A fourth grader at Louise Junior High School begins writing a prayer. A reader says SB11, allowing prayer in school, isn’t the uplifting spiritual message Texas leaders hoped it would be.
Mikala Compton/American-Statesman
U.S. President Donald Trump bows his head in prayer with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., last year. Bondi is one of many in the Trump administration enablers who should be held to account, a reader says.
Win McNamee/Getty Images
In 1996, Grand Staircase-Escalante was the first national monument to be entrusted to the Bureau of Land Management — a revolutionary change in the conservation mission of the agency. Proposed legislation to remove the monument’s management plan would would create uncertainty for monuments across the country, a reader says.
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Losing our religion
Re: March 13 commentaries, “State-sanctioned prayer doesn’t belong in schools,” and “Stop treating student prayer as a
constitutional threat”
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What an excellent juxtaposition of views on Senate Bill 11 — the law that allows a daily, optional period for prayer and reading of the Bible.
A well-spoken West Lake 10th-grader made it clear that she, as a non-Christian, feels uncomfortable with the infusion of Bible verses and teachings in the classroom and is grateful her district did not opt in for scheduled prayer time.
She points out she has experienced religious divisiveness at school and that student-led religious groups are welcome on her campus and have their place, but not a single religion promoted by those in authority.
On the other side we have counsel for a conservative organization claiming that opting in to SB11 will give students “peace, perspective and presence of the divine in the midst of a crowded school day.”
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Clearly an actual student doesn’t feel that way.
The reality of infusing religion into the classroom is far different from the spiritual uplifting its proponents claim.
Rona Distenfeld, Austin
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A real Bible lesson
Holly M. Randall, counsel at First Liberty Institute, writes “Hannah Allen, a middle school student from a small town in North Texas, gathered about 50 of her classmates in the lunchroom to pray for a fellow classmate who’d been injured in an accident, the principal told them to stop praying. They were told that if they wanted to continue, they must go pray behind a curtain or behind closed doors.”
In the Bible, Matthew 6:6, Christians are encouraged to “go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret.”
It seems the principal knows more about the Bible than the counsel at First Liberty Institute.
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Speak up for democracy
Re: March 11 editorial, “New exoneree already endured one tragedy; ICE should not inflict another”
I take my right to vote very seriously, however, I have been a part of the silent majority of this nation for most of my adult life.
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Carmen Mejia’s situation has inspired me to speak up in her defense.
Her innocence has been proven in our court system, and she should be allowed to return to her life as it was before being wrongfully incarcerated. Her legal status to live in America should be reinstated.
She should be compensated as well.
Our Founding Fathers made it part of our Constitution to ensure we retain the right to use our voices for democracy.
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Regardless of our nation’s current administration’s wishes, I strongly feel that now is the time to speak up for every person’s rights or jeopardize losing our own.
It is happening slowly but surely.
Karen Thorwaldson, Corpus Christi
Trump’s not grieving
As I was enjoying the Sunday Statesman, I came across the headline, “Trump grieves with families of fallen troops.”
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I nearly spit out my coffee.
It would be ridiculous to think the man who started this war, potentially to distract from the Epstein files, grieves anything.
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Release Epstein files
We are at war without an exit plan, facing an Epstein file distraction timed perfectly for the next election.
Our only solution is to vote out the Republicans who support the Epstein class.
Do not be distracted, demand the release of the remaining files.
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It is clear that soldiers, abused girls and the working class are expendable to the elite class that relies on Trump for protection.
This is why health care, education and fair wages are no longer prioritized.
By allowing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement overreach and punitive tariffs, Republican leadership has chosen the Epstein class over the people.
As Texas Rep. James Talarico, who is running for U.S. Senate, noted, this is a top vs. bottom struggle.
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Accountability is not partisan, it is essential. Vote like your life depends on it.
Cynthia High, Dripping Springs
Trump’s many enablers
It is time for the mainstream press to start naming the people hiding behind President Donald Trump, but who were not elected but appear to be controlling what is happening in this country.
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Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, Budget Director Russell Vought, National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, and others in the Trump administration continue to smile and nod to everything that is ongoing. They are complicit in enacting these failed policies put forth by Trump.
Trump was given immunity from prosecution for his actions as president but these people were not. Remember the Nuremberg Trials established that “just following orders,” does not relieve you of prosecution.
And now we are in a war because Trump had a “feeling.” That feeling was spurred by his yes men and women giving him false information that fits his worldview, much to the detriment of everyone else.
It is time for the press to repeatedly state that these people who are enabling Trump are responsible for the destruction and loss of lives in our country.
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The press must talk about the gaslighting from the White House and must say out loud what we can all see with our own eyes — this emperor has no clothes.
Leave monument plan alone
In honor of my late sister, who valued our national parks and monuments, and for the memories our family made camping at national parks as we traveled across the country, I’m asking my representatives to vote ‘no’ on the joint resolution (House Joint Resolution 151 and Senate Joint Res.109) that seeks to remove the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Management Plan.
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The plan was designated in 1996 to protect the remarkable landscape, scientific and historic resources, Grand Staircase-Escalante in the heart of southern Utah. It also serves as a critical link among three crown jewels of the National Park System, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef National Parks and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
This joint resolution, according to the National Parks Conservation Association, would sever that connection, creating uncertainty for the future of the monument, national parks, tribes, visitors, local communities and businesses.
This is also the first attempt to use the Congressional Review Act against a national monument management plan and could set a dangerous precedent, undermining the entire planning system for national monuments.
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Lenore “Lory” Donatt, WestLake Hills