Wrasslin’
I enjoyed the Flyer‘s “wrasslin’-themed” issue (July 30th).
Chris Davis’ cover story (“School of Slam”) on “Nightmare” Ken Wayne’s
school brought back childhood memories of watching wrestling on
Saturday-morning television. And Jackson Baker’s Politics column about
Jerry Lawler’s campaign for Memphis mayor made me think that we may be
getting more wrestling action than we need in the future.
To Lawler, I say be happy with what you’ve accomplished. We finally
got rid of one ego-driven “fighter” in the mayor’s office. We don’t
need another one. Please stay in the announcer’s booth.
Michael Grant
Memphis
Guns in Restaurants, etc., etc.
I agree with Ron Taylor in the Letters to the Editor (July 23rd
issue). The Flyer does need to print whether or not permit
holders are accepted in establishments that are reviewed, but I agree
for the opposite reason. I would like to know which restaurants do not
fall for the hysteria surrounding the new legislation and are more
interested in facts regarding handgun carry-permit holders.
Since permit holders are statistically insignificant when it comes
to crimes being committed, I would rather be around a group of them
than those who have not obtained a permit. When I’m around other permit
holders I know these facts: They are at least 21 years old, have
voluntarily submitted to a background check at their own expense, have
voluntarily supplied the state government with their fingerprints, and
are, in general, far more educated about the laws of self-defense in
Tennessee than those who have not obtained a permit.
Some people think that this new legislation will spur shootouts at
restaurants and bars on a daily basis. As the weeks and months pass
with no shootings by permit holders in establishments that serve
alcohol, will those who opposed this law be willing to admit that they
were wrong? If we base our opinions on the facts that are available to
us in a number of studies, we can conclude that this is not a harmful
law. Just because the governor and a number of high-ranking cops oppose
it doesn’t mean that they are correct.
Stephen Smith
Cordova
Ron Taylor wrote that he would boycott restaurants that allowed guns
and that guns and alcohol don’t mix. What he may not realize is that he
has been going to restaurants that serve alcohol for years that have
had guns in them. Crooks and bums don’t care about the law or you and
your family.
I agree with Taylor’s statement that alcohol and guns don’t mix, and
the licensed folks may not be easy to spot, but you can narrow it down
to those who are only drinking water.
Bruce C. Niles
Memphis
Posting signs prohibiting the carrying of concealed firearms, with
or without a permit, places the burden of security on the business
owner. Who is to say that someone might not be able to sneak a gun past
security on, say, Beale Street and start shooting? Given how many
students have been arrested in the city schools in past years for
weapons possession after passing through security, this is only a
matter of time. Do you think that Beale Street would be able to afford
all the lawsuits over injury and suffering after such an incident?
Doug Hesson
Germantown
Health-care Reform
Since the president called for reforming our health-care system,
much has been written and spoken about that system. Facts and the
history behind them seem to have been left out. Here are some facts
that can be easily checked out:
Doctors and health-care providers have been jailed and/or fined
millions of dollars for defrauding Medicare. Humana was fined $14.5
million; Healthcare Corp., $400 million; National Medical Care, $486
million. United Health Group reached a settlement of $400 millon with
the state of New York and the AMA for using skewed data that shifted
medical costs from insurers to consumers. The largest fine ever —
$840 million — was levied against HCA for defrauding Medicare.
Tennesseeans should remember that former Senator Bill Frist and his
family owned the controlling share of HCA.
One last fact: The Lewin Group, whose “independent” studies are so
often qouted by those opposed to health-care reform, is a subsidiary of
the United Health Group — the same company that paid a $400
million settlement for skewing data.
These are facts, not health-care company lies repeated by those who
refuse to admit our system is in disrepair and needs to be
reformed.
Jack Bishop
Cordova
