Verify facts before speaking
In the Letters to the Editor recently, the writers of two letters were actually just as guilty of not only "skewing the facts" but also of mispresenting what actually occurred in a referenced situation.
First, in response to the statement that there are 22 Palestinian children killed for every one Israeli child killed, the facts here are at best speculative, considering evidence indicating the Palestinians have used children as human shields and even as suicide bombers. It was against the backdrop of this kind of warfare that the Fogel family was brutally murdered in their home.
Secondly, concerning Juan Williams, who was said to have "disgraced himself publicly." In actuality, Williams expressed his opinion about a controversial subject and was fired from National Public Radio because they deemed his comments not in keeping with their journalistic standards of neutrality.
When did expressing an opinion become equitable with publicly disgracing yourself? The uproar in the media immediately following his dismissal indicates the opposite as well.
Facts are irrefutable, but they can also be twisted to support particular viewpoints. We should therefore all be more careful before speaking, and make sure that we have our facts verified before we do.
JENNY BISHOP
Engel revitalization is within our reach
Recent reports that Engel Stadium has been padlocked need not be discouraging news to fans of the historic ballpark.
Certainly, rotting boards threaten the roof. Seats gather cobwebs in the grandstand. There's standing water in the dugout and weeds in the outfield. But the structure is sound.
So leaving Engel, the second oldest minor league stadium in the nation, to deteriorate further is unthinkable. We didn't let it happen to the Walnut Street Bridge when its future was in jeopardy. The community rallied and restored the grand old bridge into an undisputed asset to the community.
Likewise, Engel Stadium can be restored to its former glory with the help of the Engel Foundation, a non-profit organization formed to support the stadium, and UTC, the holder of the deed. The foundation plans to solicit a modest $150,000 in private donations to make basic repairs to the stadium, which holds a place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Engel Stadium has an important role to play in our thriving community. Once restored, it can open its gates to everything from Little League baseball to community movie nights. Its revitalization is within our reach. Its future is limited only by our imaginations.
JULIE J.
VAN VALKENBURG
Signal Mountain
Health Department clients will suffer
The article (April 4) in the Chattanooga Times Free Press regarding the decrease in funding for the Hamilton County Health Department stated that Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger is "not interested in tapping reserve funds" to support the Health Department.
This would be detrimental for many of the patients that rely on the department for their health care.
Many people cannot (afford) doctor visits or they simply don't have medical insurance for vital immunizations and checkups. The Health Department also provided essential family planning, many times at no cost to the patient. This alone helps people prevent both unplanned pregnancies and the spread of STDs.
Aside from the family planning, immunizations are also very valuable to people who cannot afford to go to a doctor for these shots.
Not only does the Health Department provide these services, but they also maintain healthy standards in restaurants and other stores around the city.
I think many people are unaware of the hard work that goes into protecting people from unsanitary conditions. Without funding, the Health Department cannot do its job. The citizens of Chattanooga need to be aware of the cuts our mayor is trying to make.
AMANDA ROGERS
Sell, tax marijuana to raise revenue
I believe that the legalization of cannabis, astronomically taxed, would help our nation's economy by paying down the national debt, cut down on crime, and even prevent people from seeking out the much stronger drugs like hydrocodone, oxycontin, the producing and partaking of "meth," etc. I personally do not smoke marijuana, but with America's economy going down the tubes, something to raise astronomical money quickly, this would do it.
This would also do away with smugglers and greatly benefit our police agencies since marijuana could be bought over the counter at your local drug store. Of course, guidelines would need to be set as to how much quantity you could possess, etc.
Many U.S. presidents (20 percent-30 percent) grew and/or have used marijuana. So what's the big deal?
DAVID FRIDDELL
Ooltewah
GOP budget plan solves nothing
In over 35 years as a registered voter, I have never yet voted for a Democrat. But I'm getting close.
The Republican plan for reducing the budget deficit is now public. They want to cut Medicare and Medicaid while reducing the top tax bracket from 34 percent to 25 percent. This amounts to placing the entire burden for our national deficit on those who can least afford to bear it, the very poor. The very rich, on the other hand, are being asked to do less.
This is outrageous. Such proposals will solve nothing. If enacted, they will only lead to class warfare, such as has not been seen in this country since the 1920s.
Of course, we need to reduce entitlements like Medicare and Medicaid, as well as Social Security.
It is only fair to ask our wealthier fellow citizens to carry a heavier burden as well. Let's close some of those tax loopholes, so that some of them will actually have to pay some taxes, and let's raise the top tax rate, not lower it.
Let's all sacrifice and work together to get this problem solved.
HERBERT LEA
Chickamauga, Ga.
Face the truth about tax policy
We should not reduce the deficit on the backs of working families, low-income people, children and the elderly.
Corporations use the ruse that they have to move their operations out of the U.S. because of the high tax rate.
Here are some actual facts about their tax scheme.
Exxon Mobil made $19 billion in profits in 2009. Not only did they pay no federal income tax, they received a $156 million rebate.
Bank of America received a $1.9 billion tax refund last year, although it made $4.4 billion in profits and received a bailout from the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department of nearly $1 trillion.
Over the past five years, while General Electric made $26 billion in profits in the United States, it received a $4.1 billion refund.
Chevron, Boeing, Valero Energy, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, ConocoPhillips, even Carnival Cruise Lines received massive refunds. The list goes on.
This information is available to anyone willing to come out of their "Fox" hole and find facts about who really "owns" this country. Why do so many Americans choose to be so willfully ignorant? Will we go down in flames to see what rises from the ashes before we face the truth?
ANN BENTON
Signal Mountain