Commanded Respect?

Should school district force students to stand for Pledge of Allegiance?

The protest against the Pledge of Allegiance may have started with the NFL, but now it’s gone from a Texas high school to court.

Last October, a woman named Kizzy Landry sued the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Harris County after her daughter, India, was expelled from high school for refusing to stand for the pledge.

India said she was inspired by the NFL players’ protest.

State Attorney General Ken Paxton supports the district, telling the Dallas Morning News that “school children cannot unilaterally refuse to participate in the pledge,” pointing out that in Texas parents can sign a waiver allowing their children to sit during the pledge.

Landry says forcing students to stand for the pledge violates the First Amendment guarantee of free speech. The case will go to trial next year. We want to know what you think. Should a school district require a student to stand for the pledge under threat of punishment? Or should the decision to stand be left to the individual student?

Send your response (50 words maximum) to opinion@texarkanagazette.com by Wednesday, Oct. 3. You can also mail your response to the Texarkana Gazette Friday Poll, at P.O. Box 621, Texarkana, TX 75504 or drop it off at our office, 101 E. Broad St., Texarkana, Ark. Be sure to include your name, address and phone number. We will print as many responses as we can in next Friday’s paper.

Last Week: Kavanaugh Controversy?

Last week’s question was about a California’s professor’s allegation of sexual assault against U.S. Supreme court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Should this accusation disqualify Kavanaugh from the court? Should the confirmation be put on hold until the matter is investigated thoroughly? Or do you believe the allegation is unfounded?

No, I don’t think something back in ’82, that he might have done with (I said with) a high school girl should have anything to do with his being appointed. He was 17, she was 15. They were teenagers. The main question is why didn’t she report him to the school officials, and did she ‘even’ tell her parents. It’s way too long ago, in my opinion.—B.J., Texarkana, Texas

“In the last days evil will be called good and good called evil” (Biblical). Paraphrased in today’s society: Any liberal accusations against conservatives now mandates instant guilt without a trial.—J.T., Texarkana, Texas

While I think that sexual assault of any type is wrong, I don’t think that a onetime teenage sexual assault accusation should disqualify Kavanaugh from being confirmed as Supreme Court judge. If he had other accusations against him, that would be different. His accuser coming forward after 37 years?—J.K., Ashdown, Ark.

If Christine Ford’s accusations were valid, she has had 36 years to pursue justice in either the criminal or civil courts. The US Senate is not the venue for airing her complaint. This is thinly-disguised character assassination, and a desperate attempt to thwart the will of the electorate.—M.H., New Boston, Texas

Yes Kavanaugh should be disqualified from nomination to Supreme Court. Ms. Ford was 15 at the time and was afraid as she is afraid today. The Republican Senate will try to make her look bad just as they did with Anita Hill. Trump wants him because he will show loyalty to him when he goes before the court for his crimes.—D.J., Hooks, Texas

FBI should be asked to investigate Kavanaugh and accusers. SCOTUS appointment is for life long at present pay of $255,300 to $267,000.00 per year and decisions are made that can last for generations.—J.B., Texarkana, Ark.

Senator Mazie Hirono (D,HI) said in a media interview that if Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination is somehow derailed: they plan to oppose any attempt to fill it until after the 2020 presidential election. Professor Ford’s accusations could enable that plan.—M.B., Texarkana,

Texas

Last minute theatrics by Democrats desperate to delay Kavanaugh’s confirmation should be viewed as what it is, political and nothing more. The FBI has investigated Kavanaugh’s background six times already. Hillary lost, Trump won. As then President Obama said “elections have consequences”. Democrats need to grow up and get over it. —L.O., Texarkana, Texas

To the blind “Left,” all male conservatives are guilty of assault on women. So, they have already determined Kavanaugh’s guilt, also a threat to all their agendas. Whatever methods it takes for the ungodly “Left” to achieve their goals is justified in their eyes. Determining the truth about these accusations is not their priority, but a welcomed means to destroy Kavanaugh. —D.H.M., Texarkana, Ark.

From www.facebook.com/texarkanagazette

I would hold off on the confirmation until there was an investigation. That would only be right to do to IMO.

Too many holes in her story. Typical democrat tactic. Accuse of sexual assault or racism. Her story has changed too many times to be credible.

I do not believe her for 1 second.There is too much there that doesn’t make sense. She had a lot of time to say something before now.Why wait to do this now. Fake,Fake.Who hasn’t done something when we were teenagers that we wish we hadn’t.

Vote tomorrow!

No. Her story is too thin, and the fact that the letter was sat on for weeks and not sent until just before the hearing just reeks.

It should be investigated I don’t understand the republicans resistance. They prefer to shame the accuser, it’s the trump thing to do.

