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The Star-Telegram mentioned “instant communication” in the May 31 Eric Fox endorsement. It didn’t mention that Fox cannot make or receive calls, e-mail or text messages during his hours of employment at Lockheed. This would limit his hours on the city clock by 40 a week.
The working incumbents who have jobs or are in business for themselves have no restrictions.
Fox is 43. Subtract the years he spent in Washington after college. The number of years he’s spent at Lockheed is insignificant compared with the almost 40 years for “Zim” Zimmerman. Zimmerman, 66, has a greater knowledge of what Lockheed is and contributes to the city.
With a full-time job and four children, how can Fox hope to come close to performing at the level required by the residents of District 3?
What could the former mayors contribute to Fox’s efforts? That was a stretch. What do they even know about District 3 in 2009?
— Robert Bashein, Fort Worth
Ron Sauma, Benbrook Councilman Place 7, is a man of the highest integrity and honesty, and he possesses a rare quality of good common sense.
In his eight years on the council, he has been instrumental in lowering Benbrook’s property tax rate by 14 percent, froze the tax rate for retired and disabled residents, protected our children from registered sex offenders and initiated a bond issue to remove homes from constant flooding danger. To me these are major accomplishments and this councilman has earned the right to be re-elected to continue to represent us in Benbrook.
Ron has run a campaign that reflects his beliefs, a campaign that has been clean and honest and conveyed the facts.
Our city is strong and financially sound.
Let’s keep it that way and keep Ron working for us. We need him now more than ever.
— Bob Clark, Benbrook
Prior to my election to the Bedford City Council, I voted for Roy Savage several times. Having served with him on the council during the past year, I know for a fact those votes were well cast.
As councilman and mayor pro tem, Savage has demonstrated a firm commitment to doing what is in the best interest of the residents of Bedford.
A number of important initiatives such as library completion, a master plan for the Boy’s Ranch, redevelopment and business retention, the Senior Center, code enforcement and infrastructure improvements require the continued support and guidance he provides.
Bedford is in the process of being revitalized, and Savage is a key player in the process. Maintain the momentum — re-elect Roy Savage to the Bedford City Council.
— Ray Champney, Bedford
Thanks to columnist Chris Taylor, who has the guts to be a single father and fight for it when necessary, in a culture that does its level best to sneer at men and fathers in particular. (See: “Time to re-evaluate what men can do for their kids,” June 1)
I’ve dealt with the same prejudice in state and county workers, had to overcome the same preconceptions that no matter how much of a disaster she was, Mom was still a better caregiver than Dad could ever be.
Worse, I’ve had to deal with the prejudice that somehow I’m a menace to my children by virtue of my gender.
I’ve also dealt with a fumbling office of the Texas attorney general that just doesn’t seem too enthusiastic about enforcing child-support orders against women. Even its stats show women are more likely to completely default on child support, even though they’re likely to have a lower obligation (and consistently a lower percentage of their income as an obligation).
Conservative, liberal or libertarian, Texans need to reassess their perspective on fathers and re-examine the system of family that’s in place.
— Wayne Swanson, Austin
The Fort Worth Park and Recreation Department is fixing to make an error in judgment — the makeover of Rockwood Golf Course.
The course needs to be reconditioned and beautified, not changed. It is one of the best municipal courses on the Metroplex, suitable for all players, from beginners to low handicap players.
In the late 1960s, the Fort Worth City Council voted to sell Worth Hills Golf Course in the TCU area to the college. A public vote was taken, and the sale was turned down.
The council sold the course anyway, with the promise to build 36 holes in Fort Worth. Twenty-seven holes were built in Benbrook on Corps of Engineers property. Nine holes were added to Rockwood, built on corps property in Fort Worth, making it a 27-hole course.
In 2008, the city closed the nine holes at Rockwood that were built on corps property. This was done so that an organization called First Tee could build a practice range and teaching facility so it can teach golf to underprivileged children for free.
After all these previous changes, I think there should be some explanation by the people in charge of the golf program in Fort Worth.
— Bart Haltom, Arlington
I had often heard or read that the flip side of tragedy was comedy. This certainly would apply to the General Motors fiasco! Of course, the clowns there are producing unknown hardships on their employees, the vendors and the supply chain.
The comic side? Some 20 or so years ago, Ross Perot sold EDS, which he had built from scratch to a worth of billions of dollars, to General Motors. Part of his compensation was GM stock and a seat on the board of directors.
After examining the company (GM), Perot told the board members that they obviously did not know how to run a business. He pointed out many flaws and brought to the attention of the board that continuation of such policies would lead to a huge disaster. Prophecy?
Perot immediately was kicked off the board, which bought the rest of his GM stock for a few more billion.
It is interesting to note that the management blamed the unions, their dealers, lack of sales, the economy and the unusual position of the moon. What a mess!
I don’t know about you, but I am not thrilled as a taxpayer to become part of this tragedy/comedy!
— Philip E. Orr Jr., North Richland Hills
Regarding the story about the twin horses in the June 3 Star-Telegram: How can 1 out of 10,000 be twins? Surely there must be two.
— Howard Cornell, Arlington
In her May 20 letter, Velma Stevens questioned the adequacy of the biennial session of the Texas Legislature and wondered how so many bills never get considered. (See: “Puzzled by the Legislature”)
The Page 1B photograph in the May 29 Star-Telegram of state Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Tomball, blowing bubbles during the May 28 session of the House “just because I felt like it” shows just how seriously some of our elected officials take their responsibilities. Why so many bills don’t get considered doesn’t really have a lot to do with the frequency of the legislative sessions.
— William H. Herndon Jr., Fort Worth
I was happy to see the picture of the state representative blowing soap bubbles on the House floor. That just may be the most productive thing to have come out of this year’s session.
— Jack P. Jones, Fort Worth
Columnist Mike Norman was on target May 29 when he said, “Never count on the Texas Legislature to solve your problems.”
Case in point: We elected eight state representatives from Tarrant County and sent them to Austin for a couple of months. Then we spent more than $250,000 for a lobbyist and local officials to lobby them for a law to allow local option on raising taxes to address transportation needs.
These needs are real but the problems will not be solved by raising taxes. They will have to be solved with growth and by more frugal use of existing revenue. In Haltom City, for example, there’s $8 million of taxpayers’ money stashed, drawing a little interest, I hope. Why not use some of that on Stanley Keller Road and McLean Street, which are major carrier streets joining Beach Street and Texas 377? This would relieve some traffic on Loop 820 between Beach and 377.
Taxpayers have already paid taxes to help solve our problems.
— Jack O. Lewis, Haltom City
The transit funding bill is dead — and make no doubt about it, it was a funding bill. It was crystal clear who would pay, and pay and pay. However, like an unwanted relative, I’m sure it will be back again and again, because everyone wants it — politicians, chambers of commerce, bureaucrats and contractors — everyone but the people.
This is a “regional” approach? What if one or more of the outlying counties votes for commuter rail but Tarrant or Dallas does not? Does it run closed-door through the urban areas? That’s a real solution!
If this is a crisis, why doesn’t the Legislature step up and increase the gas tax statewide (or eliminate the diversions of existing funds) and allow local option to solve local issues?
— John Sweek, Arlington
I don’t read the funny papers anymore, what with the other humorous happenings going on like the economy, the auto industry, the political climate and the Rangers in first place. But I’d still like an answer to this question: Whatever happened to the funnies? Where’s Dick Tracy or Smilin’ Jack? How about Joe Palooka or Mutt and Jeff? What has happened to the Katzenjammer Kids? I also notice that Brenda Starr is missing, and so is Flash Gordon. Snuffy Smith’s son Tater was born in the late 1960s and still can’t walk or talk. Good gracious, the kid is over 40.
All that’s left of the “real” funnies is Blondie, and Mr. Dithers is aging fast. Perhaps I’m getting too old for today’s humor or maybe the funnies ain’t funny anymore.
Now in my day ... oh, that’s another letter for later.
— Tom Pollard, North Richland Hills
To Leslie D. Jones of Fort Worth (May 29 letter) who berated drivers of the first car in a lane for not leaping forward into the intersection the instant a red light turns green:
Those of us who are defensive drivers and wish to remain alive know that we need to be sure that no mad driver is running that red light. There have been way too many fatalities and injuries in just five months of 2009 in Tarrant County to practice the potential suicide that Jones advocates. When you are first, go ahead and leap out there, but don’t expect the prudent and wise to follow suit.
— Julia Burgen, Arlington
May 2009 was a troubling month. North Korea wants nuclear weapons and is firing missiles, and the North Richland Hills Police Department has a $226,000 armored vehicle. (See: “Police forces arm themselves with military-style equipment,” May 31)
Does comparing these events seem inappropriate? Consider that the loony North Korean regime is known for its reclusive secrecy and that the North Richland Hills police “declined to have the new armored vehicle photographed.”
— Charles P. Zlatkovich, Lipan
On Memorial Day, Fort Worth Mayor Moncrief and three former mayors met at City Hall, endorsing Eric Fox over Zim Zimmerman for District 3 Councilman. I remember another rendezvous at City Hall — Palm Sunday 1979, the year of the Mayor Hugh Parmer-Councilman Woodie Woods mayoral race. I was Woods’ campaign manager. On election day Woods led by 23 votes.
Early next morning, while the city was asleep or in church, Parmer and his lieutenants entered City Hall, purportedly to check accuracy of the returns. Woods blasted Parmer in newspaper ads: “What was the Prince of Ethics doing in City Hall on Palm Sunday morning?” After a hearing in 48th District Court, a run-off in the two-man race resulted. In an outpouring of incensed voters, Woods won by 10,000 votes!
Parmer at City Hall on Palm Sunday. Fox at City Hall on Memorial Day. Hmmmm! Deja vu?
— Wanda Woodard, Fort Worth
Several months ago, I was walking out of a west-side grocery store when I noticed an elderly gentleman with a cane having a difficult time loading his groceries in his car. I went over and began to help him. He was grateful for the help. I noticed a blue sticker on his car from the Naval Joint Reserve Base along with one indicating he was a retired full colonel. When I finished helping him, he said, “Thank you very much.” I responded with a snappy salute and a, “No problem, colonel, my pleasure.”
His face lit up like a West Texas sunrise. I walked away thinking here is a man who has given his whole life in defense of our country. But out there, in that cold, rainy parking lot, it didn’t make any difference that he was a colonel and I was just a sergeant. It was one veteran helping another in need. That’s what we do.
— Bill Woodard, Fort Worth
Regarding letter writer Joe Nelson’s comment that “it’s ‘my family and I’ and not ‘me and my family’ ” — sometimes it’s “my family and me.” (See: “Grammar matters,” June 1) Had Jerry Jones said the new Cowboys stadium was a gift from Arlington taxpayers to my family and me, he would have been correct on two levels.
— Sharon Morrow, Arlington
Regarding the June letter from Joe Nelson of Southlake: Depending on the context of Jerry Jones’ new stadium comment (which I did not hear), and being a stickler for grammar, thanks to the awesome Sisters of St. Mary of Namur at Our Lady of Victory, “me and my family” would be accurate if preceded by a preposition “between” or “for” (necessitating objective case). What really irks me is when “between my family and I” or “for my family and I” are said. Always following a preposition (look them up), it is objective case.
As Sister Margaret Rose would say, “Woe betide you” in the error of your grammatical ways. The nuns at Our Lady of Victory still rock.
— Brenda Dolenz Helmer, Fort Worth
I am old enough to know that “I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds” is what Robert Oppenheimer quoted from the Bhagavad Gita when he observed the first atomic bomb explode in New Mexico in 1945. It’s even more frightening when North Korea’s leader says it today, even in a cartoon. (See: Cam Cardow, The Ottawa Citizen editorial cartoon, May 31)
— Bruce Rider, Grapevine
If any of my fellow Arlington residents have had their water meters actually read, I sure would like to know about it. The water department isn’t even pretending to read mine. My bill for last month was $100.88. This month’s bill is (guess what) $100.88.
C’mon, you don’t have to be a statistician to see the likelihood of that.
— Nancy Johnson, Arlington
Author Richard Florida’s theory says a critical form of an urban area’s worth is human capital, made up of people who create “a good job market, economy, thick amenities (restaurants, arts, parks, etc.), appealing aesthetics, safe neighborhoods, viable public transportation or connectivity, etc.” That’s ironic at this time when the Texas Legislature has just usurped North Texas’ choice to construct the railways and roads that we desperately need to start now in order to prevent future gridlock on our roads, highways and freeways.
The human capital of North Texas — almost all our elected officials, members of Chambers of Commerce, residents committed to stopping gridlock and relieving pollution, etc. — fought hard for local-option taxing authority. I cannot fathom why legislators, most of whom do not represent North Texans, voted against our choice.
— Marguerite McKinney, Fort Worth
And now for a message from the American Taliban. After 16 years of effort, Dr. George Tiller has been successfully killed. Marked for extermination and demonized by groups like “Operation Rescue,” who called him a “monster” and “murderer,” the second shooting, at his church no less, finished him off. The first shooting in 1993 only winged him.
So, to the righteous patriots who condemn all Muslims for not uniting to confront the terrorists among them this question: May I assume that we can expect that you will now stand en mass to renounce the murderous and lunatic fringe of American Christianity that supports and encourages such outrageous acts of violence? I doubt it.
How little different one savage religious extremist is from another.
— JT Grant, Fort Worth
While a tragic and despicable act, it’s ironic that abortion Dr. George Tiller died at the hands of another who also had no qualms in violently ending life. Whether by gun or scalpel, how one justifies the other — well, maybe, cause and effect?
Either way, the incongruent logic used in justification is a slur of gigantic proportions on the sanctity of life, and forever escapes me.
— Richard M. Holbrook, Weatherford
One of Fort Worth’s District 3’s charms is the way that, despite its vastness, former City Council representative Chuck Silcox represented it. By defying notions of politicking, Silcox made it a community, making sure that the district came first. He also left big shoes to fill.
I believe, then, Zim Zimmerman is the best candidate for the City Council run-off election in District 3. His long history living, working and volunteering in Fort Worth justifies his endorsements by the Fort Worth Police Officers Association, Brenda Silcox and four of his opponents. While working at Lockheed Martin as the vice president of product support, he, for example, volunteered as the campaign chairman for the March of Dimes, the United Way and Texas A&M alumni groups.
Just because he has retired, that doesn’t mean he is unsure of his next job: the full-time City Council member for District 3.
— James Russell, Fort Worth
Sunday’s editorial on the District 3 council election, with the obvious untrue statement that “Zimmerman is a staid, say-no-to-everything sort,” demands a reply. Webster defines “staid” as “marked by settled sedateness and often prim restraint: sober, grave; syn. see ‘serious.’” Sedate is defined as keeping a steady attitude or pace: unruffled.” That sounds like an excellent recommendation for a city councilman.
Zim served many years as vice president for product support for Lockheed Martin. Do you really believe he earned and maintained that position by saying “no to everything?” I’ve known Zim for years and served with him on committees. He’s anything but a negative person. His attitude is consistently positive. Additionally, Zim is a fiscal conservative. In these troubled economic times, we need a councilman who will be concerned about how our tax dollars are being spent.
— Earl Miller, Fort Worth
Bedford has come a long way since those tough months in 2005 with a budget battle and resulting library closure. Deep political discord divided the City Council and the community. Fortunately, those days are past, with a more unified council moving Bedford forward with a new library, refurbishment of the city’s parks, initiatives to bring in new businesses and a more responsive stance to the voter’s voice.
To advance this progress and harmony among the council, I am supporting Roy Savage’s re-election bid June 13 for Place 2. A trusted leader, Roy takes a steady and balanced approach that, along with his proven experience, has been at the center of bringing Bedford on track for what is shaping up to be a bright future.
— David Franklin, Bedford
Pamela Brandenberg previously served Benbrook well on the City Council; we need her again. She has an impressive record of listening to all residents and making the right decisions.
She is a practicing attorney with an office in Benbrook. She has the integrity, education, intelligence and dedication to comprehend and analyze any issue that faces our city. She raised her children here and is committed to keeping Benbrook an outstanding community for all.
A former high school teacher and lifelong advocate for youth, she was awarded the honor of PTA Life Member. She cares deeply for senior citizens and donates legal services to Benbrook seniors every year.
Benbrook has been run by a homogenous group for far too long. We need a strong, articulate woman’s voice at City Hall. You can be proud to have Pamela represent you.
— Lester Meriwether, Benbrook
Failures in the Fort Worth Housing Department go back years and were known by the mayor and council, so why is the mayor embarrassed? He hasn’t seemed embarrassed by the myriad other financial foul-ups. Those, and the potential Post Office boondoggle, will continue to be swept under the rug.
Eric Fox, the antithesis of Chuck Silcox, will make nary a ripple in the pond if elected. His endorsements, by Kay Granger, Bob Bolen, Kenneth Barr and Mike Moncrief (and the Star-Telegram), only show that with Fox, like giving a laxative to a goose, you get the same old stuff.
