Roy Exum Deserves An Award - And Response (3)

  • Tuesday, January 19, 2016

I often disagree with Roy Exum's positions--but not on this current tragedy, and I think that he deserves journalism awards for his work. 

Bill Caldwell
Harrison, Tn. 

* * *

Here here! No, double here here! Nobody can agree on everything and I'm certainly not in lock step with him always, but Roy's two cents worth on the Tennessee Walker, the Orange Grove Center, Bear Bryant, Corvettes, politics, God and all of the other tragic, poignant, funny or sad things going on are an essential part of my daily bread. As it relates to this Ooltewah catastrophe, I hang on his every word.  

And remember, he lost his arm a while ago so he does all of this with one hand. I guess he could get one of those voice activated word processor programs but there is no way anybody could invent one that could 'cifer his brogue (Mississippi, I think). He got that from his kind and delightful daddy who I remember. Seriously folks, we have a treasure here.   

Thank you, Roy Exum. 

Savage Glascock 

* * * 

I see things much differently. Mr. Exum has vilified Ooltewah High School in his articles. Yes, a terrible event allegedly occurred involving a few students at the school. Our legal system now kicks in and decisions will be made regarding the guilt or innocence of individuals involved. Why does Mr. Exum continue to spew his righteous indignation? No one is happy that this occurred; we don’t need an article every day about something that happened nearly a month ago.  I can understand a couple of articles venting frustration about the situation. I don’t agree with a barrage of OP/ED pieces bashing the school, the administration, the athletics program, and the community.

Enough is enough. No award is merited for Mr. Exum in this situation. David Carroll’s fair and balanced reports deserve the award.

We should be writing about sending prayers for the families and the individuals involved. We should be writing about loving our fellow human beings and understanding that words really can hurt. 

Jeff Stutz
East Brainerd 

* * * 

"Understand," maybe that's Mr. Stutz' problem. He doesn't "understand," because he's never had a cue stick shoved up his bum and broken off.  Maybe he doesn't "understand" because he was never raped, then had the incident swept under a rug so people enjoying a higher social status than the victim wouldn't get in trouble if the event came to light. 

I appreciate the "righteous indignation" of Mr. Exum and others. Why? Because their indignation is just that, righteous. 

These boys didn't ask for what happened to them any more than I asked for what happened to me as a young woman. If not for the efforts of Mr. Exum and others this event would have been a big deal for two days and then replaced with the latest burglary. The officials who should have been responsible, who should have protected these boys, would have gone merrily about their little lives. And I do mean little lives. If they don't care any more about the safety and well-being of the children in their care than was shown over Christmas, they deserve every negative thing that happens to them. 

Have we heard anything more of the so-called adult chaperones who also attended this tournament event and were supposed to be helping out supervising these team members? Why couldn't they have gone "grocery shopping" instead of the two coaches. I wonder if their expenses were paid by the school while they were missing and supposed to be in action. 

Yes, we should pray for these people, but more for the victims. Praying for them does not mean they should avoid the consequences of their bad decisions after what happened to these boys. These boys' lives have been permanently and irreparably damaged by this incident that didn't need to happen in the first place except for plain and simple negligence. 

Vicki Rodgers
Nine Mile, Tn.

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