A woman during a McKinney City Council meeting Tuesday evening which got tense. The council was voting on the site plan for a mosque submitted by the McKinney Islamic Association. Readers have opinions about it.
Anja Schlein/The Dallas Morning News
An expression of faith?
Re: “Mosque site plan OK’d after raucous meeting – More than 100 people spoke to council, showing stark division over project,” Thursday news story.
As a resident of McKinney, I am embarrassed by the ignorance and bigotry shown at the recent City Council meeting regarding a proposed mosque. The ignorant and bigoted included our congressional representative.
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I am quite certain that most, if not all of these “patriots,” call themselves Christian. What a great expression of their faith!
Scott Kimball, McKinney
Angry crowds
U.S Rep. Keith Self, R-McKinney, reached into the Republican Party toolbox and pulled out the well-used feelings of fear and ignorance. Then he began using them on the city of McKinney against a proposed mosque building site.
I looked at the council meeting picture of several older women in red, white and blue holding signs that said, “Stop the Islamic Invasion” and “Don’t Sharia Texas.”
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Then I wondered. What do unbelievers think when they see this behavior? Would Jesus be carrying a sign and yelling at the City Council? Do they have sound biblical grounds for treating another religion in this manner and if so, what are they?
Personally, I felt depressed and saddened by the crowds’ behavior. They should know from many stories in the Bible that crowds of angry people are rarely thinking rightly.
Debbie Dominguez, Kaufman
A Sunday school song
I’m so sad to see the photo of the woman physically reacting to former McKinney Mayor George Fuller. A song that I learned in Sunday school keeps coming to mind, “They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love.”
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Not too pleased
Re: “Respond to facts, not fears,” by Syed Hadi Jawad, Thursday Letters.
Jawad writes that Texas leaders are wasting time worrying about Muslims in Texas. Oh, really? I think the only logical response would be to refer him to England, France, Germany and other European countries, and the wonderful changes there since the invasion by Muslims. I understand their citizens are not too pleased.
Bruce Davidson, Carrollton
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Irish head north
Re: “The jig is up – North Texas Irish Festival decamps for Denton after 42 years in Fair Park,” by Robert Wilonsky, Thursday Opinion.
There’s an old movie titled The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight. Perhaps it’s time for a remake titled, The City That Couldn’t Shoot Straight. What do we do here? Do we just give up?
Daniel Siculan, Royse City
Clarifying antisemitism
Re: “Don’t get comfortable with antisemitism – It’s becoming more common. That shouldn’t mean we tolerate it,” by Todd Polikoff, Wednesday Opinion.
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It would be a good idea for Polikoff to share the thought that opposition to the actions of the Israeli government or military is not antisemitism.
With many of my Jewish friends — both in person and on Facebook — one word of criticism of the Israeli government or military — not criticism of Jews or Israeli people in general — results in an angry tirade charging me with antisemitism.
As a result, I no longer express my thoughts on this issue with anyone I even suspect is Jewish.
Jews who berate those who make fact-based criticism of the Israeli government or military are doing no favors for themselves or the people of Israel.
Never again
Polikoff’s excellent essay reminds us once again of the dangers of accepting as normal the unacceptable and the despicable. Ninety-three years ago, Adolf Hitler and his Nazis didn’t suddenly come to power in Germany overnight. From the beginning of his rise to political domination, he focused on the antisemitism that had existed in Europe for countless centuries.
As Polikoff points out, the responsibility for fighting prejudice of whatever kind “belongs to every one of us.” Unfortunately, hatred of “the other” flourishes in our nation today. How can individual Americans of good will combat this? The answer is simple.
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A sculpture of a prisoner, caught in barbed wire, stands in the Dachau concentration camp. Below the sculpture, in Hebrew, German and the languages of the World War II allies are the words, “Never Again.”
The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., goes one better: “‘Never Again’ begins with me.”
Talarico’s messaging
Re: “Donor divide shapes contest – Talarico’s top backers gave $17.2M, while Paxton brought in $5.1M,” Wednesday news story.
Wait. What? I’ve been bombarded with James Talarico ads in which he has five fingers raised and is saying, “Five dollars, all I’m asking is five dollars” to defeat Ken Paxton and his West Texas “mega-donors.”
In another ad he says, “I’m lowering my ask to one dollar,” and bemoans the fact the donations are running way behind. And what’s the actual situation? He’s out-raising Paxton 3 to 1, with $11 million coming from a single Silicon Valley billionaire mega-donor. Give me a break.
There’s no way I’m voting for Paxton, but Talarico’s duplicitous messaging has just about got me to the point that he likely fears the most: an independent, centrist voter — the kind his success depends on — deciding to stay home in November.
Robert Butsch, Duncanville
Lack of peace and respect
Re: “Judge orders room cleared at meeting,” Wednesday news story.
Many of us are dismayed and outraged over the arrest of Lon Burnam, former state representative and Dallas Peace and Justice Center director, for simply picking up a microphone to express his First Amendment right. Since when is holding a microphone a crime?
But autocratic Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare decided it was and ordered Burnam and others arrested. Rather than an arrest, how about O’Hare enter into a peaceful and courteous dialogue with Burnam to discuss the issues at hand?
This would have been the process in a democratic society, and the process the Dallas Peace and Justice Center promotes and would expect. It is not only disheartening to see our citizens being treated in such a disrespectful manner, but also a reminder of what happens in societies where autocracy is the norm.
We certainly do not want, nor should we tolerate, this level of disrespect of the people. We hold in our hearts and send our deepest regards to Burnam and Fort Worth resident Base Mego for attempting to hold a peaceful and productive conversation.
Leonard Ellis, Arlington