District 3 voters have a chance to exercise a little Silcoxian independence and vote for “Zim” Zimmerman for City Council.
Fort Worth calls the voter to wake up — “My fate is in your hands.”
— Clyde Picht, Fort Worth
Eric Fox hides his conflict of interest caused by the Lockheed Martin signature on his paycheck. The Political Candidacy Committee dictates all conditions, including e-mail, phone and desk, that Fox must follow during business hours while maintaining his workweek and tugging a little red wagon to hold time for council business.
Zim Zimmerman’s financial leadership and communication influence will find common ground to move our great city forward. You can trust Zimmerman on a handshake. His word is his bond. Vote for Zim Zimmerman for Fort Worth City Council District 3.
— Beverly Branham, Fort Worth
In a Memorial Day mailing supporting Eric Fox, Gen. Bill Lake cited “a remarkable record: due to our technological superiority in the air [no doubt plugging the contributions of Lockheed Martin], a ground soldier has not been killed by an enemy aircraft since the Korean War.” One should note this superiority was over the air forces of North Vietnam (who never went south of the 17th parallel where the ground fighting took place), Granada, Panama, Sudan, Serbia, Afghanistan and Iraq. Voters of District 3 should keep this record in mind when they go to the polls. District 3 may come under an air attack at any time.
If you’re not concerned about an air attack, vote for Zim Zimmerman, an emerging underdog who has the time to truly represent his constituents and will work tirelessly to evaluate the issues and make the tough choices required of our councilman.
— Carl Sanders, Fort Worth
I have heard the arguments against gay marriage, but it hasn’t played out that way. In states where it is legal, I haven’t heard of an increase in the already 50 percent-plus divorce rate or of people trying to marry animals, etc.
Marriage is a legal institution, in which the ceremony can be of a religious nature or not. It is not only logical but fair that all Americans deserve the rights and protections afforded by this.
It occurs to me that the way to help prevent divorce is to mandate counseling, compatibility screenings and money management and child-raising courses. If all else fails, we could mandate jail time for adultery and just outlaw divorce.
Could it be that the real reason some people don’t want gay marriage is because the dark side of human nature is making a gay person less of a person and the institution of marriage less important if we let them in? Just another chapter in the book of bigotry?
— Diane C. Stevens, Bedford
My spirit sags with mournful melancholy. As the soaring saga of Cliburn contestants rockets to an ecstatic explosion of musical fireworks, so departs, however briefly, the delightful and delicious prose of the fervent and fearless Star-Telegram music reviewer whose rambunctious reporting of scintillating sorcery on the ivories always leaves me breathlessly exhausted. My soul may suffer mordant arpeggios of angst as I descend glissandos of grief, yet I will be cheered and giddy over the well-earned rest for critic Chris Shull’s threadbare and tired, endlessly thumbed-through thesaurus.
— Ken Kibler, Benbrook
Under most circumstances, if a photo of your 19-year-old son wearing pink boxers is splattered across newspapers all over the country, a parent might have reason to be ashamed. In the case of Army Spc. Zachary Boyd, his parents have every reason to be proud. Congratulations on raising a brave and dedicated son — and with a flair for underwear! And thank him for me for his service to our country.
— George Henson, Dallas
The tragic loss of Jeff Albright, a talented and promising young man, on Jacksboro Highway at the Lake Worth bridge May 26 was caused by the utter failure of the highway department and its engineers to protect the public. Several women were killed on this bridge within the last two years, and the highway department promised action. This tragedy did not have to happen. Concrete road dividers sit within site of this tragic event and were never installed.
I cannot think of a more dangerous highway situation where cars and trucks meet fender to fender at such speeds. The water drainage has been a known problem there for years with no attempts at a repair. Any company running a construction project with this lack of concern for minimum safety barriers would be fined or those responsible arrested.
The local district attorney should consider filing a negligent homicide case against the project managers and engineers of the state highway department in charge of this project. Maybe then something will be done to protect the public. How many sons, daughters and mothers have to die before barriers are installed and someone is held responsible.
— Dan Stober, Weatherford
Responding to David Perkins’ May 25 letter regarding “Keeping the Republic,” conservatives do not like a liberal’s definition of a conservative any more than liberals like a conservative’s definition of a liberal. Perkins addresses only one of the differences when he talks about paying for government. He misses a more important difference: the issue of personal liberty that disappears the bigger and more powerful the government becomes. This is the real issue that is relevant to Ben Franklin’s quote: “You have a Republic, if you can keep it.”
— Dave Davenport, Arlington
I want to let the voters in Fort Worth Council District 3 know how fortunate we are to have a man like Eric Fox running for City Council. Eric is one of the very finest young men I have ever known. I am 73 years old, retired and so glad to see someone with such a high moral code running for public office.
Eric Fox knows and understands the needs of our community and our city, and will work tirelessly on our behalf. Eric will be available to all of us. He will listen to your cares and concerns. Eric is a loving dad, respectful son and an honest and loyal friend.
Most importantly, we have the opportunity to have him as our next city councilman. I hope that you will stand with me and vote for Eric Fox, a most outstanding young man.
— Nancy Bordeno Honts, Fort Worth
Thank you for your article about the rising homelessness among teens in Texas. (See: “Teenage homelessness in Tarrant County is an often invisible problem,” May 27) This is an important issue that is too often ignored.
In these challenging times, we see families and individuals all across the country facing unforeseen obstacles that jeopardize their health, homes and well-being. Moreover, an increasing number of those who were already living on the economic margins of society are now approaching the point of being unable to maintain stable housing.
Homelessness is particularly challenging for teenagers, who have a host of needs specific to their age and vulnerabilities. As the writer mentions, teens are at particular risk for exploitation.
For most of those experiencing homelessness, the solution is to get them quickly back into housing. This also is true for teens, where special efforts need to be made to reunify them with their families, who often need help affording their housing. Where reunification is not possible or is unwise, the teens need help getting stable housing of their own, combined with services and connection to nurturing adults who can help.
As part of the economic recovery package, Congress created the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing program, intended to expand housing assistance and dedicate funds to prevent and end homelessness. I look forward to seeing advances in preventing and ending homelessness in Texas and across the country.
— Nan Roman, president, National Alliance to End Homelessness, Washington, D.C.
The summaries on the May 28 columns by George Will and Linda Campbell talked of Sonia Sotomayor’s “life experience” and belief that “a person is what his or her race, ethnicity, gender or sexual preference is and can only be represented and understood by one of the same.”
Excuse me, but I always thought that a Supreme Court justice was to give judgments according to our Constitution, not “experiences.” A judge on our highest court is to represent all the people and judge according to our Constitution only.
— Sandra Lewis, Joshua
I hope the quality of the product that Jerry Jones put in his new stadium is better than his grammar.
Jerry, it’s “my family and I” not “me and my family.”
— Joe Nelson, Southlake
We should thank our lucky stars that the SEC is saving us from the likes of insider traders like Mark Cuban. Questionable prosecution of Cuban and his ilk are exactly what this agency should be expending their time and resources on while ignoring the Bernie Madoffs of the financial world. Thank you, SEC, I’ll sleep so much sounder knowing that the security of my investments is so carefully watched by your agency.
— Steve Adams, Grand Prairie
The Benbrook City Council has suffered from a lack of diversity for far too long. We deserve at least one strong, articulate, woman’s voice at City Hall. Pamela Brandenberg is that woman — a woman of character with the intellect and strength of an attorney and the caring and intuition of a mother.
City Council members need to represent the entire city, not just one particular area of town. We do not have single-member districts; we have at-large districts. One part of Benbrook should not be more important than another.
We need change, not a councilman whose job is full-time representation. Fulltime is for paid professionals, not amateurs.
— Rick Whitehurst, Fort Worth
I was a candidate in the recent election for Fort Worth City Council District 3. With Brenda Silcox and three of my fellow former candidates, I am endorsing Zim Zimmerman in the runoff election.
Zim has the desire to continue serving the city as he did serving on a city board, serving the community with his charity work and as past president of a homeowners association. He has the time. He is independent and won’t be pressured. He will stand up for our quality of life.
Importantly, he has the most experience garnered in his previous job in leadership and management. In these difficult times, he has the budget skills to do this job for us. Join me on June 13 in voting for Zim Zimmerman for the City Council District 3.
— Bill Lawson, Fort Worth
For more than 30 years, my fellow commercial Realtors and local property owners have provided private property campaign-sign locations for candidates who support private property rights. While we occasionally have unauthorized opponents’ signs appear alongside approved signs, we have never, ever had an instance of wholesale theft. Until now.
Between Saturday and Tuesday morning, at least 65 approved 4x4 signs for Fort Worth council candidate Eric Fox were stolen. Each sign represented a cost of $46 installed. That’s the theft of about $3,000 in citizens’ contributions to their chosen candidate.
As a longtime supporter and friend of Chuck Silcox, I can hear what he would be saying about an opposition candidate whose supporters would stoop to this unprecedented level in his desperation for office. I urge every private property owner in District 3 to remember this wholesale theft when they go to the polls.
— Vic Tinsley, Fort Worth
I’m supporting Zim Zimmerman for Fort Worth District 3. Zim will be a strong, conservative, independent voice whose only obligations are to the residents of District 3. His years of experience as an executive at Lockheed, where he was responsible for preparing, implementing and meeting budgets for a major division of the company, is just what the council needs as it proceeds with the Trinity Vision project, the possible move of City Hall and other difficult issues in these days of tight finances.
Zim is committed to maintaining essential services within current tax levels. Join me in voting for him for City Council District 3.
— Gene Miers, Fort Worth
Recently I received a campaign piece by which a resident attested to the honor and integrity of Eric Fox, Zim Zimmerman’s opponent in the City Council District 3 runoff. I know of no Zimmerman supporter who impugns Fox’s honor and integrity. I don’t. Certainly Zim doesn’t.
Honor and integrity aside, one wonders how full-time Lockheed lobbyist Fox, with duties in Washington and Austin, could represent District 3 when Lockheed has told him in two strongly worded letters that he can’t devote time to council affairs or take residents’ phone calls during office hours. How could he even attend morning council sessions?
As a retired Lockheed executive, Zim Zimmerman could take your calls and concerns at any time, be it 10, 2 or 4.
If honor and integrity are your sole criteria for voting for Fox or for Zimmerman, flip a coin.
— Don Woodard Sr., Fort Worth
I’m absolutely shocked. Eric Fox had signs all over our neighborhood (Ridglea North) and they have all disappeared. I called him, and he said more than 65 of his large 4x4 campaign signs have been stolen. I can’t imagine how many of the small signs have met a similar fate.
Knowing this should have the opposite effect than the one intended. Whoever stole these signs should be prosecuted in a court of law because actions such as these can affect the outcome of the election.
— Marcelle Houston Borgers,Fort Worth
On Memorial Day, Mayor Mike Moncrief and three former mayors, concerned about the possibility of having a reincarnation of a Silcox independent voice on the City Council, rendezvoused at City Hall to endorse Lockheed lobbyist Eric Fox over retired Lockheed Vice President Zim Zimmerman in the District 3 runoff.
Their concern is justified. Brenda Silcox has endorsed Zimmerman, whom her husband appointed to the Board of Residential Adjustment. She has rallied support for Zim from police and four of the first go-round candidates. Four mayors with a huge warchest against Brenda Silcox. Joan of Arc lives again!
Brenda Silcox knows about the time and dedication that council service demands. Out of respect for the 17 years of such time and dedication given by her late husband, I predict that District 3 voters will ratify her choice — Zim Zimmerman.
— Joy Douglass, Edgecliff Village
Dave Gebhart professes to be 100 percent Bedford yet opts out of our public school system to home-school his kids. Is his position on daytime curfew about your freedoms or his own circumstances? Integrity or hypocrisy?
Re-elect Roy Savage.
— Lonnie Hokanson, Bedford
Having known Roy Savage for at least 15 years, I cannot imagine anyone running against him on the stand that Roy and the council are lacking in “common sense.”
Keeping taxes as low as possible while still maintaining a solid police/fire department — common sense. Finding the best uses for tax money — common sense. Keeping a balanced budget while other cities are going into the red — common sense. Bringing in businesses in a declining economy — common sense. Knowing that children need to be in school — common sense. And, if a student is homeschooled, Roy, as well as many of us, believe that student will not be loitering at the store, attending a movie or cruising up and down Central Drive. That student, if not at home learning, will be at the library, a museum or out with a parent if the school work is finished.
On June 13, let’s elect a person with a proven record of applying common sense to all issues, Roy Savage.
— Susan Gebren, Bedford
My compliments on the excellent column by our new Tarrant County district attorney, Joe Shannon Jr. With much satisfaction, I read that he intends to follow the policies of Tim Curry.
All should be aware of how strict our code is in determining guilt in the first place. I was unaware of the facts until I served as a foreman of a grand jury in Tarrant County. Twelve people serve on a grand jury for a period of three months. Time consumed is three days a week.
During this period, each case is presented by a member of the DA’s office. The defense may, if it wishes, present its side of the case. After hearing all the evidence, the 12-member jury is sequestered and by itself determines if the case warrants a trial. It takes a minimum of nine jurors to find possibility of guilt and the case is then forwarded for trial. But only four members of the jury need to find insufficient evidence to find possibility of guilt and thus the case is dismissed. The person involved is then set free.
There may be a few exceptions to this, as determined by the DA’s office.
— Charles Cole, North Richland Hills
As a relatively new and enthusiastic employee of Tarrant County, I wasn’t particularly thrilled that you published a guest column from an individual who knew even less than I do about our district attorney’s office and how it operates. I was, however, quite pleased to see that you gave our new district attorney the courtesy of a rebuttal and the opportunity to point out the facts in specific detail.
Like many of your readers, I seek facts and entertainment from your publication. Joe Shannon’s guest column offered up the former while Todd Moye’s, at best, offered nothing more than the latter.
Sign me up as underwhelmed by Moye’s familiarity with the facts. Sign me up as appreciative of Shannon’s grasp of them. And sign me up as a fan of yours for ultimately offering up the opportunity for those of us who care about dissemination of the difference.
— Steven Townsend, Fort Worth
David Casstevens’ May 22 story, “Face to face with Bonnie and Clyde,” about Ray Cavender’s retrospect of the Romeo and Juliet, Bonnie and Clyde, was interesting and well written. This infamous couple has never been put to rest since they were ambushed by lawmen in 1934.
Author Jeff Guinn recently wrote a book about this colorful pair, most likely the most comprehensive and accurate version put to print without embellishment or manipulation of facts.
I wanted to share an incident that happened in the early ’70s, during a time there was a renewed interest in this Robin Hood couple. My husband Robert Raikes, news director at the old KRLD (now KDFW, Channel 4) and I lived a mile from Bonnie’s gravesite off Webb Chapel Road. When we had out-of-town visitors, her burial site was tourist attraction No. 1. One night a prankster stole Bonnie’s tombstone. The “crime” made the Metroplex news, and shortly thereafter someone called the station asking to speak specifically to the news director. They wanted to return it, which they did and now Bonnie’s headstone is anchored into the ground.
Guinn’s Go Down Together is a must read. It chronicles this famous pair from Robin Hood status to the metal table at the undertaker’s office.
— Deloris Raikes, Fort Worth
John T. Johnson hit the nail on the head with his column about success. (See: “How do you define success? Too many execs don’t know,” May 25).
Corporate plans for the future have been replaced by greed and the obsession with quarterly profits. We are reliving the old story about killing the goose that laid the golden egg over and over again. I hope people realize we must change our course before it’s too late.
— Richard Conrow, Roanoke
I firmly agree with Hilliard Stone’s May 26 letter to the editor. (See: “Men, be silent”) Women need the freedom of choice. It is their responsibility to do what is right for them. Also, it is correct for all women to have a choice. There was a time when this was not so.
— Lois Campbell, Hurst
To people who don’t pay attention at traffic signals, and I’m not talking about red-light runners but people at the front of the line at a red light: Is it so hard to pay attention to the signal and move when the light turns green? Do you realize there is a line of drivers behind you who want to get through also? Do you notice that in heavy traffic areas the lights stay red longer? Next time you’re at the front of the line, pay attention, and when the light turns green, move!
— Leslie D. Jones, Fort Worth
Velma Stevens’ May 20 letter (“Puzzled by the Legislature”) questioned how “biyearly sessions of the Legislature are considered adequate for governing our state.” Later she answers her own question when she says, “No wonder so many bills never get considered.”
Thank heaven for that! Maybe it should meet less often. How’s that annual session of the U.S. Congress and Senate workin’ for ya? Government governs best that governs least.
— Charlie Still, Arlington
The Star-Telegram’s May 19 headline, “Devastation in the stables,” was heartbreaking to read without getting goose bumps.
Journalists Deanna Boyd and Martha Deller gave this tragedy full exposure, replete with Max Faulkner’s color pictures, which really added a dimension that black-and-white pictures don’t.
