Faith exceptions; rebel flag; climate change; Scalia death

Faith exceptions

From county clerks to pharmacists, it seems that everybody wants an exception for their beliefs.

People such as Richard Hollerman, in his Feb. 16 letter about abortion, believe that anybody has a right to refuse to do a certain part of a job because of religious objection. His reasoning: God’s commands supersede human ones.

That’s not how a secular society (which we are, thanks to the Bill of Rights) works.

As a teacher, my job is to educate every student in my classroom. I can’t refuse to teach the students who live in a way with which I disagree.

I also don’t get to refuse to teach a specific topic just because I don’t agree with it on moral grounds.

If a pharmacist, therapist, teacher or someone else feels uncomfortable doing his or her job, he or she has the right to quit. That person does not have the right to trample on the rights of others. That’s persecution.

Rebel flag

Why can’t we fly the Confederate flag with pride?

It stands for men and boys who bled and died under that banner.

It was a terrible war — Americans against Americans — but we revere the memory of our veterans.

Why don’t we do away with political correctness?

Climate change

The Supreme Court’s decision to halt action on the Clean Power Plan is disappointing.

Climate change is already affecting Texas and all of America.

In North Texas, we go back and forth from raging floods with severe, damaging storms, to devastating droughts. It’s nothing like the predictable, seasonal weather we lived with when I was growing up.

I worry about the challenges my children will face.

Every now and then, though, I see a spark of hope, like the newly formed Climate Solutions Caucus in the U.S. House. It’s a bipartisan group started by Florida reps who see the effects of climate change when their streets flood at high tide.

I hope my own members of Congress will start paying attention to the floods, droughts, wildfires and severe storms, will take action.

Things will continue to worsen for us if we continue to do nothing.

That’s not the world I want to leave for my children.

We owe all of our children a healthier, safer future, which we can create if our leaders step up and put a price on carbon.

Scalia death

The judicial actions by Presidio County Judge Cinderela Guevara resulted in insufficient evidentiary findings into Justice Antonin Scalia’s death. (Bud Kennedy’s column, “Lege made rules on certifying a death,” Wednesday)

Chapter 49 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure empowers the justice of the peace or county judge in counties without a medical examiner to take all necessary steps to reasonably and competently make an evidentiary finding of facts into the cause and circumstances of death.

One procedure is to establish an inquest hearing including law enforcement, witnesses and a Texas licensed physician who give testimony. One conclusion of the inquest hearing may determine whether an autopsy is necessary or justifiable.

Under Texas law, the procedures for exercising sound judicial discretion to conduct an inquest hearing are already established. New legislation is not necessary for fulfilling the judge’s duty.

Certainly Justice Scalia and America deserve more respect by Texas.

Is this lack of judicial performance by Guevara the standard of care that Texas would afford a U.S. president or member of Congress?

This story was originally published February 19, 2016 at 5:58 PM with the headline "Faith exceptions; rebel flag; climate change; Scalia death."