GOP’s kerfuffle
Regarding “U.S. Sen. John Cornyn booed at Texas GOP convention over gun deal: ‘Get off the stage!’,” (June 17): Former Attorney General William Barr described President Donald Trump as “detached from reality” in his sworn testimony about the aftermath of the 2020 election. Maybe that condition is contagious.
Learning about the recent state Republican convention here in Houston, in which Sen. John Cornyn was booed for trying to do something about gun violence and Rep. Dan Crenshaw was harassed, I have to ask: Are the conventioneers detached from reality, too?
Do they just acquiesce in random mass shootings? Do they really believe, after numerous settled lawsuits, that somehow the 2020 election was rigged — and the rigging benefited only one person? Wildest of all, in a state where over 5 million Texans voted for Joseph Biden, do they believe all Texans are fervent Trump supporters?
It’s terrifying that someone “detached from reality” headed our government for 2½ months in 2020-2021. It’s even more terrifying that others detached from reality want to put him back into office.
Reality may be an uncomfortable place. But it’s safe. Unreality isn’t.
Nancy Perich Daly, Houston
I feel that it is a sad day for the GOP in Texas to behave in the manner they did when so many lives are lost to gun violence. I also heard Sen. Ted Cruz’s speech on how he would protect the Second Amendment at all costs. What happened to civility and the duty of our elected officials to represent all of us? Why are we the major democracy that does not take a stand on gun violence when the majority of Americans are calling for gun reform? Addressing gun violence is not a popularity contest and our government can no longer be held hostage by those who I feel have lost touch with reality. As a health care professional, I have never witnessed a positive outcome from a gun. I am certain I would have received the same reception as Sen. John Cornyn received, which made national news.
Texas is no longer the ultraconservative state that many feel it is. I deserve to have my views heard in the U.S. Senate and, at this point in time, Texas has only one truly representative senator.
Deborah Zygmunt, Missouri City
The so-called “compromise” Sen. Cornyn worked out with his Senate colleagues puts heavy emphasis on mental health support and nothing substantial on the control of guns. One might hope that the increased availability of mental health services would be extended to help those with gun addictions. Apparently, they were in strong attendance at the Texas Republican Convention as they shouted, “No gun control.” Gun addiction, in my opinion, is a huge public health problem in our country where it has made us the laughingstock of people living in more civilized nations.
John James, Houston
As my mother would say, “He is as weak as pond water.” How can we — only a few weeks since 21 Texans were murdered — turn our backs on the need to reform our gun laws? Cornyn is the best example of a GOP donothing who, no matter what has happened, still loves money more than the lives of Americans. These power-hungry politicians must be voted out. We need fresh open-minded leaders. These senators who have been there since they had peach fuzz and now have gray beards need to be replaced.
Barclay C. Fisher, Kingwood
Many attendees at the state GOP convention last Friday jeered Sen. John Cornyn for attempting to work with Democrats and come up with some common-sense gun control legislation.
They seem to not care one whit that their “rights” to own and play with military-style weapons is paid for, again and again, with the lives of schoolchildren. What part of “wellregulated” do they not understand?
Ralph Stivison, Houston
Regarding “GOP wants Texans to vote on secession from U.S. — plus 6 other takeaways from the party's convention,” ( June 20): I’m up late tonight, doing paperwork. I’m moving my savings out of Texas-based banking institutions. In academic language it’s called “disintermediation.” I suspect the Texas Republican Party doesn’t know what the word means.
Given what the Texas Republican Party has to say about secession, I don’t want to have a bunch of arrogant men change my U.S. dollar savings into a “Texas dollar” or some other name for currency in a newly founded Texas republic.
I am not sitting around “waiting to see what happens.”
Jennifer Washburn Shaw, Rockport