The equine loss to the Circle L 5 riding club is a personal loss, too. If the stable wasn’t insured, then a fund ought to be set up to assist this decades old African-American equestrian club to rebuild and recover.
— Yvonne Roth, Fort Worth
Barack Obama campaigned on a promise to reduce the average family’s health insurance premiums by $2,500 a year. When a salesman in the private sector makes a claim like that, he’d better be prepared to back it up with some facts. Where are Obama’s facts?
Before we get excited about a cheaper, taxpayer-subsidized health insurance policy from the government, take a close look at what that policy actually covers and what it doesn’t cover. Where do you find that information? Try finding the answers about the SCHIP plan online sometime and you’ll understand why government-provided health insurance might not be a good idea. You won’t know what’s covered and not covered until after you’ve bought the plan. Would you accept that from any other insurance company?
Make no mistake: Politics is marketing. Our best defense is critical thinking. It’s time we start using it.
— Ron Bridges, Fort Worth
We have the duty and responsibility to honor all of the individuals who have made it possible, since the beginning of our nation, to live in freedom.
One privilege that has been granted to us is to honor these individuals by displaying the U.S. flag. When you drove through neighborhoods on Memorial Day, how many flags did you see? On an average, I believe you may have seen two or three flags per neighborhood. As American citizens, we should be ashamed of the lack of respect shown for all of the brave men and women who have made so many sacrifices.
The American citizen is the most powerful force in the world. Take a stand and take advantage of all the privileges that have been granted to you. Start by respecting and honoring those who have given you this right.
— Marvin Spiller, Bedford
Memorial Day was a disappointment. I was appalled by how few flags were displayed, just as I was appalled by a Congress that declared it a three-day event for the sole benefit of business. Memorial Day should be one day of remembrance and respect for our fallen soldiers, not of a buying binge.
I was a surgical technician in a field hospital during WWII. The picture of soldiers coming into our hospital bleeding, in pain and with the sheer terror of dying, is still etched in my mind. Can we not dedicate one day of our lives to pay them the honor they so rightly deserve?
To help pay them that honor I started a one-man campaign to beg the owners of sports teams and managers of bowl games and concerts to replace soloists who sing our national anthem with inane renditions, replete with gurgles, burbles and excruciating screams. A heartfelt singing of the anthem would do, I said. The general response was that today’s fans want to be entertained, not participate.
I also sent letters to principals and teachers of Fort Worth schools asking if they taught students to sing the anthem and to recite the Pledge of Allegiance every day, as I did. The answer was usually “occasionally.” In my response to the question about teaching at least some of the history of WWII and other wars, I received very few answers except for one who wrote, “Yes, we mention it once in a while but we don’t dwell on it. That’s all ancient history.”
I sat down and cried over that one.
— Gerald A. Bayer, Fort Worth
As I write this, on Memorial Day, I am reminded how much people don’t know about Memorial Day. Relax, this is not a history lesson. This is simply one veteran’s observation about the flag. You know, that thing with the stars and stripes on it.
Between the restaurant where my wife and I had breakfast and home, we passed three flags, waving proudly in the breeze. One was at a local automotive garage, one was at the Everman post office and one was at the Forest Hill City Hall. All three were flown improperly.
The owner of the garage could possibly be excused, because it is possible he does not know flag protocol, but I really cannot understand anyone who works for the city government or the U.S. Postal Service not knowing that the flag, on Memorial Day, is flown at half-staff until noon, then properly raised to full height for the rest of the day.
As it is evident these folks don’t know flag protocol, maybe I should mention that the flag is always raised to full height, then lowered to half staff, not raised halfway up.
I will get off my soap box now, but I believe I speak for all veterans when I say that we would rather see the flag not flown at all than not flown correctly.
— Burt Conner, Fort Worth
As a Vietnam veteran, I was especially impressed with the thoughtful and moving May 24 column, “They keep coming ... the war dead never stop coming,” by Bob Ray Sanders.
As Sanders pointed out, more than 1 million Americans have died in the many wars since the American Revolution, but he also noted that many others died fighting on the other side, along with countless innocent civilians.
I believe his most important point (with which I absolutely agree) is that our political leaders must not sacrifice our current and future servicemen and women in a war that is “based on a whim, a pure arrogant demonstration of force, or a blind mistake.” As the war dead keep coming from Iraq, I wonder if officials of the previous administration, and the congressmen and women who were in lock-step with it, ever feel any regret or responsibility for taking this nation into that war?
The politicians’ march into the war in Iraq violated every one of these principles pointed out by Sanders.
— V.T. Hunn, Fort Worth
The article about the House Democrats threatening to derail important legislation by their filibuster to stop the Republican-sponsored voter ID bill missed a very important point. (See: “Voter ID showdown endangers other bills,” May 24)
The Democrats are not trying to impede important bills but are defending all voters’ access to the polls — a constitutional right. The House Republicans, on the other hand, are willing to throw veterans like my husband, college students like my two sons and insurance and property owners like myself under the bus by adding restrictions on who can and can’t vote. The picture ID requirement is but a dimly veiled attempt at imposing a “poll tax.” Their real goal is to disenfranchise those voters they feel would tend to vote for Democratic issues or candidates and thus reshape the voter population into one more Republican-friendly.
Instead of working on bills that would benefit all Texans, the House Republicans remain focused on trying to maintain what hold on power they have. Their de facto motto is, “Party first, Texas second.”
— Kathleen M. Rodgers, Colleyville
I would like to offer my two cents on the “work stoppage” in Austin. It is reprehensible that Texas House members Lon Burnam, Kirk England, Trey Fisher, Mark Strama, Marc Veasey and 65 other of their cohorts would use Memorial Day as a time to play their “I’m going to take my ball and cost you money for a special session because my political career is much more important then actually doing my job” game and blocking a bill that would help disabled veterans, among others. We the taxpayers are sick and tired of this stupid game.
If it is so difficult for this gang of malcontents to do their jobs, may I humbly suggest they resign, for I am sure that there are many hardworking citizens who could take their place.
— Rebecca Flynn, Fort Worth
Why is it that Democrats don’t object to merchants requiring photo identification from a customer before accepting a personal check or credit card, but strongly object to voters having to show photo identification, or two forms of nonphoto identification, before being allowed to vote? Could it be because the Democrats are afraid that they can’t “stuff the ballot boxes” if positive identification is required of voters?
According to the Tuesday Star-Telegram, the voter ID issue is likely “dead for this session.” And it will have been killed by the Democrats’ stall tactic, called “chubbing.” Chubbing, in this case, is the extensive discussion by Democrats of minor bills to keep the House from voting on the voter ID bill.
It appears that the Democrats have found a cheaper way of killing legislation not favorable to them than running off to Oklahoma.
Let’s hope that Gov. Rick Perry will call a special session so that the bill can be put to a vote.
— Jerry Adams, Watauga
Zim Zimmerman can’t discuss issues with Eric Fox, so he smears him because Fox works for a living. Zimmerman keeps trying to imply that Fox's position at Lockheed-Martin makes him suspect. Read his literature, and you’ll see that L-M requires that Fox not represent it in any business before the city. That’s someone else’s job. There is no conflict.
As for Fox’s experience as a lobbyist, wouldn’t it be a good idea to have someone on the council who knows how to get things done in Austin and Washington? Zimmerman doesn’t.
One of the greatest challenges facing our city is gridlock. We’ve been so busy erecting barriers to traffic (speed bumps, unneeded lights and stop signs) that we’ve lost sight of allowing people to get from Point A to Point B. Eric has assured me that correcting this will be one of his primary concerns.
Vote Eric Fox for City Council District 3.
— David N. Walker, Fort Worth
During the last year, I have had the opportunity to serve with Roy Savage on the Bedford City Council. The residents of Bedford cannot afford to lose his voice of experience and knowledge on the council. Savage has been instrumental in the positive direction Bedford is taking, and deserves to serve for another term. He is not a single-issue candidate and he understands the challenges that Bedford will face in the areas of economic redevelopment, code enforcement and highway expansion.
In the run-off election for Bedford City Council Place 2, I urge Bedford residents to re-elect Roy Savage.
— Chris Brown, member, Bedford City Council
If protecting everyone’s liberties makes Dave Gebhart a one-issue candidate, sign me up! Dave is a man of integrity who believes in common-sense leadership and a limited, efficient and responsive government. His desire is for Bedford’s success.
The oath of office includes “will to the best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and Laws of the United States and of this State and the Charter and Ordinances of this city.”
Society swallows the loss of freedoms more easily when it affects others. When Bedford adopted a daytime curfew in 2008, I wasn’t sure what to think.
The nighttime curfew works because it treats everyone equally. If the daytime curfew is really effective, shouldn’t we have it year-round? Then everyone might have the opportunity to take time off to explain their defense to prosecution for a citation.
— Craig Carrillo, Bedford
Words can’t express the gratitude I have for the man who saved my life on Saturday at Lake Como. Both of us jumped in to try to pull a drowning man out of the lake but were unable to find him. This man is still a hero because he saved my life. I got stuck in the middle of the lake and, if it weren’t for him, there probably would have been two victims.
Thanks to him, I was able to go home to my wife and kids. The Lord had you just where he needed you.
— Joe Soto, Fort Worth
In response to the May 21 letter “Privatize the Post Office,” I hope as we remember the good ol’ days when stamps were 3 cents and there was no air conditioning that we also balance in our minds that bread was 10 cents, sodas were a nickel and a quarter got you in the movie (talkies). The fairly new “new deal” Social Security was costing a dollar or two a week. Now we get $500 to $2,000 a month for this program.
Maybe we should privatize Social Security.
— Steve Burch, Saginaw
The federal government has lost it. Having the government manage any business endeavor — including the Post Office — is ludicrous.
A good example of this is the Department of Energy. President Carter’s administration, with approval of Congress, established the Cabinet level energy department with the stated goal of making the United States less dependent on foreign sources of energy. Some 30 years later we are more dependent than before and the DOE has some 16,000 employees plus hundreds of private contractors and an annual budget exceeding $ 22 billion.
The money for bailouts and government control of businesses comes from the politicians only after they take it from someone. Their prime motivation is not to run a profitable business but to get re-elected.
— Ed Stout, Millsap
Is it just me or does anyone else see the contemptible disconnect here? The people who run the banks are so morally and ethically bankrupt that the Congress has to pass laws to keep them from stealing from us.
We have to have laws to keep these financial institutions from cheating us. We have to have laws to keep banks and insurance companies from pilfering our money.
I hope that everyone does what I have done. I have stopped my direct deposit, I have closed all of my bank accounts and closed all of my credit card accounts and moved everything into a credit union. These banks should have been allowed to fail when this whole mess started.
The United States does not bargain with terrorists? Baloney. What the banks have committed is nothing short of financial terrorism. Outrageous.
— Mark Stevens, Fort Worth
It has always made me smile to read letters to the editor about teenagers who are caring and do helpful things for the elderly. Now, I would like to share my recent experience.
As I was struggling by the curb, trying to cut up a huge cardboard box so it would fit into my recycle bin, two young lads on bikes stopped to ask if I needed help. Together, they took over and happily and efficiently finished the project, much to my relief.
Thank you, Philip Alarcon and Ross Ewing! Your parents are obviously rearing two very fine young men.
— Harriet Risk Woldt, Fort Worth
So, the Gallup poll now finds 51 percent of its responders to be “pro-life,” that is, against abortion. (See: “Poll finds majority described as pro-life,” May 16) My question is, what percentage of those responders were men? I feel that any man who can get pregnant should have a say in the matter. My concern is that this shift in the polls will lead to the passage of restrictive laws (mostly made by men) that will force women back to do-it-yourself abortions with coat hangers.
— Hilliard Stone, Irving
If doctors and drug companies would take their ads off TV, they and we would save a lot of money. Not only does advertising raise fees so the companies can pay for TV time, but it also makes the patients feel like they know, better than the doctor, what medicine they should be taking. I think we were doing much better when drug companies and other health services weren’t advertised on TV.
— Norma Dixson, Arlington
In response to Velma Stevens’ calling the Texas Legislature “archaic,” I say right back at ya. (See: “Puzzled by the Legislature,” May 20) Texas, Tennessee and Kentucky all set budgets for more than one year. If we can’t budget for, it won’t pass anyway so there’s no need to haggle all year every year.
CNBC ranked the top states for business in 2008 by 10 categories. Overall, Texas was No. 1; Kentucky 35; Tennessee 21. Texas is home to 42 Fortune 500 companies. Kentucky and Tennessee — zero. Four of the top 75 art museums in the United States are in Texas. Zero in Kentucky or Tennessee.
Archaic Texas government is really getting in the way of success!
— John Canafax, North Richland Hills
For weeks, the media have made sure that everyone knew about swine flu. Schools closed, events were cancelled out of fear of a pandemic. Yet children are dying every day from a disease that gets little attention: childhood cancer.
Swine flu had $1.5 billion in immediately available emergency funds approved by Congress. Childhood cancer received $30 million, but it hasn’t been funded.
Swine flu was labeled “a crisis/epidemic” after 84 reported cases and one reported death, yet 12,500 new cases of childhood cancer and more than 3,000 deaths a year are considered “rare.”
To protect against flu you should wash your hands. The protection against childhood cancer ... there isn’t one.
Since Jan. 1, more than 960 families have lost a child to cancer. The number of children diagnosed each year has increased every year for more than 25 years. Yet, how many people know what month is Childhood Cancer Awareness? What color ribbon is representative of childhood cancer?
Recently I attended birthday parties for my 4-year-old grandson, my 3-year-old great-nephew and for a friend’s 4-year-old granddaughter. I also attended a celebration of life for a 3-year-old who won’t be celebrating his fourth birthday with his family in October.
What can be done? For starters, give childhood cancer the attention it deserves.
By the way: Gold is the color for childhood cancer, and September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month.
— Jeri Geary, Azle
Stimulus money for the governor’s mansion? What, no private funds available? Oh yeah, no private donors available because Rick Perry is going to run the most expensive gubernatorial race in Texas history against Kay Bailey Hutchison.
Unbelievable. Perry won’t except federal unemployment stimulus money but the state takes it for mansion renovations. Perry is so precious that he has to live in a $10,000 a month resort. A few years ago, Mike Huckabee (the former governor of Arkansas) lived in a double wide while his “digs” were being remodeled. Ridiculous.
— Amy Sabol, Bedford
It is unfortunate that President Obama chose to put the nation’s health in the hands of an overzealous activist who doesn’t give any consideration to the importance of personal responsibility or privacy (See: “Crusading NY health chief picked to head CDC,” May 15).
Thomas Frieden famously told the Financial Times that “when anyone dies at an early age from a preventable cause in New York City, it’s my fault.” What constitutes a “preventable cause” for Frieden? Essentially any behavior that he personally disapproves of, including: eating salty or fatty foods, “insufficient” breast-feeding, and using birth control that isn’t city-approved. Following his myriad regulations in New York City, the New York Post quipped that Frieden had turned the city into “a nanny state on steroids.”
Frieden doesn’t simply blur the line between what is the government’s responsibility in regulating health and what is the individual’s responsibility; he barely recognizes its existence.
— J. Justin Wilson, senior research analyst, Center for Consumer Freedom, Washington, D.C.
How great that nonsmokers can enjoy eating in a restaurant without breathing other people’s cigarette smoke. It’s hard to enjoy a leisurely meal while waiting for the person or persons at the next table to finish their cigarettes. I remember when my husband and I went out to an elegant restaurant and a couple came and sat next to us and the woman smoked all evening. In fact, I remember being so glad when their food was served. But she smoked between bites. I think second-hand smoke is about as bad for the people who are forced to breathe it as the people who are doing the smoking, maybe worse. I have never smoked willingly but have had to breathe other people’s smoke more than once.
— Pan Hunter, Fort Worth
When a veteran of America’s wars dies, he usually gets in his obituary a little flag and a bare mention that he served proudly in the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard or Merchant Marines during WW II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq or Afghanistan. Nothing more. He had had nothing to offer but blood, toil, sweat, tears and fears when he landed under fire at Normandy on D-Day, saw action in the Battle of the Bulge, Corregidor and Bataan or landed on bloody Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Leyte, Iwo Jima and Okinawa or on a hundred other hostile beaches.
These facts are not provided to the funeral home or minister at the time of death because his children and grandchildren do not know them. They were always too busy with their own lives to ask him to tell them where he had been and what he had seen. Besides, newspaper obituaries are expensive. It would cost too much to tell in what theater of war he served, the name of his ship, what battles he participated in or what historic events he saw.
Thus it was so with my old banker friend G.R. “Bill” Hames, who died May 12. The obituary reported that he served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Not a word about what he told me at a wine tasting in the Fort Worth Club on Aug. 12, 1981.
Hames said that when General George S. Patton Jr. was promoted to three-star lieutenant general during the 1943 North Africa campaign, Patton gave him a dime and ordered him to cut a star out of it.
Hames complied with the order and affixed the third star to Patton’s helmet. Bill Hames!
