Consumers must stay informed
In response to the article (Aug. 7) on “Local man poisoned by supplements,” I should like to say that consumers can have serious reactions to a product where the manufacturer increased the dosage way beyond the norm.
Unscrupulous manufacturers take advantage of a generally uninformed public. But the same is true of the drug industry, where “FDA approved” does not mean that a drug is safe and, further, that every drug has side effects. The consumer has the responsibility of being informed.
As an informed consumer, who knows which products come form a reputable source, I have taken vitamin/mineral supplements for over 30 years with excellent results. May I recommend “The Maker’s Diet” by John Rubin. It provides simple and safe information on how to regain and maintain good health.
BETTINA KING
Signal Mountain
‘Mosque’ fight isn’t America
Like most Americans, I remember where I was and what I was doing on 9/11, and the powerful emotions I felt. I was shocked, horrified, and in the ensuing days was proud to be an American.
Now, nine years later, I am saddened to see many Americans abandon their support of the First Amendment. From unabashed Islamophobics, to hypocrites, to the misinformed, this is not what America represents. The “mosque” is actually a community center two blocks from ground zero. Visitors to this hallowed ground will never see the mosque unless they make an effort to find it.
The “radical” Imam Feisal Rauf has published multiple books concerning the peaceful co-existence of Islam and the West, has publicly condemned the 9/11 attacks and founded two nonprofit organizations that promote religious tolerance. Hardly the actions of a radical terrorist.
It is disheartening to see our leaders fold in the face of fear and so many upstanding citizens follow blindly. Those who claim to support religious freedom but “think they should build the mosque elsewhere” don’t support freedom. Would saying that Catholics have the right to build a church but not near a school be an acceptable public statement?
RON WALTERS
East Ridge
Mayor’s accusers should talk to him
It’s time for those who know Mayor Ron Littlefield to step up and counter those who are engaged in a classic attempt at character assassination.
Several years ago before Ron’s re-election, Ron said he would be undertaking an unpopular position of annexation as the first step toward metro government. He knew it would fall on his shoulders to initiate the process, which, while unpopular, would be necessary for Chattanooga to remain competitive in the Southeast.
I am thankful for a politician who is actually willing to do the right thing, even if it’s unpopular.
Targeting our mayor makes the local tea party appear as a mean and unreasonable fringe element and marginalizes its believability as a representative party for conservative causes.
Ron has kept the pulse of the city for more than 30 years in a manner of pride and honor both for the people and for himself. To so dishonor him isn’t only a tremendous insult to him personally, but also to our city.
Perhaps a better move would be for his accusers to be willing to sit down and actually talk with the mayor about their grievances rather than publicly vent hostilities. Those who know him know how easily accessible he is and willing to listen.
MAURICE RAWLINGS, M.D.
Recall process is people’s tool
The [proposed] recall of Mayor Littlefield is getting very close to a reality, and City Hall is very nervous these days and with good reason. I have been amazed and excited by the number of Chattanoogans who have finally said “enough is enough.”
The recall process is a tool for “we the people” just as an election is a tool for “we the people.” We put ’em in and we can take ’em out. It’s that simple, except the rules were designed by “politicians for politicians” to make it as hard as possible.
The mayor’s supporters are frantically searching for reasons to rebut the recall with feeble excuses such as: new business will not come to Chattanooga (unsubstantiated and without merit); will add extra costs and labor for another election (true, but not near as much as the tax increase imposed on the people); there is no reason for the recall (we have plenty of reasons, but legally the recall doesn’t require any reasons).
If you are hesitant to sign because Manny Rico would become interim mayor, don’t worry. Manny is being [targeted for] recall, too. Many well-qualified candidates are waiting to run.
Please sign the petition.
