Bill Gibbons

Ah, yes, Bill Gibbons, the “politician’s” politician (“The Man Who
Would be Governor,” May 21st issue). He’ll say whatever he thinks you
want to hear now that the governor’s mansion is in his sites. But I
hadn’t noticed this “embarrassment” that you wrote of when referring to
Tennesseans being able (thanks to their state legislators) to exercise
their “rights” under the U.S. Constitution that allows them to keep and
bear arms. Thank the gods that we here in Tennessee have a legislative
body with a spine. There are laws in place to deal with anyone who gets
out of line and uses their firearm in a way that infringes on another
person’s right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Gibbons, for all of his double-speak on any issue that seems to be
somewhat controversial, seems to be abandoning the “rights of the
people” rhetoric that got him elected to the office of district
attorney. He’s becoming the politician that he’s always dreamed of
being. That’s not to say that he wouldn’t still be better than that
progressive, over-spending governor that we have now.

Frank M. Boone

Memphis

Imagine my amazement when I saw Bill Gibbons on the cover of the
Flyer. It must have been a slow week for material.

Gibbons for governor of the Volunteer State? Give me a break. The
guy is a first-class blowhard whose done a lame job as D.A. He goes
after the nickel-and-dime riffraff, but where are the truly major
arrests? With the recent monkey biz of elected officials like Janis
Fullilove, the county clerk’s office, and council member Barbara
Swearingen Ware, this shouldn’t be dificult.

Oh, well. Perhaps, if he’s elected, Governor Gibbons can find a
position in Nashville for Mayor Herenton and get him out of
Memphis.

Nick Canterucci

Memphis

Gibbons might make a pretty decent governor, but the right-wingers
who run the Tennessee GOP will never go for it. Let’s see, a
semi-moderate Republican from Memphis, the city the rest of the state’s
Republicans despise: Not gonna work, I’m afraid. He is the best of the
GOP candidates, in my opinion, but he’s the longest of long shots at
this point.

L.P. Cleveland

Memphis

Gitmo

President Obama suffered the worst defeat by Congress of any
president in my memory, thanks to his own party leaders. My party seems
to be full of sheep who are easily herded by those Republican leaders
who have little or no faith in their own country. Democrats should be
ashamed of the vote that stopped the funding to shut down Gitmo. They
had the false courage to vote to send hundreds of thousands of troops
into harm’s way, but when it came to the decision of whether or not to
bring a couple hundred accused terrorists to maximum security prisons
in the U.S., Senate Democrats and Republicans ran like scalded
dogs.

Since the attack on America on 9/11, our leaders have failed to show
the faith that most citizens have in the system of laws that have
served our nation so well for more than 200 years. This Memorial Day we
remembered the brave men and women who served and gave their lives in
defense of that system. I have to believe they would be shocked to know
that so many of today’s leaders in both parties are ruled by fear and
politics.

I call on senators Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell to find their
backbone and show the world that they have the same courage they expect
and demand from the men and women in our armed forces.

Jack Bishop

Cordova

Former Vice President Dick Cheney is a war criminal. They need to
keep Guantanamo prison open, so Cheney can be incarcerated there. Is
America safer? Not until he’s locked up.

Joe M. Spitzer

Memphis

Abortion Speech

President Obama spoke at Notre Dame University and called for
understanding and dialogue in the abortion controversy. But how can
there be compromise and dialogue with evangelicals and fundamentalists
who are trying to force their anti-abortion agenda on all women?

The president asked for open minds to prevail. When was the last
time you met an anti-abortionist who was open-minded? They have only
intolerance and disdain when it comes to women who want to choose what
to do with their own bodies.

Ron Lowe

Nevada City, California