New thinking in District 1

Hamilton County has just experienced one of best political changes that it has undergone in years. The removal of Fred Skillern from his County Commission seat was long overdue. His abuse of power during his time in office was incredible. His tactics through intimidation and threats such as " his a_ _ is mine," as reported by the Time Free Press, is unforgivable and very unprofessional. Mr. Skillern's use of his $100,000 share of the county's discretionary funds each year was nothing short of being used for the wrong purpose. Any of his donations were followed up with a plaque on the wall with his name or picture in the newspaper, making out that he was a community hero, swinging your vote. What District 1 and the County Commission need are new thinking without the influence of intimidation, bullying and threats. What this county doesn't need is Rhonda Thurman in this commissioner position, when knowing all along Fred Skillern will be pulling her strings and doing things in District 1 as before. We've had enough of Fred Skillern. Congratulations, Randy Fairbanks, man of integrity, something we haven't had for a long time.

BOB ROCK

Climate change indisputable

It's difficult to believe we still have people who deny global warming! It reminds me of the O. J. Simpson jury acquitting him because they didn't believe in the DNA evidence. It doesn't take a great IQ to understand our peril. But it does take reading something other than the Free Press side of the paper, and keeping an open mind; "Global Warming and a Wedding" by Ron Hart was absurd. Benjamin Franklin said, "We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid." Al Gore made us aware of the problem 38 years ago. He held hearings on climate change, toxic waste and global warming as a freshman congressman in 1976. He received the Nobel Peace Prize on climate change, but the Democrat made little progress because of Republican opposition. Republicans are more concerned with corporate profits than saving the planet. We have few in Washington who are not thinking about anything past the next election. Posterity is a word they don't understand. Having 97 percent of the world's atmospheric scientists saying, "We have a problem" doesn't faze those with closed minds. Clay Bennett is maybe on to something with the (Republican) ostrich and where it put its head on climate change.

WILBOURNE C. MARKHAM SR., Walden, Tenn.