Passionate Prose | Letters to the Editor

Cartoon of the Day -- January 31, 2008

Nate Beeler, The Washington Examiner

Select cartoon for a larger view.

Loving Fort Worth

I read in Sunday’s Star-Telegram that George W. Bush is planning to move to Dallas when he leaves the presidency (“Bush will move to Dallas, mayors say”).

That’s the best reason yet to love Fort Worth!

— Joe Barrett, Arlington

What fear?

Thanks to the ruling by the Second Court of Appeals, Wendy Davis will be allowed to pursue her run for the state Senate District 10 seat held by Kim Brimer. (See Jan. 24 news story “Court denies challenge of Davis’ senate candidacy.”)

What struck fear into the heart of Brimer and his political consultant, Bryan Eppstein, that compelled them to attack her candidacy? Why did three Fort Worth firefighters — Cullen Cox, Rickey Turner and Javier Cerda — allow themselves to be used as pawns in this petty battle?

Davis should be commended for her willingness to stand up to the pressure they exerted to make her withdraw. She was a responsive, empathetic and effective City Council member for District 9, and I know she’d be our effective voice in Austin.

— Ignacio Zamora, Fort Worth

Capable hands?!

So Ivan Uys says we should “leave the real world in President Bush’s capable hands.” What a stunning assessment! (See Jan. 23 letter “Stick to clowning.”)

Did I miss something — like Katrina? I could go on and on but need not.

Capable hands?! Could anything be further from the truth? And I apologize for voting for Bush in 2000.

Does the word betrayal come to mind?

— Edward Linfante, Pantego

What recession?

I keep reading and hearing about a coming recession, but I don’t see it.

I’ve watched college and professional football throughout the season and saw tens of thousands in the stands. Same goes for basketball.

At the malls, I see plenty of cars. And when I go out to eat, the restaurant is packed.

Where’s this recession, and where do these people get the money to do all these things?

— George Savage, Aledo

Diners’ lament

When professional football robs mom-and-pop businesses, something’s wrong.

When Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones decided to build a monument to himself in Arlington, construction activity made it very difficult for our favorite non-franchise restaurant to stay in business.

For 20 years, my husband and I have enjoyed the delicious food and quiet atmosphere at a particular restaurant in Arlington.

To accommodate projected traffic going to and from Jerry’s behemoth stadium, reconstruction of the Interstate 30-Collins Street interchange has made it very inconvenient for us and other customers to support one of Arlington’s few fine restaurants.

I hope Jones is happy with his Cowboys. I hope he’ll sleep well knowing the adverse affect he’s having on the dining community in Arlington.

— Ann Schrader, Arlington

FOCUS ON ... A caring community

On the morning of Nov. 17, I was involved in a two-vehicle accident on U.S. 377, just south of the Benbrook traffic circle. I wish to report that the spirit of helping one’s neighbor in time of crisis is alive and thriving in Fort Worth.

As the powder from my airbag was clearing, two wonderful ladies were already outside my door asking if I was OK.  Both had called 911 and ordered up an ambulance for me.

Because I’m already disabled to some extent, it was difficult for me to determine if I was injured or if the airbag had magnified my normal aches and pains.

Everyone who responded to the accident was amazing. The EMTs were thorough, caring and (most important to me) on the scene quickly. They eased my mind considerably by checking me over to try to determine if I had suffered traumatic injury that I was in no position to assess.

The police officers were without a doubt the type any city would be happy to count among their “finest.” From traffic control to dealing with two obviously shaken elderly drivers, they imparted to us a sense that “someone is dealing with this.”

One lady in particular deserves my undying gratitude — not only for calling 911 immediately, not only for checking to see if I needed help right away while showing concern usually reserved to family members, and not only for volunteering to stay to give her statement to the police, but for forcefully reminding me that I live in a community of caring human beings.

I will spend whatever time I have left to me trying to pay it forward. Thank you all.

— Peter E. Madden, Fort Worth

Does silence mean approval?

G.I. Evans wrote in a Jan. 25 letter (“Worry-free in 2008”) that 1 billion Muslims despise us because of our “pompous, arrogant attitude.”

Evans has been reading too much hate-America-first propaganda from the left.

We’re fighting this holy war because radical Islam is  arrogant and pompous enough to believe that non-Muslims are of no use in this life.

If only limited numbers of Muslims agree with this ideology, where’s the public outcry of shame and condemnation about the carnage that their “brothers” are waging worldwide? Does their silence indicate approval?

