Southern history; Storm-proof schools; Parenting; Bombastic leader

Southern history

I listened to the speech by South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley following President Obama’s State of the Union address on Jan. 12. She talked about being a child of immigrants and her stand on immigration. I agreed with some of what she said.

Long ago, my ancestors were immigrants to a new country — no welfare system, in fact no houses, jobs, schools, and, for some, no land. But they worked hard to make America what it is today.

As I listened, my heritage flashed across my mind. I recalled how Haley caved to demands that part of my heritage be wiped from history by removing the Confederate flag from her state capitol grounds.

My Southern ancestors fought for the Confederacy. They left homes and families to fight for the Southern cause. Many didn’t return. Those who did found devastation.

Haley’s ancestors were not part of the Civil War. They were far away in another country. My ancestors were here.

Whether the Civil War was right or wrong, it’s in the past. I’m proud that when the call came to stand and defend the South they heeded the call. They should always be a part of our history.

Storm-proof

Public school construction can address tornado safety if we’re willing to do it.

I’ve been involved in Texas school design and construction for many years, and too often the design appearance (and its costs) take precedence over spending for tornado-safe buildings.

Hallways and classrooms can easily be made tornado-safe for the students and staff. Texas legislators should require codes for Texas schools that make every building safe against storms with winds of 200 or even 300 mph.

All of us want attractive and architecturally pleasing schools, but not at the expense of safety.

Parenting

Cynthia Allen nailed it in her Jan. 8 column about the parenting of Ethan Couch and much of today’s college-age citizens.

He must be held responsible now and treated as an adult, although he really never had a chance of becoming one.

He’ll learn in prison some lessons about life that his parents shielded him from.

Bombastic leader

There once was a time when the middle class was being reduced to poverty, exacerbated by a worldwide economic crisis.

The people’s anger was palpable, and into the mix came a bombastic firebrand who said the nation was being destroyed by outsiders.

His solution was marginalization and exclusion. Riding that rhetoric and continually making false claims, he ultimately become the country’s leader.

He promised to “Make Germany great again!”

This story was originally published January 19, 2016 at 5:23 PM with the headline "Southern history; Storm-proof schools; Parenting; Bombastic leader."