Baaaaaaaaaaa!
Why the 10 Commandments [Citybeat, Nov. 21]? You would think a passel of commissioners so hell bent on doing "the right thing"—to borrow from Mark Cawood's comment—would consider posting the Sermon on the Mount. Of course, the 10 Commandments are so much easier to live by. I can stop myself from murder, thieving, adultery, and coveting my neighbor's ass with the best of them. But those Christian beatitudes—blessing the merciful, the peacemakers, the meek (who, need I remind you, will inherit the earth)—probably don't get politicians very far, anyway.
I certainly hope the posting of the 10 Commandments wins somebody some votes. It's disappointing, though not at all surprising, that Knox County leaders are willing to sell out their oaths to uphold the Constitution in order to win favor among fundamentalist Christians. And without much debate to speak of, nine commissioners went right along with Mr. Cawood. That's fitting. Jesus said he was the Shepherd, and these guys are real sheep.
Julie Auer
Knoxville
Universal Value
Universe Knoxville, a science center with its associated planetarium, has been in the news for some months now and is still undergoing feasibility study by Knox County Commission as a desirable addition to the progressive development of downtown.
As a public-private development, significant support of the county is necessary to its successful implementation. County Commission and Knox County residents both must reach a clear understanding of the economic impact of the project, the significance it can give to the progressive growth of the region, and the value it can provide the surrounding community in an exciting educational experience.
The opportunities to further integrate regional cultural and educational aspects of the region are immense. A strong partnership among the University of Tennessee, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, NASA, TVA, East Tennessee Discovery Center and the Universe Knoxville experience can provide a valuable educational outreach for our community and further strengthen the scientific appreciation by our youth so necessary to their future.
Indeed, there is great potential for our community in the proposed Universe Knoxville facility. This is really a meaningful opportunity that does not come our way too often.
Kermit Duckett
Professor Emeritus, University of Tennessee
Knoxville
Joining Up
I was especially interested in the Secret History column in the [Nov. 29] Metro Pulse because I made a very similar discovery after moving to Knoxville recently.
I always knew that I had ancestors from Illinois who fought in the Civil War, but it was only after I moved to the Fort Sanders neighborhood that I found out one of them was stationed in Knoxville.
My ancestor, whose middle name I was given, spent a few months in Knoxville after fighting in the Illinois infantry at the battle of Chattanooga. I don't know what fort he was in, but it's exciting to wonder if the apartment I'm living in now is near the spot where my ancestor bunked almost 140 years ago.
Will Reynolds
Knoxville
Baseless Mendacity!
In your Ear to the Ground column [Nov.29] you stated that I was against the income tax, against TennCare and against environmental protection. I do believe the income tax to be unconstitutional, and I do think TennCare needs serious reform. (As does [Metro Pulse publisher] Joe Sullivan.) But to suggest that I am anti-environmental protection is ridiculous.
I led the News-Sentinel's efforts for 15 years to clean up the Pigeon River, giving Champion International and the EPA unshirted hell. The Nature Conservancy will also confirm that I helped raise thousands of dollars to buy land near the Smokies as well as the Smith Bend property that is now the Yuchi Wildlife Refuge.
I made a personal appeal to TWRA commissioner and [liquor industry] lobbyist Tom "Golden Goose" Hensley to get the TWRA funds that made Yuchi possible. And you don't know what that did to my immortal soul.
No, I don't believe every extremist theory that comes down the pike, but no one has the right to pollute the air and water of these United States.
You make the assumption that Republicans don't care about the environment, and that's just wrong. Republican East Tennessee created the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Big South Fork and hundreds of miles of nature trails.
I'm sure you can find any number of things to disagree with me about, but on this one, you were off base.
Frank Cagle
Deputy to the Mayor
Knoxville
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