Recent editorials from Tennessee newspapers:
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Dec. 4
The Johnson City Press on being civil:
Vocabulary.com defines civility as “the act of showing regard for others by being polite.”
It is a sad, yet undeniable, commentary that we live in an age when civility surprises us in conversation and debate. It is no longer the norm. In fact, it is rarely even expected.
From the halls of our grammar schools to our halls of government, once-civil moments have become minutes and hours of anger, hate, screaming and worse.
The bad news? It’s getting worse.
The good news? One Tri-Cities native - who happens to have a bit of a bully pulpit all his own - is doing something about it. Granted, it’s a small step few might notice. But it’s a step in the right direction.
Kingsport native and Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Jeff Bivins doesn’t care for the incivility he sees spreading like a persistent wildfire through society. He knows the court has no place nor jurisdiction in putting out that blaze. But he and his fellow justices have made a statement to new attorneys in Tennessee: We expect and demand civility from you.
The recently rewritten oath for every attorney applying to practice law in Tennessee reads. “I, ___________, do solemnly swear or affirm that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Tennessee. In the practice of my profession, I will conduct myself with honesty, fairness, integrity, and civility to the best of my skill and abilities, so help me God.”
Tennessee’s Supreme Court justices put their collective heads together on the revised oath, making slight changes and adding ‘fairness, integrity and civility,’ all important, meaningful and appropriate words for the oath. Talking to Bivins individually, his passion for a return of civility rings in the proud tone of his voice and the satisfaction etched on his face when he talks about the revision.
“This was a collaborative effort,” Bivins said. “I’m very happy with what we came up with.”
The entire bench of the Tennessee Supreme Court should be proud of this effort. A focus on civility in the broad conversation of today is important. We trust the justices will hold attorneys throughout the state to their promise of civility, as well as the promise of fairness and integrity.
Those are powerful, meaningful words. But they are more than words; they are actions of conduct.
Change must begin somewhere. The state’s highest court is a good place to start.
Online: https://www.johnsoncitypress.com/
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Dec. 2
The Crossville Chronicle on shopping locally:
It was a delight to see people peering into shop windows and walking along Main St. last weekend as the official Christmas shopping season kicked in.
We appreciate the interest in our businesses. Our holiday wish is for that interest to continue into and all throughout the new year.
Everyone’s a winner when we trade with our small businesses. An American Independent Business Alliance report indicates that, of every $100 spent locally, $68 is generated into the local economy. Those funds are a positive boost to the economy in job creation, lower taxes and increased donations to non-profit agencies.
It’s neighbors helping neighbors - and ourselves.
The convenience, personalized service and unique offerings from our Cumberland County businesses cannot be matched at metropolitan shopping malls and centers. Our hometown merchants have a vested interest in our community and in us.
They are keenly aware that their business decisions affect more than their bottom line, because they, too are part of our community - their children go to our schools, they worship in our churches and, yes, they shop where we shop.
Our shops and restaurants give Crossville and Cumberland County a distinct edge in hospitality and customer service. It continues only if we contribute to it.
Make it your New Year’s resolution to shop locally. We’re worth the investment.
Online: https://www.crossville-chronicle.com/
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Nov. 24
The Johnson City Press on false school threats:
What will it take to impress on young people that threats of school violence are no laughing matter?
Several school districts in the region unnecessarily were placed on alert this week because of false threats in part perpetuated on social media.
In the case of Kingsport’s Dobyns-Bennett High School, hysteria was furthered by a viral explosion of misinformation, leading many to believe an active shooter was on campus.
Elizabethton schools went into a “soft lockdown” as a precautionary measure amid the Kingsport investigation. Earlier in the week, police arrested a student after threats were made on social media against Elizabethton High School.
In Hawkins County, Cherokee High School was forced to investigate what turned out to be two bogus bomb threats scrawled on bathroom walls.
And here in Johnson City on Friday (Nov. 22), police said they had arrested a 16-year-old student who read a threat about another district on Facebook Messenger, altered it to say it was about the city’s high and middle schools and spread it using Snapchat.
School pranks are nothing new, of course, but considering the massive loss of life from school shootings in recent decades, these threats are serious business. They not only disrupt school operations, they also exhaust law enforcement’s time and resources and create incredible anxiety for students, parents and school officials.
Parents should be particularly concerned about the “boy who cried wolf” effect. Frequent bogus threats could give students a false sense of security, making them less likely to take a real threat seriously and report it. Worse, they could laugh off an active campus emergency.
To their credit, local school and law enforcement officials are treating every incident with full gravity. The arrests in Elizabethton and Johnson City are proof of that.
But schools and police are up against an increasingly destructive element - social media. Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram and other platforms have become unwieldy juggernauts of misinformation. That’s a shame, because in the right hands, electronic communication can provide vital information during emergencies.
We urge parents to instill a sense of responsibility in children when it comes to how they use social media. Electronic media’s well-documented dangers for young people - predators, bullies and sexual behavior in particular - are reason enough for parents to take a more discerning role.
Add school threats to that list.
Online: https://www.johnsoncitypress.com/
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