All one
Bradford William Davis’ column about the connection between televangelist Paula White-Cain and outgoing Texas state Rep. Nate Schatzline is an example of why we must support our local journalists. (Nov. 5, 11A, “Fort Worth rep’s pivot to faith panel allies him with Jan. 6 speaker”)
Schatzline and White-Cain have cloaked themselves with the labels of family values and Christianity to make us believe the country is us versus them. To Jesus, we are all one, and he would have called out those who benefit from division.
– Mary Kelly,North Richland Hills
Compassion
Christian believers who are not attending church: Have you been disenfranchised and disillusioned because of the yearslong uncompassionate treatment of vulnerable people?
I find it appalling that immigrants have been demonized and degraded to the point of being considered unworthy of compassion and love like Jesus demonstrated, described and depicted for the marginalized stranger.
Raise your voices and perform acts of kindness for strangers in your locale as delineated in Matthew 25, and vote your conscience as a follower of Jesus.
– Brent Neuenfeldt,Fort Worth
Andrew’s fate
I feel sorry that Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, the man formerly known as Prince Andrew, allegedly preyed on Virginia Giuffre when she was underage. (Oct. 26, 6A, “Prince Andrew gives up royal titles amid Epstein ties”)
Windsor used his status and wealth, along with the influence of Jeffrey Epstein, for his own sexual perversions. I was hoping that after Windsor served honorably in the Falklands War, and later married Sarah Ferguson and had daughters, that he would grow up.
It’s one thing to be flirtatious among consenting adults. It’s a wholly different matter to be a predator on a girl young enough to be his daughter. He should face prison time.
– James A. Marples,Longview
Deeper strife
The state takeover of public schools started long before Education Commissioner Mike Morath announced action against the Fort Worth district. In 2021, lawmakers limited the discussion of racism, sexism and other topics, and state Rep. Matt Krause investigated whether libraries had hundreds of books on race, slavery, Jim Crow and sex education.
This year, lawmakers curtailed restrictions on in-school suspension, gave parents more rights to interfere with what educators teach and targeted diversity, equity and inclusion, harming the equitable education of Black students, the lowest-performing student group.
I see this takeover as nothing more than an effort by the state to deepen racial discrimination and marginalization of Black students.
– Wanda McKinney,Fort Worth
For Syed
Tarrant County taxing entities are appointing two directors to the Tarrant Appraisal District board this year. Please contact your representatives on city councils, school boards and other government bodies and ask them to vote in favor of Sayeda Bilqees Syed for the board.
Syed is a former Appraisal Review Board member. She has dedicated her candidacy to uniform and equal treatment of taxing entities and property owners. Annual appraisals are needed to reflect changing markets and ensure proper funding of budgets from the smallest taxing entities to the largest.
Syed brings knowledge of the inner workings of the appraisal review process that my neighbors navigate when protesting their values. Her experience would be unique to the board, and she would bring transparency to the appraisal process.
– Doreen Geiger,Fort Worth
Broken
As the government shutdown drags on, America faces a litany of crises. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits have been suspended, forcing states such as New York and New Jersey to declare emergencies to feed millions of vulnerable residents. In Texas, families are not immune from this looming hunger crisis.
Meanwhile, Thanksgiving travel could be chaotic. With thousands of Transportation Security Administration officers and air traffic controllers working unpaid, delays and cancellations are mounting.
Adding to this dysfunction, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Houston has pleaded guilty to bribery and abuse.
These are not isolated failures. They are interconnected symptoms of broken governance. Americans deserve leadership that prioritizes people over politics. End the shutdown. Restore SNAP. Protect rights. Accountability cannot wait.
– Brian Scott Angerer,Garland