I’m a freedom-loving Republican. Legalize marijuana for all.

Regarding “Marijuana isn’t legal in Texas. But can you tell? | Opinion,” (April 18): I’m a registered Republican but a committed freedom lover, which often conflicts with Republicanism these days. The piece you published on 4/20 written by Craig Hlavaty made some excellent points about the absurdity of Texans being arrested for possession of cannabis for personal use. The most important point is that Texans love freedom. Heck, all people love freedom, don’t they?

Well, there’s the issue. Texas legislators, pursuing the agenda of the billionaires who got them elected, do not favor freedom for the masses — only for themselves. These billionaires would transform Texas into a Puritan New England colony where the town elders (they) decide what’s acceptable, and laws are designed more to protect citizens from themselves than from each other. 

Texas has always been anti-cannabis for as long as I can remember. As college students in the early 1970s we all knew we were risking life in prison if we got caught with cannabis. This was the original culture war of my lifetime: The War on Hippies. I’m reminded of those days whenever I see a sheriff from some Texas county — always with his cowboy hat and often with a beer gut — standing behind a podium celebrating a bust.

The reasons for legalizing recreational cannabis are both plentiful and persuasive for anyone approaching the issue with an open mind, but sentiment among both law enforcement and the Legislature still harkens back to the War on Hippies. 

The reality remains that a whole lotta Texans — most notably Willie Nelson — enjoy cannabis products daily, despite laws to the contrary. The positions codified by the Texas Legislature move further from the will of the people every session. Let’s give the people a direct voice on controversial issues by enabling an initiative process so we can measure just how far the Legislature’s positions have moved away from us.

Regarding “How someone stacked the odds in their favor to win a $95 million Texas Lottery jackpot,” (April 22): I have been a weekly customer of the Texas Lottery Commission for many years now, purchasing one or two tickets of either the Megaball or Powerball games, depending upon which one was higher.

I was totally shocked and surprised to read Eric Dexheimer’s excellent first-page article in Sunday’s Houston Chronicle on the scam that took place with the April 22 Lotto Texas game. A Rook TX winner wound up getting the top prize of $95 million and also cashed in on 289 winning tickets in the five-of-six-games. Obviously, the Rook TX winner must have purchased all the possible winning combinations.

This smells of deception and fraud. The Texas Lottery Commission has a lot of work to do to regain the confidence of its lottery buyers.

Robert Anderson, Magnolia

The Texas Lotto article was interesting because the story of using probability to take advantage of poorly designed lotteries is old. A notable example  was in 2005, when Massachusetts Institute of Technology students realized that probability theory offered a win with sufficient tickets (see the report by the Massachusetts inspector general, numerous articles and mathematician Jordan Ellenberg’s 2014 book “How Not To Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking”). If the pot is large enough for the cost of tickets, voila!  

What was amazing to learn is that the state of Texas seems clueless, designing a game that could be gamed. The taxpayers are not amused.

Christopher Clark, Houston

Regarding “Earth Day 2024: How to talk to your kids about climate change,” (April 22): I hope everyone does something to support Earth Day on Monday and beyond. There are too many homeowners who, when their yards are mowed, have the grass clippings put in large plastic bags that are hauled away in large air-polluting trucks. It is far better to let the clippings fall on the yard, where they provide free fertilizer for the grass, the bushes and the trees. Doing this helps to reduce air pollution and reduces the burning of fossil fuels, which is known to add to global warming. Air pollution is associated with several million premature deaths worldwide every year. You can make a difference starting today.

Regarding “UTSA to raze Institute of Texan Cultures building and construct new home for museum,” (April 14): I hope that the decision will be made to reopen the Institute of Texan Cultures near the Alamo and Crockett Hotel rather than near the University of Texas at San Antonio’s Southwest Campus.

I first visited the Institute with my family in 1982 shortly after we moved to Texas. I had a somewhat narrow view of what I perceived a Texan to be and found my visit there to be an eye-opening, educational experience. Becoming better informed through exhibits highlighting over two dozen distinct cultural groups who have each played a role in the history and makeup of Texas was appropriate then and even more so today. Texas is a wonderful conglomeration of different groups whose sum total make Texas the unique place it is. The fact that such a wonderful state developed from such a diverse palette of individuals and cultures is a wonderful story and deserves being featured. Many newcomers and visitors have an inaccurate perspective about what makes Texas unique, and the Institute takes a valuable step in informing them. I think we are all better Texans as a result of being exposed to that story.

The Institute should be reopened where its benefits and stories can be shared with the maximum number of visitors. A location near the reconfigured and expanded Alamo Plaza would be a better location for accomplishing that.