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Glory for ‘Bound’
I loved the [Nov. 24] story on Knoxville Bound, as a former long-time resident of Knoxville I have many fond memories of the people and places that make Knoxville what it is.
From high school friends to icons like Harold’s on Gay Street, the caves on Cruze Road in South Knoxville and TVA and well, the list goes on doesn’t it?
I only have one issue with the article, you do not mention where or when the book will be available! I have searched online bookstores, as I now live in Lebanon, Tenn., to no avail. Please assist! I need a Knoxville fix badly, and I hope you can help me.
I have shared this article with my sister who now lives in West Monroe, La., and one of my coworkers who lived in Knoxville back in the ’60s. They were both touched by the writers’ work that you featured in your article. You can take people out of Knoxville, but our hearts never leave home.
By the way, Marianne Worthington is my sister-in-law. Isn’t she one fine writer?
Mark Blevins
Lebanon
Rights: Yours, Mine
National Coal has opened a can of worms for themselves with a frivolous lawsuit against Earth First. To file a lawsuit such as this is nothing more than a neo-nazi tactic to take away our right to protest and our rights of free speech. National Coal calls a quiet protest harassment? What the hell do they call blowing up a mountain above someone’s home, poisoning water tables, creating flood zones, terrorizing entire communities? That is what they do.
I urge every person who reads this to get on the phone, call National Coal, fax them, email them. Tell them that we have certain rights in this country. If they don’t like us exercising our rights, then maybe they should move their operation to China, where they can terrorize local communities and pollute the earth to their hearts desire without fear of protest. In America, we stand up for our rights and our freedom.
Bo Webb
Naoma, W.Va.
It’s ‘Mobile Meals’
In Ear to the Ground, Nov. 18, you made note that “Meals on Wheels” had received support from the City of Knoxville Community Improvement Fund, as designated by City Council members. The local effort to deliver prepared meals to the elderly and frail homebound is affiliated with the national Meals on Wheels Foundation. However, our program formally is entitled “Mobile Meals” and is under the auspices of the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee’s Office on Aging. (At the time we established our program in 1971, the name “Meals on Wheels” was being used by a local lunch truck.)
Mobile Meals’ needs continue to grow as our elderly population increases and certain funding sources diminish. We appreciate the support from the City Council members, and others throughout the community in this critical period.
Currently there are about 130 seniors on a waiting list to be served. The program can serve only those who are in the most desperate need. People on the waiting list have already been assessed as being eligible to receive Mobile Meals, but current funding does not allow us to serve them at this time.
If your readers would like to join in supporting Mobile Meals, either financially or in delivering meals, I encourage them to contact our office.
Barbara Monty, Director
Knoxville-Knox County
CAC Office on Aging
Amendment ‘for the People’
Regarding “Automatics for the People” [Dec. 2], you are quick to point out all the false rationale why (in your opinion) nobody needs an AR-15 style rifle with such features as a flash suppressor or a telescoping stock. Neither does anybody “need” a sports car that will do more than 180 miles per hour, but it is perfectly legal to own one.
Judging an inanimate object as dangerous because of its features could be said of nearly anything from claw hammers to chain saws (both of which have been used to kill people). No, I don’t necessarily “need” a flash suppressor or a telescoping stock for hunting. Of course, if you would bother to familiarize yourself with it, the Second Amendment is not about hunting. It’s about defense of self and country (which includes my neighbors).
Dene Leach
Kent, Wash.
Liberals!
I, as a gun owner, know what kind of treatment to receive from the press and especially one with a liberal bent such as Metro Pulse. Your [Dec. 2] article was yet another assault on one of our basic freedoms, the Second Amendment.
Specifically, you mention the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban. This insane piece of feel good legislation did nothing to prevent crime of any sort; rather it only restricted the number of features a specified weapon could possess.
For example a weapon would have been allowed with bayonet and flash suppressor as long as the stock was fixed, and the magazine was non-detachable. The 10-round capacity restriction was in place during the ban, not before as stated in your article, and no license was needed to own these weapons during the ban, they just weren’t allowed to be produced with features that seem to scare many liberals and people with little or no knowledge of firearms.
Your statement that the Massachusetts law with a minimum sentence of one year for illegal possession of a firearm “takes on the gun lobby’s argument that criminals don’t abide by gun laws.” is ludicrous. Criminals don’t obey laws; that’s why they’re called criminals.
You mention that gun shows are notorious for unauthorized gun transactions while failing to mention all the background checks being conducted at the shows by licensed dealers. The checks are not required for private sales or trade, because it is just that: private property being transferred from citizen to citizen.
Most guns used by criminals are stolen from lawful owners, not purchased. And let’s not forget the other wild assertion, the conversion of semi-auto weapons to full auto capability. The average person does not possess the knowledge and equipment to perform this operation. Most people aren’t going to risk personal injury or damage to an expensive weapon simply for the luxury of full-auto fire, especially when these types of guns can be rented and used at area ranges for a nominal fee. The purchase of a machine gun without the proper permit has been illegal since 1936.
I will never understand why so many people who vigorously defend other rights and liberties such as freedom of speech, press, assembly and other privileges guaranteed by the Constitution are so hell bent on restricting the freedom of gun owners. If existing laws were enforced and violent criminals were locked away and dealt with, then society, as a whole would be better served.
Joe Peters
Knoxville
Open-Minded Approach
I was emailed your [Dec. 2 Automatics for the People] article as a news alert subscription I have through Google. I felt compelled to write to thank you for your open-minded approach to reporting on this subject.
I am a 28-year-old former Marine who has been around firearms my entire life (since I was seven) including sport shooting, competition, reloading and hunting. I own several of the type of firearms cleverly nicknamed assault rifles, and, I must admit, I feel a bit uncomfortable at large gun shows. So my hat is off to you in taking that step to write a complete article.
Chris Barlow
Newcomerstown, Ohio
Blind to Life
I was happy to read in your letters that not all Tennesseans voted for our “war-mongering” President Bush, who supposedly is pro-life, but doesn’t mind taking out, perhaps 100,000 Iraqi lives, nearly 1,300 young American lives, and maiming some other 10,000. I don’t exactly call his war pro-life.
From a “blue stater” to those red staters opposed to our “blind president,” thanks.
Elsie Speck
Carbondale, Illinois
December 9, 2004 • Vol. 14, No. 50
© 2004 Metro Pulse
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