Austin American-Statesman letters to the editor, June 4, 2023
Impeachment of Paxton is long overdue;
Senate should follow the House's example
Paxton’s Impeachment by the Texas House is long overdue. May the Texas Senate follow the House’s example and do the right thing: convict him and remove him permanently from office. What could be more corrupt than an attorney general who expects taxpayers to foot his $3.3 million settlement for abuse of power?
Mike Field, Austin
Make it more difficult for a disturbed
person to get a semiautomatic weapon
Wonderful that the Texas Senate and I finally agree upon something: our schools must return to being safer havens for our childrren. Tragically, in today's world, sick individuals will find ways into our classrooms. We must make it harder for a deranged adolescent or adult to acquire a semiautomatic weapon in the first place rather than assuming that a positioned school guard with a gun is the answer.
Lori Kline, Austin
GOP, NRA monetized forefathers' original
intent to arm and train a federal militia
The 2nd Amendment was written 232 years ago in order to arm and train a federal militia during the Revolutionary War.
If our founding fathers could see today how the GOP and the NRA have subverted and monetized that original amendment by allowing 18-year-olds to legally buy military-style assault rifles with extra-capacity magazines without requiring a license or any training, that can massacre a classroom full of children in less time than a single shot musket could've even been loaded, I imagine that our forefathers would be spinning in their graves.
Sharon Austry, Fort Worth
Unwanted robocalls start early and continue
late into the evening; they're harassment
I can understand why some are wanting to ban TikTok in this country. What I don’t understand is why the media doesn’t cover the harassment that robocalls cause. Caller IDs show valid names such as APD, IRS, people’s names, different cities or states with different phone numbers and recorded messages for things like Medicare, auto insurance, debt relief, student loans, security devices, etc.
I have tried to inform them that I’m not interested and before I finish, they hang up, Try to call back and the phone numbers are not working numbers.
As a senior citizen we need to answer our phones because of calls from doctors, etc. Our lawmakers need to pass a law that prohibits these calls unless it’s a live person at least.
I receive over 30-40 such calls per day, some starting as early as 7:30 am and early Sunday mornings and as late as 9 p.m. seven days per week. It’s harassment!
Leonard Davila, Buda
It was senseless to release convicted murderer
and rapist after serving only 11 years in prison
How can a man rape and kill an 8-year-old and only get 30 years? And then be released after only 11 years? Just because a guy behaves in prison, doesn't make him a good guy.
Even in ultra left Austin, this makes no sense.
Jay Beavers, Georgetown
We should handle the debt crisis responsibly,
but it shouldn't be at the expense of the poor
While it is necessary for the nation to raise the debt, it should not come at the expense of those who are already struggling to make ends meet.
The fundamental question is why we are forced to decide between pushing people further into poverty and risking an economic catastrophe caused by default in the first place. I don't want our country to default, but I do expect Congress to care about all its people, not just the wealthy. Moving forward, I strongly urge our members of Congress to prioritize policies that alleviate poverty rather than make it worse.
Sarah Miller, University City
Amid struggle for control of the country's
direction, the clock is ticking on the GOP
Political analyst Ronald Brownstein sees the budget fight between the Republicans and Democrats as a "struggle for control of the nation's direction."
For example, cuts desired by the GOP are to programs like Head Start and Pell Grants, which benefit the young and racially diverse generation. The GOP represents older predominantly white voters who generally fear changes embraced by the Gen Z population.
Change can be jarring. But it seems to me that the clock is ticking against the GOP base. My bet is that hope will eventually defeat fear.
Carl Lloyd, San Antonio
The legislature should be championing
DEI measures, not subverting them
Governor Abbott and Texas legislators say that increasing mental health care is the best way to stop gun violence. Yet, they have attacked some of the most important academic efforts known to strengthen mental health.
When students are able to learn about their cultural histories, their family and community backgrounds and have open discussions about social movements that continue to expand civil rights, they become more grounded, self-aware and civic-minded persons with a greater sense of purpose and belonging. Perpetrators of gun violence are usually revealed as suffering the opposite: alienation, loneliness, paranoia, with little understanding of their worth in the world or how to go about making change through nonviolent means.
Increasing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in school curriculum, hiring practices and policies leads to healthier students. Legislators should be championing DEI measures rather than subverting them.
Susan Van Haitsma, Austin
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This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin American-Statesman letters to the editor, June 4, 2023
