Micah Parsons, man up and honor the contract you signed with the Dallas Cowboys | Opinion

Just earn it

I am a Cowboys fan, and I don’t care how much money the players make. Good for them if they earn it. What I don’t like is how players don’t honor the contracts they signed.

Micah Parsons has one more year on his contract at $24 million. (Aug 6, 5B, “Why Micah Parsons contract drama: Anticipating a predictable Dallas Cowboys finale”) Why not man up, honor what you signed for and then demand more money? He would also earn respect.

- Jim Hargrove, Fort Worth

Play fair

The current strong-arm approach to redistricting reminds me of the early 1980s when the Tarrant County Commissioners Court was all Democrats. Local Republicans came to court asking if they could appoint election judges in voting precincts won by Republicans. One of the Democrats learned forward and said, “When you get a majority on this court, then you can appoint the election judges.”

Well, two election cycles later, Republicans held the majority. But they did not use their majority to appoint all the election judges — only those in majority Republican precincts.

We need to stop using thin margin wins as opportunities to mistreat our neighbors who hold different political views. We will not always hold the majority.

A better plan would be to fight it out at the ballot box, fair and square.

- Clete McAlister, Arlington

Not my Texas

I grew up in a much friendlier state. The Texas that was once welcoming to everyone is now welcoming only to big business and far-right supporters. Moderates are considered villains; Democrats are considered evil. Immigrants, the mainstay of our economy, are being stalked and deported by masked agents.

Now, our Republican-controlled Legislature wants to further disenfranchise Texans by redistricting again, thus ensuring that half the state’s population will not be heard on Election Day.

This is not my Texas. I am deeply ashamed.

- Wendy Stoecker, Arlington

Individuals?

At Tuesday’s marathon City Council meeting, council members voted 7-4 to end diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives rather than risk losing federal grants. (Aug. 6, star-telegram.com, ”Fort Worth City Council ends DEI programs to protect $277M in federal grants”) If Fort Worth’s budget, including essential services for the poor, is dependent on federal funding, then the city’s economic growth, based on the mantra of low taxes for businesses and property owners, is a castle made of sand.

You cannot have a world-class city with robust infrastructure without the beneficiaries of growth paying their share. Low taxes that lure businesses and individuals here from blue states are subsidized by taxes that blue states pay to the federal government, which are distributed to red states as federal grants.

This reliance on federal funding makes Fort Worth susceptible to pressure from Washington, D.C., no matter how we like to style ourselves as rugged individuals and pioneers.

- Ken Shimamoto, Fort Worth