Our readers write

Give to the poor, not corporations

To The Editor:
Contrary to some people’s assumptions, I have no interest in standing on street corners giving away someone else’s money to the poor to make them smile or make it easier for them to make ends meet. However, were I to stand on the street corner giving other people’s money away, I would much rather give it to the poor, who need it, than to corporations, who don’t.
Our government doesn’t give money to the poor to make them smile or make it easier for them to make ends meet, either. It gives money to the poor to make it possible for them to make ends meet, to keep despair and the wolf from their door.
As long as we support an economic system in which the minimum wage is $8,000 less than the poverty level for a family of four and don’t contribute enough to charities and churches to make up the difference, then the least we can do is not grump and grouse when the government steps in to fill in the gaps. Now some call this subsidizing the poor. I call it subsidizing the profits of employers who don’t pay their employees enough to live on.
Jesus said to feed the poor, shelter the homeless, clothe the naked. He didn’t spell out how to do it. He just said do it and don’t count the costs.
Lynda Hamblen
Union City
Officials are not
protecting us

To The Editor:
We, the people of Obion County, are being victimized by a county commission that is unable or unwilling to make a decision that will ensure that our lives and property will be protected from fire. And, we are also being victimized by those towns that have blatantly said that they will no longer answer fire calls outside of their town limits. That is wrong, selfish and just plain immoral. Whatever happened to Christian charity? Oh, I know — it has been replaced by the love of money. Money talks; money rules. If you can’t pay, your property burns as it did in South Fulton. Someone didn’t pay his fire fee so the fire department came out to his property to just sit and watch his house burn down with his beloved pets inside. “The love of money is the root of all evil.”
Yes, we who live in the county should pay something for fire protection. I am all for it. A fire subscription fee to the town closest to our property or a fire tax — either would be OK. All that we county residents ask is that our elected officials make a decision now. Stop dragging your feet. Don’t leave us hanging out to dry — or should I say, hanging out to burn.
To that columnist who recently said that some people moved out of town to avoid paying city taxes but still expect city services — that is ridiculous. Frankly, I don’t know of anyone who moved out of any of our towns to specifically avoid paying taxes to that town. Most who move out to the country do so for the peace and quiet country living affords.
Protection of its citizens from crime and disasters such as fire is one function of government and those of us in the county expect such protection. We have a great sheriff’s department and it is time for our elected officials to see that we have equally great fire protection. If our county commission doesn’t act immediately to fix this problem then we, the voters, will remember, and we, the voters, have the power to vote every one of them out of  office. We then can find people who will put our well-being first and who will work together for the common good.
Pam Puckett
Troy

Published in The Messenger 6.6.12

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