TCU’s message to Baylor assault survivors: Winning is more important than your pain | Opinion
Sexual abuse takes back seat
We just have to win. As TCU football rose to the mountaintop, game after game, that mantra transformed from unlikely dream to unexpected reality in 2022.
After a season for the history books, with the eyes of the nation firmly upon the little private school from Fort Worth, TCU leadership made the decision to hire Kendal Briles, a coach with a history entrenched in one of the worst, most horrific systemic failures at a university in our lifetimes: the sexual assaults at Baylor. (Jan. 20, 1B, “Four things to know about TCU’s new OC Briles”)
Because we just have to win.
And regardless of the blatant disregard for the lifetimes’ worth of damage for the young women who were victims at Baylor or the “potential” of this hire for the program, the message is loud and clear — to the victims, to the Horned Frog faithful and to the women in the TCU community:
We just have to win. Apparently nothing else matters.
- Marissa Parker, Allen
How to fix the livestreams
So, Tarrant County has 245 employees in its information technology department, but none with the skills simply to conduct a study into how to improve the quality of official meetings’ livestreams? (Jan. 18, 1A, “Tarrant spending like ‘drunken sailors,’ new judge says”)
Fire a couple of those inept employees and hire one who can do the study. That’s a lot cheaper than a $230,000 contract for a consultant.
- Reed K. Bilz, Fort Worth
Me, I’d have gone to prison
I served as a rated officer in the U.S. Air Force for 23 years. Some of that was spent on Strategic Air Command alert, tasked to fuel a bomber on its way to the Soviet Union. I was required to have a top-secret clearance. If I had done what Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump and Joe Biden have done with classified information, I would be in federal prison for a very long time — and deservedly so. (Jan. 18, 11A, “Hey, does so much of this stuff really need to be classified?”)
- Dale E. Peterson, Keller
Set lockdown rules together
Protocols for top-secret documents are too lax, and even those weak guardrails are carelessly observed or deliberately ignored. Our arrogant assumption of our superior security processes makes us vulnerable to our enemies
Wherever he happens to be, the president is the president. His “private residence” is not private while he holds office. Visitor log rules should be applied at all times in all places and rigidly adhered to. It is up to Congress and executive branch agencies together to fix this.
- Paul R. Schattman, Arlington
Rabbi showed Christian unity
I was highly impressed by the rabbi who delivered the benediction at Gov. Greg Abbott’s inauguration. He noted that inauguration day is prescribed to be a Tuesday, but few seemed to know why.
The rabbi noted that Judaism considers Tuesday a particularly lucky day, because in the portion of the Torah that corresponds to the first chapters of Genesis, the paragraph about this day contains the phrase “it was good” two times. The day is held in exceptionally high esteem.
I am Christian and pro-Israel, and I’m happy that Judeo-Christian ties are strong. I applaud the rabbi for his insightful benediction.
- James A. Marples, Longview
Shakespeare needs help
The greatest loss involving TCU was not the recent championship football game. The most significant loss to the region was when TCU cut funding to the Trinity Shakespeare Festival in 2018.
I beg TCU officials to bring back Shakespeare.
- Dana Harper, Fort Worth
Mark Davis shows self-interest
Mark Davis’ Jan. 19 column, “Who ordered police in Grapevine to grovel over Patriot Mobile?” (9A) showed his cheerleading skills for encouraging “his team” while booing against the “other team.”
The talk radio host artfully crafts his cheers of patriotism, public service, power politics and biblical tones to defend a company that puts money in his pocket. As he noted, “I have been a broadcast endorser of (Patriot Mobile) for years.” Davis follows that by putting a political hit on City Council members who disagree.
It’s too bad that Davis doesn’t use his cheerleading skills for all who are trying to do the difficult work of public service.
- Jim Bates, Watauga