Am I Alone? - And Response (8)

  • Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Am I alone seems to be quite apt as I begin to form sentences, thoughts and concerns regarding the state of this country. I feel like I am alone trying, somehow, to justify Trump and understand why he is constantly in the middle of chaos. 

Now coined as the Liar-in-Chief, Chief Foreign Affairs Coordinator acting for his pal Russian Dictator, Putin. 

The silence of the Republican Party is astounding. The GOP has been placed in the corner for an extended time out complete with chairs pointing towards the walls.

Even our Congressional representative, silent Chuck, is not even seen anymore except to collect more donations to his re election. Corker speaks, but he is cowardly leaving the Senate. Poor John McCain, dying and not quiet, speaks for many of us, as does Jeff Flake, but three cannot make an army. 

I cannot make the fourth either, so I ask, what can we do with this person? The only person Donald Trump cares about is Donald Trump. He is president of what, who does he represent?  I ask this question. Can someone answer for me? 

Robert Brooks 

* * *

Of course you aren't alone, Mr. Brooks. If you feel that way, I would suggest that you join any number of left-wing groups out there so that you can feel more connected. If you prefer to stay more local, there's the Chattanooga Democratic Socialists of America. Of course it's becoming more difficult to distinguish where the Democratic Socialist of America ends and the Democratic Party begins.

More to your point, I don't think most people care about President Trump's antics. The things they do care about are the policies that he represents (decreasing/elimination of illegal immigration, tax cuts, deregulation, jobs, fair trade policies that help the US, etc). In short, things that help every American and not just select groups of people. Case in point, illegal immigration has had a devastating impact on wages for a large portion of the black community. Yet, it seems that the Democratic Party has largely abandoned the black community in favor of illegal immigrants.

Maybe a better question you should be asking is who exactly does the Democratic party represent?

John Hodge
Hixson

* * *

Mr. Brooks, despite what other people snarkily say about joining groups, you sir are by no means alone. There are a great number of us who feel so defeated and disgusted by the current climate of supposed "leadership" in this country, that we feel alone and alienated. 

Your feelings about Trump are true. He only cares about himself.  That is evident with his own spoken words and tweets.  He is destroying everything our great nation represents. He has alienated the U.S. with all our major allies. He sides with Russia over his own country's intelligence agencies, which spells out treason to me, but nobody is really taking action to stop him or even barely stand up to him. His die-hard supporters can't back up anything he has actually done to improve things with any real facts or data, because it doesn't exist. He has not invoked any real good that we can tangibly see. 

He needs to be stopped before any more cataclysmic damage is done. This has nothing to do with party affiliation, race, left, right, liberal or extremist.  This has reached a point of our country slowly being torn apart. This is about real patriotism and being able to take a stand. The establishment may be too wimpy to do anything about it, but November is coming. We can make a difference then. All of us, regardless of party needs to vote our truth and our values. It has to change.

Richard Smith

* * *

Mr. Hodge, Hixson. Please don't use and exploit the black community to serve some right-wing agenda. Immigrants, illegal or otherwise, are not to blame for the issues and problems that have largely and negatively impacted America's black population, present or past.  Racism, mass incarceration and the purposeful targeting of black communities have led to the devastation and decimation of those communities throughout the decades. From last hired to first fired and before, on up to the present war on drugs. Although the drug issue was never a black only issue, as America is finally being forced to come to terms with and admit today. The drug issue was just an excuse to target America's black communities. 

The purposeful targeting of black communities in America has always been a defining issue plaguing those communities in America. Immigrants, illegal or not, are none of those issues.   

As a then military wife, when I returned to Chattanooga in the '70s and began work at a local company I recall a co-worker telling me to the effect, "Y'all (blacks) want jobs y'all 'ain't' qualified for." I reminded her, "Baby, I've never worked at a job where I wasn't over qualified to handle, and ended up having to teach people like you how to do the work." 

