Freedom to protest
Regarding Kneeling for anthem is protesting America, (A14, June 18): Ask Marc Thiessen who will speak for those U.S. solders like my dad and his three brothers who fought for others freedom when their freedom in the U.S. was limited or non-existent?
Rep. Harold V. Dutton, Jr., Houston
Marc Thiessen condemned Colin Kaepernick for kneeling during the national anthem. In doing so he repeated President Donald Trumps assertion that Kaepernick was kneeling to show disrespect for our flag, our military, and our country and not (as Kaepernick has repeatedly stated) to call attention to the disproportionate use of violence by the police against black and brown men.
When my grandson played soccer, he and his teammates were taught to kneel whenever a player on either team was injured. This was done to show respect for the injured player. In the old days a man would kneel to ask for his girlfriends hand in marriage. Soldiers kneel before the graves of their fallen comrades. Knights kneel before the queen. In each instance kneeling is a sign of respect. I cant think of any situation in which kneeling did not represent respect, until the president took it upon himself to redefine Colin Kaepernicks act as one of disrespect.
Barbara Navarro, Magnolia
Bravo to Marc Thiessens oped. My father fought in the South Pacific during WWII and was proud of his service as were many of his comrades. I was raised to respect the flag as a symbol of Americas ideals.
Because of many who fought for our country, you have a right to protest but (as Thiessen stated) when you disrespect the flag, you disrespect them.
Kitty Russell, Houston
White privilege
Regarding Pastors white blessing remarks draw fire, (A13, June 19): As a Houston native who now lives in Lufkin, I look forward to my enewspaper each day. As a just-left-of-center independent voter and thinker, I expect and want the news to be given without slant or bias. Please let me gather information and make my own decisions. When I saw the headline Pastors white blessing remarks draw fire, I was livid. I am a pastors wife, and I was ready to pounce and take action on this injustice. I had already typed a scathing Facebook comment about him not following the same Bible I follow. Then I read the rest of the story. This pastor said something that was totally stupid, unacceptable and apparently unintentional. When he realized what he said was not what he meant, he immediately retracted it and apologized. This is a story of sin and redemption. But your headline was clearly manipulated to get a readers attention, and sadly many of them may not have read anything but the biased headline. I am an ardent supporter of the First Amendment and freedom of the press, and I am thankful to be able to read your paper each morning. That being said, I am tired of the divisions in our country. Please just report the news fairly, and dont try to add to the divisiveness. Let us draw our own conclusions.
Terri Morgan, Lufkin
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