Letters

Ban lawn debris from landfills

Public Works Director Robert Knecht points out a problem with collecting and disposing of lawn debris. He proposes four different solutions, none of which is correct. According to the Composting Council, 70 million tons are added annually to landfills, most of which are food residues and lawn debris. To the best of my knowledge, landscapers are banned from bagging leaves and grass, and leaving them for curbside pickup, yet they continue to do this. Perhaps they should be the ones who are fined. There are now compost food and lawn debris bags, which are an option. Twenty-five states have banned lawn debris from landfills. Plastic bags never go away, and lawn debris in plastic bags forms methane, which increases global warming. Why should Memphis, Shelby County and Tennessee not join the 21st century, and BAN lawn debris from landfills? If anyone wants to see a mountain of plastic bags filled with lawn debris, please go south at the intersection of Farm Road and Walnut Grove. Why not send both the lawn debris and food residues to a compost plant instead of adding them to the landfills?

Dr. David Sloas, Memphis

Questioning the massacre at Fort Pillow

Tonyaa Weathersbee”s article of April 13, 2017, entitled “Massacre at Fort Pillow Correcting History” itself needs correcting.

First, she propagates the libel that: “Forrest, who later founded the Ku Klux Klan.” The Klan was founded Dec. 24, 1865, in Pulaski, Tennessee. Nathan Bedford Forrest was not involved and did not become associated with it until early 1867. He rose to become Grand Wizard and disbanded the organization in January 1869.

Second, there was no massacre at Fort Pillow. The Yankee casualties were excessively high because the white Yankee commanding officers refused to surrender to the overwhelming Rebel forces. This was a rare battle where the South had numerical superiority over the North. More brave white and black Federal troops and white Confederate troops had to die than was necessary. Fighting only ceases when one side surrenders. No Federal troops, white or black, were murdered after they laid down their arms.

The South continues to suffer from the historical truth that the victors write the history.

James Holliday, Ph.D., Cordova

Driverless vehicles questioned

Traffic safety concerns are the only reason to consider driver-less vehicles. The idea of traffic darting around on our already dangerous streets without a human at the wheel sounds inconceivable. At the sign of car trouble, any auto mechanic will tell you the first thing they check is your oftenguilty computer. The slightest computer error could cause more accidents than the intended preventive prevented.

My insurer tells me that their executives are currently huddled, considering how to cover driver-less vehicles. A huge increase in the cost of insurance could very well keep a driver behind our steering wheels.

FedEx founder Fred Smith, was recently quoted as saying “We believe a human being is better to operate vehicles in urban areas.”

The combination of computerized safety controls along with a human backup driver sounds like the best solution to traffic safety. However, the easiest way to improve traffic safety is to decrease the number of DWIs, which could be accomplished by increasing the consequences of those charges with huge fines as well as loss of driver’s license.

Drinking and driving are responsible for more fatalities than any other thing. Punishment for the decision to break that law should be so severe that few would be foolish enough to take a chance.

Bob Williams, Memphis Email letters to letters@commercial appeal.com; fax to 901-529-6445; mail Letters to the Editor, The Commercial Appeal, 495 Union, Memphis, TN 38103; or click on the “Submit Letter” link on the Opinion page at commercialappeal.com.