They need to hold off on the vote. I would just look at the big picture! Look at her ties to the anti-Trump movement as well as the fact that she is a die hard liberal! Get over her and go ahead and confirm Judge Kavanaugh! Also look at her so called Attorneys ties are. We could go on for days. It’s just a smear campaign!!

She should tell her story the way Clarence Thomas’ accuser did, but do it immediately without conditions. Her testimony shouldn’t take more than half a day. Then take a vote the next day. I don’t believe there is anything to her story. Get this crap over with.

She took over 30 years until TRUMP nominated him. Had he been nominated when Obama was in office Dems would be crickets. This is made up BS and anyone with common sense knows it. 4 witnesses supposedly there. All four said it did not happen. They should cancel hearing and vote now and yes he should be confirmed. Typical tactics of the left. Blatant lies and dishonesty.

Her accusations should be investigated thoroughly by the FBI BEFORE Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings continue.

Put on hold and investigated.

The opportunity to “investigate” has been available since early July, however Democrats chose not to as a delay.

If she is so sure about her story , I’m not understanding all of her special requests. I would think she would want this over with as soon as possible. Get to the Hill and tell her story. I don’t understand all the people who are automatically taking sides

She is payed to say it by the left Let him in…. He is no more sexist or racist than anyone else that’s already there…. He will be amongst his peers….. OAN… WHO CARES???

Good Lord everyone with a half brain and near blind can see that they are just trying to delay and derail Kavanaugh from getting in. They will do anything to attack Trump. Who in their right mind can go back 36 years and start some mess about someone they may have known in high school or anywhere else for that matter. Absolutely zero evidence. Unfounded. Move forward. Anything of substance would not have gone unnoticed all these years.

If true then why all the delay to tell her story? If were me I would have been waiting on the Front Steps Come Monday Morning! Instead the delays & terms made surely make it seem or political to Stop the conformation of a Much Qualified Judge. Also is appearing to be a pattern with the Democratic Party since Judge Kavanaugh is not the first.

1. Innocent until proven guilty, so let’s see. 2. It should be investigated, she should testify and if true it should be corroborated by witnesses (her therapist’s notes could be used). 3. What I believe has no bearing in this case. But I’ll share my 2 cents, I do believe the statute of limitations has passed. But if there is some evidence found by the FBI, it deserves a hearing before the judiciary committee before he’s confirmed.

I don’t believe her story at all. If it were true why didn’t she report it 35 yrs ago?

He’s not been convicted of anything, no reason to delay or change a vote. I’m doubtful she’ll even show up. She is paid to delay this. This was planned when he was nominated.

Whats being missed here is whether not he LIED.

How many others have done when they were teenagers? If checked the others yoo would find something in their past to.

If Kavanaugh’s accuser had no political agenda why did she take her complaint to politicians nstead of law enforcement?

This is obviously purely a political attack to try to hold up his confirmation hearings. Funny how all of the people that SHE NAMED as witnesses have no recollection of attending a party where he attended.

Vote! This is just liberal BS to stall the vote.

An accusation is exactly that … an accusation. In this case we are talking about an accusation that is over 30 years old! I do NOT think this is a disqualification for him unless it is proven and even then it’s sketchy. A drunken event at a party attended by teenagers. How many of us really “remember” details to such things!

It’s a political move, plain and simple … if it did happen why wait until now to bring it up?

Now there will a hundred coming out of the woodworks with the same.

I think its all bs! Just another bs move by the left to try to stop him from being chosen.

I hope we are not all judged by what we did in high school.

Straight out of the demos play book when all else fails to stall vote.

At least have it checked out. Some have withdrawn for less, and if it proves factual and he LIED, kick him to the curb! Who is without sin cast the first stone It’s all a fake. Just the left trying to prevent the Supreme Court from being lost to the left for many years. They can’t win elections but want to control via the courts.

The timing as well as the way the allegations were rolled out to the media leaves me with questions. I can’t forget what an elected officer of the court did to win his election by peddling the false story about the members of the Duke lacrosse team. It’s such a sad fact that people will destroy another person and their family all in the name of politics. I’m trying to keep an open mind but it is difficult because she keeps changing her story. Also if any evidence comes out the media appears to twist the story to fit the narrative. Scary stuff. This could happen to anyone.

Waiting until they can come up with something else. The American people are not that dumb.

Set up all the way.

We have become a nation of “guilty because someone says so.” Where’s due process? What has happened to presumed innocent until proven guilty? It’s disgusting!

Ridiculous BS from the left!

If he did or didn’t it shouldn’t matter now. I just about bet there’s no one in the country that didn’t fool around when they were teenagers. This is total bs and a waste of taxpayers money. Come on Republican party vote him in. Grow a pair. Look what Bill Clinton did and nothing happened to him. So why is it a big deal now?

Bill Clinton did worse. Nothing happened to him.

Ridiculous BS from the left! Unfounded!!! VOTE Today !!