Church and state
Senate Bill 1515 requires Texas public elementary and secondary schools to display a copy of the Ten Commandments in a conspicuous place in every classroom.
This bill has passed the Texas Senate and is headed to the Texas House of Representatives for consideration.
As an American, I find this to be an unpatriotic contradiction of the right to freedom of religion. Requiring a religious text to be displayed in state-run public-school classrooms is clearly establishing a state religion which is expressly forbidden in the Bill of Rights.
As a Christian, I find this to be an offensive attempt to play politics with one of the sacred texts of my faith. To me, requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in a public-school classroom, much like requiring prayer, has the effect of elevating the appearance of religiosity while diminishing heartfelt consideration of faith.
As a citizen who cares about the future of our society, I find this to be an ill-considered distraction from the very real challenges facing our public schools in providing the sound education that is so critically important for our children, our communities, our state and our whole country.
Please join me in writing, calling or emailing Rep. Doc Anderson, your state representative, and urging him to vote against this bill. Google “Doc Anderson Texas House of Representatives” to find his contact information.
Ashley Bean Thornton, Waco
Birth control
The recent overturn of Roe vs Wade after 50 years has upset many in our nation. Now is the time for parents to take responsibility for their daughters’ sexual health. Birth control is readily available through your family physician or Planned Parenthood. Some will argue that putting your daughters on birth control will give them “permission” to have premarital sex.
Don’t kid yourself, parents. Your daughters are not going to ask your permission to have sex. Regardless of religious upbringing, teenagers are going to make impulsive decisions without thinking about the long-term consequences. Birth control will keep your daughters from the risk of an unplanned pregnancy.
Protect your children (and yourself) from the trauma of an unplanned pregnancy. And while you are at it, talk to your sons about using condoms.
Pat Carney Weaver, Hewitt
City leaders MIA
House Bill 2827 was filed in February, yet Waco city manager Bradley Ford states in a Waco Trib article that he didn’t know about this bill until April 10 [“Dairy bill revives fight,” April 30].
If this bill was filed in February, we can be sure that TCEQ and other stakeholders were made aware of this long before the filing.
It seems that someone in city of Waco leadership dropped the ball on this issue.
There ought to be someone on city staff monitoring the Texas Legislature for issues that impact Waco.
It seems the city staff and Waco City Council are too busy with gentrification and tourism to monitor the issues that impact the day-to-day lives of Wacoans.
Carmen Saenz, Waco
Source: Wacotrib
