Topic: Opinion

As the August 7th primary nears, campaign strategy turns “ugly”

August 5, 2008 |

Senate District 22 incumbent floods mailboxes with negative ads

Many Montgomery County voters found another mailing from incumbent State Senator Rosalind Kurita assailing the character of her challenger, Clarksville attorney, Tim Barnes. This latest mailing seems to be an extension of her proposed ban on advertising by attorneys who accept DUI cases. That proposed ban was ruled unconstitutional by the State Attorney General as a violation of the State Constitution’s and the U.S. Constitution’s freedom of expression and legal representation guarantees.[Leaf-Chronicle, April 27, 2008: "Kurita's bill looks like politics"]

The new mailing attempts to paint Barnes as specifically tailoring his law practice to represent spouse abusers, drunk drivers and repeat offenders. Mind you, the yellow pages are filled with ads by a myriad of attorneys offering their services for a wide of array of legal situations. Tim Barnes has no exclusive lock over legal representation for anyone needing it. Thus, it would seem the declared ‘three strikes’ of this flyer are invalid. Voters must be vigilant and diligent in reviewing campaign material that ends up in their mailbox.

This media outlet is reminded of a previous refrain by the senator when her ban proposal failed, “I’m a nurse, not an attorney.” Fortunately for her, we are all U.S. citizens with guaranteed rights and protections of the U.S. Constitution and Tennessee State Constitution.

When contacted for a response to this last minute mailing effort, Barnes, who is challenging Senator Kurita for the Senate District 22 seat, would only say, “Either this an intentional attempt to deceive the public or an appalling display of ignorance of our constitutionally protected rights in a criminal proceeding.”

Thursday, August 7th, is the State Primary Election. For any registered voter who has not yet voted, please exercise your franchise, in other words, your right to vote and cast your ballot. Examine the candidates and make an informed decision.

Vote. It’s the “American Citizen” thing to do!

Sections: Events, Issues, News, Opinion, Politics | 2 Comments

AU: school-sponsored prayer not allowed in public schools

By Rev. Charles Moreland | August 3, 2008 |

Prayer is a religious ritual that over 70% of Americans practice daily. Sometimes we express praise; other times we offer up petitions and requests to our Lord. This ritual is an element of every faith in the world.

Today’s thoughts on prayer concentrates on the issue of prayer in public schools, specifically in Florida, and how one organization is moving to remind school officials of how the United States Constitution applies to Florida — and to every state in the Union.

AU challenges school-sponsored prayer in Florida

Attorneys with Americans United have advised a Florida Public School to stop allowing a principal and other staffers to pray with students.

AU, after receiving complaints from community residents, asserts that Principal Mike Rio and several teachers were filmed on videotape praying with students on May 3, 2007, during a National Day of Prayer observance at Virgil Mills Elementary School in Bradenton. AU sent its letter on April 29 so there would be no recurrence of teacher-led prayer during this year’s National Day of Prayer, which was May 1.

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Sections: News, Opinion, Politics, Spirituality | No Comments

Tennessee U. S. senators “wimp out” in cowardly support of FISA legislation

By Turner McCullough Jr. | July 31, 2008 |

In supporting the FISA legislation, Tennessee senators badly failed their statesmanship test.

The following is a personal response to both Tennessee U.S. senators who voted to pass the recent FISA legislation in the Senate. This farce of a bill stripped Americans of Constitutionally protected rights, gave cover to communication enterprises which had wrongly acquiesced to strong-armed tactics of government entities overstepping their bounds and did nothing whatsoever to enhance our national or individual security.

“Dear Senators Alexander and Corker,

I am greatly disturbed that you supported an abandonment of essential Bill of Rights protections to be seen supporting the Bush administration. Your vote does immense damage to the rule of law and our most fundamental democratic institutions and our personal liberties. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Issues, News, Opinion, Politics | 3 Comments

Chris Lugo: Time to re-examine gun control

By Chris Lugo | July 29, 2008 |

The shooting spree at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church has resulted in murder charges being filed against Jim D. Adkisson, 58, an out-of-work truck driver charged with the killing of two people and the wounding of six others during a children’s musical at the church Sunday morning. Chris Lugo responds to that news and the issue of crime and gun control.

