U.S. House is looking like a clown court
Grow up and show up
Regarding “Texas, of all places, shows how Congress can beat extremism (Opinion),” (Oct. 6): The House of Representatives is looking like a clown court. The egos are out of control. Hypocrisy is out of control. Grandstanding is out of control. While they stoop to histrionics and mud-slinging, my 401K is suffering.
These congressional representatives need to stop and realize that their antics are affecting all of us. We need them to grow up and show up for the people they represent. If they keep messing around and there is a government shutdown, we are all going to face financial consequences.
They need to stop fighting, elect a House speaker and revisit the concept called compromise. Neither side is going to get 100% of the items on their wishlist. Get on with legislating our country.
Connie Huch, Houston
The driver for this country, since its beginning, has been the ability to imagine a future that would allow us to realize our dreams. For centuries, Americans focused on what we could do: build things, go places and stand up for each other.
To get away from the cynicism that we are being fed daily, in heaping portions, at every meal, is to begin to dream again. To look to our left and right and realize that there is no failure of imagination — only a failure of us to imagine.
So much of the coverage that we see is wrapped in politics. It should be wrapped in the power and fragility of our democracy. The grand democratic experiment is at risk and may not survive.
Journalism can help us to see not just the day-to-day threats that occur, but the impact of these continuous behaviors that are designed to weaken and undermine our faith in ourselves.
Journalism, our free press, owes it to us to “keep the main thing, the main thing.” And that main thing is to stand up for our democracy, call out autocratic behavior and plug any holes that allow fascism to enter and destroy us all. The power of the press is an important weapon in this fight for the soul of America.
Patricia Garris, Spring
Inclusivity
Regarding “Rice University LGBTQ group cuts ties with Houston Hillel over Palestinian students’ concerns,” (Oct.
4): Let us be clear. By suddenly ending its affiliation with Houston Hillel, a Jewish ministry on campus, because Hillel International is “not reflective of the values of inclusion upheld by Rice PRIDE,” Rice PRIDE seems to be publicly proclaiming that being a Zionist is an identity that they will not tolerate.
The only lack of inclusion here is being perpetuated by RICE Pride itself, by making pro-Israel students essentially unwelcome in PRIDE.
Rice PRIDE posted on Instagram: “We acknowledge that this decision has likely weighed heavy on the hearts of queer Jewish students at Rice, and we empathize with that.” This statement is offensive, alienating and cruelly dismissive to queer Jewish students. Does Rice PRIDE insist on litmus tests for other organizations? Do other LGBTQ+ students have to choose between their queer identities and other essential parts of their identities?
Based on reporting in the university’s newspaper, RICE Pride’s decision was made by a handful of members rather than the whole group. That is a decision that should be revisited immediately. Queer Jewish students at one of our nation’s top academic institutions deserve better.
After all, Houston is one of America’s diverse and welcoming cities and always strives to be inclusive.
Benjamin Baysal, Randy Czarlinsky, Conchita Reyes and Bobby Singh, members of the American Jewish Committee Houston
Community of Conscience