Let 'em Eat Skates
Good article by Joe Tarr on the demise of the skateboarding park. For the record, I don't care about skateboarders, their sport, or where they do it. But I had to respond to KPD's Darrell DeBusk's assertion that the police shut down the skateboarding park because its enthusiasts were law-breakers and trespassers (despite the fact that the owner—whom the police can't even identify—hasn't sworn a trespassing complaint).
I'm a public defender, and yesterday in court, I overheard an officer piously shudder, "Ooh, I just couldn't be a defense lawyer. I don't know how they do it." Well, here's why defense lawyers do what we do: because we want skateboarders to run rampant all over Knoxville, and turn our great city into a cesspool of skateboarding vice and degeneracy. But it's good to know there are brave men and women out there who are willing to stand up to these dangerous threats to society and say, "We're not going to take this! Enough is enough."
I know I speak for all citizens when I say I will sleep better at night knowing these kids now have absolutely nothing to do except walk around the streets looking for trouble.
Julie Auer
Knoxville
Gloria Just Glows
I read with interest your [Oct. 30] article on the new "Twelve White Men," and I'm glad to see that you acknowledged that there are women in our community that have moved into positions of power.
As a woman, recent UT graduate and young professional, it was encouraging to see a role model like Gloria Ray named to your list.
Often times, women in various positions of power are referred to as pioneers—meaning they prepare the way for others. Ray is indeed a pioneer. Her list of accomplishments includes being the first woman to serve as chairperson of the KUB Board, the first woman to serve on the executive committee of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee, and the first women's athletic director at UT. Now, she serves as president and CEO of the Knoxville Tourism & Sports Corp. where she strives to better our community.
According to your article, Ray is described as being "intransigent," or stubborn. I believe a better description is that she is determined and passionate about doing what is best for our community, and her results speak for themselves.
Ray definitely deserved to be recognized for being a leader, and most importantly, for paving the way for other women to do likewise.
Thank you for recognizing the important role she plays in our community.
Erin Burns
Knoxville
Disrespect is Shocking
In response to Scott McNutt's [Nov. 6] article: I was a little shocked to find such a disrespectful attitude about the Pledge of Allegiance. I began reading the article under the pretense that it was going to be a "pro-God" article. Wishful thinking I guess.
It's just amazing to me that Mr. McNutt views the POA as relatively unimportant, at least with the words "under God" in it. He even says that he doesn't care what the kids think about the whole issue. I would be very surprised by the tone of this article if he even has kids....
Perhaps a good spin on this article would be to write one about those of us who do like the POA as it is. Let's ask some veterans what they think about it. Or maybe go over to IRAQ and Afghanistan and see what the U.S. soldiers think of this article.
If Mr. McNutt would have been corrected when abusing his privilege to recite the POA as a child, perhaps he would view it now with the reverence that I and many others do. I believe somewhere along the line, his disrespect for this country's pledge and his freedoms grew into what it is now —lacking in compassion, reverence, and honor. The pledge is a joke to him, and it breaks my heart to know that in a country where he can write about anything he wants, he uses his talents for such a cynical and tasteless piece on the unimportance on this country's pledge of allegiance.
Jeff Headrick
Knoxville
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