STEVE REKER
Keep oil disaster in perspective
Bad as it was, we need to keep a sense of proportion about the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Notwithstanding the wild talk about huge undersea “oil plumes,” if left to its own devices, the crude oil must eventually come to the surface because its density is less than water. The densest portion of the slick once covered some 2,500 square miles and, if the entire spillage of 4.9 million barrels were to be cohttp://www.timesfreepress.com/admin/news/stories/add/#nfined to its surface, it would only have an average depth of 0.005 inches.
Even if it were possible for the entire spill to be absorbed in the 2,500 cubic miles of water under that slick, it would only have an average concentration of 0.08 parts per million. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has detected no more than 0.5 parts per million in the area and by the time the spill spreads over the entire Gulf — an eightfold increase — these concentrations will have become trivial.
For academic “scientists” to talk of mildly contaminated water as an “oil plume” is both misleading and irresponsible. Let’s have a little more skepticism in the academic community and a little more reluctance to rush to print with earth-shaking speculations.
MALCOLM BOWDEN
McDonald, Tenn.
Allowing ‘Islamic center’ is naive
How can anyone support the ghastly idea of building a mosque/“Islamic center” near ground zero, where nearly 2,000 Americans were slaughtered by Islamic terrorists, especially now that we know of the Muslim extremists who are backing it.
Yet supporters of the mosque/“Islamic center” have suspended all empathy and common sense and toss around their strawman arguments of religious freedom and religious tolerance, then howl about how all of Islam is being painted with a broad brush.
No one could possibly paint Islam in as broad and bloody a brush as it’s been done by its own hand.
If it’s built, it won’t show the world that we’ve evolved, as liberals would claim. It’ll only show that we’re just a bunch of gullible and suicidal idiots.
But, it’s perfectly in step with the never-ending tsunami of self-mutilating policies and Rube Goldbergesque thought processes that have been the hallmark of the Obama era.
How is the building of a mosque/”Islamic center” near ground zero any less bone-chilling than the KKK erecting a monument to racism near the spot on the Walnut Street Bridge where Ed Johnson, a black man, was lynched in 1906?
FRANCIS SANTAQUILANI
Mr.Santaquilani,are you,like myself,not astounded by the ignorance which surrounds us?
Mr. Santaquilani just put himself forward as the poster child of the ignorance that abounds in this state. That is such an un-American sentiment that he expounds. One of the MOST IMPORTANT parts of our American heritage IS Freedom of Religion. But I'm sure he thinks his gawd is better than their gawd, so on it goes. Just like the stoneage people that first came out of their caves and knew nothing of what was happening around them so they made up all these fanciful stories about some life after this one, so everyone would feel better. Get a grip, Francis.
Nice letter Mr. Walters. The screaming hoard complaining about the situation don't let facts get in their way. I saw a map of where this center will be. You are correct, it won't be visible. You have to go two blocks down, turn right and go another half block. AND it is open to all faiths, as it is a community and cultural center, not a mosque.
Ace, yes, it is astounding.
Anniebelle, Mr. Walters and Ikiethlu, you see what you want to see. Freedom of religion is not a problem in this country, only in the Muslim world. Name calling and sophistry is all you liberals have going for you. The glowing view you have of this Imam tells me, once again, that liberals are always ignorant of facts and out of touch with reality. Whether it's 2 blocks away or around the corner, it doesn't matter. Their intention is well noted and the groups who are backing it are radical, like Hamas. If you believe Islamic radicals, who are the face of Islam these days, whether you like it or not, have any interest in religous tolerance, or, if their brand of Islam has any interest in promoting religious tolerance, then you are naive. Islamic radicals are laughing at us. They're using our freedoms against us to promote their brand of intolerance. If you think this is simply a matter of freedom of religion, Anniebelle, then you probably also believe your opinion, as a woman, is worth more than a dog's is in the Muslim world.
All well and good, Francis, but this is the United States, not a Muslim country, and freedom of (or from) religion is protected by our constitution. Radical Islamists can no more use our freedom to promote their views than Radical Christian Dominionists. The protection of all freedoms under our constitution is exactly what radical Muslims hate, and departing from our constitution out of fear or hate is EXACTLY what they want and would predict.
