Letter: Doctors, dentists, lawyers donate time

To the Editor:

I can only speak for my own experience over 76 years, but I must respond to Ms. Gunter's charge in her column of March 7 regarding "doctors, dentists, lawyers". I have known and still know many in these professions who "donate their time and expertise for free" not only "to people living outside of this country", but also "people here who can't help their circumstances without $".
In fact, my contention is always that in any field of work or in any community or in any faith group or in any group of people whatsoever, there is always, overwhelmingly, more good than bad. We have our bad times and bad folks ( of yesteryear and also of today) for sure and few of us ever meet the highest standards set for conduct or behavior, however they may be measured. But never in my life have I seen in this Middle Tennessee area ( where I have always lived with family land in both Cannon and Rutherford counties) more people working to help more deserving and needy people in so many different ways. They work as individuals and in groups. They are folks who are people of faith - and of no structured faith at all. They are Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, and on and on and on. They are white, black, brown, and a multitude of hues as far as color is concerned. I commend them. I salute them. I encourage them to keep up the good work they are doing, whether for those known or unknown to them! As my faith teaches, they are doing for " the least of these"!

Steve Cates
Murfreesboro