People don’t let Donald Trump supporters count after riot

After rioters tried to violently overturn the election Jan. 6, Alan Dodd of Fort Worth says supporters of President Donald Trump aren’t being listened to anymore. Julio Cortez Associated Press file photo

Trump supporters don’t count now?

Wednesday’s editorial recommending Texas Republicans vote to impeach President Donald Trump was unbelievable. (13A, “Texas Republicans, vote to impeach Trump over attack”)

I was extremely disappointed about the riots in the U.S. Capitol. But after watching six months of death, destruction, looting and riots in leftist cities, and the lack of condemnation and calls for accountability from the left, many Trump supporters were frustrated about the election.

Your editorial is simply adding to the discord and doing nothing to unite the factions tearing this country apart. Is this still a country with freedom of speech and expression? I wonder, according to your editorial, if the words of Trump supporters count.

- Alan Dodd, Fort Worth

First this, then that, perhaps

The Star-Telegram published a column by The Baltimore Sun’s Kenneth Lasson proposing that President-elect Joe Biden pardon President Donald Trump “to avoid turmoil.” (Jan. 13, 13A, “To avoid turmoil, Biden should promise to pardon Trump”) Good idea, provided that Trump and his minions comply with normal pardon rules: A complete and candid confession of their misdeeds, expressions of contrition and financial restitution are the basic requirements.

In the case of Trump and his associates, these minimal steps should be coupled with an enforceable promise not to retract or deny their confessions. We can’t avoid turmoil as long as Trump and his followers remain belligerent and untruthful.

- James L. Burt, Fort Worth

Not following the Constitution

On Jan. 13, the House voted not to gather evidence in the prospective impeachment of President Donald Trump. The same day, its members voted to impeach the president. Done.

Between those votes, we witnessed politically motivated representatives willing to disparage the constitutional design of separate and equal branches of government. Representatives were willing to debase their constitutional responsibility and authority by impeaching a sitting president without even gathering the facts.

This is Congress running roughshod over the U.S. Constitution.

- Elmo Collins, Mansfield

Wright’s history is now written

For thousands of us in Rep. Ron Wright’s district, our federal representation is a man who joined more than 100 other House Republicans to block certification of our free and democratic election and who sided with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in attempting to overturn elections in other states.

These are acts of sedition. The Star-Telegram should join me in calling for Wright to resign immediately. Thanks to Wright and his fellow sycophants of President Donald Trump, our Capitol was attacked, a police officer was killed and our treasured symbols of democracy were defiled. Wright will wear this stain forever.

- Jack Flanders, Arlington

Texas is not laughing now

Larry, Moe and Curly would be jealous. Our stooges — Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton — have outdone them.

Abbott bungled the response to the coronavirus pandemic and now oversees a disorganized attempt to distribute the vaccine.

Patrick lied about the validity of the election and offered $1 million for evidence of fraud. Then, he went radio silent. President Donald Trump tried to subvert the vote in Georgia, pressuring Republicans to fraudulently find 11,780 votes. Can I have that $1 million now?

Paxton filed a baseless lawsuit to overturn legal votes in four sovereign states. Then, he egged on those who stormed the Capitol to stop the constitutional vote count. That is sedition.

The original stooges were funny. These stooges are dangerously incompetent.

- Robert Baumgardner, Austin

Government’s vaccine thud

I hope all the people longing for government-run health care are paying attention to how you get your COVID-19 vaccinations in Tarrant County. First, you go to a government website to register and are placed in a queue. At some date, you receive an email telling you when and where to report for your shot; you have no choice as to time and location and little advance notice. And if you cannot make the dictated time and place? You cannot reschedule — you must cancel, re-register and go to the back of the queue.

Sounds positively utopian, doesn’t it?

- Wayne Hathaway, Southlake

This story was originally published January 17, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "DC riots were awful, but do we Donald Trump supporters not matter anymore?."