Don't give up our freedoms - and more letters to the editors

Don't give up our freedoms

Do you love America? Would you choose to live in another country?

Our individual freedoms make America the best place to live on the earth. The first 10 amendments of our United States Constitution spell out these freedoms.

The First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof ... ." This amendment is being challenged via the Obamacare "HHS Mandate."

This mandate by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius forces all employer health plans to provide free contraceptives, sterilizations and abortion-inducing drugs regardless of any moral or religious objections. If this is not provided the fines will be $36,000 per year per employee.

There are more than 90 cases before the courts protesting this ruling and indeed, the Supreme Court on Nov. 26, 2013, agreed to hear two cases by business owners, Hobby Lobby Inc. and Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp.

Will Americans required by law to have health insurance be forced to give up our freedoms like North Korea, China and former Communist Russia?

JACQUELYN WILSON, Whispering Pines, N.C.


Let's practice responsibility

After reading the front page article "At the Brink" and seeing a picture, of the mother and daughter in the Chattanooga Times Free Press, Thursday, Jan. 2, I called my local Republican legislators and the governor's office, in support of not expanding TennCare.

After federal funding through 2016 only, it would then be Tennessee taxpayer's responsibility to pay the entire bill for the thousands of new enrollees on TennCare.

As State House Majority Leader McCormick correctly states, funding for Obamacare then "would swallow up funding for other areas like education."

As a full-time worker and taxpayer ... my advice is that (people) need to practice self-responsibility, become self-sufficient and not become an added medical and tax burden to society.

RON MORIN


Grow your own veggies

I enjoyed your article about fish and vegetables grown using aquaponics.

For years local representatives of JuicePlus have been marketing Tower Gardens, which are aeroponic 5-feet-tall vertical gardens allowing you to grow up to 20 plants in less time than it takes in soil. This soil-free system means there is no weeding, tilling, kneeling or getting dirty.

A Tower Garden fits easily on urban patios, decks, porches, balconies, terraces or rooftop gardens.

So if you only want to grow fruits and vegetables, this is a great option!

MARY HELMS, Signal Mountain

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