So people can eat, chat and laugh during the anthem, but kneeling bothers you?

This veteran’s viewpoint

As a fellow veteran, I must respectfully disagree with the Thursday letter writer who stated kneeling or demonstrating during the national anthem is an affront to those who served in the military. (9A)

I was drafted during Vietnam and the Berlin Crisis, and I devoted several years in Army intelligence. I served overseas honorably in the belief that I was helping to preserve and protect the freedom of all Americans to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed rights. And, yes, that means the right to kneel whenever they choose — in a house of worship, on a football field or in a combat zone to honor a fallen comrade.

As for disrespect, how about the countless fans who can be seen during the anthem or the pledge of allegiance laughing, chatting, eating and milling around?

- Silas O. Hughes Jr., Fort Worth

Where the money should go

In recent decades, police have been required to assume the roles of social workers, health care workers and mental health workers. Officers are not adequately trained or equipped for these roles.

We have dumped these duties on the police because we were too stingy to properly staff and fund the agencies that should be doing this work. In addition, we have turned the police into paramilitary organizations.

Rightly understood, to “defund” the police means to take the money we are wasting on militaristic initiatives and redistribute it into societal programs that we should have been funding all along.

- Paul R. Schattman, Arlington

Ask mental health experts first

As a psychiatrist specializing in community mental health, I am alarmed by campaigns to “defund the police.” When patients are acutely psychotic, suicidal or intoxicated, they often refuse treatment recommendations. Our only alternative in these situations is asking police to help us detain them. Otherwise, many will harm themselves or others.

I respectfully ask activists who want social workers to replace police officers in certain situations to please consult mental health professionals before making such demands. Your goals seem well-intentioned, but they should be based on sound science and recommendations from medical experts.

- Sujatha Ramakrishna, Fort Worth

Protests are getting old

Tolerance for the protesters is growing thin. Their aggressive boldness is causing people to forget their cause. Burning, looting and invading businesses convinces people that we need strong police forces. Protesters may win some reforms, but they will not cause our government to defund our police protectors. If you want respect, try respecting other people and their property.

- Marcyle Woodard, Fort Worth

Abbott failed to listen to science

Gov. Greg Abbott’s COVID-19 policy was no more than a morbid gambit.

His reopening policy varies widely from Centers for Disease Control guidelines and has resulted in increased disease and death in Texas. He required no one to wear masks, though pandemic experts worldwide say masks are effective in slowing the spread of the virus.

Abbott placed Texans in harm’s way instead of prioritizing our health and well-being.

- Cary Clark, Fort Worth