Another old soldier has faded away. Another piece of unrecorded World War II history is gone.
— Don Woodard Sr., Fort Worth
Having fought in three wars for the United States of America, beginning with World War II, I never thought I would hear a U.S. president disgrace my country the way Obama did on his recent trip to Europe.
The asinine statement he made in France saying Americans are arrogant (not “we” Americans) not only desecrated the honor and memory of Americans buried in Flanders Field in France, but it embarrassed the French people. They are well aware that Americans saved their country twice in the 20th century.
My air crew was sent to Europe during the Berlin airlift in 1948, and every time we were in France the French people were very grateful to Americans for saving them.
If any French people think Americans are arrogant, it is younger people about Obama’s age who are as ignorant of French and American history as Obama.
It is the duty of the few of us veterans still living to speak for the Americans who sacrificed their lives in WWI and WWII.
— Col. Frank D. Jackson, USAF (ret.), Fort Worth
In early May, I was selected by the Ellis County Honor Flight Association to be one in a group of World War II veterans to visit Washington, D.C.
The Ellis County Honor Flight Association honors WWII veterans by giving them an all-expense-paid trip for two days and one night to our capital city.
Veterans tour the Capitol, the National Mall (WWII Memorial), Arlington National Cemetery, the Iwo Jima Memorial and other points of interest. For the disabled veterans, wheelchairs and guardians are made available. A medical doctor and nurse accompany the group.
It is truly a moving experience, and one every WWII veteran should experience if given the opportunity.
— Jack R. Longgrear, Arlington
This is Memorial Day weekend when we pay homage to our fallen military heroes, those who have answered their call to duty in God’s eternal command. We know freedom isn’t free. It’s paid for by blood from families like mine who lost our oldest brother, Joe, to war. But the price of freedom isn’t always in blood. Sometimes it’s in giving to Lady Liberty for roads and bridges and good schools and all the other great things that makes America what she is.
Recently stories and letters have appeared in the Star-Telegram about what the soul of the Republican Party will look like. The arguments seem to be between Dick Cheney and Rush Limbaugh and rising star Sarah Palin against the more moderates like Colin Powell.
As a liberal I always shudder when some conservative tries to define liberalism. But I know that America will not survive without having a vibrant and honest conservative party to help us liberals govern our nation.
Conservatives and liberals argue over the reins of power, not just here in the United States but down through history in other settings. First one, then the other prevails. So it has been here in America.
Ben Franklin warned our ancestors with these chilling words: “You have a Republic, if you can keep it.”
My question for today’s conservatives, who don’t just want a smaller government, but seem to wish no government at all with none of those pesky taxes to pay: What happens to government of the people, by the people and for the people when we, the people refuse to pay for it?
We have a Republic, if we can keep it, if we, the people will pay for it.
Because, you see, freedom isn’t free! Sleep well, Joe.
— David Perkins, Fort Worth
Allowing guns to be sold at gun shows without background checks means that prohibited purchasers such as felons, convicted domestic violence offenders and those adjudicated mentally ill can purchase whatever firearm(s) they wish with no questions asked. I’m sure J.R. Labbe knows as well as I do that many selling guns with no questions asked at gun shows are not “collectors” but rather “weekend unlicensed sellers.” One need only to visit an area gun show to see that many so-called collectors have dozens of still-in-the-box of brand-new semiautomatics for sale ... for cash. One can watch as individuals go from table to table asking if background checks are done and when they find the table with no background checks, they buy with cash. Labbe surely knows this is NOT about Granddad’s squirrel gun, it is often about firepower that Granddad never wanted or needed.
According to the Department of Justice statistics, since 1994 more than 1.6 million attempts-to-buy by prohibited purchasers have been stopped because of background checks. That includes 842,000 felons, 236,000 domestic violence offenders and 68,000 fugitives from justice. Of course we will never know how many felons, domestic violence offenders and fugitives stopped by a Texas gun show and purchased a gun because, of course, those purchases are cash and carry.
Closing the gun-show loophole is about keeping communities safe and keeping guns out of the hands of prohibited purchasers.
— Marsha McCartney, president, North Texas Brady Campaign, Million Mom Chapter, Dallas
Labbe says the gun-show loophole that allows private citizens to sell guns without a background check shouldn’t be closed because it could restrict some people’s rights.
Labbe apparently thinks it would be unfair to restrict the rights of terrorists, even though the Department of Homeland Security has placed them on the terrorist watch list, or gun traffickers, whose only wish is to make money while the guns they smuggle are used to murder thousands in Mexico.
Our elected officials will have to close the loophole, as I’m afraid the gun industry would never willingly do so while profits are at an all-time high. It would be paramount to shooting themselves in the foot.
— D.S. Fishman, Coppell
It is small wonder that our parliamentary system appears ludicrous to people in other countries. Our president signed a new credit card reform bill. In so doing, he also authorized guns in the national parks. Regardless of the desirability of this, how can the weapons provision possibly be regarded as relevant to the issuing of credit cards? Exactly which clause of the credit card bill does the weapons amendment amend?
Our presidents have long sought the right to veto line items, faced with the bundling of totally disparate items in a single bill. Congress should either establish rules to ensure coherence, or give the president the right to separate wheat from chaff.
— Kenneth Wills, Grapevine
Thanks for Labbe’s column, which was reprinted by the Tri-City Herald in Kennewick, Wash.
While I don’t wish to be an apologist for Fox News, her discussion of the facts and figures of Mexican guns is the first I’ve seen in any newspaper. Fox is the only news organization that has questioned the numbers.
The U.S. may be one source of Mexican guns, but isn’t it also likely that with as much cash as the drug folks have that they can get guns from anywhere in the world? It has sounded like many of the so-called assault weapons might be full automatic, which are next to impossible to own in the U.S. Another source would be more likely for that sort of weapon.
I hope Labbe keeps up the effort for those of us who do our best to follow the law. We aren’t the ones jeopardizing our rights with illegal activities, and we are, quite frankly, very concerned about the “gradual erosion” approach that will ultimately make gun ownership and gun sports untenable.
— L.A. Hauer, West Richland, Wash.
It would appear that if Mexican authorities were serious about guns coming into their country they would assist with securing the border.
My neighbor and I worked out a deal: He furnished the material and I constructed the new fence. Suppose the U.S. were to furnish the money and Mexico built the fence. This would be a win-win for both countries. It’s time they either “put up or shut up.”
— David Smith, Arlington
Zim Zimmerman is the candidate for Fort Worth City Council District 3 who has civic experience, management and budgetary knowledge, available time and no built-in conflicts of interest. Furthermore, he will not be an automatic “yes” vote for the downtown crowd.
— Lynn Gray Breaux, Fort Worth
In the District 3 runoff election, we have a young Eric Fox, who works a full-time job and has great political aspirations. But District 3 needs someone available and accessible to all constituents. Higher political goals can sometimes cloud one’s judgment on issues close to home.
On the other hand, we have Zim Zimmerman, who is retired, is not employed full time and has already proved his accessibility. He will not be pulled in different directions. We have seen and heard him since the election. This man has been endorsed by Brenda Silcox and other candidates from the general election. There is a good reason for these endorsements. Zimmerman is right for this position.
— Sean C. Rafferty, Fort Worth
The illustration for the Star-Telegram’s May 19 article “Finals Frontier” depicted a teenager wearing a belly ring, and a very snug half-shirt, with low slung jeans. Is this the image we should be projecting? Or is it already too late?
— Rosalee Kobetich, Dennis
I’ve been using cloth bags to carry groceries from the store for two years now. I see few other shoppers doing the same. What are we waiting for?
— Mark Metcalf, Fort Worth
Where are the capital letters? Proper nouns are supposed to begin with capital letters. Students are tested on this in every standardized test I’m aware of. Sadly, instead of helping our kids to write correctly, the graphic artists of the world are being “creative” by using only lower case letters.
The latest example of this is the new logo for the Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau. Why couldn’t there be a capital “A” at the beginning of the name? I’ve contacted several companies over the last couple of years (J.C. Penney, Kohl’s, Mervyn’s, to name a few) who also don’t capitalize proper nouns. The response has been to explain the issue as a creative freedom idea.
Adults can be creative all they want, but they need to realize the impact they have on children. The complaints about low test scores have been loud and frequent. But the ads that our students see undermine the instruction they receive.
Companies need to be part of the solution instead of adding to the problem. I hope the “arlington” CVB will fix the logo before millions of dollars are spent on advertising materials.
— Paulette Wagner, Hurst
Thank heaven for the Tenth Amendment. Now all we have to do as responsible citizens — Republican or Democrat — is to encourage our state legislators to vote for bills that are pro-Texas and pro-Texans. If they can’t or won’t support those bills, we vote them out and put someone in there who is. It’s simple; we run this state and this country, not the career politicians.
— Scott Berendt, Azle
We are not sheep to be led around blindly. If our representatives cannot do what is right for the people it is time to vote in new ones who will listen to us. They are all a bunch of fat cats that only want to line their pockets and it’s time to get rid of them.
— Dennis Miller, Bedford
A couple of weeks ago I heard my neighbor’s dog making a fuss. Normally I ignore it because she barks at falling leaves with the same urgency as murderous villains. I opened the door to confront the intruder only to see an armadillo looking at me as if waiting for a polite introduction. Nixing that, I ran to get my camera. For in this diverse melting pot that is Riverside, armadillos are not one of the cultures normally represented.
A few nights later, a possum showed up. Possums, I have encountered before. The first meeting was not pleasant for either of us. I opened the garage door and I was greeted by a loud hiss and a foaming mouth. If you have ever been witness to the reaction of a 12-year-old girl who has just met her favorite music idol, you can relate to the scream I let out. A “braver than I” animal control officer came and removed the possum from my garage. Probably stopped it from stealing my car.
The other night was different. Unable to sleep, I looked out the window to watch an approaching storm. Instead, my eyes focused on the four-legged object walking on my lawn. At first, I thought it was the fattest dog I had ever seen. Looking again, I saw I was wrong.
It was a pig. Yes, a pig. Teats hanging to the ground, a snout instead of a nose, pig. When did my house become Green Acres? Was I about to find Eva Gabor making hotcakes in my kitchen?
I’m waiting on my next visitor to show up. I hope it’s a cow. I like cows.
— Bill Gentry, Fort Worth
A fox is caught in a henhouse with a chicken in its mouth. Just before the farmer shoots the fox he says, “I was just taking the chicken out for some exercise.” The farmer says, “Oh, OK,” and walks away while the fox gobbles down the chicken.
President Obama, who I feel is otherwise doing a great job, had the foxes in for a talk and they said, “Oh, we’ll try to cut costs by 1.5 percent per year (when the current increase is 6 percent a year) but please, don’t make us put it writing.” Farmer Obama promised us healthcare reform, not empty rhetoric from the insurance executives. We need options that will permit us to choose the kind of healthcare we will get, be it what we have now, Medicare+ Advantage, or the same coverage that Congress has and we need. What we don’t need are self-serving heads of insurance companies making empty promises.
— Beverly Kurtin, Hurst
According to a May 10 article, Pope Benedict XVI says Muslims and Christians must strive to be seen as faithful worshippers of God “because of the burden of our common history.” (See: “Benedict visits mosque, meets with adviser to Jordan’s king”)
This conclusion trips over the stumbling block of logic. Two self-contradictory statements cannot both be true. Christians believe Christ is the Son of God, or God incarnate, and this is a central tenet of their faith. In fact, Jesus says, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
Muslims deny this. In fact, they believe it to be impossible.
Either one or the other, the Christians or the Muslims, are being “faithful worshippers of God” because they disagree as to who God really is.
I also am a little confused about the “burden of our common history” comment. Loads of people have common histories yet turn out to be diametrically opposed to each other. In the Revolutionary War founding our country, most supported the colonies, but some still favored British rule, even though they had a “common history.”
The pope’s comment fails all the way around. Muslims and Christians don’t worship the same God, and whatever “common history” they are supposed to have is irrelevant.
— Thomas F. Harkins Jr., Fort Worth
Alma Perez’s May 7 letter (“Ban Taser use”) was confusing. She made the assertion that there is something inherently wrong with the use of Tasers in the apprehension of suspected criminals. Tasers offer law enforcement a nonlethal option to handguns in the apprehension of criminals.
What Perez did not address was her other options. Should we disallow the use of Tasers by our law enforcement in favor of them using their expert marksmanship by shooting suspected perpetrators in the knees to prevent them from running away from or advancing on officers? Is she aware of some extreme Super Soaker water gun technology we are not?
All joking aside — it’s hard to make an argument that Tasers aren’t a more humane method of apprehension over the potential alternatives. Support your police.
— Jack Lewis, Keller
As I read an article outlining the desire to increase the gas tax in Texas by 10 cents a gallon, I was absolutely amazed that our elected state officials would be proposing such at this time, with a significant number of our residents unemployed and looking for ways to provide for their families.
Our state representatives need to be focused on living within a budget, not increasing taxes. If this commuter rail system is so vital (and I believe it is), then reduce spending somewhere else in the budget.
Just as Americans are doing with our personal budgets, politicians must learn to remove the wasteful spending or do without. Please remember, this is “Texas,” not “Tax-us.”
Our state representatives need to remember that Texas is a right-to-work state. We’ve hired them to do a job, and we have the right to fire them at the next election.
— Cleatius Copeland, Roanoke
Regarding the historical inaccuracies in the movie Angels and Demons, your article quotes one expert as saying, “The only thing accurate is the buildings.” (See: “ ‘Angels’ draws criticism for factual errors,” May 16)
I haven’t seen the movie yet, but as far as the book goes, even the buildings aren’t always right. In the book, the character played by Tom Hanks asserts that the Pantheon in Rome remained the largest freestanding dome in the world until the 1960s when the Superdome was built. Of course, in the real world — instead of Dan Brown’s imagination — the Superdome wasn’t built until the 1970s. By that time, several domes had been built larger than the Pantheon, including Casa Mañana in 1958.
— Tom Glenn, Fort Worth
The article in the May 16 Star-Telegram regarding appraised values in Tarrant County did not reflect the reality of the recession in real estate values. For example, my property in Fort Worth is located on the southwest side, and real estate sales in our neighborhood have been very sluggish for more than a year now.
If you cannot sell your house for the asking price or close to it, and it is on the market for more than a year with no takers, then these appraised values have little meaning in the real world. The true value, or market value — the value you accept as a seller — is the only meaningful figure. I suggest the writer, Anthony Spangler, write another article listing the average actual closing sales values of residential (not commercial) properties in the same areas in Fort Worth, comparing figures with the appraised values. I believe he will discover the sales values are down at least 10 percent in most average-value-home neighborhoods in the the Fort Worth area.
— Cy Francis, Fort Worth
Senior citizens remember the 3-cent stamp from years ago. It’s very difficult to accept that stamps went to 44 cents this week and the Postal Service is still in debt. When will the government realize that this department should be owned and operated by the private sector? This opportunity could prove to be profit-making.
Speaking of profit-making, the U.S. Mint has often published the cost of minting pennies. If the penny was taken out of circulation, the saving would be 2 to 3 cents in the cost of materials. Purchases could be rounded off, which would save time and effort required at the time of sales.
— Bill Vinson, Bedford
Please consider the great leadership that Bedford has had from Councilman Roy Savage. He has worked diligently for a fair, honest government for all our residents and employees. We so appreciate his many hours of advisory aid to our senior center, too.
Remember to vote June 12 for Roy Savage. Early voting at the library is June 1-9.
— Suzanne Herring, Bedford
The administration and the media are reporting numbers that are hard for ordinary people to understand. For instance:
-- A $787 billion stimulus bill.
-- A $3.5 trillion budget with a projected $1.75 trillion deficit.
-- A budget deficit for the first seven months of the current fiscal year of $802 billion.
Think of a dollar as a second. A million seconds is 11 days. A billion seconds is 31 years. A trillion seconds is 310 centuries.
We are told that the Social Security Administration will pay out more than it collects by 2016 and will be bankrupt by 2037, and Medicare will pay out more than it collects this year and will be bankrupt by 2017. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid have unfunded liabilities in excess of $100 trillion. This is about 7.5 times the annual gross domestic product of the United States.
We are now told that we must have healthcare reform that is estimated to cost $1.2 trillion to save the economy (the cost of government programs is usually grossly underestimated). Clean fuel programs and a cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gases are to follow.
We are printing money we don’t have and backing it with interest-bearing Treasury notes that China, Russia and several other countries are reluctant to buy as they don’t see how we will be able to repay them.
Is your watch still ticking?
— Richard H. Smith, Rhome
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is getting herself deeper into the “torture” controversy. She is compounding one lie after another and now contends that the CIA is misleading Congress regarding committee briefings on the use of waterboarding (Oops! Enhanced Interrogation Techniques). She has been caught in a series of lies and should be replaced as Speaker and investigated herself.
