Whether you're Alt-Left or Alt-Right, Coolidge Park isn't the place to showcase your hate and indifference with one another. Just because it's your right, that doesn't necessarily mean that you should do it.
Many have this misconception that this park is named after a President, Nope. It's named after a great man, a true patriot, and Medal of Honor recipient from right here.
So knowing that, I have to ask, why on god's green earth would you desecrate this park with shenanigans? Did your parents not raise you with enough sense? Is there nothing sacred to you? Is your heart filled with so much hate for your fellow brother, sister, and other that it know no limits?
Please fellow Chattanoogans, be the example.
Let's come together not apart. Let's show the Nation that we meant it when we coined the phrase
#NoogaStrong
James Berry
District 1 resident
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How quickly we forget. And since a protest is planned Thursday night, encouraging people to bring their guns, it seems a reminder is in order.
It's just a little over two years now that we first heard the phrase Fallen Five. That phrase refers to the five servicemembers who were shot and killed at Navy Operational Support Center Chattanooga on July 16, 2015. I remember that day well, as I'm sure most of us do. We were shocked, horrified, angry, and scared that terror had found it's way to the Scenic City. This too small to be a city but too big to be a town that rests right on the Tennessee River has always seemed immune from that. But we learned that horrific day we are not as immune to violence and terror as we thought.
A protest is planned Thursday, ironically, in Coolidge Park, a park named after one of Chattanooga's own War Heroes. But, some might not know some history connected to Coolidge Park. Prior to 1997, Coolidge Park is also where the Navy Operational Support Center Chattanooga was located. It had been there for decades before moving to it's current location in 1997.
Some have been encouraged to bring their guns to Thursday's protest. The thick, hot, humid, Southern heat, angry people on opposite sides who refuse to hear or consider each other's opinions, and guns doesn't sound like the best mix to me. Besides that, is this really where you want to protest? Is this how you want to say thanks to your Marines and Sailors who served there, and remember the Fallen Five? By protesting, and possibly injuring and/or killing each other in a place that used to house our troops? For those that are curious, the reserve center used to be where the carousel now stands.
In 2015, in the aftermath of the terrorist attack in Chattanooga, we Chattanoogans set an international example of uniting as one. We came together to weep for our Fallen Five, to support the families left behind, and to comfort each other as most of us were shocked terror had come to our city. We made international news, not just for the terrorist attack, but how we Chattanoogans came together and responded to that terrorist attack...by uniting as one, regardless of our age, gender, political stance, etc. We were an example of a community that strongly united when we were at our lowest. We didn't turn against each other, we helped each other, we comforted each other, we got each other through one of the worst days Chattanooga has seen. Did we all suddenly forget that?
If you must go protest Thursday, then do so as that is one of our rights. But please do so peacefully. Remember the Fallen Five who gave up their lives for this city. Remember the brave Marines who helped their Marine brothers jump the fence at the reserve center and get to safety. And those Marines in turn got the civilians in the park to safety. Remember the Marines who went back in to the NOSC to find their missing brothers in arms, only to be gunned down. Remember the brave Sailor who tried to warn his fellow sailors to seek cover before being shot by the terrorist in himself, several times. And above all, remember how your fellow Chattanoogans reacted in the aftermath of that horrible day. Remember how strongly Chattanooga united as one.
We have made international news for a terrorist attack occurring in our city, and also for how strongly Chattanooga united in the aftermath. Let's not make international news Thursday by forgetting all of that and protesting violently in a place that is rich with the memories and history of our troops, who are our fellow Chattanoogans.
Mariah Smith
Soddy Daisy
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I assure you this country's veterans will be on my mind at the protest. WWII vets like my grandfather who fought against the very forces that are again rearing their ugly heads. They did not sacrifice all they had to let white supremacists and Neo-Nazis get a foothold in our society.
I don't plan on participating in any violent activities, and the thought of others intending us harm is frightening. But I can't not go just because the threat is there. This is too important a cause.
Save your shame for those who choose to remain silent and not let their voices be heard in times such as these.
