Yes, I want to go back to college in person. No, it probably isn’t a good idea

Do you want this to be over?

How disappointing and annoying to see the unmasked bus driver in a photo on the front page of Tuesday’s paper. Really, how difficult is it to wear a mask?

It’s not political; it’s common sense. We’ll never get beyond this pandemic at this rate.

- Stanley Eisenman, Fort Worth

Have to do better this time

As a University of Texas at Austin student, I want nothing more than to return to in-person classes and stand in the stadium singing “Texas Fight” with my peers. But I know that with current COVID-19 infection rates, it’s not worth the risk to my life or anyone else’s.

The state still lacks the testing and contact-tracing capacity to understand the virus’ spread. Texas reopened too soon. We need to shut down again to stop the spread.

Before reopening again, Texas needs the testing capacity for everyone with flu-like symptoms and anyone in close contact with them, as well as a contact-tracing workforce and ample protective equipment for essential workers.

- Cat Mouer, Carrollton

Who’s watching out for workers?

Your editorials about the Big 12, college football and TCU talk about the safety of the players, coaching staff and fans. But no one is writing about the safety of the nonprofit volunteer concession workers who serve food and drinks to the fans. What safety precautions are planned to protect them?

- Russell Stodieck, Fort Worth

What about this Harris detail?

Why haven’t the Black Lives Matter advocates been protesting Joe Biden’s vice presidential pick, Sen. Kamala Harris? Her father once wrote that he is descended from a Jamaican plantation owner who owned slaves. If a Republican candidate had the same history, every BLM group would be protesting and creating havoc in the streets.

- Donna Bierd, Keller

Bringing it to the forefront

From the beginning, America has always been diverse, but we typically ignored it. Then came the monumental election of Barack Obama as president, which shined a huge light upon our diversity for eight years.

Joe Biden, by choosing Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate, has provided well-deserved validation to the women of color who have been the loyal steel backbone of the Democratic Party since the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act became law.

With her multicultural heritage, Harris now becomes a prominent face of diversity in today’s America.

- J.W. Sullivan, Arlington

A basically terrible idea

Has the whole world gone completely crazy? The Aug. 12 commentary, “A guaranteed basic income makes sense” makes no sense. (11A) Where will you get all this basic income? The government? Oh, yes, we will just tax the “rich.”

There is no free lunch. If you work hard, you will be blessed. Our government is close to bankruptcy. When it runs out of money, who will give you guaranteed income? Only a crazy liberal would think of such an idea.

- Sandra Lewis, Joshua