Richland mascot; better than war; Arlington library

Richland mascot

I’m a 1966 graduate of Richland High School in the Birdville school district.

For many years, I’ve been uncomfortable about the remaining use of Confederate-era themes at the school’s sporting events. I wish I had been braver and spoken up. As I matured, those things didn’t seem right. Now, it’s obvious to me that this mascot and these symbols have reached their expiration date.

I believe I have some understanding of the attachment some folks have to these symbols and what they fondly remember as their glory days of high school. I don’t want to take away their memories.

To me, though, unless one has stayed in a state of arrested development, memories of high school, especially for someone almost 50 years past graduation, can be savored without the use of symbols and relics that for others are reminders of subjugation and pain.

I don’t need that flag, that mascot, that song to recall what was really the highlight of my time at Richland High — namely, good friends, challenging teachers and building a strong foundation for my future endeavors.

— Barbara S. Sullivan, Waco

So another race-baiting organization has taken aim at Richland High School, voicing displeasure over the Richland Rebel moniker.

Talk about a tempest in a teapot!

The allegations are without merit or foundation and serve only to divide races, not ameliorate relations.

— James Duermeyer,

North Richland Hills

Better than war

I have to laugh at my conservative friends running around like Chicken Little, seeing the deal with Iran and shouting, “The sky is falling.”

What did they and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu want? War? And will Netanyahu build more and bigger nukes to “counteract” this agreement?

A quote from one of my all-time favorite conservatives, Winston Churchill, is apropos: “To jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war.”

And won’t my conservative friends have apoplexy when, after two years of Iran peace dividends, they find President Obama has backed them into a corner?

“If you elect a Republican as president,” Democrats might say, “he’ll do away with this agreement and send our young men and women into a war with Iran.”

— David Perkins, Fort Worth

Arlington library

The Arlington City Council is pausing consideration of a new central library until a more timeless design is presented.

I hope the council will use the time to reconsider the location of the library, too.

With the best of intentions, our city government finds it difficult to do the right things for a healthy downtown Arlington.

An earlier City Council made a 35-year mistake when it chopped up Main Street to create a City Hall parking lot and council chamber. Much of Main Street died as a result.

The council may make a 50-year mistake with the plan to put the new library in that parking lot.

Build the library on Abram Street on city-owned property, reopen Main Street to its historic alignment and promote redevelopment of Main Street. The decision will have long-lasting effects for the future of downtown Arlington.

— Clete McAlister, Arlington

This story was originally published July 21, 2015 at 5:45 PM with the headline "Richland mascot; better than war; Arlington library."