Letters to the Editor

Dear Gov. Abbott,

I am a proud and patriotic, native “Joe the plumber” Texan, independent of political persuasion. I preface my request(s) with verbiage that some may take as Texan arrogance. What the heck.

Texas is the richest state in the world. Rich by our beauty, resources and heritage of history, diverse culture and traditions, and mostly our people. No wonder people flock to our state! No wonder we got our terms for unionization!

Therefore, governor and other Texas officials, given the blessings and believed virtues of our state, I implore we should lead by example. Texas must be the example, and set a precedent by seeking change to present laws and bureaucracy for the wellness of all.

We as the former Republic of Texas should insist our sovereign right to direct our state, swiftly and decisively, in the fashion that challenges the hurdles at the federal level (when not on vacation). When D.C. comes here, it is typically not for the good. From the hallowed calls of Gonzales, let’s “take it” to D.C. Thank you for coming to Tyler!

T Ray Hunt

Tyler

NEARLY INSANE EFFORTS

I had to smile when I read the headline of Cal Thomas’s column in (the Aug. 11) newspaper: “Evil runs rampant in this country — a symptom of having forgotten God.” Over the years, I seldom finished his columns, which leaned toward religion, but recently he has been making a lot of sense … until today.

I haven’t read much about religion (Karen Armstrong, Richard Dawkins, Hitchens, etc.) but most of the anti-religious books I’ve read make it obvious religion has created more violence than all the vicious dictators combined. Think of the Catholic crusades against Muslims and Jews (1,000 years ago), as well as today’s problems in the Middle East … most are religiously motivated.

In the U.S. it seems violence is more the result of exposing young people to liberal ideas in educational institutes (high school through college) than religion. Observing the Democratic efforts to defeat Trump border on insanity, and I hope the voters wake up to reality before the next presidential election!

Norm Beavers

Tyler

SUPPORT SCHOOL CHOICE

Drug use, shootings, immorality, and social ignorance are shaping our lives. People are losing the ideological foundations that promoted peace, order and prosperity.

Yesterday, I attended a seminar for Tyler ISD teachers that will help combat these problems. It presented ways to legally teach the historical influences and beliefs of Christianity in public schools. Whether one is a Christian or not, this is needed to help children understand the ideology that led to freedom, the ending of slavery, human rights and a just society.

The seminar was great! For decades, public schools have neglected to teach the facts associated with America’s founding. By neglecting the role of Christianity in the learning environment, God has been treated as irrelevant to personal and public life. This irrelevance is at the heart of social decline and the rise of socialistic ideology.

But presenting historical information alone is not enough; teachers cannot say that Christianity is true, shape the curriculum around its truth or pray with their students. America is in moral and intellectual decline. We must strengthen schools that are free to strongly reflect our Christian faith.

However, the costs associated with home schooling and private schooling keep most families from providing their children with a Bible-based education. Texans must level the playing field and eliminate the state’s preferential support of secularism by supporting school choice initiatives.

Craig Engelhardt

Chandler

A WAY TO PAY DOWN DEBT

Re: Federal budget — President Trump and Nancy Pelosi passed this year’s federal budget without provision to pay down the national debt. This could be done with a percentage of each budgeted item going to the debt payoff, through our U.S. Treasury with oversight by each state in the union. Accountants, politicians, citizens, please weigh in on this. Seems to me, as Ross Perot would say, “It’s just that easy!”

Mary Wood

Tyler