A question of judgment and other letters to the editors

A question of judgment

We live in a city where approximately 34 percent of the population is African American. I can affirm with a great deal of absolute certainty that the majority are decent, law-abiding, hard-working people who have helped in various ways to build this city. Sometimes decisions around judgment, prudence, and wisdom should outweigh newspaper sales in spite of the precarious condition that the majority of the print industry finds itself.

Chattanooga is already a racially and socially divided community. Pictures like those that dawn the front page of Sunday's Time-Free Press only serve to feed and exasperate an already fragile landscape. No one will argue against permanently ridding the streets of the criminal elements that wreak havoc on our neighborhoods, schools, families and community as a whole. However, I am really at a loss in determining the good or benefit the "parade of stars" did in promoting any rational community benefit. In fact, including photographs of those young men who your article admits had no criminal record or who have only records of misdemeanors like fishing without a license among the "worst of the worst" criminals seems criminal in and of itself.

It was an irresponsible form of journalism that continues to stoke fears and hostilities.

WARREN E. LOGAN JR., Urban League of Greater Chattanooga


Whatever happened to Thanksgiving?

Remember when families gathered together for a turkey dinner, usually at grandma's, for fellowship and prayer? It was a happy time. Now, many arrive with their iPod or cellphone or some other new gadget, and they communicate with someone other than those alive and well in their presence. Grandma is usually out of it all, as her generation was different. She misses out from getting to know her family.

Then, time is limited, as stores open and everyone rushes to shop. So the afternoon cannot be enjoyed with family and friends.

Christmas is not far behind. Same problem! When have you seen scenes showing Jesus, the manger scene or the cross in stores or in the newspaper? Catalogs feature the same ideas. Nothing about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Only things, to be ordered! More stuff to be accumulated and more debt to be incurred.

Congress our leaders and individual families should get on their knees and be thankful for what we have, so far, in America. Ask the Lord how to guide us in the future. I'd love to see this from Congress on the media!

MARGE McNUTT, Signal Mountain


Government's fail when overextended

A Scottish statesmen once said a democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for those promising the most benefits.

This falls in line with the Cloward-Piven strategy on how to destroy a country from within by overloading services provided by the federal government in order to crash the system. Get as many people dependent on the public dole as possible which will bankrupt the country. Those in power will then step in to "save" us all and "fundamentally" change the country further in accordance with their own ideology.

Those who speak against the current administration are subjected to Saul Alinsky's basic rules for radicals and how to defeat the opposition. Target the enemy; marginalize them by mockery, ridicule and constant personal attacks, including lies and innuendo because a lie repeated often enough becomes the truth. Control the media and you control the message.

With almost half the country dependent on government handouts, I wonder how much longer our democracy/republic will survive.

BEVERLY CANERDY, Evensville, Tenn.


The GOP and the middle-class

Today's GOP politicians have ceased doing anything worthwhile for the poor and middle class. They are totally beholden to Wall Street bankers and corporations (the big money donors whose lobbyists buy their votes). Their only plan is obstruction, blocking any attempt to move our country forward and then to claim that President Obama is a 'failure'. That is no plan at all. The Republican Party is void of ideas.

Sean Hannity had some people on his show telling about the horrors of Obamacare. When fully scrutinized, none of those people had even checked to try to find out the actual facts. Megan Kelly had a businessman lamenting that he had to sell his business because of Obamacare - once again, not true. This is typical of the GOP TV network called Fox News! It's just another example of why we keep telling you that 'Fox Fake News' is just a bunch of hateful hypocritical liars.

Kentucky has a Democratic governor. Therefore, they cooperated with the ACA and are having great success getting much needed affordable health insurance for their citizens.

If you want anything worthwhile to get accomplished, stop blindly supporting today's GOP politicians! Quit voting for Republicans!

WALTER M. BENTON, Signal Mountain


Chattanooga's diversity lauded

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development published a report in regard to Germany's integration efforts in 2009. Ranking at, or near the bottom of the table, Germany's failure to provide education and jobs effected an estimated 15 million foreign immigrants. The ongoing struggle to successfully integrate foreign migrant workers into present day German culture, has led Angela Merkel - Germany's current Chancellor - to publicly state that attempts to build a multicultural society in Germany has "utterly failed".

Fortunately the same cannot be said for the Chattanooga community. Data shows that during economic recovery in the state of Tennessee, immigrants are experiencing a faster rate of job growth than domestically born Americans; showing slightly lower unemployment rates for immigrants compared to the native populous. Chattanooga hosts a plethora of diverse and multi-generational cultures. For Example, The Chattanooga African-American Museum provides in-depth material of almost all aspects of African American History, and thoroughly portrays the cultural contributions to our country in Black American history.

It is because of Chattanooga's vast wealth in cultural diversity that local Chattanoogans can indulge in a variety of different cultural experiences and splurge in the beauty of one of the most diversely beautiful cities in Tennessee.

BRANDON MANSFIELD

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