wage for the work they do, with benefits such a retirements pension, insurance and such. I joined the Iron Workers Local 704 Apprenticeship program in 1977 and other than the time I served in the United States Navy I have never been without a union job, or never will be. Myself or my family have never been a burden to the community and I can count on my fingers how many unemployment checks I have received in 36 years.
It is a disgrace what our state politicians have done to the working people of Tennessee, and as a union member I will always pay my union dues and will defend the union until the day I die. My wife and I have raised four children and put three of them through college on union wages. The unions are the backbone and the only protection the middle class working families have in Tennessee.
JAMES W. LOCKHART
St. Elmo letter writer needs to consider safety
In response to a letter to the editor dated July 31 concerning St. Elmo, I would like to point out a few things. While firing fireworks at a birthday party might sound harmless, it is illegal, and as a homeowner I shouldn't have to tolerate fireworks being fired toward my house. As for parking on the sidewalks: Sidewalks were created for walking. Streets were built to accommodate automobiles. People using the sidewalks are not asking for anything special. Why should a mom strolling her child have to go around a parked car? Parking on the sidewalks is illegal. Also, why should a person in a wheelchair have to use the bike lane only because someone is parked on the sidewalk? While the writer's comments sound sincere, they overlook the safety factor. There would be no problem if everyone would just do what is right.
JEFF WEBB