Religious liberty?; Cruz pandering; Alamo dispute; Richland rec center

Religious liberty?

In the Monday article “GOP hopefuls focus on religious liberty,” U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz was quoted as saying: “Religious liberty is under threat in this country like never before.”

That statement is true, and the right wing of the GOP is the main culprit. What they want to do is take away the liberty of other people to believe as they want.

We need to resist politics that are exclusive, intolerant or based on ideological zealotry.

We get a pretty good idea of what people around here mean by “religious liberty” when we look at the inability of a local Muslim community to get approval for a cemetery.

It’s a matter of me getting to do whatever I want, using my religion as an excuse, and to the devil with anyone who doesn’t look and think like me.

Cruz pandering

Rather than attend to the myriad challenges facing our country and ignoring the business of actually governing, Sen. Ted Cruz continues to grandstand with his crusades against Planned Parenthood and, of course, “Obamacare.”

Planned Parenthood provides crucial medical services to millions of low-income women who, despite claims to the contrary, have few if any other options.

The case he makes is fundamentally dishonest: The organization does not get federal funds to provide abortions. Government money comes in the form of Medicaid reimbursement for services provided. Medicaid doesn’t cover abortions.

Implying that Planned Parenthood receives direct funding from taxpayers is misleading at best and is playing politics with women’s lives.

It’s time for Cruz to stop pandering to the worst instincts of an uninformed base and work on the real needs of his constituents.

Alamo dispute

How shameful that Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush feels that it is appropriate for the state to steal the contents of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas Library.

This collection has been carefully assembled over the years through much hard work and the generosity of many people who trusted that their donations would be appreciated and cared for by the organization that first felt the call to preserve the Alamo as a Texas shrine.

It hardly seems fair that a small patriotic group such as Daughters of the Republic of Texas should be forced to bear the legal costs of retaining possession of this library.

Why should the state feel the need to acquire this wonderful collection since it has always been available to the public free of charge? It is an invaluable tool for genealogy and historical research.

This is a maneuver that is not in the true spirit of Texas, and it should be an embarrassment to Bush and those responsible for instigating it. We hope the courts will agree.

Richland rec center

Richland Hills has a chance we can’t pass up.

Over the past years, much progress has been made in Richland Hills. More businesses have come and raised our sales tax revenue dramatically. We have several new street and drainage projects. A new park improvement plan has been implemented.

However, on Nov. 3, we have a chance to tell the city we want more. We’re able to vote on a community recreation center. This 28,000-square-foot building full of amenities will benefit our community for future generations.

Former city leaders have shown their support for this building. The city website shows the details.

I strongly encourage a “for” vote on our community center. Vote for our city. Vote for our future. On Nov. 3 vote for the community center bond.

This story was originally published October 23, 2015 at 5:45 PM with the headline "Religious liberty?; Cruz pandering; Alamo dispute; Richland rec center."