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Today's Opinions

  • Tea Party criticism unfair — look at what others do

    Roane County News columnist Gerald Largen made references to the Tea Party being “ranters and haters” and the group being on the decline.

    A gentle reader might ask if he has attended a Tea Party rally, but we know that answer. He tries to associate this group with the John Birchers who no one has heard much of in many years.

    If Largen wants “ranting and hating,” look at the union rally for President Obama urging members to “get those SOBs!” And the news media gave them a pass on it.

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  • GUEST OPINION: Holiday for MLK shows power of 1st Amendment

    By DAVID L. HUDSON Jr.
    First Amendment Center
    This week, after a federal holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., people should take time to remember and reflect on how the First Amendment can better society.

    Without the First Amendment, protesters could not have assembled and voiced their clarion call for an end to segregation laws.

    Without the First Amendment, the press would not have been able to report as freely on civil rights abuses.
    King himself exercised his First Amendment freedoms at great peril.

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  • A VIEW from LICK SKILLET by Gerald Largen: Republican legislators don’t care what we want

    Gentle reader, despite much of the news docket being concerned with the national election scene revolving around the the Republican contest for a presidential nominee, shall we start out with the local political scene?

    The first item of interest is the announcement of Democratic Party Chairman, Bob Cowan, that there will be a grand opening for the Roane County Democratic Party Headquarters in the Parker Building on Court Street in Kingston, on Saturday, tomorrow, the 14th.

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  • OUR OPINION: Redistricters can expect to feel voters’ ire

    Who can blame Roane Countians for feeling a bit sold down the river in the latest redistricting effort?

    Not only does the plan carved out by the Republican majority split the poor residents of the city of Rockwood into two separate legislative districts, but it also leaves Roane County with two state representatives — neither of whom live in the county.

    State Rep. Julia Hurley of Lenoir City, whose 32nd District gained more of Loudon County in the redistricting, has shrugged off any part in the change.

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  • Nuts & Bolts: February interesting month for newsroom

    January — like all months these days — is flying by.

    To keep up with my high-octane, pedal-to-the-floor calendar, I try to keep my eye on things a month or two ahead.

    And so I have been dwelling recently on the events of February.

    For one thing, my birthday falls in February.

    I have been known to complain bitterly about having a birthday smack-dab in the middle of such a dreary and drab month.

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  • School board should choose local as director

    I wish to give one piece of advice to the Roane County Board of Education as members begin the search for a new superintendent.

    Stay home.

    By that, I mean there must be an experienced educator already within the system who has been loyal to the profession as well as the position as an employee of the Roane County School System.

    The right one may even be a person who is not seeking the position.

    Oddly enough, that might be just the type of person who would be best for the office at this time.

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  • Fact-checking should be done on election claims

    We are fast approaching the political silly season of candidates trying to convince us to give them our vote and place them at the levers of political power.  

    These candidates are always supported by like minded-political operatives and commentators that will try any tactic to cajole or frighten you into supporting their benefactor.

    For as long as I have been politically aware, there has been a consistent issue that one partisan group employs to frighten a certain demographic segment of our communities, usually to great success.

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  • Naked Carolinian wasn’t worst embarrassment

    By GENE POLICINSKI
    First Amendment Center
    A streaker at an East Carolina University football game in Greenville, N.C., produced much more than just a crass — and somewhat dated — distraction during a halftime ceremony last Nov. 5.

    The naked miscreant set off a series of events which led to the firing this week of Paul Isom, adviser to The East Carolinian student newspaper.

    According to reports, he was dismissed Jan. 4 in connection with publication of news photos of the incident.

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