Because of my political history and legal background, I have been asked a number of questions about COVID-related legislation and, in particular, mask requirements. I am concerned that citizens may urge their legislators to take actions on masks that will establish a bad precedent when it may not even be necessary if legislators have the legal and constitutional information they need to evaluate properly the legislative remedies being urged on them. In my book, never establish a potentially bad precedent if there are other ways to address a problem.

As a child I played on the Civil War monuments, markers, and memorabilia on the grounds of Missionary Ridge Elementary School. I never gave much thought to what they symbolized other than the war itself. It was recess, and I was just playing. I do know that none of them venerated a particular person, but I have been grappling with how to think about the monuments to and statues of some famous or some might say infamous Americans that are being defaced or pulled down.