Two elderly men running for president. The choice is clear. | Letters
As an elderly woman, come November I'll have to choose between two elderly men for president. One is an elder statesman, the other's a con man; one is truthful, the other's a pathological liar; one advises getting vaccinated, the other advises drinking bleach; one wants to ban military-style assault rifles, solve the border crisis and allow women autonomy over their bodies; the other one doesn't. One wants to protect, Medicare, Social Secuity and endangered species; the other one not so much.
But the hardest decision will be choosing between the one who wants to preserve our 248-year-old democracy and the one who wants a bloodbath if he's not elected dictator on day one. Talk about a tough decision.
Sharon Austry, Fort Worth
Red states banning diversity programs
is backlash for the Floyd murder protests
Re: March 21 article, 'Alabama governor signs bill barring DEI programs'
With Gov. Kay Ivey’s signature, Alabama becomes the latest Republican-led state, following in the footsteps of Texas, Florida, Utah and others, to ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs from public schools and universities. In total more than 100 similar bills have been recently introduced and/or passed in red states to combat the teaching of “divisive concepts.”
This is a concerted backlash to the national protests that followed in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in May, 2020. The ongoing attempt to ignore and whitewash our nation’s racial history only causes the problems to fester. In my view America needs to convene a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, as did Canada, South Africa, Australia, Chile, Morocco and so many other countries, to address our history of slavery, Jim Crow and systemic racism. Until we do so, America will be faced with a continuation of racial strife and its debilitating consequences.
Jay Trachtenberg, Austin
Abbott's response should have been
to listen and consider the other side
Re: March 12 article, 'When some bands pull out of SXSW, Abbott says good riddance.'
Finally, Mr. Abbott has articulated the puritanical purge he, Patrick and Paxton are conducting throughout Texas. The correct response to protest should not be “good riddance” or a criminal violation threatening incarceration. The correct response is “I hear you and am investigating your concern.” Listening to the other side is a requirement for good governance, as is benevolence. The triumvirate are trying to purge Texas of all doctors, women and benevolent thinkers who don’t agree with their Pure Way of Living.
I can’t believe our great state is adopting a lifestyle straight out of the Scarlet Letter.
Glenn Gurgiolo, Austin
Business owners can't afford to ignore
credentials if they wish to turn a profit
Consider any Major League baseball team. Every position on every team is filled by the very best player the management can find or afford to pay. Why? The object is to win games. Notice the ethnic makeup of each team, and you will conclude that when excellence is the objective, DEI seems to have taken care of itself.
Examine any business you choose, and determine where, or why, the management can afford to do the reverse, making sure that DEI is observed rather than excellence, and still plan on being profitable, let alone survive.
Now, back to those Major League clubs. What did it take for the players to become masters of their craft? Proclivity, hard work, tireless determination.
In the business world, those are known as credentials. Business owners, if you choose to ignore credentials to obtain DEI, your business will fail.
Kenneth K. Ebmeier, Round Rock
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