The Tennessean

Black tramples on people's rights

Re: "Sumner schools must fight ACLU transgender restroom complaint," by Rep. Diane Black, May 29.

Dear Ms. Black, I am almost in awe of your attempt to frame this ugly government intrusion “The Bathroom Law” as a construct of the present administration and of “leftists” in general.

Can I remind you that the concept of the discriminatory law came from the extreme right local legislatures in their attempt to decide who can and can’t use what bathroom.

Of all things! I am as appalled as the next person, but please don’t try to obscure the meanness of this “religious freedom” directive by laying it at the doorstep of the ACLU.

We leftists didn’t do this. Your “compassionate constituency” is directly responsible for allowing this ridiculous effort to discriminate, and you are crying foul because someone has the nerve to try to protect the civil liberties you seek to destroy?

I promise you, Ms. Black, if Sumner County schools aren’t acting in a discriminatory way toward transgender people and any other group included in Title IX protections, the ACLU has plenty to do.

But if you are attempting to trample someone else's rights, you, collectively, are why the ACLU stays so busy. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

Amanda Casha, Inglewood 37329

Act like the sex you were born

It has come to my attention that there are a number of people who do not seem to know if they are male or female. They are gender confused. Here are some practical ways to do away with their confusion.

The first idea is for them to look in the mirror without their clothes on. Do they have the equipment of a male or a female? This is a dead giveaway as to which they are. This alone would answer almost all the cases of gender confusion.

If this doesn’t work then they can go to a doctor and ask him which they are. Doctors have studied the human body and should be able to tell you whether you are male or female.

If there is still confusion, then I suggest genetic testing. Look to see if your genes are those of a man or a woman. Every cell in your body tells you what you are.

Now when you find out whether you are male or female you may want to start acting like what you are.

Some people say they feel like a man trapped in a woman’s body, or a woman trapped in a man’s body. If this is the case just consider which is more likely to be right, what you can see with your eyes or what you imagine in your mind.

Reality is the way things are. It is only in our minds that reality can be misunderstood. Reality is as it is, but our minds can imagine what is false, but reality is never false.

Even if an operation changes the outward appearance, still every cell in your body contains your original gender. If our bodies are made one way that is the way we are, no matter what our imaginations may say about it. So, as Shakespeare said, “What ere thou art, act well thy part.”

Dale Spears, Cookeville 38506

Nashville celebrated for openness

Over the holiday weekend I had the pleasure of attending the Bingham Cup rugby tournament played in Nashville.

The gay- and diversity-friendly rugby event held every two years in different cities around the world is named for Mark Bingham, one of the heroes who took down United Flight 93 on 9/11. I visited with many players and supporters from teams around the world and throughout the U.S. I am pleased and proud to report that without exception I was told that Nashville was a wonderful, gracious and fun city — and a very LGBT-friendly place to be.

So kudos, fellow Nashvillians, for greeting all with open hearts and open minds.

Gary Bergin, Nashville 37215

North Nashville must curb crime

Re: "General Hospital's issues linked to North Nashville's neglect," May 29.

The community leaders apparently seem to be Rep. Brenda Gilmore and her daughter Metro at-large council member Erica Gilmore. In some part I am in agreement; however, for the bigger share I think there are other reasons North Nashville has problems.

Yes, the perception must be changed if the hospital is to attract those with the ability and the desire to pay. Most of all, “North Nashville," get your own house in order.

If shoppers, health care needs, tourists and the general population are to visit that part of the city, crime must be stopped. Black-on-black crime is rampant, and perhaps the desired population will show up if they feel safe. Perhaps many would support the struggling hospital if the fear of the neighborhood was less intimidating.

After all, God helps those who help themselves!

Yes, and yes again, "Black lives do matter!” So, why are blacks killing one another to the end results of destroying their own neighborhoods and their own livelihood?

Charles Brown, Ooltewah 37363

Clinton could drag down Democrats

Hillary Clinton, the current leader of pledged delegates in the Democratic Party primary, must exit the race if she wants the Democratic Party to succeed this fall and in the future.

