Same-sex marriage article was inappropriate

I opened my Sunday morning paper while having breakfast with numerous golf buddies. The article on the first and second page made me catch my breath.

"Making history" was just inappropriate to all at my table. Turning to the second page and witnessing two burly guys kissing just ruined five breakfasts.

It seems the El Paso Times seems to continually dedicate pages of pictures and stories about the LGBT community. But front page and another to include these guys locked up in a sensual kiss is over the edge.

America is changing. It has been this way for about four years now as the current administration has tested the waters with liberalism far more than some are willing to accept.

Most folks I know just cringed when they saw this article.

Roy Gray

West Side

Free legal services for sexual assault victims

Rape and sexual assault have dominated national news in recent weeks. This issue extends beyond the headlines.

According to the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault, two in five women and one in five men in Texas have been sexually assaulted in their lifetime.

Survivors of sexual assault encounter many legal problems, including privacy violations, physical safety threats, lack of school accommodations, employment sanctions, and issues with housing. Thanks to funding from the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, Texas legal service providers, including Texas RioGrande Legal Aid can help victims resolve legal issues arising from sexual assault.

TRLA’s Legal Aid for Survivors of Sexual Assault Project serves 182 Texas counties, including El Paso and surrounding counties. The project provides survivors of sexual assault with free civil legal services to those who are income eligible.

To apply, a survivor may call TRLA’s LASSA hotline at 800-991-5153 and leave a message with a safe callback number. A LASSA team member will return the call within three business days.

Community organizations who work with victims may also contact TRLA’s LASSA project for more information about available services.

The goal of the LASSA project is to empower victims and achieve safety, security, and stability. Survivors deserve access to justice and support along their road to recovery.

Lauren Kahre-Campbell

Staff attorney

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid

El Paso native sets junior swim record

Congratulations to Sean Grieshop, an El Paso native and son of Ann Semmer Grieshop, former news anchor for Channel 7-KVIA in El Paso, who is following his dreams.

Sean Grieshop set a new junior world record in the 400-meter individual medley on Sunday at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials in Omaha, Nebraska. This should definitely have been front page news.

Juan Rocha

West Side

Publish more photos of adoptable pets

I commend the El Paso Times for the front page story in Monday’s newspaper that featured photos of four adorable dogs looking for forever homes, with a story about improvements and changes that Animal Services is making.

Certainly this is a step forward, but please El Paso Times, don’t stop there.

Every week you run a regular feature displaying photos of three pets who are in happy homes and getting lots of love and affection. Featured next to those three lucky dogs already in caring homes is one photo of a homeless dog still looking for that special someone to adopt him or her.

El Paso Times, the scales in this column are terribly unbalanced. Why can’t there be three pictures of homeless pets up for adoption, and if we absolutely have to, feature one pet photo for owners who love their pets and want to show them off?

Pat Phillips

West Side

State of Texas unfair to Tiguas’ casino efforts

There they go again! The state of Texas is after the Tiguas again, claiming that they’re breaking the law operating their casino because “casino style gambling” is against the law in Texas.

Well, why doesn’t the state look into its own back yard and do away with the state lottery? I don’t care if it isn’t a casino, it is still gambling in my book.

That anti-casino style gambling law is very unfair and needs to be amended. Keep on fighting for your right to operate your casino in your tribal property, Tiguas. Si se puede! We, the casino loving public will support you!

Jesse Rendon

East Side