Bigotry; Conservation

Bigotry

I’m white and a former Dallas-Fort Worth resident, but I’ve spent most of my life in the Deep South.

My first job out of school in 1969 was as an organizer with a poverty program in a majority-black rural area. I had to leave when I received threats to burn down my trailer with my family in it. I know racism.

But things have slowly gotten better in the South and elsewhere.

Yes, there is racism among law enforcement officers. I have several in my family.

I strongly disagree with their views, but I understand how they came to be bigots. When police deal with an element that they have to deal with every day, many of whom are minorities, they incorrectly tend to look at people of color as less than human.

But there’s no valid excuse for murdering innocent police (or minority civilians by police). Violence is never the answer. And it just gives bigots more ammunition.

Conservation

As we enjoy the summer season, we want to take a moment to celebrate some common-sense actions by our state legislators that will help protect the precious lands and waters that make Texas Texas.

In 2015, the Legislature appropriated $2 million to help bring more of the state’s high-value working farm and ranch lands under long-term conservation protection.

The Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Program is dedicated to conserving working lands with high values for water, fish and wildlife and agricultural production, especially lands at risk of development.

The program provides grants to purchase conservation easements on high-value working lands, in partnership with willing landowners.

For landowners, these conservation agreements provide a way for them to keep their lands productive, wild and open, while at the same time providing valuable public benefits such as clean water.

As we observe the rites of summer — enjoying the outdoors with our families, grilling burgers, spending time at our favorite river, lake or beach — we want to take a moment to thank our state legislators for their patriotic decision to protect the lands and waters that make our state so special.

This story was originally published July 14, 2016 at 5:27 PM with the headline "Bigotry; Conservation."