Wrongful Convictions 

In reference to your Bum Steer of the Year [“Power for Its Own Sake,” January 2022], I was reading a history of the Civil War recently and came across a quote from Thomas Cobb, a brigadier general in the Army of Northern Virginia who had become disillusioned with Jefferson Davis, then president of the Confederate States. Davis, he wrote, was “the embodiment and concentration of cowardly littleness [which] he garnishes over with pharisaical hypocrisy. How can God smile upon us while we have such a man [to] lead us?” If there is a more fitting, not to say more eloquent, description of Greg Abbott, I would like to see it. 
B. C. Robison, Katy 

Your article stating that Abbott wants to hold office “no matter how many Texans get hurt” was offensive and inconsiderate. The fact that you have different convictions from Abbott’s cannot justify labeling him as uncaring and ruthless. People in our state—and our country for that matter—should strive to respect different ideologies and genuine convictions. “Tolerance” is a buzzword, but sometimes it’s used in a one-sided way. Perhaps we all, on both the left and the right, could be a little more tolerant of the sincere convictions of others.
Robert M. Cook, New Braunfels 

Parrots and Poopers

I read your recent column [The Texanist, January 2022] and saw mention of your feelings toward grackles. I am no friend of grackles. In the nineties, I worked in one of the ubiquitous glass-and-concrete office buildings in North Dallas. These buildings are often accompanied by large parking lots with tons of mid-height trees and ornamental shrubs planted by well-meaning landscape architects. Grackles find these plants to be attractive roosting sites. It is a misfortune to park one’s car under such a tree. 

I looked out my office window one day and saw a green parakeet (or parrot) flocking in the trees with the grackles! He thought he was a grackle, and the grackles never told him any different! 
Allen Ross, Tyler

Punk Rocked

I am writing in regard to Christian Wallace’s story “There Will Be Blood” [January 2022], about paramedics serving the widely scattered oil fields of West Texas. The cowboy sheriff in that story, Punk Jones, was my grandfather. Christian did a great job of representing the people from that part of Texas. It meant the world to us that the article was bookended with our beloved patriarch. He loved that land and most especially the people living in it. The story gave great honor to his life, and I just wanted to say thank you for a piece well written.  
Audra Jones Kirkendall, Amarillo 

Editors’ note: In the February 2022 issue, the article “The Man in the Eyeball Mask” stated that Residents founder Hardy Fox’s middle name was Wilford. In fact, it was Winfred. The article also stated that Fox’s sister Linda Perez has a PhD in math. She does not. We regret the errors.