Show Kids Patience, Love
I have to disagree with a letter writer—Bill Stanley. His reply in the April 19 issue to Katie Allison Granju's article on children in restaurants saddened me. There is all this talk lately about the violence of children and young adults and what to do about this problem. Mr. Stanley's quote that "children are born savages" does nothing to quell growing youth violence; it only incites it. Children that grow up believing that they are a nuisance to their parents and society become violent.
Attitudes like Mr. Stanley's are poison to the young children of today. Children need to be loved and cherished to ensure their good character. It has been pointed out by many people that it takes a village to raise a child. This phrase does not just mean daycare workers and baby-sitters, but all of the village; even people who don't have children themselves. Showing patience and love to someone or something that is uncomfortable to you demonstrates the qualities that we all want to have. Divisiveness and scorn only breed more of the same.
My advice to Mr. Stanley and other people who share his views is to open your heart to the children in this world. Show them the love they deserve. You may be really surprised at the results. Children are born as the embodiment of joy. The next time one squeals, smile and pass the joy on to someone else.
Mebbie Ewan
Knoxville
Be Adult About Kids
Talk about narcissism [April 19 Letter]. Bill Stanley needs to look up the definition of the word, he just might find his picture!
Mr. Stanley talks about civilizing children, but how is a parent to "civilize" a child if the child is locked away from society. Children learn how to behave appropriately for any given situation by being in that situation and having parents who lovingly guide them both at that time and throughout life.
When Mr. Stanley suggests that a person not be permitted in a particular location because of age is oh, so similar to a person not being permitted because of sex, or race, or religious beliefs. Age discrimination is still discrimination.
I take my two children out often, and I can tell you we see far more misbehaving adults out in public than we see misbehaving children. Adults who are drunk and loud and obnoxious. Adults who need to get a hotel room instead of a table. Adults who need to learn to speak softly in public places and who need to learn to respect those around them. Adults who have forgotten that the rules which govern our society also apply to them. Adults who seem to think their needs and opinions and desires are the only ones that should be considered.
At least the children have the excuse of less life experience—they are immature because of their age, while the immature adult simply has a personality flaw.
When we are out, we see all sorts of misbehaving adults who could benefit from taking a walk around the parking lot, but unfortunately they forgot to bring their mommies along to remind them how to behave.
Joylyn Fowler
Garden Grove, CA
Lost in Oz
What planet is Knoxville actually on? Obviously one with a shortage of attention span. Before even completing more than a garage towards the "Renaissance Knoxville" plan, the city has moved on to the "Universe Knoxville" plan which seems to be little more than Mr.[Worsham] opening the New York Times and seeing their new planetarium and deciding he wanted one of his own. Thank goodness New York didn't build the Taj Mahal, or I'm sure that would be slated as Knoxville's next big cash cow alongside the [Women's] Basketball Hall of Fame and Sunsphere.
I hear people complain all the time how Knoxville needs to attract more people downtown. Well, unless you've never visited other downtowns before, you might have noticed most downtowns are just as empty after 5 p.m. on work days and just as quiet on Sundays. Personally I'm surprised how many people are on the streets in downtown Knoxville. Try walking around noon time and see for yourself; it's hardly a ghost town. Does Knoxville need more shops and theaters? Well, from the looks of all the stores that have closed at West Town Mall in the last six months, one of which just happens to be a science-based store, I would say not. What does that say about the interest in "Universe Knoxville"?
Like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, Knoxville has been too busy looking for the end of the rainbow when all along all it had to do is click its heels and realize it's always had what it needed to draw tourists... itself! Unfortunately this city has for years tried to tear down, cover and change its rich historic past by converting turn-of-the-century brick buildings into ill-fitted glass boxes. Think of the new/old KUB building on Gay street as the yellow brick road and follow it.
Carl Smith
Knoxville
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