Ray Ingraham
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I hate to tell you, but the people that will be at Coolidge Park tonight will not hear your pleas for respect or for coming together. These groups have absolutely no respect for what most Chattanoogans believe and value. The protest was planned by self-described communist and anarchist. The group's name is "Full Communism", for God's sake. Do you really think these people have any respect for the values that bond most of this country together or for the values this country was founded upon, much less respect for our armed forces. Then, you have the counter protest group. Although I haven't heard exactly which of these groups will show up, I can reasonably assume they will be made up of some segment of white supremacist, Neo-Nazis, or some other bigoted, racist group. Honestly, I'm not sure who is worse, the racist, bigoted alt-right or the alt-left that despises everything that most Americans hold dear and want nothing more that to completely tear this country down.
These are the people who will be at Coolidge Park tonight, along with the media to fan the flames. The one thing I do know is that most Chattanoogans will not be at Coolidge Park tonight. They will be at home taking care of their families or working to provide for them. As far as I'm concerned, we should just point these groups to a large open field with no police presence and let them go after each other. Then let the buzzards and possums clean up the mess.
John Hodge
Hixson
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What we've been witnessing is a house of cards falling into a heap and more to come. Men are so outraged over statues of men being placed or removed from areas of history.
When our "Nation Under God" turned from God and we removed God from schools and treating His Son Jesus Christ as taboo, well judgement begins.
We've removed monuments depicting Gods 10 Commandments. We've removed His Word from schools, hotels and places of employment.
Christians are being slaughtered. God-given life in a mother's womb is being killed/removed.
I say stay home in the safety and peace of your home, no place like home.
Read a few chapters of the " Good News". Rest in Christ. His peace is like no other.
Michael Burns
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Mr. Ingraham, I don't oppose protests, if peaceful, and I do oppose those who defend immoral and illegal behavior. However, I find it absurd and even potentially dangerous to go to anything at Coolidge Park that has the overtones of confrontation and violence attached to it.
This is not Boston, March 1770 or Birmingham, Ala., May, 1963 although there are some who would like to turn it into those kinds of disasters.
What we have is a subjective news media driven by hatred of Donald Trump and a fanatic desire to undermine his presidency. When it comes to the opposition, they are bankrupt on ideas or leadership to make America prosperous or safe or to unite this country. So they resort to promote by confrontations and possible violence. Is this the "resistance movement's" next phase?
If anyone thinks the masked, robed demonstrators in Charlottesville, Va. represent the average American, they would be mistaken. Knowledge of history tells you the KKK and Nazis oppose American values no matter what they claim.
Likewise if anyone thinks the counter protesters are your average garden club ladies, sorority sisters or Rotarians or Lion's Club members, you would mistaken as well. These people try to hide behind anonymity, sometimes even going masked like they did in Portland, Or. They are anarchists of the 1917 Bolshevik variety. Some are called the Black Bloc. Others are members of a group called the World Workers Party, by their own admission a communist group. At least three of these were identified in Durham, N.C. when they were arrested for destruction of a statue.
The presence of people like this removes any semblance of a civil disagreement or peaceful protest of anything. So, knowing what these groups want, why would anyone go to something they may attend?
Ralph Miller
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If Coolidge Park was good enough for Franklin Graham and all his hypocrisy; It is certainly worthy of a peaceful protest against Neo Nazi, White Supremacist hatred and bigotry.
Michael Lennon
Red Bank
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Mr. Berry,
Sadly I don’t believe the far left and far right extremists know what shame is. They don’t seem to have the ability to reason and think for themselves and take what the media and politicians say and write as the Gospel. They use violence as a means of communicating their feelings of hatred against any and all who don’t agree with their beliefs and it doesn’t appear they have the ability to educate themselves and formulate their own opinions.
I’m not sure where this mentality is first instilled in their lives, but once the gang mentality sets in for both sides, the moral compass they may have once had is turned off and the rights of innocent bystanders and those who may peacefully oppose their beliefs become nothing more than inanimate objects that stand in their way. Physical violence, destruction of property and powerful words of evil and hatred have replaced open ears, open minds and morality.
I pray that tonight the citizens of Chattanooga that take the time to show up at Coolidge Park will open their hearts, minds and souls and keep the peace as we as a city and society are better than what transpired in Charlottesville.
Chris Morgan