Mike Turner: "Gov. Haslam, if you're listening, please stop this terrorism against our teachers."

Mike Turner: "Gov. Haslam, if you're listening, please stop this terrorism against our teachers."

What? Mike, Mike, please tone down the rhetoric. "Terrorism?"  That is not helpful. No one is sitting off car bombs outside the teacher's lounge. No one is fire bombing teacher's homes. No one is assassinating teachers. No one is beating up teachers.

Terrorism? We are talking about ending collective bargaining rights for public school teachers and ending guaranteed lifetime employment and such things as that. You may disagree, but is that terrorism against teachers? Most people do not have those benefits. To curtail these privileges so we can have educational innovation and and get rid of bad teachers and advance good teachers is hardly terrorism. Is it?

Here is a common accepting definition of terrorism: The calculated use of violence (or the threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear.

Now Mike, Governor Haslam seems like a nice man. If someone was committing terrorism against teachers, I am sure it would not be with the approval of Governor Haslam or within his power to stop it. You are implying that this supposed terrorism you see  is being done with Haslam'a approval.

Mike, I am sure that when the adrenaline is flowing and you are speaking to a cheering crowd it is easy to let yourself get carried away and say things that you really did not mean to say. Maybe you wish you would have chosen your words more carefully.

Mike I hope your constituents will help you see the errors of you way and let you know they do not appreciate such inflammatory rhetoric. They can contact you at 301 6th Avenue North Suite 17 Legislative Plaza Nashville, TN 37243, Phone (615) 741-3229, rep.mike.turner@capitol.tn.gov and do so.

Mike, what you are doing might incite violence. Now, the teachers at the event on Saturday, while passionate, did not look like they were that prone to violence. Most of them looked like .... Well, they looked like teachers. However, some of those union steelworkers and the pipe fitters looked a little dangerous. Please don't incite them to violence.

Mike, I think you owe Governor Haslam and the people of Tennessee an apology for your use of inflammatory rhetoric. Please, in the future do not further inflame passions. As an elected leader you should act more responsibly.

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