Many Tennesseans were stunned to hear the news that yesterday morning at 10:18 a.m. a lone gunman walked into a welcoming congregation in Knoxville and opened fire on the congregants who were gathered in anticipation of watching their children perform a scene from the musical “Annie” as part of the morning services, killing two people and shooting several more in the head before being tackled to the ground. That church, the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, is a beacon of joy and hope in East Tennessee. Its congregation is made up of some of the most loving, kind and gentle people in the fine city of Knoxville, and the horrific tragedy which was visited upon that church is a wakeup call to good people throughout Tennessee to re-examine our approach to gun control in Tennessee and throughout this nation. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Issues, News, Opinion | 6 Comments

Pools to close as the summer heat revs up

By Christine Anne Piesyk | July 27, 2008 |

When I read the following notice regarding city pools, I couldn’t help but shake my head in amazement.

“The final days for pools are upon us this week. The pools will officially close for the summer season on August 3.” As the August heat — those unbearable ‘dog days’ - descend, the pools close up and our children head back to school. Insanity. The calendar runs summer through September 23rd. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Arts and Leisure, Issues, News, Opinion | No Comments

Impeccable cast ’shakes up’ the Roxy stage with repertoire of Elvis hits

By Christine Anne Piesyk | July 26, 2008 |

The Roxy Regional Theatre’s new production, All Shook Up, is a rollicking romp through our musical “yesterday.” It’s an Elvis Presley fantasy set in a small town where all the action is played out through a score that could be subtitled “Elvis Presley’s Greatest hits.”

Natalie (Maria Maloney) falls instantly in love with Chad (Bryan Davis), who’s ridden into town a bold Red Harley.

It’s the third show I’ve seen in a year that has taken this route of mixing one singer or groups’ music and parlaying that playlist into a new form, integrating the music as part of the storyline. The film Across the Universe did a masterful job with the repertoire of the Beatles’, while the Mama Mia movie fared less well with its ABBA soundtrack. This live theatre production, All Shook Up, and this fabulous Roxy cast come out on the highest end of that scale.

• First, as we baby boomers know, you can’t go wrong with a good Elvis song.
• Second, this Roxy cast was perhaps its strongest ever ensemble of singers/dancers/actors/comics.
• Third, they had clever material and fine hand in direction and choreography.

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Sections: Arts and Leisure, Events, News, Opinion | No Comments

Chicago Impressions: The city of broad shoulders beckons!

By Turner McCullough Jr. | July 25, 2008 |

Business trip unveils an American big city and a wondrous experience!

An unexpected business trip resulted in this writer traveling to the famed ‘City of Broad Shoulders!’ Chicago was our destination and The Sears Tower, our business epicenter. Chicago truly is ‘An American Big City.’ Make no mistake, the city center is absolutely impressive with skyscrapers aplenty, social amenities, commercial ventures and a swift hustle and bustle everywhere. The people of Chicago are as diverse their city’s business environs.

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Sections: Arts and Leisure, Business, News, Opinion | No Comments

From top forty to Broadway to silver screen, Mama Mia takes a chance on ABBA

By Christine Anne Piesyk | July 25, 2008 |

In the cyber shorthand of my grandchildren, OMG!!!

That was my first reaction to Mama Mia, the new pop music turned Broadway hit turned silver screen mega … something??? The OMG does not necessarily denote pleasure.

Mama Mia is a musical rooted in the Abba top-forty playlists of a few decades ago. And yes, the music was toe tapping and hummable, huge hits for the group. In Mama Mia, the music dominates the show; it’s the lynchpin upon which to hang a lightweight story that reaches for words like “rollicking” and “sentimental” and “exuberant” but never makes the real connection. Or rather, it makes it from time to time but doesn’t let you pause to enjoy it. The music goes beyond domination, rolling into subjugation, rather like a steam roller flattening everything in its path. Come on. We need breathing room to separate and tame this relentless tide of song. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Arts and Leisure, Opinion | No Comments