AP

Justify your vote

Senator Bryan Hughes,

I’m a 53-year-old Texas Republican. I voted for you; however, I will not make that mistake again. I don’t want a coward representing me.

Every Texan who has ever read a newspaper knows that Ken Paxton is a despicable liar and criminal. They know it in Collin County, and we know it in Smith County.

The fact that you and every other Republican voted to acquit this scum makes you no better than he is, and therefore, to the Texans who paid attention, you must also be a criminal.

We are fed up with the crime, the dishonor, and the gutless cowards that make up all of politics today, and you have shown us all that you are definitely right in the mix of things.

You are a coward Hughes, and I will do my part to make sure you do not get re-elected.

You can tell all your buddies in Austin and Washington; We, the people, are disgusted by each one of you. You have all shown the world that American politics is nothing but a cesspool of wealthy clowns who watch out for each other. There is no honor attached to any elected criminal in Washington D.C., not a single one, and there is now proof, that there is no honor in the elected trash in Austin either.

I do have one question, Hughes. How would you justify your vote to the elementary children in Tyler?

We are waiting.

Edward Black, retired police captain

Whitehouse

Support public education

Ecclesiastes knew it: there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

Supporting public education. We Texans have been here before. And it is a fight we must continue to have. State legislators, including East Texas voices, continue to promote an unpopular and destructive push for school vouchers. This is where taxpayer money would be used to support private educational choices.

By moral right and written into the Texas Constitution, our job as a society is to provide public education to every child in our State. To defund any part of public education by pulling money out for private vouchers is short-sighted and harmful.

The minute that your tax dollar crosses the threshold of a private school, homeschool, or religious school, it must be held accountable to State standards. They do not want these regulations. This is precisely why those private programs exist, to avoid State interference. That is fine.

But we need our tax dollars to stay where they do the most holy service, in our public schools. As Governor Abbott is considering convening a special legislative session to have this conversation, it is imperative that our community step up and show love where it is needed. Simply tell your State legislators that vouchers are a destructive tool and their job is to adequately fund our public schools, not move money away to private interests.

We share this message, inspired by the work of Pastors for Texas Children, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting our public schools.

With faith,

Dr. Lance Bolay

Rev. Ginger Brandt

Rev. Ralph Caraway

Rev. Kimberly Carney

Rabbi Neal Katz

Anwar Khalifa

Rev. Orenthia D. Mason

Dr. Pamela J. Phoenix