I was very happy to participate in the Women’s March on Chattanooga yesterday afternoon. The diversity and the sheer numbers of women, men and children were incredible. One estimate was at least 3,000. Standing together with all of these like-minded souls was overwhelming and humbling.
I have rarely been so happy and so proud of my town.
One question is, why is there not one single word that I can find about this massive peaceful protest in the Chattanooga.com?
Alison Falinski
North Chattanooga
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Alison,
I am glad to hear that the "Women's March" was peaceful here in Chattanooga. I like a lot of Americans do not exactly understand your agenda or your concerns. Also the news media said there were at least a million women in D.C., I don't think they can count that far and am glad the Chattanoogan relies on facts and not conjecture.
If it is notoriety or publicity that you seek, perhaps listening to Madonna or Michael Moore in Washington would have ignited the shear insanity of the left in you and you could let it rip by using violence. Then you may have got the publicity you seek. Or maybe this proves Chattanooga is not a haven for liberals.
Regardless, you can continue to be a hypocrite or accept the election and work to make our country strong again. I was called deplorable, homophobic, Islamophobic, a gun nut, all by your candidate. You know, she is correct and I am proud of it.
Jack Varner
Chattanooga
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I was part of the march on Saturday also and was very pleased to see all the photographs in chattanoogan.com. It seemed like big news to me also, so I’m glad there was some coverage. For those who weren’t there and didn’t see the large article in the Chattanooga Times Free Press, there were thousands who marched from Coolidge Park on Saturday, across the Market Street Bridge, through some downtown streets and then back to Coolidge Park.
There were many marchers and probably many individual goals, but the overwhelming sentiment seemed to be to hold the new Trump administration accountable. There are more people nationally who did not vote for Trump than those who did. Nonetheless, I believe all involved understood that the election is over and Trump was elected.
Those marching were women, men and children. Onlookers were polite. One young couple told me to get off the street and get to work (?) but I didn’t hear anything else remotely negative. For the record, I am celebrating my 40th year of being in the workforce, I get senior discounts and I’ve never been eligible for any of the “free stuff” that I keep hearing about. You know, Democrats promise “free stuff” so people will vote for them. I don’t know about the other thousands with me but I didn’t hear any mention of missing the possible “free stuff”.
There were marches all over the world. I’m sure the world also understands that the election is over and Trump won. I can’t say what drew people in Sydney, Mexico City and Paris to the streets but they too probably have concerns about the new Trump administration.
Cindy Rudolph
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Make our country strong again? When did our country become weak? We spend more than twice the money spent by other nations (combined) on our military, so I would hope we are getting our money's worth.
Our military is the most advanced, and dominant fighting force in the world. They are capable of responding to a crisis faster, with more firepower, than at any time in our history. We do have fewer numbers of military personnel, but that is because it is no longer necessary to respond with a massive number of personnel. Thanks to technology, a pimple faced young man, sitting at a computer in Maryland, can direct a drone strike eliminating a battalion of enemy combatants, without endangering a single friendly on the ground.
So, exactly what makes you think we are weak? Surely it's not our economy. We have had consistent growth in our investments sector, which is a reflection of growth in our nations businesses, who are making record profits. In spite of the "Hellhole America" described by our new President, during his inaugural speech, our new home construction is vibrant, incomes are increasing, unemployment is down, the GDP is 3.5 percent, which is higher than the average of 3.23 percent registered from 1947 through 2016, and the consumer confidence index is the highest it has been in a decade.
Are we weak because of businesses moving off shore? Between 2001 and 2009, we had over 56,000 businesses move off shore, to take advantage of the investments China made in its manufacturing capability. Not because of the cheap labor, like most people complain. The fact is, over 85 percent of our job losses were due to automation, not cheap labor.
I'm sick and tired of the propaganda being spread, by people that should know better, that this country is weak. I sick of hearing about a "war on religion" too. When is the last time some "storm-trooper" told you that you could not pray, or even that you could not say "Merry Christmas"? As long as you support an individual that deals in "alternate facts", and trot along behind them like a puppy dog, then propaganda such as posted about "America being strong again" will continue to drag our national discourse into the gutter.
I'm so proud of our women for marching and their partners, brothers, sons, fathers all showing up to make a statement. What was the statement? “We are not going back.”
Not going back to low paying jobs.
Not going back to no health care
Not going back to inequality for LGBT rights
Not going back to enduring being groped and molested
Not going back to racism
Not going back to hate
Not going back to be told to stay home
Not going back to being denied an education
There was an estimate of a half million marchers in Washington, where not a single soul was arrested by the way, over a million marchers in L.A, and millions more marching elsewhere, such as in New York, Chicago, St Louis, Nashville, and yes Chattanooga. People marched on all seven continents, expressing their disgust with our new "venom spewing" illegitimate President.
Rod Dagnan
Soddy Daisy
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Mr. Dagnan, Mr. Montgomery and Mr. Ingraham,
I had to take the time to say thank you for your recent letters in support of the Woman’s March.
It is wonderful to know there are people who understand why there was a peaceful march and why it was necessary.
We are in dangerous and uncertain times. They are made worse by those who do not understand the threat to America, Americans and the world.
Again, thank you. It is encouraging to hear the voices of reason over the loud clamor of hostilities.
Cecilia Lewis
Ooltewah