Dress codes, TCU football, Spanish speakers in the United States

Is this discrimination?

Does a private business have a right to have a dress code? (See: "Clinic forbids doctor’s Islamic head scarf," Saturday) Suppose I, a doctor, am an avid motorcyclist. I appear for a job interview dressed in black leather and a red bandana on my head. Would a private business, say a medical clinic, have a right to comment that my attire does not meet its more traditional dress code? For male physicians we expect slacks, shirt and tie. No bandanas, no motorcycle boots. Is this unreasonable? Is this discrimination?

Hey, if you don’t like it, go somewhere where your dress meets the company code, but don’t yell "discrimination" in an attempt to force a private organization to accommodate your individual idiosyncrasy.

Private businesses have rights.

— Bruce K. Jacobson, M.D., Fort Worth

Where are TCU fans?

I am a "T" for Texas, "T" for Tennessee example. I grew up in Fort Worth and graduated from Paschal High School in 1964. I moved back to Tennessee, my birth state, and graduated from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Over the years in Fort Worth, I cheered the Frogs many times in Amon Carter Stadium. Although I’m a diehard Volunteers fan, I keep an eye on the Froggies.

So, what’s up, Fort Worth? I watched the Colorado State game with TCU recently to see the team and get a nostalgic look at Amon Carter and was dumbfounded. The stadium was only about 80 percent full — for a team that is ranked No. 6 in the nation.

Vanderbilt here in Nashville is rated somewhere below 100th in the nation and usually has more turnout than that for its mediocre nonconference games. The SEC tough guys routinely sell out. It would be hard to describe the demand for tickets if Vanderbilt rose to No. 6 in the nation. Crowds would be clogging the street outside the stadium just to listen to the game.

The Horned Frogs have yet to prove that they can hold on to this high ranking, but it seems that Fort Worth residents are missing a golden opportunity to root them as they try.

— Jim Holder, Nashville

Enough is enough

I’m tired of ignorant writers to the opinion pages who assume everyone who speaks Spanish is from Mexico. There are thousands of Spanish-speaking people in this country who come from many Latin countries that speak Spanish every day.

When they say, "Go back to Mexico" just because people are speaking their native language, the answer should be, "Spanish was spoken in this country long before English came along." I do not want to sink to their level and say, "Go back to England."

Everyone in my family was born in this country and is fluent in both languages. Hispanics are proud of their Latino heritage, and Spanish will always be spoken in their families.

Latinos have been in this country forever, so my response to all the racist comments would be, "We are here to stay."

— Manny Sanchez, Fort Worth

Early end of season

During the past 10 weeks, the McLean Middle School seventh-grade football team reported to practice every morning at 6:45. It was still dark; many times, it was raining and muddy. This was our first year to play football for our school. I did it for the love of the game.

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