Defunding doesn’t mean eliminating police. It’s about how we allocate public money

Use financial resources better

It is time for Fort Worth residents to rethink our criminal justice system. We need to shift money away from surveillance and punishment and toward social programs committed to the health and safety of all people.

We should end police militarization, mass incarceration, cash bail and policing with fines and fees. Instead, we should fund housing programs, job training, food security and health programs. We should also create initiatives that send mental health professionals, social workers or restorative-justice teams to emergency calls.

This is a time to rethink our priorities as a community. Defund the police.

- Kimberly Hart, Fort Worth

Don’t trash police — fix issues

Like it or not, police departments are essential for maintaining order. So unless one is prepared for vigilante justice and rule of the gun over rule of law, they need to remain. Reform is definitely needed, but sometimes it is better to fix what’s broken rather than throw it out.

- Mark Metroka, Fort Worth

If that, then this, too

Defunding of law enforcement would cause citizens to defend their homes and businesses — in short, more shootings.

- John Cawthron, McGregor

We have to move past it

It’s past time to purge our nation of the legacy of the Confederacy. Purge the statues and monuments, rename the military bases and schools, and ban the stars and bars from any public event.

There is nothing associated with the Confederacy that we should honor other than its defeat. It’s time to recognize Southern pride for what it is: a pretense for oppression and discrimination.

- Don Kinard, Arlington

We can’t let it happen here

Over the past two years, we have seen attacks by our local and state governments on statues, plaques, war memorials, battlefields and national cemeteries. Until now it has been limited to blue states and idiot city councils such as Dallas’.

Unfortunately, it has now come to our city. We must draw a line in the sand against the attacks on our national treasures.

- Chet Winans, Fort Worth

I won’t tolerate protest

I have been a Cowboys fan since the Cotton Bowl days. It looks as if players will be allowed to take a knee during the national anthem as a protest. We shall see if owner Jerry Jones has a backbone or if he wimps out like Drew Brees.

As an American patriot, I will not tolerate nor compromise watching our anthem and flag be shown disrespect. If protests are allowed, I will no longer be an NFL fan.

- Dan Gabbert, North Richland Hills

Patriotic values in action

How ironic that some want to bar certain expression before our fluttering symbol of freedom. We can stand. We can put our hands against our hearts or salute, but that’s it.

People have died for the values of America, but apparently those values do not include using the flag, the anthem or the pledge of allegiance to appeal for more of the things the flag represents, such as equality, liberty or respect for life.

- Fay Brewer, Fort Worth