TCU’s Jeremiah Donati sees Amon G. Carter Stadium full of Texas Tech fans? Yeah, right

Dreaming about football fans

If TCU’s athletic director thinks he can fill the football stadium without at least 10,000 fans of the opposing teams in the stands, he needs to have a thorough mental examination. (July 24, 1B, “TCU-Texas Tech rivalry now extends to ticket office”)

- Robert Corley, Granbury

How will Texas deal with climate?

I appreciate Sunday’s editorial about how climate change is already affecting Texas, made obvious by the recent, unrelenting heat waves here and abroad. (4C, “Texas must prep for more brutal hot summers”) Understanding that climate change is man-made and already here shows the need to get serious about addressing it.

The editorial rightly acknowledges the detrimental impact of this extreme heat on Texans, but I wish it had also addressed the responsibility of our elected officials to help curtail the major cause of man-made climate change: planet-warming gases that come from burning fossil fuels.

I would love for the Star-Telegram to interview my representative, Kay Granger, and her opponent, Trey Hunt, to understand their plans to address climate change.

- Logan Herbort, Fort Worth

We have a good carbon plan

The headline on Brian Byrd’s July 27 commentary read, “It’s up to conservatives to lead the way on reasonable climate change, energy policies.” (15A)

As a lifelong conservative and native Texan, I would suggest that we don’t need conservatives or progressives to lead on reasonable climate policies. We need grown-ups from both sides to acknowledge the best available science and work together to put U.S. businesses on a pathway to lead the world to net zero emissions by 2050, or as soon thereafter as possible.

Over the last decade or so, the main source of annual CO2 emissions has been China. But accumulated emissions matter most, and the U.S. holds the pole position with almost twice China’s cumulative emissions and eight times those of India.

So, let’s get on with it with H.R. 2307, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act currently in Congress — a market-based revenue-neutral policy to tax carbon emissions in energy.

- Richard Howe, Plano

Tree destruction must stop

There’s been another west-side Fort Worth tree massacre. A large tract of land along the south side of Interstate 30 between Bryant Irvin Road and Halloran Street was almost wiped clean.

I thought we were supposed to be planting trees, not cutting them down. I do not see how this helps to negate the 100-plus-degree heat. We need a stronger city tree ordinance.

- Martin Bernard, Fort Worth

Religion must not guide our laws

Freedom of religion, as set out in our Constitution, means the freedom to choose a religion without fear of persecution. By specific design, we do not have a Church of the United States. But there are federal and state legislative bodies working to enact laws based solely on lawmakers’ personal religious beliefs.

The majority of Americans do not agree with the theocratic, heavy-handed legislation being forced on segments of this country. The economy will most certainly not be the only issue on the ballot in the upcoming elections.

- Wendy Stoecker, Arlington

Keep political dollars local

Folks are questioning campaign donations coming from out of state in the race for Texas governor. The fix could be regulations to bar that and to restrict donations in races such as state representative to contributors in their districts.

Benchmarking some of the 40 states with campaign-funding regulations would be smart.

- Robert Dawson, Arlington

Not worth the danger of injury

In football, even the appearance of intent to hit an opponent’s head gets you ejected from the game. It’s an attempt to limit traumatic brain injuries in the sport. In boxing, one of the primary intents is to hit the head in pursuit of a knockout. Causing a traumatic brain injury results in monetary rewards for the athletes and the betting public.

The hypocrisy of our various sports infatuations is boundless, specifically in boxing and mixed martial arts. A trail of chronic brain damage is often the result. Does anyone really believe that Muhammad Ali developed isolated Parkinson’s disease unrelated to the head trauma he’d sustained?

- Gary Strong, Fort Worth