More than 50 years of research has documented the “bystander effect” in which people fail to intervene in a sexual that they witness. The more people are present, the less likely someone will offer help to the victim — responsibility seems diffused among those present. Would you step up?
How does modern politics reflect this failure of social responsibility?
Many social classes (including the young, people of color, ethnic minorities, women, those with disabilities and gender minorities) suffer from injustices that could be corrected if people stood up and acted together. That’s how all social progress has been achieved — through the organized action of citizens, including the development of democracy; programs like social security; and worker, consumer, reproductive, privacy, legal and voting rights.
When we choose to opt out of the political process, we sidestep our role in creating a government and policies that address the desperate need of victims of current conditions.
We say, “No thanks” to having someone’s back when they cannot win their fight alone.
We say, “I’m good” to the victims of discrimination, exploitation, abuse, harassment and outright attack.
We say, “I don’t get involved in politics” because we are privileged; we are lucky; we are in a protected class.
That’s messed up. People should help each other. We can have what we want if we just stay informed and involved. That’s why it’s important to vote. Learn the issues and use your power to protect folks who are being victimized.
Kirby MacLaurin
Austin
What
a mess
How many of your readers remember the John Lennon song, “I’m sick and tired of hearing things from uptight, short-sighted, narrow-minded hypo-critics, all I want is the truth”?
Americans are sick and tired of not being able to trust our own news sources, yet alone our government. How many people are afraid to put a bumper sticker on their vehicle or a yard sign up to show support for their candidate of choice? The FBI and Department of Justice are being investigated for the way they treat people because these people either tell the truth by reporting corruption or are not of the correct political persuasion or because they are caught praying on the sidewalk in front of their home? Parents are called terrorists because they disagree with what their children are being taught in the school that we pay for as taxpayers. It seems what’s wrong is right and what’s right is wrong.
This will end and I’m afraid it’s not going to be pretty. Americans want the truth! We want the truth about Hillary and Bill. We want the truth about Hunter Biden and Russia/China. Was Joe involved? I don’t know the truth, but do I trust the federal government officials that we have now to tell the truth? No!
Why is it that Trump supporters and Christian organizations are being targeted by the IRS? I want the truth, don’t you?
I’m not necessarily a Trump supporter, but as Clint Eastwood said, “You have to ask yourself one question: Are you/we/the world better off today than we were two years ago?” Check your retirement investments! Your gas receipts! Your food bill! It’s been reported that there are 600,000 “getaways” who have crossed our border. Now what? I’m sure they’re going to be upstanding members and pillars of our communities! Aren’t you?
We have a mess in our country and it’s caused by people who live behind walls of their own and do not buy gas or groceries but tell us we must suck it up!
There are two choices to be made here. Numero uno, pray for our country, and numero dos, vote!
Scott Matthews
Mission
Voting
warning
Two years under Joe Biden and we have had record high gas prices, the highest inflation in 40 years, a looming recession, housing and stock market collapse, open borders nightmare, possible war with China and supply-chain collapses. Can you imagine someone ignoring all this and still voting Democrat?
Voting for Beto will just bring to Texas more of the same horrible and failed policies that are the signature and legacy of the Biden presidency. All the gloom and doom the Democrats predicted would happen under Trump are actually coming true under Biden.
Joel Ramirez
Edinburg
Don’t use taxes
for school meals
Diane Teter’s letter in the Sept. 14 paper has confused what I said earlier about student meals during school hours. Lunch has always been provided by schools, but not necessarily by taxpayers.
Breakfast before school and supper after school should be the responsibility of parents. Children in after-school activities can bring a snack for themselves from home.
Government and taxpayers should not accept this expense. Parents need to be the primary provider for their children.
Back when I was in public school, we had to buy a lunch ticket. So even though we ate lunch at school, the cost of providing it fell to the parents and not to the taxpayers.
Debra Bolin
Mission