— Richard D. Grieser, Arlington
I am a retired attorney, a former officer in the Naval Reserve JAG and a former instructor in the Business School at TCU. I don’t know about you, but I am just plain ashamed of Gov. Rick Perry, with his talk about secession, and Sens. John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison and Reps. Kay Granger and Joe Barton, who seem to be against just about everything.
These Republicans have sold us (including a lot of good religious folks) a bunch of snake oil with their glib talk of small government, low taxes and “morality.” They took us into a terrible war and now have the economy in the tank, but have done nothing for most hard-working Texans.
It’s past time for some new blood in Austin and Washington!
— Herman I. Morris, Fort Worth
In the face of unsustainable budget deficits, the state of California is on the brink of bankruptcy. This is because of its irresponsible and uncontrolled socialist-style spending. Now we hear that Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank wants to provide it with a federal bailout.
My question is, why should the residents of Texas, or any other state for that matter, have to foot the bill for California’s lack of fiscal restraint?
— Dexter Gatlin, Bedford
How can any elected representatives of the people in good conscience keep up this farce of representing us? Please grow a conscience and support single-payer healthcare insurance. We the people deserve the same level of access to healthcare as they have.
— Vicki Price, Arlington
Doesn’t it seem strange that lack of funds for healthcare for low-income citizens, as well as dwindling funds for Social Security and Medicare programs, does not seem to be of concern for the playmakers in Washington? These folks don’t seem to be perturbed that “bailout” money is apparently for major corporations only. Recipients of this largesse continue to harvest vast sums of “bonus” money, for which there is no moral or ethical justification.
Where, then, is the demand that “bailout” money for Social Security and Medicare be given equal attention to big banks, big oil and the rest? It is well-established that Social Security and Medicare reserves have been raided for years, a practice that is of extreme concern to millions of needy citizens. The raiding must be stopped and the funds restored.
— L.R. Klein Jr., Fort Worth
The politicians need to quit spending money. They’ve never run a business, made payroll or been to the grocery store, so they don’t understand what the taxpayers are going thorough.
Our costs are up at least 20 percent or more. Have you had a 20 percent raise? Most of us would say they’re just holding on or, even worse, lost their job.
What amazes me is that the morning shows tell us to save for retirement. Some of us can’t even pay our electric bill much less save for retirement. Who is able to retire? What little hope for some retirement income was squashed when it was announced that Social Security is going to be out of money by 2037.
It should be a requirement that anyone running for political office must have owned and actively run their own business for 10 years and supervised construction of a new building. Let them experience first-hand the frustrations and expense that companies face with all the city requirements. It would make their heads spin. If they were to experience the trenches with working people, they might spend our tax dollars more wisely.
They are running the country on credit cards we can’t pay.
— Susie Fitzgerald, Fort Worth
I am not a native Texan, and this perhaps leads to my discomfiture with the biyearly meetings of the state Legislature. I grew up in Kentucky and lived for nearly 20 years in Tennessee. Those state governments were by no means ideal, but I was amazed when I moved to the great state of Texas to find an archaic form of government. Forty years later, I am still amazed!
Texas is the second-largest state in the union and is at least second-largest in population. And yet biyearly sessions of the Legislature are considered adequate for governing our state. No wonder so many bills never get considered. Still, in the infrequent instances when the voters are asked to consider having a yearly legislative session, the proposal is always voted down. I shake my head in amazement and wonder when Texas will ever grow up to become a modern state!
— Velma Stevens, Benbrook
As a native Texan, I read with sadness the May 4 article about state Rep. Leo Berman’s proposed bill to exempt “Texas made” firearms and ammunition from federal firearms laws and regulations. His stated purpose is to push for more state sovereignty from the federal government.
The sadness comes because a state Legislature that only meets once every two years and has a limited amount of time available for its work can waste that precious time on a law that is basically a non-starter. Our legislators should instead be addressing the pressing issues before our state like public school finance, insurance regulation and children’s healthcare. These are but a few problems; there are many others just as important.
I say the bill is a non-starter after reflecting on my Constitutional law classes in college. To be exempt from federal interstate commerce laws, all parts of the subject firearms and ammunition would have to be produced entirely inside the state. This includes the iron ore to make the steel, the raw chemicals to make the gunpowder and the machine tools for their final fabrication. Texans are industrious people but I don’t think we are that good. Any part, component or tool that crosses a state border to get here places the whole enterprise under the jurisdiction of interstate commerce.
If this bill passes, it will be a case of a marginalized national party with a strong state showing still trying to make itself heard. The problem is that when less than one in three Americans support the Republican Party, the Republicans are the only ones who have been and continue be listening to what they are saying.
— Tom Rodgers, Colleyville
President Obama is asking that we all find “common ground” on the issue of abortion. That’s like asking that those who are for or against the Holocaust find common ground, which is essentially what abortion has become.
I’m also very disappointed that in all those years of going to church, Obama has never understood that it’s God who helps create life in a mother’s womb (Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 139:13). How then can man justify aborting what God is instrumental in some way in creating?
— Pete Righter, Flower Mound
I was encouraged to read in the Star-Telegram where environmental activists are attempting to influence Exxon’s board to begin correcting their polluting ways when formulating future policy for the company. (See: “Exxon shareholders appeal to fund investors,” May 13)
We did not inherit the earth as many proclaim. We are merely its temporary tenants. Already in this country some major rivers and lakes are puking up the toxic pollutants being dumped into them in the form of dead fish.
Drastic measures are necessary to get the attention of those so possessed by greed motives that collateral damage has become the norm as the cost of doing business.
The civil right’s movement should have taught us something about having an effect on a company’s bottom line. Boycotting the buses back then brought needed change. It can happen again. Consumers can make a difference. A big corporation like Exxon should not be allowed to buy its way out of mistakes via the politicians. If we band together and refuse to buy the products of those that are killing us with the poisons they are releasing, then maybe things will begin to change for the better.
— James Anton, Arlington
President Obama’s decision to send more of our military into the Afghanistan-Pakistan area of warring tribes, formidable mountain barriers, wind-blown desiccated soils in summer and freezing, snow-filled mountain passes in winter to support weak, corrupt governments facing growing opposition from the Taliban and other Muslim extremists is irrational.
The British Empire, then the largest in the world, sent its army to challenge these forces in the mid-19th Century and was defeated. The Russians, much more strategically located for success, tried the same at the end of the last century and were defeated.
I hope Obama’s normally rational thinking has not been influenced by our military-industrial complex, which fattens itself on our frequent wars and external military involvements. If that were true, it would destroy the faith in him of this supporter ever since his speech at the Democratic National Convention in 2006.
— Darwin Mendoza, Fort Worth
All I can say to the people working for Chrysler who will lose their jobs is welcome to the reality of who you voted into office. Obama took it from the UAW and now the hardworking people of Chrysler are going to pay the price. Remember, we have to “spread the wealth,” according to the man we now have at the helm.
— Morris Berry, Fort Worth
Thank you for printing the May 15 column by Brigitte Gabriel, “Radicalism: Americans can’t grow complacent to threat of stealth jihad.”
We depend on our local newspaper to give us an accurate picture of what’s happening in our culture. There has been sufficient evidence to support concern for radical Islam wanting to circumvent the American system.
I’ve heard Dorrie O’Brien give her talks about the Muslim Brotherhood, and none of it was directed at persons, or was full of hate, but rather she describes an ideology practiced in secret places, to be inflicted on an uninformed society. Her mission is to alert Americans that there is an ideological invasion at work, and that we aren’t prepared for the onslaught, just as Europe wasn’t prepared and is now reaping some dire consequences.
Rather than direct its anger at O’Brien, the local Muslim community should denounce the radicals who inflict so much pain on innocent people, and to the Muslim Brotherhood and its agenda in particular.
— Jan Brand, Arlington
I have read your articles concerning ACT! for America and the Muslim Brotherhood. I would like to commend ACT! for America and its leadership for their efforts to educate Americans as to the danger the Moslem Brotherhood is to our very freedoms and the threat the Islamic world holds for Western civilization.
I have taught college world religion courses since the 1980s. I have studied the Koran and the Hadiths. They clearly are a socio-political statement veiled in religious tones. Not since Nazi Germany have our very ideals been under such threat. Please support Brigitte Gabriel and her courageous leaders who stand firm for America and Western values.
— James G. Monroe, Kingwood
Richard Blaisdell in his May 11 letter can’t be taken seriously when he admits in his opening that he did much worse than anything that has been disclosed related to “enhanced interrogation techniques” employed by the CIA. (See: “Torture never acceptable”) The lack of intellectual honesty of people in general frankly astounds me and makes me very fearful for my grandchildren. If Blaisdell were John McCain the warrior, not the politico, I might take him more seriously.
I support the president in his efforts, but if the CIA committed a crime in the use of the disclosed enhanced interrogation techniques in protecting our country, then the republic is lost.
Blaisdell and former administrations are equally guilty. You burn people alive, blow them up and leave others to starve as a result of what was likely carpet bombing and then lecture people who spoke too loudly when interrogating a terrorist planning to kill your kin. The far right and left have harmed our country and the future of my grandchildren.
War is vile and always immoral, but the stench of war cannot be smelled from a cockpit or from your living room chair. I don’t have all the answers, but the option of losing must be taken off the table. I am open to logical discourse on any subject, but finger pointing as it is practiced today is nothing but the art of deceit.
— Robert W. Rogers, North Richland Hills
Last week our CIA refused to release memos that Vice President Dick Cheney had requested because they might be tied to future litigation in the courts.
Help me understand. The executive branch of our government has refused to release truthful information because the third branch of our federal government (the courts) will want the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Catch-22!
— Fred Darwin, Arlington
As a psychologist and counselor for several years, I know people do not move forward in life by ignoring their past. They must confront their past and grasp the meaning of it, then move on. We are no different as a country. Hiring an independent special prosecutor is mandatory if we are to move beyond our actions.
— John Macchietto, Fort Worth
It is time to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the torture issue. If this is not investigated now, it leaves the option open for future leaders to interpret the Constitution to suit their needs. The law is the law, and it doesn’t change just to suit someone’s special interpretation. We need to find all of the people responsible for breaking international law by authorizing torture and bring them to justice.
— Arnold Garcia, Bedford
Come on, people, it does not take a giant brain to figure out why President Obama decided not to release the pictures of the prisoners being interrogated. Reverse the situation. If we saw an American being interrogated not to our liking, wouldn’t it give us a boost to get even? Can you imagine the caption that could be under the pictures by the enemy?
There are pictures of World War II, Korea and Vietnam that have not been released because of the content. We still have “brothers” in the combat zone. Do not help the enemy by demanding that the president release those pictures. These pictures will be released in time. This is not it.
— Joe Rodriguez, Arlington
The hypocrisy of Democrats, whether liberal or moderate, never ceases to amaze me.
Recall that on his second day in office, President Obama promised to close the prison at Guantanamo within 12 months. Four of the 12 months have passed and it’s still open with about 240 “detainees.”
Democratic senators like Dianne Feinstein, Bill Nelson and Mark Warner are saying, “Not in my state,” in part because of resolutions either passed or introduced in multiple states forbidding the transfer of the terrorists to them.
House Democrats pulled the $80 million from an appropriations bill that was a partial payment on the cost of shutting the prison. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Pelosi are now saying they want to “see specifics” about closing the prison.
George W. Bush did not close the place because he didn’t know what to do with the terrorists. The Democrats are finding out they don’t either!
— Dave Waldrop, Hurst
Having seen Joe Barton in action at the House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on the BCS national championship, there’s only one conclusion. Barton has been playing politics without a helmet.
— Jack C. Ramsey, Wichita Falls
Star-Telegram columnist Gary West wrote an excellent May 17 column about the filly Rachel Alexandra winning the 134th running of the Preakness Stakes.
This filly beat the “boys,” being the first filly in 85 years to steal the second jewel of the Triple Crown races and the first to win the Preakness from the 13th post position!
West knows his horses, and his savvy contribution to the sport in his opinion byline are well delivered and certainly appreciated by those of us who love horse racing.
— Edna Maskell, Fort Worth
It appears that Texas Rangers/Dallas Stars owner Tom Hicks owes his “Tall Texan” moniker to the height of his leverage, the wanton “borrowing against Peter to buy out Paul” shell game that has sundered America’s once-solid financial house. Hicks calls his default a “nonevent” for those on his payroll, but it’s plain to see for the rest of the community that Hicks is spinning a tall tale.
Whether he is trying to squeeze his creditors for better terms now that the behavior of his ilk has put our economy in the ER, a default is a default. Right-wingers (of whom Mr. Hicks is rarely shy in supporting) like to cavil about protecting the bad assets of the banks who created them, preserving outrageous bonuses to drunken stewards of zombie companies and holding harried middle-class debtors hostage to an economy damaged by both. If a deal is still a deal, Hicks ought to pay off his debt as written — period. If he can’t pay, he can sell of his assets and live within his means, as his side of the political aisle likes to exhort everyone else to do.
— Henry Carrire, Denton
In response to the letter about the Texas flag being flown upside down at Green Valley Elementary, we are sorry that the author did not investigate our school before writing such a judgmental letter. (See: “Lessons lacking,” May 12)
Our fifth-grade scholars care for the flags daily after being thoroughly instructed on flag etiquette. They understand how to hang the flags, how to take them down and how they are to be folded. When on flag duty, they watch the weather and leave class to take the flags down when necessary.
You implied that we do not teach Texas and American history to our scholars. Texas history is taught in fourth grade, and American history is taught in fifth grade.
Make no mistake about it, the flag was upside down. The scholars simply made a mistake that day and they learned from it. They didn’t break the law and no one was intentionally hurt. They in no way meant to dishonor our state and/or country.
The scholars are not perfect and neither are their teachers. We do the best we can and we learn from our mistakes. We make mistakes, but we also do many, many things right.
We apologize for our 11-year-old scholars making a mistake. Next time, instead of writing a hateful letter to the editor, why don’t you take the time to volunteer at our school and truly see how your tax dollars are being spent?
— Debbie Birchman, Joyce Henk and Kathy Watson, teachers, Green Valley Elementary School, North Richland Hills
We now will have a run-off in the District 3 City Council between Eric Fox and Zim Zimmerman. The Star-Telegram has recommended Fox for this seat. Fox is a full-time employee of Lockheed-Martin, a pseudo career politician, a lobbyist and a Fort Worth native.
Zimmerman is a retired Lockheed-Martin executive, a nonpolitician, a nonlobbyist, a native Texan and a Fort Worth resident for more than 40 years.
Brenda Silcox has endorsed Zimmerman because he is honest, forthright, has no conflicts of interest and will work for the residents of District 3 as well as the city of Fort Worth.
I would encourage all to elect Zimmerman for the District 3 Council seat. I will vote for Zim, just as I did the first time around.
— Kenn Poole, Fort Worth
I hope the residents of Bedford will stop and think a moment when going to the polls to vote in the run-off between Councilman Roy Savage and candidate Dave Gebhart.
Savage has not been a one-issue candidate or councilman, as several others on past councils were. You might note those folks are no longer guiding our city’s fate.
Savage has represented all the residents of Bedford. He has not been backed by any divisive group or people who seem to delight in keeping the pot stirred.
Gebhart may have good intentions, but he is a one-issue candidate. This curfew issue was voted on in Dallas on Wednesday. That council voted in favor of a daytime curfew.
Savage has worked well with our elected council through the years.
Bedford voters would be wise to continue to keep another proven steady hand on the wheel that guides our city.
— Mims Reed, Bedford
Only one Texas community college has a higher tax rate than ours. Tarrant County College’s annual reports include interesting tax facts.
Since 2003, it has collected maintenance and operations taxes from county property owners totaling $907 million.
Of that total, $209 million was from a 3-cent tax earmark included in TCC’s 31 percent tax increase approved in 2002. That was dedicated to funding a downtown Fort Worth campus.
As of the Tuesday board meeting, $526 million has been authorized to create two facilities, the Trinity River Campus and the South Trinity Complex just approved for completion.
A board majority authorized investing 56 percent of all taxes collected from property owners over the past seven years solely to establish this downtown presence with an elegant underground plaza and water features. Those fiscal stewards endorsed spending 252 percent more than the earmark-money collected.
Now that the goal is achieved, shouldn’t the 3-cent earmark be eliminated to lower our taxes? Let your board member hear from you.
— Bob Mhoon, Arlington
Well, give the good ole Democratic Star-Telegram credit — it keeps trying. Trying to get government to spend our tax dollars for the benefit of the railroads in Fort Worth. Railroads that can very well pay for their own improvements to Tower 55. (See: “This train’s still stalled,” May 13)
Remember, the Star-Telegram wanted government to give railroads $400 million to build a “flyover/under” at Tower 55.
When that did not happen, the railroads found they could solve their problem for only $70 million, and the Star-Telegram still wants to give them the money.
Tax money is not meant to be given to private enterprise. In the famous words of a WWII commander in France, the answer is still “nuts.”
