This Memorial Day weekend, go to the funeral

Regarding “Houston Memorial Day Events: Concerts, Fireworks, Tributes and More” (May 22): This Memorial Day weekend, countless people will place small American flags on veterans’ graves across the country. Sheet music Houstonians will do the same at our own Houston National Cemetery, where the official ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. Monday. It’s always a stunning transformation to see a vast field of green covered in red, white and blue in just over two hours.

What’s even more moving are the little moments we see during this short time. There are other veterans who reunite with their friends and remember their fallen comrades. There are families who discover the graves of their fathers, mothers and loved ones. There are entire groups of organizations. Some are loud and others quiet. There is laughter. There are prayers. And there are tears.

For one day we celebrate what is essentially a national funeral service. If I could make one recommendation to everyone it would be: go to the funeral.

This may seem a bit macabre. But think about the funerals you attended. Haven’t there been at least some services where you came away with a renewed sense of purpose?

I encourage you to spend time on the grounds that others have prepared. I promise you that you will leave with these words in mind: “Peace be with you”.

For all of us, for you, please go to the funeral.

Regarding “City of Uvalde to pay $2 million to settle claims over Robb Elementary mass shooting” (May 22): Please keep the 19 children and two teachers who were killed in the Uvalde massacre there two years ago in your thoughts and prayers because our elected officials who put that gun in the hands of the 18 year old who killed them will not do it.

John Cobarruvias, Houston

Regarding “Houston Officials Urge Mayor Whitmire to Pressure HISD Leaders Amid Widespread Job Cuts” (May 20): A question for City Council members who decided that Mayor John Whitmire be more proactive in influencing decisions made by the Houston ISD Superintendent. Mike Miles: Where were your concerns when it became apparent that HISD had so many students who could not read at grade level?

Regarding “What has changed in Houstonians’ concerns?” Survey says: Affordability. | Editorial » (May 22): Stephen Klineberg, retired Rice University professor and founder of the Kinder Houston Area Survey, pointed out some interesting things in his annual survey of Houstonians. attitudes in the past.

This year? Rental rates are too high, schools need more funding, and concerns about crime are increasing. All of these things would be much less of a problem if the United States had not allowed approximately 10.9 million illegal immigrants into the country.

I am very pleased to learn that, according to the latest Houston area survey, nearly 9 in 10 Houstonians want the city to lead the global energy transition. A recent study on global warming concluded that saving the world would cost much less than destroying it. A dollar invested now in the energy transition will protect $6 in future income. Everyone can help. Third Act, a group founded by environmentalist Bill McKibben, is asking people to tell Costco to find another bank for its credit card. CitiBank, they say, finances fossil fuels.

Please take action to support children.

Wow, that opened my eyes! Houstonians are truly reality-based and forward-looking, unlike Texas state government.

Why this abyss? It’s simple: The Houston area survey surveys the entire population of a large urban county. But we Houstonians are just a nuisance to Governor Greg Abbott, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and the rest of the gang. They represent only a tiny portion of the population that votes in Republican primaries, guided by right-wing white Christian evangelical nationalists. The survey should also have asked: “Did you vote in the Republican primaries?” This would have explained the chasm.

Regarding “The streets are not a Hollywood set | Opinion” (May 23): Although letter writer Mark H. Szyman is correct that you can defend yourself when someone points a gun at you, he seems confused about Garrett’s facts. Foster and Daniel Perry case and Governor Greg Abbott’s pardon of Perry. In fact, several witnesses testified that Foster did not point the gun at Perry, and Perry himself also initially stated that he thought Foster was going to point the gun at him. Regarding this and other incidents, there seems to be a lot of personal delusion these days that competes with the facts.