VETS SHOULDN’T LET WITHDRAWAL DIMINISH SERVICEAfghanistan veterans: You volunteered, you took the oath, you did your duty and you served with honor. Do not let the manner of withdrawal diminish your service to the country in any way. Walk tall and be proud for you have many veterans who walk with you.

Marvin Carpenter

United States Army

Tyler

IRRESPONSIBLE TO KEEP TISD SCHOOLS OPEN AMID SURGEI think it’s time for TISD administration to take responsibility for the health of your teachers and students and close TISD schools. You have teachers who have left their classrooms with COVID whose students are then divided among other classrooms because you can’t get substitute teachers. This is irresponsible and puts a tremendous amount of pressure on teachers who do feel responsible for their students’ safety.

I am not a proponent of stay-at-home school but use some common sense and quit spreading the virus.

Concerned grandparent,

Vicki Alfred

Tyler

HYPOCRISY FROM DEMS ON FILIBUSTERIn response to David Ham’s letter to the editor wanting Biden to end the filibuster in order to pass the Democrats’ For the People Act:

I will not use this platform to debate the pros and cons of this bill, but will take issue with Mr. Ham’s labeling of the filibuster as “Jim Crow.” I don’t believe I have ever seen a letter from Mr. Ham denouncing the filibuster when it was used 328 times (a record) in the Democrats’ favor during the 2019-2020 Congressional term in order to stop the passage of bills with which they did not agree. You can’t have it both ways, Mr. Ham.

Deborah Smith

Tyler

BIDEN MUST PROTECT VOTING RIGHTSBiden has a choice to make: Does he want to establish his legacy as a president who fought for voting rights, or not?

In order to be remembered as a president who fought for voting rights, Biden must do more than ask the Senate to pass voting rights legislation. He knows as well as we do that bills like the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act won’t make it through the Senate unless we abolish the filibuster.

Biden must publicly and unequivocally support abolishing the filibuster to clear the way for these crucial reforms. It’s time for Biden to be the leader he promised to be and call on the Senate to end the filibuster and protect our right to vote.

We’re counting on him to do the right thing.

Judy Durland

Tyler