If someone's aim isn't to turn poor whites and blacks against one another, they can always throw in the immigration issue. If none of those issues are useful in dividing and conquering, then use religion as a division and throw in a few Muslims and call them terrorists. 

Just say NO, Mr. Hodge, to hateful rhetoric that serves no purpose and should have no place in a free nation. 

Hopefully, members of the black community are smart enough and won't fall for these type right-wing divisive tactics. 

Brenda Washington

* * *

Mr. Brooks, you are definitely not alone.  There are quite a few of us concerned with the direction this country is taking under Trump.  People will justify his behavior because they think what he is doing is best for our country and, perhaps in some instances, it is.  However, I feel the harm he is doing definitely outweighs the good.  I am personally working to get out the vote and write and email our elected officials, rather than using my time to read mean-spirited letters to the editor.

Vicki Lane Hill
Hixson

* * *

Mr.  Brooks,

You are not alone at all. We are all right there wondering what in the world you are babbling about. 

If the president is only about himself, then why did he cut taxes, bring back much needed jobs and reduce unemployment?  He has given our troops a much needed and deserved pay increase and is trying to fix the veterans healthcare problem. For the first time after the past administration of division, we finally have a president who backs and supports our law enforcement. 

We voted Mr. Trump into office to do what he said he would do. Sorry that doesn’t match with your socialist and liberal ideals. 

Mike Cox 

* * * 

Mr. Brooks, 

You are not alone, but may be in a shrinking minority. I think most people are happy with the direction of the country.  A group of people seem to have push narratives until the general public is sick of hearing the sky is falling every day.  And yet in their everyday life many things we should all be able to agree are good for all of us, show to be getting better. 

These are many good things that have happened in a short time. Some media doesn’t seem to be reporting these.  Lowest black unemployment on record, lowest Hispanic unemployment on record, economy is stronger and American workers have more opportunity to provide for their families, manufacturing jobs are increasing that we were once told would never, overall unemployment is currently 3.8 percent, jobless claims reached the lowest level in 45 years, consumer confidence is at a 17 year high, more people have more money in their pocket, American families received $3.2 trillion in gross tax cuts, and saw the child tax credit double, veterans have health care choices now, there’s a blueprint to lower drug prices, the insurance mandate was removed, there are 2.6 million less people on food stamps than five months ago, and this year, the Small Business Administration lent approximately $500 million more than last year in capital to women-owned businesses,  These are all things that help all people, while being blind to race, gender, or sexual preferences.  

I too have heard a lot about the chaos of in the current administration, but when you look at all they have accomplished, in a very short time, one must be impressed. Through all that chaos, look how much is getting done. Please don't listen to others to form your opinions, do your own research with diverse sources.

Stan Conner

* * *

While our previous president was fundamentally changing America for eight long years , it left us with an empty chair in the White House. 

Take heart snowflakes. What you're witnessing is called leadership. Not perfection mind you, but leading and fighting for the U.S.A.

Michael Burns

* * *

I have just read, some with great dismay, all posts under this headline.

I thought, I guess misguided, that with the anniversary of the Terror Attack in Chattanooga just passed, some patriotic swelling of the hearts would occur. President Donald Trump is not perfect, I will give you that. The last man to walk on this Earth that was perfect was Jesus Christ. I think your expectations are just a little high. 

I always thought Chattanooga was a deeply patriotic community, red blooded, Toby Keith singing, butt kicking Americans. I am dismayed that any of you cannot see the change, wow, America is coming back. I am thrilled, let's keep on doing everything we are doing. 

Another thing, Ms. Washington. Please lets talk about the issues without always "The Black Community" or the Black this or that. How about, The Community, The all of us this or that. If I wrote on here "The White Community" all hell would break loose and I would be hung in effigy from the nearest light pole.

Walk by the portraits of the Fallen Five painted on the side of the building and not feel anger and great respect. It should make every Chattanoogan be patriotic and support our President. We are headed down the right path after the previous eight years of "Fundamentally Changing America". Thank God Mr. Trump has undone tObama"s work.

Mitch Thurmer

Polk County

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