Greg Abbott isn’t upholding free speech. He’s trying to indoctrinate kids | Opinion
Not so free
As Gov. Greg Abbott calls for Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA to be brought to more Texas public schools, he talks about free speech and the Constitution. But that’s not what it’s about. Abbott contends that the organization has “helped to restore moral clarity, constitutional principles, and our founding values,” yet he has worked tirelessly against those principles. From banning organizations in high schools across the state to deployments at the southern border, Abbott has been at the forefront of not just defying the Constitution but defying the same “founding values” he claims to protect.
For Abbott, it isn’t about the Constitution or instilling founding values, and it certainly isn’t about the First Amendment. It’s about indoctrination.
- Spencer Morgenweck, Fort Worth
O’Hare vendetta
I just saw a clip of Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare removing Bishop Kirkland, senior pastor at Greater Saint Mark Ministries in Fort Worth, from Commissioners Court for making a comment about free speech rights. O’Hare has a vendetta against anyone who criticizes the court. It’s our constitutional right to call out his actions as we see them.
It’s also our right to vote out elected officials who do not uphold our rights as American citizens. We must do so in 2026. Democrats have some excellent candidates. If we defeat O’Hare, maybe we can get some action on the county jail, mental health care and fairness in county government for all of us.
- Suzanne Mabe, Arlington
Better answer
Killing people based simply on the possibility of illegal drug trafficking is immoral. It opens the door for reciprocal actions. How would we feel if Americans were killed because someone believed they were involved with something illegal? Since when is drug possession a crime punishable by death?
We must set an example of dealing with possible illegal activities in a nonviolent way. No, we don’t want our friends and family using drugs, but killing others is not the answer.
How about implementing intensive programs to help people deal with drug use? If there is no demand for drugs, there would not be a need to produce and traffic them. And no need to kill another human being.
- Leonard Ellis, Arlington
What’s next?
There is an impassioned discussion about unprovoked U.S. air attacks on civilian boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, and the roles of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Adm. Frank Bradley. But this is not the first time the U.S. has violated the rules of war.
The firebombing of Tokyo on March 9 and 10, 1945, blasted 16 square miles of the city and killed at least 80,000 civilians. The Army Air Force had previously targeted military sites and related economic assets. The devastation of the capital was intended to crush the heart of the city and inflict as many casualties as possible to demoralize the population and force Japan to sue for peace.
The strategic doctrine of making war on civilians continued through the Korean and Vietnam wars. Only in the past 40 years has the use of American air power returned to the doctrine of precision bombing. Is firebombing cities next with this administration?
- Richard Selcer, Fort Worth