Police Malpractice

Regarding "42 more bikers indicted in Waco fracas" (Thursday City State A3), it was interesting to read that the grand jury had now indicted a total of 148 bikers for the melee that left nine gang members dead.  It was interesting to read that they could all face "15 years to life in prison if convicted" for participating in the riot. 

What I find lacking in this account of the "fracas" and every prior story is why it ever happened in the first place.  Dozens of heavily armed police officers were on the scene, and not only contributed to the carnage but may have actually been responsible for the majority of the fatalities.  Clearly police officials knew that, or they would not have shown up in force.

Unanswered is why police commanders allowed the gathering to happen?  Why were officers staged only on the perimeter?  And why, ten months later, have law enforcement officials still not revealed who shot whom?  

This entire tragedy could have been prevented with some early and common sense intervention by the police.  Why didn't that happen?

Pete Smith

Cypress, TX

Latino Democrats Have Some 'Splainin' To Do

Regarding "S. Texas remains corruption hotbed", (Monday City/State), kudos to John MacCormack for a detailed and insightful article about municipal corruption.  What was particularly remarkable was the passage where he explained some of the reasons for the corruption, including: "a cultural tendency to see public service as a means to personal wealth", "a one-party political system with entrenched political bosses", and "systemic election fraud."

Here in but a few words, John MacCormack sums up what Republicans have been complaining about for generations regarding the Democratic party.  He emphasizes the point by comparing the travails of S. Texas Democrats to "Chicago, New Orleans and New York", all run by Democrats.

It's notable that you cannot cite comparable instances of such wholesale municipal corruption by Republicans.  Democrats do not own corruption as individuals, they do own corruption as an institution.

This article was illuminating.  Hopefully it will start a long overdue national conversation about the source of corruption, and its remedies.

Pete Smith

Cypress, TX