Race in America; military choice; silver spoon; Trinity vision

Race in America

Race relations in the U.S. will not improve until white Americas admit that black Americans haven’t been treated fairly since they were brought here.

Centuries of slavery followed by another century of individual and institutional denial of rights of citizenship, education, opportunities, jobs, decent pay, housing, justice and the vote brought us to the 1960s.

Blacks and their white allies had had enough and were beaten, bombed, jailed and murdered just to get their right to vote.

During the past 50 years, whites have met them with scowls, suspicion, mistrust, anger, hatred, fear and denials of good jobs, good pay and justice.

Any white person subjected to these indignities would be angry, too.

Until white Americans can change this behavior and treat these Samaritans as they themselves want to be treated, things will not change for the better.

We can all start with a smile when passing each other. Compassion is contagious.

Now we are faced with a Republican Party that is trying to legalize Jim Crow treatment, particularly related to the vote. They are afraid they can’t win unless they can deny the vote to minorities.

What kind of un-American activity is that?

Military choice

While wealthy donors celebrated in Cleveland and Philadelphia last month to propagate a cult of personality to protect their special interests, we should all remember that the most important job of the person we elect this fall is that of commander in chief.

Fort Worth has a deep connection to the military, and our community has always maintained a deference to the brave men and women who volunteer to protect our freedom.

So we ought to be receptive to their thoughts on the candidates.

In a recent survey of 3,500 active-duty military, the Libertarian Party ticket of Gary Johnson and Bill Weld was the preference of more respondents than both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

Whatever makes the men and women of our armed services put their trust in Gary Johnson as their future commander in chief, their voice deserves to be heard more prominently in the mass media.

Silver spoon

The water crisis in Flint, Mich., brought powerfully to our attention the life-altering effects of metals in the bloodstream.

More recently, we observed with shock the insensitivity of a presidential candidate who publicly mocked a handicapped journalist.

I submit that we must take seriously metal-induced handicaps.

Perhaps Donald Trump should be considered with more understanding, since it seems he suffers from a handicap observed in those born with a silver spoon in their mouths.

Trinity vision

The Trinity River Vision Project for flood control? The $1 billion total cost includes $526 million from the federal government!

Why is it acceptable to allow Washington’s participation in this when we refuse their help with Medicaid for our neediest citizens?

And how can we allocate $218 million from local and state sources when we can’t adequately fund either our schools or the Child Protective Services?

I strongly suspect “economic development” for wealthy investors trumps flood control in this vision. Where are the Tea Party and all the small government Republicans when we need them?

This story was originally published August 10, 2016 at 5:30 PM with the headline "Race in America; military choice; silver spoon; Trinity vision."