God made us all — and that includes Muslims in Texas | Opinion
Show love
The photo that accompanied Bud Kennedy’s column about a recent banquet for the group True Texas Project showed about 100 people who attended. (April 26, 1C, “Texas officials fund group promoting Christian supremacy”) They were ”enthralled by Krista Schild’s presentation warning of the ‘Islamification of Texas,’” the photo caption said. Almost 60 elected state officials, including 22 judges, paid for the Tarrant County event. How sad.
If it’s not the Irish or the Catholics in the 19th century, it’s the Muslims, or maybe Jewish or Black people. Or maybe they’re all in cahoots to take over our country — where “our” is understood to mean white and Christian. If all those “True Texans” had their way, we’d get rid of the Constitution’s freedom of religion clause and the 13th Amendment.
Read your Bible and your history, folks, and see how wrong you are. Show a little love and empathy for those who are different from you. God did make us all, you know.
- Richard Selcer, Fort Worth
Majority rule
Most outcries about legislation allowing the Ten Commandments to be posted in schools or requiring parents be notified about gender conversations between teachers and pupils and similar laws drape themselves with the “no establishment of religion” banner.
It is just as much establishment of religion to forbid these types of laws. Atheism and agnosticism have teachings related to God as well. Why should those anti-theistic beliefs outweigh theistic ones?
Let each person vote according to his own belief and honor the democratic ideal of majority rule. If no one is being forced to hold to a position against his or her conscience, the equally important clause of “free exercise of religion” should carry the day.
- Thomas F. Harkins Jr., Fort Worth
Just to punish
A recent meeting of the Fort Worth school district’s Board of Managers confirms my suspicion that the members are committed to voting for whatever the state-appointed superintendent proposes, regardless of the harm it will do to the students.
Removing bilingual programs, including the International Newcomer Academy, punishes immigrant and refugee children. This action is in line with Gov. Greg Abbott’s desire to deport immigrants. The board members are abetting a deplorable policy.
- Reed K. Bilz, Fort Worth
No callousness
Republican legislators chose money over people living on the margins when they cut Medicaid spending last year. An April 7 article by Ellen Barry in The New York Times details how Idaho reduced services for psychiatrically disabled residents. They had been receiving medical care and therapeutic medicines at their homes because there are no state-run beds for them.
The effects of these cuts are horrific. Several former Medicaid clients who were cut from the system died or disappeared after losing the frequent contact with a medical professional.
Republicans’ insensitivity and callousness are reprehensible. Let them know your sentiments in November’s elections.
- Brent Neuenfeldt, Fort Worth