— Tom Stamey, Fort Worth
Being a 65-year-old senior, I received my $250 rebate from the Obama administration. Then in the May 3 Star-Telegram I read there will be no cost-of-living raises for seniors in 2010 and 2011. (See: “Social Security won’t add cost-of- living increase”)
This is a first for us since 1975. It seems the government’s financial problems are being taken out on its most needful and honorable citizens, the elderly and disabled.
A word of advice for the young people of our community: Never work for a company that doesn’t give you at least a 2 percent cost-of-living raise every year. You’re just spinning your wheels in those types of jobs. They don’t really care about you.
— Larry Fuerstinger, Fort Worth
State Sen. Jane Nelson’s education bill is extremely important. Truth in grading gets the attention of students and parents. Minimum-grade policies do not help students adapt to the real world.
As a retired schoolteacher, I know the benefits of a student receiving grades he or she earns. The father of a ninth-grader told me that I couldn’t fail his son because the boy was going to become a doctor. I told the father that his son didn’t turn in his work and, if he did, it was so sloppy I couldn’t read it. When, or if, his son became a doctor, he could write the way he chose, but until then I would grade the content of what was legible. The boy buckled down, brought up his grades and was an A/B student the rest of the year.
My classroom policy was to grade a late assignment as a zero. If it was turned in one day late, complete and correct, it received a 70. I subtracted points for incorrect answers or poorly done work. Ample opportunities were given to help students who had problems making passing grades. Those who didn’t use tutorials or do extra practice work did not get grades above what they actually earned.
The result of this policy was that students got what they deserved, fewer failed, and the lesson of consequences was understood.
— Rebecca Dollar, North Richland Hills
Although I’m a small-government “capitalist,” I’ve long wondered why Washington hasn’t made the same effort to ensure a cheap, adequate domestic oil supply as it did with food for many decades. After setting a target (break-even) price, the government would “lend” the amount to farmers and hold surplus grain in storage. If the market exceeded the target amount, the farmer would sell the grain, pay off the loan and pocket the difference. Otherwise, the government would take ownership and sell the grain overseas and/or “dump” it on the local market to keep retail prices down.
The feds could do likewise with domestic oil producers. This would guarantee continuous, expanded exploration and production, greatly reducing (or eliminating) oil imports. Surpluses could be stored in our strategic reserves at lower costs than normally paid. Excess natural gas could be given to the poor and government entities using it. Any remaining surplus could be compressed and given to tax-supported entities operating gas-fueled vehicles. This presupposes that the feds would remove the roadblocks presently curtailing further energy production; otherwise, never mind.
— William E. Campbell, Arlington
I don’t necessarily disagree with the assessment by Bill Wolters of the Texas Automobile Dealers Association (See: “Shutting dealerships is the wrong answer,” May 5) that closing local automobile dealerships may negatively impact the communities where they happen to be located. After all, that product distribution model has been in place for nearly 100 years. My question is, why, today, do we need that outdated distribution system at all?
When 90 percent of new car buyers start their research on the Internet, why is it not possible to fulfill that purchase the same way — via the Web? Dealerships will say it is because you need to kick the tires, build a relationship, secure financing and any of a hundred other reasons. If the quality of the new vehicles is a good as manufacturers assert, then deliver one directly to my house like Amazon does books.
Why pay unnecessary markups to a middle man? For service after the sale? Try this. Next time you need brand-specific automobile service, take your car to any same-brand dealership service department. See if they decline your business and tell you to go back to the dealership where you bought the car!
Despite the current industry turmoil, the American automobile manufacturing and distribution systems are not going anywhere. Cars and trucks will be with us for many years to come, and consumers will still buy them. But if it really is about “their customers,” as Wolters states, then I suggest manufacturers and dealers adopt a better way of doing business for those customers.
— Ross Bannister, Grapevine
Incumbents on the Fort Worth City Council are re-elected and yet millions of dollars of unpaid fines are not collected by the city. It’s pretty pathetic that voters and non-voters alike keep putting into power people who can’t even do the simple things right, like getting these fines paid. But, I bet if they really wanted to raise your taxes, like lobbying for an increase in the gas tax for rail transportation, then for some reason all of a sudden they have no problem.
— Michael E. Holland, Fort Worth
I have to agree with Drive columnist Ed Wallace that al Qaeda can’t bring down America, at least militarily. However, the Afghan defiance of the Soviet Union was much of the reason for the internal political strife and economic stresses that produced the downfall of the Soviet Union.
The day after 9-11, our economy was still robust and our country was united. Seven years later our economy is shrinking, we are falling deeply into debt, and the American public seems at war with itself as much as it is at war with the Taliban or al Qaeda. I hear commentators say we can’t win in Afghanistan. Will we let the terrorists hand us another Vietnam?
— John Stettler, Dallas
I was dismayed to read the article about the president adopting a dog from a breeder. The worst part was when breeder Kathy Krukewitt said it is better to adopt from a breeder than from a shelter because you know what you were getting. She couldn’t be further from the truth.
You can find out on paper the dog’s lineage, and you can read about breed characteristics from a book or on the Internet, but you cannot know what your puppy will be like with just a short visit at the breeder.
I don’t hate breeders. My friend in Maryland breeds boxers and is the type of breeder every dog breeder should be. She told me “real” breeders are lucky to break even. They only breed to promote the qualities of a particular breed, and the dogs must pass a physical exam before breeding to make sure no bad physical or psychological traits are passed on.
I visit the Weatherford shelter a few times a month, and on average at least 50 percent are purebred dogs. If you are looking for a purebred dog or cat or bird, there a hundreds of rescue organizations out there.
Please give your local shelter a chance. With this economy and families losing their homes, there is a good chance you will find a forever friend there. Please spay and neuter your dogs and cats.
— Carmen L. Lopez, Aledo
To believe what is being said by Eric Fox’s opponent for Fort Worth City Council District 3, you cannot be employed, especially as a lobbyist, nor can you have goals for Fort Worth beyond the limits of District 3.
Do we want only the unemployed or persons with nothing else to do to serve on the City Council? If you want to get a job done, give it to a busy person. Recognized as an outstanding leader, Fox would be a most dynamic addition to our council. Is lobbying to help retain more than 13,000 jobs at Lockheed Martin a bad thing?
Leadership involves more than just saying “no.” It involves working with others, often with opposing views, to advance common goals. Eric Fox is a natural leader who will be an excellent representative for the residents of District 3 and all Fort Worth.
— Ron Parrish, Fort Worth
The April 26 Star-Telegram had an article about Sgt. Darron Mikeworth, who had his face rebuilt by Brooke Army Medical Center and UCLA after he had been blown up by a suicide bomber in Iraq. (See: “ ‘Blown-up soldier’ gets a new face with help from program”) This was a wonderful success story. But I want people to know that we have a marvelous surgeon of our own in Fort Worth who works miracles as well.
Dr. Yadro Ducic completely rebuilt my nose (which I had lost to cancer) just as the article described. I have seen and met many of Ducic’s patients, and he has accomplished miracles for all.
— Mary L. Brown, Fort Worth
State Rep. Vicki Truitt’s tax-and-spend transportation bill, which asks voters to line up like cord wood and march to the polls and vote themselves a tax increase on gasoline, driver’s licenses, emissions and auto registration, has about as much chance of passing as elephants flying.
— Dorothy McWhorter, Bedford
Caution, Gov. Perry! Examine closely the new tax bill in the name of transportation when it arrives at your desk.
Gasoline, like property and other items to tax, is just another item consumers need. Therefore politicians use it as a mode of taxation.
Gasoline is already taxed too much. As the lobbyists pack their bags and head for local taxing entities, treat them as high-paid carpetbaggers. They will do more damage than the swine flu did to pigs.
Why do we elect state representatives to represent us in Austin and then pay millions to carpetbaggers to go to Austin and tell them how to vote over an expensive dinner? Some call it lobbying, some call it public relations. I call it bribery.
Forget any increase in taxes. Work on the expenditure side of economics. We need a tea party in the Trinity Harbor.
— Jack O. Lewis, Haltom City
A recent letter recommended TCU remove the word “Christian” from the school’s name because of “plans to cater to sodomites on campus.” (See: “Be true to your name,” May 10)
Seems to me many Christians weighing in on this issue have forgotten the most important commandment: to show love.
The Bible makes a clear case that human beings are, by nature, sinful. Therefore, even the self-righteous have an obligation to share with others the mercy God has given them.
— Brian Builta, Pantego
I want to express my deepest thanks to my supporters and friends for their vote of confidence. It is a humbling experience to run for public office and have others believe in you, your vision, passion and desire to serve your city and community.
I also want to commend them for being among the 6.39 percent of Fort Worth residents who took the time to exercise their right to vote and have a voice in their government. It is a sad commentary on our society that this most precious right is ignored and dismissed by the remaining 93.61 percent.
I want to thank the people I met at the forums and as I took my campaign door-to-door in the neighborhoods of District 3. I had the opportunity to share my vision but, more importantly, to hear your concerns and ideas. I think I speak for all of the candidates in this race when I say hearing from you is what drove our spirit to the next door and the next person we hoped to represent and serve.
I am proud of the campaign we ran. All the candidates in District 3, although different in many ways in their basic ideology, remained respectful. I may have lost this race but I am so honored and proud of the 403 who believed in me with their votes.
— Gary Hogan, Fort Worth
During the May 9 election, the residents of Richland Hills spoke with a clear voice about what is important, but that isn’t where our responsibility ends. We need to continue to be actively involved. We need to give our elected leaders our full support and hold them accountable to embracing the challenges that face our small city.
We need to ask for an immediate review of all financial obligations to free up funds to enhance our emergency response capability, accelerate repair of our drainage issues and restore our roads and curbs, while controlling taxes. We need to continue to communicate through town hall meetings in exchange for increased volunteerism.
We are Richland Hills. This is our city. We voted to progress into the future, now we all need to help make that happen.
— Ralph Smith, Richland Hills
In January, when the state Legislature convened, our representatives said they would take action on illegal immigration. Several bills were introduced, including HB 404.
Since their introduction, the bills have been holed up in committee. A couple weeks ago, when I asked my representative about their status, I was told some may make it out of committee but because the current session ends June 1, there will not be enough time to take action.
Great. They spend time on other bills about trans fat, which may have some merit but is not as urgent a situation as illegal immigration.
So here we go again. Another two years without addressing the problem while U.S. citizens pay millions for medical care, schools and other services for the undocumented. No wonder the Tea parties had the support they did. I guess we do need a different political party since the two present ones don’t support U.S. citizens.
— Donald Kneram, North Richland Hills
The country is being taken in a scary direction by this administration. President Barack Obama is moving unbelievably fast toward total government control of everything, and the Congress is happily going along. Government is in control of our banks, our auto industry and soon will be in total control of our healthcare system.
Hopefully, there are still enough Americans who believe in free enterprise not to let this happen. It will never work here. It would be the end of this country as it was established to be.
Our only hope is to clean out the present Congress — replace it with people with some brains and ethics and stop all this total government-control nonsense.
We better find some conservative Republicans in this next election who can stand up to Obama and his cronies and get this country back on the right track. The only people who meet those criteria at the present time are Newt Gingrich for president and Sarah Palin for vice president.
It’s not too early to start thinking about this pair and working to get that to happen. We need to get real conservative Republicans for candidates to avoid a third party of Independents because that just divides Republican votes and gets Democrats elected. We need to get rid of the present culture of being “taken care of” by the sweat of others — and that’s what the Democrats stand for.
— Harold Cluck, Benbrook
It’s very hard to understand how anyone other than the sorest of sore losers could not be proud of our new president and the fine job he is doing.
The recent European trip to the G20 summit should make all Americans proud that we again have a widely respected leader and one who can match wits with any of the other world leaders — one who will never go into a battle of wits unarmed.
America has always served as a beacon of hope to the rest of the world and that beacon had dimmed significantly over the past few years but it is again starting to glow more brightly.
We all need to support and urge our congresspersons to work with and support this gifted man in getting our financial house in order.
— Carl V. Flores, Grandview
We need for people in this country to have multiple options as we reform healthcare. Among those should be a single-payer option and thus, as legislation is drafted, there ought to be a single-payer representative “at the table.”
— Sharon I. Gouwens, Fort Worth
Kenneth R. Jones wrote in the May 8 Star-Telegram about “the signs of healing” in the economy, with home prices on the rise, especially in Fort Worth. He quoted the National Association of Realtors’ past President Charles McMillan to make a point that the housing market is improving from the bottom up because of the low interest rates and affordability.
Really? Maybe Jones should have read the Work & Money story of the same day, “Home prices fall in Fort Worth, nation.” Perhaps he should have noted that it said “the median home price in Fort Worth last year dropped $22,000 to $131,000.”
Jones and McMillan are self-serving their professions/industry by saying what both hope to be true but in reality are not.
Perhaps Jones or McMillan want to come buy some of my real estate that’s been on the market for more than three years with offerings/sales at 30 percent or lower than the original asking price.
— Stephen Dunson, Fort Worth
I was shocked to find out that my state representative, Dr. Mark Shelton, was the only one of 10 members of the Tarrant County delegation to vote against the bill that would notify local officials about gas drilling applications and that he’s also sponsoring a bill allowing college students over the age of 21 to carry a concealed handgun on campus.
It’s bad enough that he’s ignoring the wishes of his constituents and all the colleges and universities opposed to this bill, but as a doctor he’s taken an oath to first do no harm. Shelton certainly knows the health dangers of gas fumes and contaminated water, and the tragic consequences of mixing guns with binge drinking, volatile relationships, classroom stress and depression.
I won’t bother calling or writing Shelton’s office again. It’s obvious that he’s not voting for what’s good for Texans, but he still feels allegiance to Tom Craddick.
— Sharon Austry, Fort Worth
I dropped my land-based phone line more than three years ago, relieving me of the burdens of paying for redundant service, taking calls from solicitors and serving as an answering and messaging service for other family members. The May 7 article, “Households choosing cells over land lines,” explained that this shift is being accelerated by the economic recession, as if abandoning the superfluous expense of a land line in the sole favor of more feature-rich wireless technology would be made only by the financially desperate.
Even more amusing, the article categorized people like me as tending to be low-income, young, renters and Hispanics. Since I fit none of those demographics, perhaps there is one other category of people who’ve dropped their land lines: We’re savvy.
— John Pichler, Southlake
In response to Alan J. Winters, MD, JD, of Bellaire’s May 8 letter, “Torture treatment,” the gentleman should cease using both appellations if he is inadequate to a medical doctor’s obligation under the Hippocratic Oath — “do no harm” — and ignorant of the founding principle of our legal system, “Innocent until proven guilty.”
The meaningless mouthing of the right wing failed them at election time, failed the country in wartime and will gratefully keep them out of office and government for the meantime.
— Steve Friday, Fort Worth
On May 7, I read the misguided attempt by Winston Barney to correct Leonard Pitts’ understanding of the English language. While Barney “can’t abide writers” like Pitts, I can’t abide someone who attempts to correct when they themselves are the incorrect ones.
The words notorious and notoriety are unfortunately misused all of the time. Contrary to Barney’s opinion, one cannot gain notoriety without disgrace. Notorious is defined by both Webster and Random House as “widely and unfavorably known,” and notoriety is “the state or quality of being notorious.” Whereas a person can be a celebrity whether their reputation is good or bad, one cannot gain notoriety without being notorious, and while a notorious person can, in fact, be famous, all famous people are certainly not notorious.
I would encourage Barney to do the research before criticizing your writers.
— Jim Packer, Colleyville
In response to Lois Campbell’s May 7 letter about car dealerships being needed, it’s true that car dealerships have been an economic mainstay of Main Street America. However, we are selling cars at the rate of 9 million a year instead of 16 million. We can’t support the number of dealerships selling GM, Ford and Chrysler cars by selling only 9 million, especially when we have added Toyota, Honda and Nissan dealerships. The dealerships can’t be profitable duplicating the overhead, advertising and inventory. Dealerships have to be profitable to survive.
— Marvin Chosky, Bedford
Where is Lee Iacocca when Chrysler needs him most?
— Alvin B. Durboraw, Burleson
I’m from a town of 60,000 people in the Midwest, and we were always trying to run a city that was in the red.
Our streets were falling apart, street lights didn’t work, teachers were laid off, more police and fire equipment were needed, and we had to buy a vehicle sticker every year to pay for street repairs.
Then we got a casino on the river.
The taxes paid for new roads, repairs to roads and public buildings, more police, improvements to the fire department, and many new teachers and schools, with no more vehicle tax.
Bring gambling to a state that really needs some tax relief. The crime will not get worse if you have the right security at these casinos.
— Judith Martinez, Azle
The Star-Telegram should send Steve Jacob to Washington to help fix the healthcare mess. (See: “Crippling the system one needless prescription and procedure at a time,” May 10) I agree that delivery of care is lopsided: In the past six months I have had cameras in my heart, bladder and colon (where a growth was found and removed). I am grateful there is insurance to pay for all of this, but I sometimes think I am overtested because of my coverage. I would be happy if some of these funds could be used for others in greater need (I’ll even give up my place in line for the next Bladder Cam exam!).