To play Tit for Tat (claiming we should discriminate against Muslims because Muslim countries discriminate against Christians and Jews) would play right into their hands. Doing so while spreading fear and lies would lower ourselves further.
Do our freedoms make us vulnerable? You bet. But I'd choose the freedom with its risks rather than give it up to people who would then turn on me as an atheist once they eliminated the threat from Islam.
Who's advocating descrimination? Many Muslims come here to worship in order to be free of the radical element of Islam. Radical Christians, lies and fears? That's not going to work. The point is that radical Islam wants to export their intolerance, which they've been doing since 600 a.d. Read your history.
We in this country stand for tolerance, radical Islam is the face of intolerence. Radical Muslims hate everything that isn't Muslim. You liberals always reach for sophistry when common sense is required...that's why the country is rejecting this President who has no respect for the Constitution. Athiests, Christians, Buddist, Hindus,Mormons...you name it, radical Muslims hate us all. But for some reason, you liberals, don't see that. We're all in the same boat.
The threat to athiests does not come from Christians, Jews, or any other religion, unless you consider just expressing ones faith as a threat, which you may do, but, it comes from radical Muslims. No one else. Freedom and tolerance does not mean comon sense, facts, history and logic are are no longer needed.
Build an athiest center, a gay center, or a womens empowerment center near the "Islamic Center" and see who'll be the first to protest.
It's not a question of should the mosque be built, this is America and it probably will be, but it's a question of why it's being built there. To think it's anything other than a provocation and a symbol of triumph for those who are intolerant and hate freedom, is pure ignorance. To advocate that they have the r ight to build it and to worship is one thing, that's a given, this is America, but to blindly support it and deny what it stands for is pretty mind boggling.
You contradict yourself in your attempts to come across as something other than a bigot, which you clearly are.
a bigot? that's all you got? typical liberal response. no contradiction. there's nothing that can be done to stop it from being built, but we shouldn't support it..knowing what we know about who's backing it and why. funny how you liberals name call when you don't have facts on your side. women, gays, hindus athiests, christians, buddists, mormons, the native tribes in africa with their various beliefs..they're all on the radical Islamists hit list. that's a fact. no bigotry there...just fact. take a look at the Sudan and other places in Africa and see what radical Islam is doing. You'll find real bigotry there on the part of radical Islamists.
i stand by my comparison of the KKK to Islamist terrorists...it's a valid comparison. its up to you liberals to understand that the condemnation is not of Islam, but of Islamic extremists/ terrorists.
by the way, anniebelle...it's GOD not gawd. Don't you think that's a little disrespectful to all the Christians in this area. bet you wouldn't say that to a radical Muslim, but somehow its ok for Chrisitians to be ridiculed.
You are a bigot if you stereotype all Muslims, which you do. They are not all radicals, but you want to treat all of them as if they are. That's the epitome of bigotry.
The argument going on now over this mosque is a victory for radical islam. Building the mosque where they want to or even closer will be a victory for the American way of life.
We Americans are a silly lot. We think in terms of days and months while most of the world thinks in terms of centuries. We do not have the will to plan for a future where our greatgrandchildren will live, we only see our own lifetimes. North VietNam fought for forty years, we tired after five and left after 15: Americans tire quickly. The groups fighting us now are willing to go one or two hundred years if that is what it takes; study their history.
And speaking of history, there is a Mosque on top of Solomons Temple and at the heart of every major conflict the Moslums have engaged in over the last 700 years. In one hundred years, the Mosque at ground zero will be a symbol of their victory over America. Your arguments for or against it will not survive more than a year or two.
Our Constitution was written for the centuries, we need to protect it with an eye to the distant future and stop trying to junk it for the "topic of the day". 240 years is a short time for the "American Experiment", the rest of the world knows that.
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