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Problem with UT sports starts at the top
As a lifelong Vol fan since selling Cokes at Neyland Stadium in the late 1950s, I am saddened by the current state of University of Tennessee football and UT sports in general. The problem, in my opinion, starts at the top. When you have a president and chancellor who are more concerned with diversity and making UT into the political correctness university of the South, this is what you get.
Football used to be the driving force at UT. It still is at Alabama, Georgia, Auburn and other SEC powerhouse universities. Past UT presidents were committed to making UT a national powerhouse in all sports. When possible, they hired from within. Our current president and chancellor seem hell bent on hiring people from outside the UT family, preferably from the Northeast. I fear until we clean house from the top down and replace them with people who understand what SEC football is all about, we will continue to be the laughingstock of the SEC. To be the best, you have to hire the best. I hope those in power will accept nothing less.
James Beeler, Knoxville
Comment sections should ban LGBT hate speech
Every so often someone will write a letter to the editor that concerns the LGBT community. In addition, we’ve read about the “Nashville Statement,” a list of “affirmations and denials” compiled by “The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood” regarding human sexuality and gender identity. In short, the Nashville Statement denounces homosexuality and gender identity issues.
Prior to the Nashville Statement, we’ve seen other proclamations. There’s the “2000 Baptist Faith and Message” created by the Southern Baptist Convention. It also discusses the so-called immorality of the LGBT community.
In addition, we’ve seen “Christian leaders” come out and blame the devastation of Hurricane Harvey on the fact that Houston elected a lesbian mayor.
When these letters and stories are published, the comment sections are filled with folks who express hatred, misunderstanding, revulsion and negative beliefs about the LGBT community. I’ve even read violent responses, such as threatening to beat up or kill any “man pretending to be a woman” if caught in a women’s restroom.
I know that I am among a minority who believe that hate speech should be banned. Inciting violence, spreading ignorance, attacking us and others with slurs should be prohibited. Other countries have done it, and so should we. We have already created special punishments for hate crimes committed based on race, religion, national origin, color, gender and orientation. I believe that we are moving in the right direction.
Facebook and other social media sites will suspend the accounts of those who engage in hate speech. It’s time that newspaper and television websites do the same.
Much of our community wouldn’t sit still if someone left comments on these websites using the “N-word” or attacked the disabled. Why do we give a pass to those who attack the LGBT community?
It needs to come to an end.
Tom Cogburn, Knoxville