I’m pleased that all but one test proved negative for disease, but perhaps they were all not critical to my well-being.
Jacob has a great understanding of these complex issues, and I appreciate his insights.
— Bruce Rider, Grapevine
A majority of people are now calling, pleading for single-payer Canadian-style health insurance. It boils down to an old question: Who are the government’s real constituents — the people or the greed-head corporations? I think we have our answer.
— Grayson Harper, Fort Worth
Where did letter writer Erin Finn come up with the sick, commie idea that government should be involved in healthcare for U.S. citizens? (See: “Healthcare reform needed,” May 7) That is right up there with public roads and fire and police protection provided by government and paid for by taxes. Everyone knows for-profit corporations would do a better job. Don’t they? Yes? No?
— Don H. Baker, Alvarado
What could be better for a board member than to have the organization you serve mentioned on national TV? As it turned out, there are many things that could be better than being part of Jay Leno’s “Headlines.”
The Multicultural Alliance was one of the featured headlines recently when Leno flashed Star-Telegram Click photos showing some of the attendees at our annual awards dinner on March 4. Leno’s comment: “Hey Kevin — I want you to notice ... look at how many shades of white people there are.” This brought laughs from the audience and some embarrassment for us and possible confusion among our friends and supporters.
We submitted six photos featuring honorees, program participants and several members of our board. While some of the photos reflected the diversity of our dinner attendees, the four photos selected by the paper to run in Click did not.
Our organization has worked diligently to be a voice for justice in our community for almost 60 years. Formerly known as The National Conference of Christians and Jews, we provide a voice of reason and collaboration in the events that have the potential to divide our community. The Multicultural Alliance works at the cutting edge of religious, racial and social issues, promoting the importance of diversity and understanding. We want all our friends in this wonderful community to know our values haven’t changed.
— Mattie Peterson Compton, presiding chair, The Multicultural Alliance, Fort Worth
Gasping for breath in prison for a crime you didn’t commit is a horrific way to die. For Timothy Cole, those last moments were a finale to the years of indifference and incompetence that kept him locked up because a conviction was more important than his constitutional rights.
The justice denied him in life now comes in death as his was the first DNA-proven posthumous exoneration. Judge Jim Bob Darnell, who was Cole’s prosecutor in Lubbock, says he feels like he’s been punched in the stomach with this outcome. The truth resurrected by the Innocence Project of Texas clobbered him.
New law has been exacted from this tragedy that will benefit everyone accused of a crime. Change has come at great sacrifice to Cole and his family. Hopefully, it brings peace to the soul of a man who would not acquiesce to a plea bargain because of his innocence.
Lubbock sits firmly in the Bible Belt; maybe that’s why the unholy acts perpetuated by our legal system against Timothy Cole demanded retribution. Divine intervention has many forms, and DNA is obviously one of them.
— Mary Alice Altorfer, New Braunfels
Apparently Fort Worth and Tarrant County bureaucrats have spent tens of thousands of dollars to hire the most expensive lobbyist in Austin to influence passage of the North Texas transportation bill. This bill, which passed the Senate (surprise) and is awaiting a vote in the House, will significantly increase our tax burden. So we have the unappetizing reality that our elected officials are using our tax money to pass laws that will increase our taxes. Complaints may be registered at City Hall and Tarrant County offices. Why do senators and representatives statewide have the right to decide what happens in our community?
— William Wright, Fort Worth
What is holding up progress on the North Richland Hills light rail line to D/FW Airport and beyond? The track, the old Cotton Belt line, is already owned. The city has a plan for the stations. Everything is in place except financing, although several plans have been developed.
Most agree that light rail to and beyond D/FW would be a great thing. Businesses in and around the stations would be perfect for our city’s development. The convenience of parking at a rate far below what the airport charges would be great. And best of all, light rail would reduce pollution and tie in with high-speed rail.
What are we waiting for? State Rep. Kelly Hancock, can you please explain why you will not move forward with one of the greatest projects for this city’s future!
— Jerry P. Sorenson, North Richland Hills
I want to thank all those who supported the merger of the Municipal Utility District 2 into the Town of Trophy Club. While it did not go the way we hoped, there will be two less layers of government. Our next goal is to work to secure a contract between the Towns of Trophy Club and Westlake for services to Solana. The contract will allow for the merger of the new MUD into our town and accomplish our ultimate goal of one government in Trophy Club.
— Greg Lamont, Trophy Club
One of the many writers reporting on the recent elections in Parker County indicated that some of the “former” incumbents felt that the voters were confused by recent occurrences.
I advise the “recent” incumbents and the writers that I was far from confused when I voted in this election. I, for one, would genuinely be interested in limiting all public offices to two terms and hired positions to one contract.
— R.E. Driscoll Sr., Weatherford
I appreciated much of Mike Norman’s May 8 column on “states’ rights.” He refers to a rising tide of concern about the overreaching influence and power of the federal government.
However, after identifying a broad set of examples to demonstrate these concerns, he then presumed to explain these instances on the sole motivation of a tax benefit for the rich.
U.S. citizens have knowledge about our Constitution and an understanding about how our form of government was designed to work. Many have sworn an allegiance to that document, swearing by honor and oath to protect it from all enemies, foreign and domestic. When in many separate places, citizens of our Union begin to enunciate concern, the goal of those citizens is not financial gain but the sustainment of liberty as designed by our Constitution.
We were not fans of King George, even though we were brothers and citizens of the same land. And we are not fans of the federal government when intrusive and overreaching power exceeds the written boundaries set forth in the guiding document upon which this Republic stands.
As for taxes, they are the breath by which the federal monster grows. Whatever tax reduction may come at the federal level, those same taxes may well be replaced by state and local governments as services shift from Washington to local control.
So, tax reduction is somewhat of a myth and, in the case of Norman’s column, no more than a straw-man argument used to discredit the fundamental concern of an ever-growing segment of patriotic Americans who believe not in the federal government, but in the Constitution of the United States.
— Kenneth Hawkins, mayor, Willow Park
I am extremely disappointed with the recent coverage regarding Dirk Nowitzki.
Dirk is an outstanding athlete, the “face” of the Mavericks and an excellent representative of the sports community in Dallas-Fort Worth. He has never done anything in his career to tarnish that image.
His personal life should not be dragged in public in a tabloid manner on the front page, his activities and relationships should not be speculated on, and he should be treated with the respect he has earned and deserves.
His personal life is not anyone’s business except his. Surely there is more important news that belongs on the front page.
— Jane Westfall, Mansfield
Can someone please tell me why this personal fiasco with some sports figure is worth anything more than a footnote in either the newspaper or the local TV newscast? Who cares?
Americans have elevated these arrogant, self-centered, self-indulgent athletes to the position of gods, and every time they mess up — which they do regularly — the media think it’s the most important event of the day, inundating us with every trivial detail for days on end.
Will someone please get a grip? There are important issues in the country, and they do not involve the antics of some sports figure (or other “celebrity”)!
— Beverley Swick, Granbury
In response to Brian Luenser’s May 8 letter, “Death of a boxer,” nothing is more hurtful than when an athlete dies in competition. But that’s the key word: competition.
It’s tragic when anyone dies doing what they love to do. Boxing is a contact sport just as your beloved Dallas Cowboys play a contact sport.
Do we want to stop playing football and charge the audience with a crime and claim that they have blood on their hands if someone gets hurt or dies? Of course not. But Luenser wants to call a boxing match “Violence Night.”
Should we call a football game the act of “head collision” instead of what it is — a football game that a person chooses to participate in and a crowd of people want to watch?
As a former amateur fighter of more than 300 fights and a Golden Gloves champion, I say all sports are dangerous to an extent. But so is life.
— Jim Strachan, Fort Worth
I’m not a fan of our duly-elected president, but I hate to see people accused of things for which they are not entirely responsible.
In the case of the Air Force One flyover of New York City, he can be said to be responsible for the terror imposed on people who remember what happened last time large planes got near their tall buildings.
But harping about the $384,000 cost is something else. How much would it have cost the government if all the people and machines involved in the flyover stayed home that day?
The people would still have been paid, wouldn’t they, or were they all hired just for that specific occasion? And the planes would still have depreciated whether flying or sitting on the ground.
It comes down to the cost of the jet fuel and whatever else the planes consumed getting there and back. Would that number be big enough to warrant all the newsprint and airtime devoted to it?
— N.A. Patton, Trophy Club
A few years ago, a couple of noontime entertainers on Fox News were discussing Angelina Jolie’s decision to deliver her and Brad Pitt’s next child in Africa.
They reported that the country she chose has an extremely high infant mortality rate. The female co-host queried as to whether Brad had any say in where his child would be delivered considering the risk associated with Jolie’s decision — as if the country’s death rate among infants there would affect their child.
Bless her heart. The statistics referred to the indigenous (look it up) population, not someone from another country that undoubtedly had excellent prenatal care. So much for public education.
Now some goofballs in the media are suggesting we avoid Mexican food restaurants that are obviously teeming with the swine flu virus.
The good news is that the medical community is working to contain the spread of the virus and develop a vaccine against it. The bad news is that we will never be able to fix stupid.
— Greg S. Pate, Fort Worth
This letter is in response to those who think Tasers should be outlawed.
If the Tasers go away, police will be forced to go back to having only their batons and guns to stop offenders who are out of control or a threat to the officers or anyone else.
Tasers are a useful tool for law enforcement and have saved the lives of many who might have been shot in a confrontation. The majority of those who have died have been high on drugs and, in reality, the drugs are what killed them, not the Tasers.
— Patty Bush, Arlington
I agree that not all Muslims are terrorists.
However, I do believe that 26 percent of American Muslims under the age of 30 admitted they think it is sometimes OK to be a suicide bomber. [Pew Research Center’s report on American Muslims released May 22, 2007]
The problem is not peace- and freedom-loving Muslims; it is radicals. To deny those radicals exist shows ignorance or calculated lies.
If good Muslims condemned beheadings, slaughtering of innocents, stoning to death, denigration of women, Hamas, etc., they would receive more support and acceptance. Instead we simply hear complaints about people condemning radicals, but the condemnation is only if they are Islamic radicals.
Every American, including Muslims, should sign up for ActforAmerica.org e-mail. They are not anti-Muslim. They are anti-radical Muslims. Don’t stay uninformed and/or misinformed.
— Neill Wilkerson, Granbury
I was ashamed and embarrassed for our public school system last week.
I noticed as I walked by Green Valley Elementary School, in the Birdville school district, that the Texas flag was flying upside-down. I couldn’t let it go, so I went to the office and told the attendant. Her reply: “Oh, the kids hang those.”
I had just walked into a school of learning, which my tax dollars support, and that response made me wonder if something as simple as hanging a flag and the proper respect for those flags might be taught before sending the kids out to hang them.
I realize that the percentage of people born in Texas isn’t what it was when I was in school, but that kind of disrespect to a flag that once flew over a country appalled me. They teach every kind of history now, but maybe an extra day or two on American and Texas history would serve these kids through the rest of their lives!
— Kenneth Burch, North Richland Hills
I am shocked by the May 3 column by J.R. Labbe. She said that “a newspaper’s opinion pages should be a vibrant marketplace of ideas, attitudes and viewpoints.”
I agree, but what shocked me is that there has been mounting evidence to the contrary in the Star-Telegram. I dropped my subscription because of your endorsement of Obama.
You should have remained neutral, as your May 3 paper was.
There was an excellent piece by conservative columnist Jonah Goldberg and then the one by Labbe. This surprised and pleased me, having both a conservative and a liberal. I like diversity. A newspaper should be diverse.
Thanks for the enjoyment of reading good reporting on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
— Shirley Avery, Fort Worth
In your April 21 editorial titled “Stem-cell give-and-take,” you argue that there is “too much at stake to allow demagoguery to obscure the fact that unimpeded research ultimately could alleviate the human suffering that results from chronic disease.”
Insofar as embryonic stem-cell research goes, I disagree. The end does not justify the means. The harvesting of human embryos is more than just “tantamount” to destroying human life. It is scientific fact that human life begins at conception. That little human being has everything necessary for a continuing human life. All the genes and DNA are there. Nothing else is added except the necessary nutrition and nurturing that he or she needs for further growth and that need continues until death.
The real question for all of us is not whether it is human life or not, but what value we should put on that human life. That is why so many of us believe in protecting human embryos. We believe that those smallest of human beings should be given value and ultimately experience the same right to “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” that our Declaration of Independence affirms that “all” of us are endowed with by our Creator. It is hardly “demagoguery” to strongly stand against the practice of destroying such human life. Indeed, this is why protection of the unborn is becoming the major civil rights issue of our time.
— William Brown, Arlington
If pro-life supporters put as much energy into contraception education as they put into attempts to obscure their moral agenda, abortions would be reduced. (See: “Measure would add ultrasound to abortion procedure,” April 22). Incidentally, doesn’t this group tend to align itself with proponents of limited government? (See: “ ‘Cease and desist’ order weighed,” April 22)
Abortion is, in many cases, a preventable tragedy, and I believe its legality hangs on the thinnest of constitutional threads. However, I also believe that knowing how to prevent an unplanned pregnancy, and responsibly choosing to do so, is its own moral obligation.
— Allison Marks, Fort Worth
Dorrie O’Brien’s speech on May 4 at the North Tarrant Republican Club was a bigoted, anti-Islamic incitement of hatred against American Muslims. She said that “most or all American Muslims support terrorism and they are intent on converting the Western world to Islam.”
On May 5, Jeremy Scahill, author of the New York Times bestseller Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army, wrote on TheHuffingtonPost.com that “military officials at Bagram in Afghanistan are caught on tape urging U.S. soldiers to evangelize in the Muslim country.” Those soldiers were told to “hunt people for Jesus ... so we get them into the Kingdom.” The Bibles were printed and sent by a church in the U.S. There were similar efforts in Iraq by Christian mercenaries.
I am wondering why the Republic Club is allowing people to preach religious hatred and bigotry, driving a wedge among Muslims, Christians and Jews. This will also instigate hate crimes against American Muslims and their worship places.
We had enough of the eight years of Islamophobia of former President George W. Bush.
— Kassem Elkhalil, Arlington
As I was watching David Letterman the other night, a weather warning was crawling across the bottom of the screen, first in English, then Spanish. I have seen this done by almost all the stations. It makes no sense to me.
I have nothing against Spanish-speaking people, but I know that if they couldn’t speak English, they wouldn’t be watching English-speaking stations.
— Lucky Rittiluechai, Bedford
It didn’t take the National Guard, the Minutemen or a massive fence to finally accomplish what swine flu just might do — close off our border to illegal immigration.
— Capt. Douglas McDonald, USMC, Fort Worth
I am very lucky! That’s what the lady at the Tarrant County tax office told me. When I asked why my taxes had increased so much, she told me how lucky I was to live in Tarrant County because we are not affected by the global recession. With all my luck, I get to pay an additional $1,000 in taxes, and my house has increased in value nearly 15 percent in the last two years. Wow, guess I should buy me a lottery ticket since I’m so lucky.
— Brenda Suydam, Keller
Today, the U.S. Postal Service will raise postage rates for a 1-ounce first-class letter 2 cents. Those hikes have not panned out for the Postal Service, so why does it continue raising postage rates to solve its financial shortfalls?
The Postal Service should know by now that it is in the same death spiral as U.S. automakers. And if it doesn’t know, it better look at its own statistical data. As the Internet continues to explode in its infancy, the older and mature Ben Franklin-inspired delivery system better find some other ways to cope than continually raising postage rates to keep pace.
Maybe, in time, the auto industry will have the solution for the postal service. However, depending on foreign countries to get our written words and packages to our homes and businesses in a safe and secure manner is not a viable solution.
— P.B. Delucchi, Mid-Cities Stamp Club, DeCordova
In 1945, I was a member of a B-29 crew conducting bombing raids over Japan from the island of Tinian. After several missions, we were told during briefings that the military had learned that crew members who had bailed out over Japan were being subjected to torture during interrogation including simulated drowning (waterboarding).
After the war, the U.S. prosecuted those who participated in torture.
I don’t care what those on the right say when they say these methods are acceptable for the U.S. to use today and that the ends justify the means. When we participate in torture, we are no better than those who did this to our air crews in 1945.
— Richard Blaisdell, Fort Worth
It is time for the American people to have what all other first-world nations have, and we will save massive amounts of money as a country as a result.
Under H.R. 676, we will finally pay an affordable fair-market price for an excellent healthcare system, regardless of our current or previous health conditions.
Democrats were elected to make changes, but we need the help of their Republican colleagues to make those changes. We have demanded the changes set out in H.R. 676, and we want them now!
— Jeannie Gibbons, Fort Worth
To say that Arlington residents north of Lamar Boulevard are grossly inconvenienced by the Cowboys stadium construction would be a monumental understatement.
It is a traffic nightmare to go south on Farm Road 157 at the Lamar detour, and going north from Lincoln Square is equally bad. To compound the problem, we are being told that it will be another year before the project is finished.
