Topic: Opinion

Should anyone claim to know G_d’s Mind in this presidential election campaign?

By Turner McCullough Jr. | September 21, 2008 |

This is an authorized posting of a Sept. 2, 2008 This article is reprinted with authorization from by its author, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, our guest commentator. With all the political clamor of late about knowing G_d’s plan, and executing his tasks, a moment of reflection just might be beneficial to all of us.

“G-d’s Thoughts on the Presidential Election”

It’s time to play that fun, all-American game, Who is G-d punishing now? Three years ago, when Katrina devastated New Orleans, some on the religious right suggested that the city with the infamous French Quarter was being destroyed for its debauchery and licentiousness. G-d poured fire and brimstone on Sodom in ancient times, and He rained down lightning and broken levies on New Sodom in modern times.

Fast forward three years and here we go again, only this time G-d is punishing innocent men and women in Louisiana for the Republican Convention in Minnesota. According to filmmaker Michael Moore “Gustav is proof that there is a God in heaven. To just have it planned at the same time, that it would actually be on its way to New Orleans for Day One of the Republican convention, up in the Twin Cities, at the top of the Mississippi River.” The theme was echoed by Don Fowler, the South Carolina Democratic Party chairman, who joked that the hurricane was God’s favor to Democrats. But Mr. Fowler will have to forgive some of the residents of New Orleans, both Democrat and Republican alike, if they don’t get the joke. «Read the rest of this article»

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

California: same-sex marriage validated; churches can “opt out”

By Rev. Charles Moreland | September 21, 2008 |

California is a progressive state, the home of Hollywood and the creation of the cowboy movies and the stars I watched as a child. California is famous for its entertainment, education, and cultural and religious activities. Rev. Robert Schuller of the Crystal Cathedral and the Hour of Power, his version of Christianity, is located there.

Recently California made more news when the California Supreme Court authorized same-sex marriages. The ruling does not, however, require any church to violate its conscience, doctrine or beliefs. Americans United, a dedicated and conscientious organization for protecting constitutional rights, after an intense examination of the ruling, noted that “nothing in the decision requires houses of worship to perform or recognize these unions.” «Read the rest of this article»

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

‘Imagination Library’ puts new books in the hands of children

By Beth Britton | September 19, 2008 |

Dolly Parton is a passionate lady. She is passionate about her songs, passionate about her music, and most of all passionate about her family and her roots.

That’s why in 1996 Dolly Parton started her Imagination Library in her home county Sevier County, Tenn. She wanted Preschool children and their families to be passionate about books.

Imagination Library is a program designed for children to receive a brand new age appropriate book from birth until age five. You can sign up at any time to get your child started. The book is mailed directly to your house. This is a community funded program and the Dollywood Foundation tracks and mails the books to the families entirely for free!

In March of 2000 Dolly approached The National Press Club in Washington D.C urging other communities to take action and to pick up the program to spread the love of literacy. «Read the rest of this article»

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

Tennessee Equality Project: It’s time!

By Todd Hughes | September 18, 2008 |

Today, I’m ready to shout. I’m not shouting because I’m mad, I’m shouting out to every single reader of Clarksville Online. It’s an open call especially to the GLBT readership, but I’m also including every single ally that reads this article. How many are you? I would suppose that you’re hundreds, perhaps thousands. That’s a lot of people that I’m shouting to. My call is for you to show Clarksville that you care about your rights as a citizen in Tennessee. I’m a facts-based type of guy, so let’s start by looking at some facts.

• Did you know that a Tennessee State Constitutional amendment was devised and passed which took away your rights of marrying the person of your choice? These rights were written into our constitution and taken away from us. When I say “us,” I mean all of us. We are now constitutionally restricted as to whom we can marry. «Read the rest of this article»

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

Big Brother lives: Photo ticket cameras could track drivers nationwide

By Bill Larson | September 18, 2008 |

When the discussion of installing red-light cameras in Clarksville began, one of the arguments against them was their potential use for tasks beyond ticketing red-light violators. This is commonly known as “mission creep.” Cameras are first installed for one reason, then, after they are in place, it’s simple to expand their use for other purposes. For example, while cameras in Clarksville initially won’t ticket for speeding, several City Council members have already expressed interest in getting the “whole package,” which would include speed enforcement as well.

