With Texas schools and ‘In God We Trust’ signs, Mark Twain sure was right about idiots
Arabic, rainbow colors not allowed
Trying to follow the logic of Cameron Bryan, president of the Carroll school board, who claimed the district didn’t have to accept “In God We Trust” signs with the motto written in Arabic or with the colors of the rainbow flag, (Sept. 1, 1A, “What’s in the ‘In God We Trust’ law for signs at schools?”) I am reminded of Mark Twain’s comment:
“In the first place, God created idiots. That was for practice. Then he made school boards.”
- Guelma Brown Hopkins, Fort Worth
Rejection is about dehumanization
As a proud member of the Dallas-Fort Worth LGBTQ community, I see the Carroll school board’s rejection of “In God We Trust” overlaid on a rainbow background or written in Arabic as a startling precedent that will dehumanize specific members of our diverse population. The production and theater of this rejection will continue leading to harm of youths who are not white, Christian, native English speakers, cisgender, heterosexual, able-bodied or financially advantaged.
It concerns me that Carroll ISD continues to disregard its responsibility as a district to all its residents.
- Sara Fairley-Luna, Fort Worth
You’re a sucker if you pay your way
I earned my college degree way back in 1975. I am proud that I paid for 100% of my college expenses.
Today, people paying their own way through college are big suckers.
Seems I’m too late to take advantage of President Joe Biden’s student loan debt forgiveness. But I am way overdue for a new car. My vehicle is 15 years old, and I have incurred more than $4,000 in repair costs in the past 18 months. How about I finance my new car purchase with a student loan? Then Biden could forgive my first $10,000 and still not have to apologize for helping someone making far less than the apparent new poverty line of $125,000.
I hope the president reminds folks that debt forgiveness is taxable income, unless he intends to forgive that as well.
- William Kenny, Cresson
We need more nuclear power
In the 1950s and ‘60s, nuclear power was the answer to energy needs. Then, the 1979 partial meltdown at the Three Mile Island reactor in Pennsylvania occurred, partially because of human error. The Chernobyl disaster happened despite the Soviets’ knowledge about flaws in the plant’s design. But aircraft carriers, submarines and support ships have been nuclear powered without incidents for decades.
Nuclear plants are expensive to build, but in the long term, they provide safe, efficient and cheap electricity. However, we now are decommissioning nuclear plants. The energy we lose will largely be replaced by fossil fuel sources.
The push for electric vehicles ignores the lack of infrastructure, stress on the grid and cost of cars. Most important, what happens to toxic spent batteries? They are an environmental concern we will have to deal with.
- Charles Andrews, Fort Worth
The risk isn’t worth the reward
Saturday’s commentary by Geoff Lamear suggesting withdrawal of U.S. troops from the Middle East (6A, “Iranian attacks are wake-up call for US withdrawal”) is an excellent example of why democracy can be better than dictatorship: It allows for rational public discourse.
The world is an unpredictable place where human intervention has the power to impose change, for better or worse. I agree with Lamear that our risk with troops in the Middle East is greater than the possible reward. As an old friend used to remind me: Don’t let perfection be the enemy of good.
- Bill Lanford, Haltom City