Perhaps Mayor Robert Cluck and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones should leave my home in north Arlington during peak periods (as well as during off times) and attempt to get anywhere on 157. I think they would then understand what a major traffic inconvenience it is — and for an entire year?
At the very least, it would be gracious of Jones to offer some kind of lottery for our north Arlington residents to receive a certain number of free tickets to the Cowboys games. Because we were gracious enough to help pay for the stadium and suffer the traffic nightmare, this could be a form of appeasement.
— Angela Benvenuto, Arlington
We really are lucky to be living in Granbury.
The city cannot spend the tax money fast enough, so it is building a wrought-iron-and-stone-column fence around the city-owned cemetery because people are dying to get here.
However, money for any kind of road is not available. So once you get here, you can’t possibly get out because of the traffic.
— Peter Garland, Granbury
It is curious that Dan Barrett would attempt to assert the probity of lawyers by peddling the errant falsehood that the Magna Carta, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States and its first 10 amendments were “conceived and written by lawyers.” (See: “Perhaps the AIG controversy means we are awakening,” March 20)
It bespeaks either a fundamental ignorance of history or a level of disingenuousness that severely undermines his claim that “truth and what is right are, in fact, things of paramount importance to lawyers.”
— Wm. Picou, Weatherford
For attorneys and students of the U.S. Constitution, it’s really a no-brainer: if a straight man and a straight woman can be married and enjoy the benefits thereof, then gay persons should be able enjoy those same rights.
Thank goodness Iowa and Vermont are the latest states to affirm that everyone, gay or straight, has the right to equal protection under the law. For my gay friends and relatives, it is a long time coming.
As a Texan who loves his state, I hope we are not the last state to legalize gay marriage. Too often, the rest of the country sees us as a state of weird religious sects and a region that dragged its feet for years on desegregation back in the 1960s.
We don’t need the U.S. Supreme Court to improve the lives of families here in North Texas right now. Every Texan should be at the forefront of this issue and lobby their representatives to change the ban on gay marriage.
It is a moral disgrace that we do not allow it.
— Gregory Coleman, Fort Worth
Deborah Hastings of The Associated Press used such phrases as “unleashing carnage,” “packing heat” and “hoisting shiny, big handguns” in her April 8 article, “After rampages, no national outcry.” She was expressing her opinion about the recent shootings in the U.S. and how the shootings have not provoked efforts to have stricter gun laws. Instead, just the opposite is happening.
It seems that she cannot understand that tighter gun laws will not curb violence among those who ignore laws and commit crimes of violence. By having a “gun-free” zone, we are only advertising that, in that zone, there are people who are unable to defend themselves.
Finally we are seeing that those who make the laws realize that the general law-abiding public has the right to defend itself by not being restricted in the carrying of handguns for personal defense.
There will always be those who have malicious intent. We must be sure that law-abiding citizens have the right to protect themselves against those who would rob, maim and attempt to kill them.
— Hal Gerhardt, Watauga
This is in response to Gene Thomas’ March 30 letter, “Packing heat in Texas.” One of the major reasons our Founding Fathers left Europe for the New World was that their “well-regulated militia” could move in and take control of one’s house and property for any made-up reason or excuse at any time.
The Founding Fathers gave the people the Second Amendment so we could protect our homes and property from a misguided “well-regulated militia.” It is helpful to know American and world history.
It is also helpful to know a little English grammar so you can distinguish the independent main clause — “the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed” — from the supporting, adverbial, dependent, clarifying clause that makes up the Second Amendment. Well-educated men wrote the Constitution so we “the people” would understand it.
— Kenneth G. Bond, Kennedale
To all those who decry the smoking ban being considered by the state Legislature, I have a couple of questions.
Are you in favor of repealing the laws that require restaurants to keep their food refrigerated? After all, that’s the government telling people what they can and cannot do with their business. And on their own property sometimes!
And those silly people who want their food to be “properly” handled? They could just go eat somewhere else, right?
Oh, wait! I remember now. That’s a health issue.
— Stephen Kelly, Arlington
TCU Chancellor Victor Boschini’s April 15 column was disappointing. (See: “TCU: The heritage of inclusiveness, tolerance and service will continue”)
There is no sign of remorse at all over TCU’s plans to cater to sodomites on campus.
Surely this institution was begun in the 1800s with the intention of offering Christian education and a Christian context of learning. If the university seeks to cater to the immoral practice and lifestyle of homosexuality, defending this on the ground of “inclusiveness,” it should be honest enough to take “Christian” out of the name “Texas Christian University.”
It is far better for TCU to live up to its name and strive to be more Christian — rather than more immoral and less Christian.
As it stands, let it be called “Texas University” and not claim the worthy “Christian” name.
— Richard Hollerman, Fort Worth
Our U.S. lawmakers need to take action and see that our people with disabilities are cared for and give them a safe, appropriate, dignified life.
Our Texas lawmakers need to support, clean up and build more state schools.
If community group homes are so good, then why are they not regulated like our state schools?
Group homes make profit their No. 1 priority.
Add surveillance cameras, more security and better wages and behavior units so that there is a place to stabilize behaviors instead of sending individuals to the state hospitals.
We need our lawmakers to stand up for our disabled, help make their future bright and give them a safe, appropriate, dignified life and support our state schools.
— Deb Collins, Jermyn
Congratulations and thank you!
My letter to the editor regarding animal welfare during these trying times was published last summer, resulting in a new venture for the Tarrant Area Food Bank, “Don’t Forget to Feed Me.”
As volunteer co-founders, Kim Pearson and I formed an outstanding planning committee and launched the Valentine inaugural “Don’t Forget to Feed Me” pet food drive.
Partners include Cowtown Loves Animal Shelter Pets (CLASP), PETCO, Russell Feed & Supply, Three Dog Bakery, Central Market, Handley Feed, City Market and Operation Kindness. Community support has been amazing. Independent drives also have been held at area schools and libraries, Alcon Laboratories, Tetra Pak, PepsiCo, Tim’s German Auto and Sundance Square, among others.
To date, the “Don’t Forget to Feed Me” initiative has netted more than 26,000 pounds of pet food and donations totaling more than $8,000. Donated food is being disbursed by participating pantries in 13 counties the Tarrant Area Food Bank serves. This level of success would not be possible without great partners.
The need is great. You can visit the food bank Web site at www.tafb.org for more information or to make a designated donation.
Feed a pet, keep a pet, rescue a pet, save a pet, adopt a pet, love a pet, care for a pet.
— Terry L. Woodfin, Fort Worth
Kudos to authorities for reportedly rescuing animals from a Dalworthington Gardens feed store where according to reports 240 dead animals and more than 700 live animals were found (See: “Almost 1,000 animals seized in feed-store raid in Dalworthington Gardens,” May 1)
The “pet” industry, which treats animals like mere money-making commodities, is rife with this type of cruelty. Most animals sold in pet stores come from mass breeding mills, where they are constantly confined in tiny, filthy cages and are deprived of proper nutrition, veterinary care and attention.
Let’s hope that, if convicted of cruelty to animals, the person responsible is given jail time and a lifetime ban on owning animals.
I cannot begin to say how many cases I’ve seen involving animal neglectors who have also neglected their children or other human dependents. There really are no species lines when it comes to someone’s disregard for life.
Please, help stop animal suffering: Report cruelty immediately and never buy animals from pet shops — save a life by adopting from your local shelter instead.
— Martin Mersereau, director,
Emergency Response Team Cruelty Investigations Department, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Norfolk, Va.
The Web site nba.com defines a “flagrant one” foul as when a defensive player “makes hard contact and then follows through.”
A “flagrant two” is “unnecessary and excessive contact” that “usually has a swinging motion, hard contact and a follow through.”
Can anyone explain how Denver forward Kenyon Martin’s foul on Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki was not at least a flagrant one and probably a flagrant two?
The attack was from behind, involved a violent push in the back and a follow through with fully extended arm. It caused a dangerous fall, and seemed to have clear intent to cause bodily harm.
By the time this game had reached the disastrous final minutes of the fourth quarter, uneven officiating had already decided the outcome.
— Charles Alexander, Benbrook
Sen. Jane Nelson has received substantial notoriety for her previous efforts to include mandatory physical education in our schools, which I wholeheartedly applaud.
That’s why I’m confused at her refusal to vote in favor of giving government agencies greater flexibility to buy “green,” less polluting cement for projects, instead of cement made with antiquated processes/equipment that burns toxic waste.
Senate Bill 1467, often called the “right to buy,” is officially supported by city councils in Grapevine, Fort Worth, Plano, Arlington, Denton and Dallas, areas where ozone, particulate matter and other pollutants have very high, unhealthy readings. The bill’s author, Sen. Wendy Davis of Fort Worth and co-sponsor Royce West of Dallas, along with state Rep. Vicki Truitt of Northeast Tarrant County, favor the bill.
On April 20, a letter signed by a number of small-business owners in Grapevine and Southlake urged Nelson to support SB 1467, saying “clean air is good for business.” Yet Nelson voted against it. There will be a final opportunity for her to support making our air healthier when the bill goes to the full Senate.
It seems an oxymoron to improve students’ health via more exercise and then send them outside into unhealthy air. The American Lung Association gives our area an F for air quality. With Nelson’s help on the next vote, we might move up to a passing grade. I hope so.
— Georjean Sherriff, Grapevine
So what’s wrong with a little torture? If we can get information from our enemy combatants and save human lives, use all the means we can devise.
The left’s soft position on enemies of the state costs U.S. soldiers’ lives. Would we rather protect enemies of the United States than our own soldiers who are in harm’s way, or residents of the U.S.?
“When we are kind to those who are cruel; we are cruel to those who are kind.”
— Alan J. Winters, MD, JD, Bellaire
No one will ever convince me that “free trade” is good for America. Opening a new factory in China or India and closing the identical factory in America only benefits the Indians/Chinese and a few shareholders and CEOs.
Carry this to its logical conclusion, close down all the factories in the U.S., and nobody here would have to work at all. Perhaps if we raised the school-leaving age to about 54 years and lower eligibility for Social Security to 55 years, we would improve education immensely and no one would be unhappy.
The adverse trade balance we have with the world is because of free trade. When will the politicians wake up to this? When the unemployment rate is 15 percent or 20 percent? We won’t be able to afford socialized medicine if things keep going on at this rate.
— Peter Pemberton, Kennedale
The gist of the article, “Downturn takes toll on child support,” leads me to believe the state has finally accepted the fact that the “deadbeat” dad may actually just be dead broke.
Nevertheless, I am leery when state officials begin considering ways to help people. The Child Support Industry thrives on removing a parent from the life of a child. Only in this way can child support be ordered. And only when there is an order for child support can the state be eligible to receive federal funds.
Christie Glenn, executive director of the Tarrant County Domestic Relations Office, said, “Our rules are that once they are three months behind (in child support), we proceed with legal enforcement.”
If the government wants to help the down-and-out-of-work dad, it should change the rules. The state should quit removing children from decent loving parents and making them pay for this enforced absence. That would be a great help — for the kids as well as the unemployed father.
After all, more than money, children need both parents!
— Don Mathis, Sherman
During this time of scarce resources, it is inspiring to note the leadership of state Rep. Charles Geren advocating against using state funds to start a public law school in North Texas. Private law schools may be slightly more expensive, but the size of any necessary student loans can easily be offset by the legal fees they charge.
On the other hand, some law firms are laying off, but I don’t notice a similar economic impact in the nursing profession, where classified ads are seeking applicants every day, so Geren is correct again in advocating more dilatational dollars be spent encouraging that profession.
On another front, I learned recently that the Fort Worth school district and presumably others are sending recruiters to find and hire bilingual teachers. Another shortage that calls out for state financial support.
— Jan Fersing, Fort Worth
Murderous totalitarians and tyrants from Lenin to Ahmadinejad have a term for people like columnist Bud Kennedy: the useful idiot. (See: “Some in the GOP seem bent on chasing others away,” May 6)
— Ralph Sobel, Arlington
It’s great to read that the North Tarrant Republican Club is open-minded enough to feature Dorrie O’Brien, who identified all Muslims as terrorists, as its speaker. I think it is inspiring that we have a religious group that can take the place of African-Americans and Hispanics, now that hating those groups is no longer in vogue.
I need to join this Republican Club so I can help fight the “stealth jihad,” since my view toward Muslims had been handicapped by reality.
— Chuck Noteboom, Hurst
A boxer died this week as a result of injuries from an April 30 match in Dallas. A shameful tragedy that we will overlook.
In reality, every person who paid to attend that match has blood on their hands and should be charged with a serious crime. Go to a violent fight and you are a participant and promoter of violence.
How could this still be legal in the 21st century?
And now our proud city has “Fight Night” scheduled tonight in Sundance Square. It should be canceled immediately as a result of this recent tragedy. With all the great events in Fort Worth, why should they be tainted with “Violence Night”?
I am looking down at Sundance Square from my condo, but once again, I will make sure I am gone until the violence is over so I can still pretend Fort Worth is a nice and caring city.
— Brian Luenser, Fort Worth
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It is incomprehensible that the lives of U.S. citizens are in the hands of for-profit companies.
It is an embarrassment that a nation with resources such as ours is not providing healthcare for every person.
The American conscience demands action now! Please support H.R. 676, the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act!
— Erin Finn, Fort Worth
The May 2 article about CEO pay cited Xerox as an example of how boards are changing CEO compensation. (See: “Company boards must balance keeping CEOs against facing scrutiny”)
In Xerox’s case, we cannot feel sorry for Ann Mulcahy while she makes millions and at the same time terminates health benefits for post-65 retirees.
Thousands of Xerox retirees, most of whom spent 25-40 years building the company, will lose the medical, dental and vision coverage that was promised to them all the years they worked at Xerox. All this while Mulcahy and her executives pocket millions.
Xerox has broken its promises to us and cast us out without care as board members and executives continue to enjoy their “reduced” compensation.
Forgive me if I don’t feel sorry to them.
— Rick Weintraub, Arlington
I am a sergeant in the Texas State Guard, an all-volunteer force of Texans serving Texas.
Recently, I attended a Saturday drill at my unit location in Fort Worth. Every Saturday, my wife, daughters and I try to go out to eat at our favorite restaurant, Chili’s in North Richland Hills. That Saturday, I met them in my Army uniform.
It still amazes me when people come up to me to say, “Thank you for serving.” But when a couple sitting in the bar area saw us walking in and observed my uniform, they immediately told our waitress that our dinner tab was on them.
In these hard financial times, with a country divided for various reasons, many around here come together to say thank you to those who serve and buy them dinner as a token of their appreciation. I would like to tell them, especially that specific couple, thank you for being supportive. It makes every hour spent serving worth it.
— George Garriott, Keller
Isn’t it refreshing to have an intelligent president for a change? Also one who can speak the English language.
Where has letter writer Peggy Syrus been for the past eight years? (See: “Freedom to respond,” April 29) Hiding with Dick Cheney in an unknown bunker?
Peggy, you are right, one of the few things that George W. Bush is qualified to do is to throw a baseball at a Rangers game.
— Ross H. Longeway, Newark
Shame on Leonard Pitts for trying to educate us ignorant people about the difference between celebrity and notoriety. There’s no difference. (See: “Celebrity vs. Notoriety: There used to be a difference,” April 28)
For the record, my old-fashioned thesaurus places notoriety near the top of the list of terms meaning reputable, while it cannot be found in the list of words denoting disrepute.
Celebrity and notoriety are nouns. Both words are applicable to those who are famous. I have known many people who have gained notoriety without coming into disgrace. Notoriety comes from the Latin word notus, meaning know.
Perhaps Pitts is thinking of the word notorious, meaning widely but unfavorably known .
Not that anybody cares but me. I simply can’t abide writers who stretch or omit the facts in order to craft a nonexistent story.
One other thing: Pitts can’t see a difference between Paris Hilton and Rod Blagojevich. Is he blind?
— Winston Barney, Fort Worth
Tasers kill and torture without trial. (See: “Mentally ill man dies after police use Taser,” April 19)
Where did constitutional rights go in Fort Worth? When were they canceled by the police department and self-serving politicians?
Tasers are cattle prods. America should not be using cattle prods on cattle or people.
Ban Tasers! Write your representatives to stop this tactic by police.
— Alma Perez, Fort Worth
I totally agree with Bill Wolters’ May 5 column. (See: “Shutting dealerships is the wrong answer”)
Car dealerships have been the backbone of small and middle-size towns as well as cities across our vast country through the years. They have provided employment for the workers and have kept many of these communities alive.
My husband was one of 65 who lost their jobs when Alan Young Buick-Pontiac-GMC closed the doors in North Richland Hills in December 2008. My husband and others still have not found jobs.
The closing of dealerships would hurt Main Street in America even more. There has to be a better solution to this problem. I know the minds in our country can find a much better solution to the issues that face America as well as the world at this time.
— Lois Campbell, Hurst
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