Her carelessness with her private server as secretary of state, from the recent inspector general's report, has only exacerbated her flaws and weaknesses, which will only be magnified more by presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump when the general election race formally begins.

She continues to slip in national polls, and her polling lead is even slipping in deep blue states such as Oregon and, yes, California. That should be worrisome for all Democrats across the country because she will be at the top of the ticket, and having the standard-bearer of your party being under investigation by the FBI is a horrible look.

Her being at the top of the ticket could harm down-ticket Democrats in crucial races across the country and will taint any goodwill the Democratic Party has built up with young voters since getting Sen. Barack Obama elected in 2008.

If the Democratic National Convention truly wants to defeat Donald Trump in the fall, they will politely ask Secretary Clinton to drop out of the race, or have the superdelegates vote for Sen. Bernie Sanders at the convention in Philadelphia.

Brad McKinniss, Nashville 37217

Beauty in eye of the beholder

Confused? Perplexed? Obviously, Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Maryville, must be.

Why? On the Senate floor he was staunchly against a plan to bill a wind farm on private land near Crossville.

Why? It would be visible from Interstate 40. It would be "unsightly" and defile "the natural beauty of our state," he said.

So? Why isn't Alexander against TVA's smoke-billowing, ash-producing fossil fuel operations at the Kingston Fossil Plant (beside I-40 in Roane County) and the Bull Run Steam Plant (just off Edgemoor Road in Anderson County)?

Are they works of beauty?

Beauty in the eye of Alexander, huh?

An unsightly and needless project, huh?

Sounds like the politics of hypocrisy to me.

B.J. Paschal, Pigeon Forge 37863

What makes America great?

I hear the political retort "Make America great again" and I want to ask the question rhetorically, "What made America great?"

Was it a bunch of foreigners coming to these shores and stealing the land from the people who lived here?

Was it a bunch of landowners stealing people from Africa and bringing them to this stolen land to be slaves?

Was it a bunch of Christians escaping from their countries' intolerance, so they can start their own intolerance in this country?

Was it a bunch of rich, white men fighting their own king with the blood of poor white men, so they could deny those men the right to vote?

Was it our Founding Fathers who used language like "All men are created equal," while they denied 90 percent of men and women, slave or free, any kind of equal protection?

Do you get my drift? Do you feel the argument about what made America great is a bad start?

Should we not start with "What makes America great?"

Do you want Jim Crow back?

Do you want to take the vote away from your mom, your wife, your daughter?

It took five generations and 13 presidents (since FDR) all trying to give us a health care plan while the only thing we hear is that on the very first day in the Oval Office, "I will shred every word of Obamacare."

Swallowing elephants and choking on gnats is the way I see the present-day political discourse.

Democracy is what makes us great, not demagoguery.

The Bill of Rights is what makes us great, not billionaires.

Inclusiveness is our greatness, not intolerance.

Telling the truth, not "telling it like it is," should be the measure of a great speech.

Charles J. Fenton, Nashvillle 37208

A new public service oath

This new counseling law sounds very political to me.

This seems to be the attitude of politicians.

If your ideology is not the same as theirs, you're not going to get much sympathy or consideration for the assistance/actions you're seeking.

If they're not representing everyone, then who?

If the counselor is not qualified in serving all who need assistance, then their denial to those seeking help is not only misleading but I think unethical.

Are they then only qualified to help those whose ideology agrees with their own?

Sounds just like a politician to me.

Maybe we should elect our counselors, who would be authorized to act like politicians, and both should be required to take the following oath, to include the following tenets:

I will respect all the constituents for whom I have been elected to represent.

I will apply my abilities within my position for the benefit of all people within my jurisdiction.

I will attempt to take actions for their well-being, which are required, avoiding favoritism because of race, creed, religious beliefs or political affiliation.

I will remember to treat the people I represent as human beings, not as numbers, and thoughtfully consider how my actions affect the economic and philosophical stability of all American families.

I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to respect all my fellow human beings, no matter their political ideologies.

Glenn Y. Cornett, SMSgt, USAF (ret.), Franklin 37069