Those who warned of the civil liberties issues with these cameras were 100% correct that they could be used to track and database the movement and associations of law abiding citizens. Why is this dangerous? Let’s say one day the government does something that you don’t like. Then, lawfully exercising your right to free speech and the right to petition the government for a redress of grievance, you protest it. Suddenly you have popped up on the government’s radar screen. The government can then check the voluminous records they have already started keeping on Americans, such as travel and flight records.

The government can go back and go through your call logs, Internet traffic, movement logs, and other electronic traces with a fine tooth comb looking for things that woud allow them to harrass or intimidate you.

There are millions of laws on the books, many of them complex and hard for the average person to understand and follow. How many of these laws are you aware of? How many of them have you inadvertently broken? How many others exist that you don’t even know about! «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Issues, News, Opinion, Politics, Technology | 1 Comment »

Lack of handicapped parking spaces can be a “deal breaker” for downtown shopping

By Christine Anne Piesyk | September 16, 2008 |

Upon hearing of the City Council decision to eliminate the traditional parking meters and implement a “park and display” to pay for downtown parking fees, I felt my stomach curl. That is a second reason NOT to go downtown. Nothing is more annoying that than the back-and forth run those infernal machines.

The first  reason, and by far the stronger reason, not to go downtown is the abyssimal lack of handicapped parking, Designated handicapped parking.

Let me preface with the statement that I am a huge fan of old-fashioned Main Street shopping. User friendly Main Street shopping. Shops such as Hodgepodge, streets such as Franklin Street,  are a “breath of life” for someone like me, used to and loving huge unique Main Streets with a marvelous diversity of shops,  manageable, accessible parking and park benches galore. I love small locally owned businesses. I avoid malls as if they dispensed bubonic plague. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Issues, News, Opinion | No Comments

“Sara tongued-tied” explains Bush Doctrine

September 15, 2008 |

When Sarah Palin told a group of graduating Missionaries that government leaders were sending troops to Iraq as part of “God’s Plan,” she really didn’t mean that government leaders were sending troops to Iraq as part of “God’s Plan.”

What she really meant was that God “has a plan” and that this “Plan” includes rightness, goodness, and “certain inalienable rights” including “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”.

I wonder if the missionaries took it that way?

I also wondered, immediately, how Palin could possibly expect anyone with three live brain cells to believe that “God has a Plan and it includes a war in Iraq” … means anything other than, “God has a Plan and it includes a war in Iraq.”

Palin repeated the “inalienable rights” comment at least three times during phase one of her interview with noted softball pitcher, Charlie Gibson. Interestingly enough, Johnny McSame used the exact language on several occasions during the course of his “prepared remarks” to what at least the freshmen in the audience at Columbia University thought were cold questions, during the course of his portion of a Forum on Public Service, where McScripted appeared in advance of Barack Obama. «Read the rest of this article»

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

Storm survivors should not be deprived of their opportunity to vote

By Christine Anne Piesyk | September 15, 2008 |

A persistent Tropical Storm Fay slammed Florida four times at four points on its extensive coastline. Hurricane Gustave missed the expected heavy hit on New Orleans but slammed other Gulf communities fairly hard. And then there was Ike, looming larger than Katrina at its peak, weakening a bit but still packing a heavy punch as it slammed first Galveston, then Houston, and churned a number of Texas and Louisiana communities into mush before losing power and swinging north. The damage to states, counties and parishes, cities and towns, to human life, is staggering.

At a time when simple survival and finding a place to live is uppermost in the minds of thousands of American citizens displaced by Hurricane Ike and other seasonal storms of the past few months, the presidential election can easily be pushed aside. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Events, Issues, News, Opinion, Politics | No Comments