RE: LAST WEEK’S STREIGL COLUMN

There has been a lot of uproar and discussion about a certain article that discussed “traitors” in our county recently. Teachers, staff, citizens, and neighbors have all formed different opinions. Bandera County GOP Secretary, Mr. Striegl has asked everyone to take a stand, “get up off your backside and get involved.” He has all but called out the citizens for being lazy and uninterested in our own community. In addition, our elected school board members have been personally attacked and called “traitors” and accused of seeking this company out as a board. The article in question is 90% opinion with little to no merit or fact.

I am a quote unquote Republican as well, and part of what that identity means to me is being a Christian. While I know that this does not always align, I also know that for most of us who do blend the Republican and Christian titles, we know the greatest commandments given to us: Love God & love your neighbor.

If you read the previous article, you’d realize, there is no love in those written words. Citizens of Bandera voted for each and every member of the BISD School Board, and now they are being attacked and berated due to a decision that has yet to even be made.

This is not an argument for the solar farm, as I am against it as well, specifically as someone who lives very close to the proposed location. How ever, I implore you to ask yourself, if you were given an opportunity to get almost a million dollars for something, would you flat out refuse, or would you at least take a second to hear the proposal?

The school board members were elected and placed in their offices as a show of our trust and faith, and it would be an injustice to our students and teachers to simply refuse that proposal with no real data. At this point, the board has not even heard the proposal, and that is all they are voting on doing.

I agree with Mr. Striegl in the fact that every citizen should educate themselves, form an opinion, and have your voices heard. Where we disagree is on the method in which those opinions are voiced. Go to the meeting, explain your thoughts and research, but remember that the board members are citizens in our community, and most importantly, they are people (not traitors) who are trying to do the best for our kids and teachers. Regardless of your belief in God, we should be treating these members the same way that we would want to be treated, not like people who have personal interest or are traitors to our community in any way.

Thank you

Alyssa Cothran