Evans also wrote that the purpose of religion is to “provide aid and comfort.” But giving aid and comfort is the responsibility of all who are able — not just the “religious.”

The purpose of the Christian religion is to spread God’s word that Jesus Christ is the only way to eternal life. Those who do, do so out of a sincere concern for the lost — not out of pomposity or arrogance — and they usually pray for nonbelievers rather than seek their destruction.

The rights to safely spread Christianity  and  live in a free America are what we, and Evans, need to spend less time worrying about and a lot more time defending!

— Vicki Tidwell, Burleson

Celebrity obsession

Actor Heath Ledger was found dead Jan. 22 at age 28.

Initially, there was speculation as to the circumstances. Pills were found along with a rolled-up $20 bill, and almost immediately people jumped to the conclusion that it was either suicide or drug-related.

Death is always tragic, whether by natural or unnatural causes. For that reason, condolences are in order for his family and friends.

What I don’t understand is why this celebrity’s death warrants so much media coverage. Come on — he was an actor who made movies, something we could certainly get by without. Entertainment is a luxury.

I’d rather see a story about a promising scientist working with a team that’s on the verge of solving one of medicine’s many problems, such as cancer, AIDS or heart disease.

— Gary Potter, Denton

Online Extra: Walls

The Jan. 23 Star-Telegram, under the heading "A point of division," portrayed three sections on various historical walls: The Berlin Walls, the U.S. border fences and the Great Wall of China. On the last topic, you stated: “Beginning in the 14th century, the Ming Dynasty spent 300 years building the Great Wall of China..." While the statement is technically correct, for the most part, it is nevertheless not complete and may even be misleading.

The Great Wall of China was originally built between 220 B.C. and A.D. 200 under the Qin (Chin) Dynasty by the orders of the Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the "First Emperor of China." Although little of that original wall remains to the present era and what the modern tourists see and climb on is indeed the new sections built under the Ming Dynasty (15th to 17th century), the original wall and its subsequent renovations/additions by several dynasties had lasted for many centuries before that and had been successful in slowing down many invasions from the northern tribes.

Of course, neither the original wall and its additions nor the Ming Wall was able to totally stop such penetrations over the centuries and China was overrun twice: in the 13th century by the Mongols (who ruled China for a century) and in the 17th century by the Manchus (who ruled China until the 1911 revolution).

-- Tran D. Trong, Arlington

Online Extra: Cookie jar?

I was thinking about all the politicians one sees with their arm outstretched ... but hardly ever with an open hand. It’s my preference to see the open hand as though they were acknowledging me. Don’t know about you, but a closed hand puts me on the defensive. Not to mention the fact it looks as though they’ve had their hands in the cookie jar. Oh ... nevermind.

-- Mac McKinzie, Arlington

Online Extra: War power?

Let’s not forget that the U.S. is at war! The 2008 elections are being held during war time, like World War II. Can President Bush cancel or postpone the elections to 2010, using his War Powers Act and issuing an executive order? This will satisfy nearly 70 percent of the Americans who do not wish to see a black or woman president in the White House in January 2009. What do you think?
-- Saty Satyamurti, Arlington

Online Extra: Evolution is irrelevant

The discussions about evolution versus creation make Christians sound like they have parked their brains at the front door of the church. When evolution theory was first published, the famous agnostic, Thomas Huxley, stated that if evolution was true, then who needs God?

Unfortunately, Christians have been suckered into this argument letting non-believers define both the question and the playing field. Therefore, Christians end up trying to undermine evolution and sounding like the Catholic Church attacking Galileo in the 1600s. Science and theology do not approach things in a compatible manner and attempting to apply theology to scientific observations just will not work.

Laymen also do not understand how science views a theory. It is not just a good guess but an approach with strong supporting data. Relativity is still classified as a theory but has been proven accurate to over twenty decimal places. So attempting to make a point about evolution only being a theory’s pretty weak.

As a physicist, I can state unequivocally that the Big Bang theory provides pretty strong mathematical evidence for the existence of a Creator. And I have taught that approach to home-schoolers and Bible study classes. Atheists love to see Christians challenge proven science with the Bible. That approach helps weaken the Bible and minimizes and isolates it as something not to be trusted.

St. Augustine, one of the most influential Christian theologians who ever lived, said that Christians should be on guard against giving interpretations of Scripture that are far-fetched or opposed to science so as to expose the Word of God to the ridicule of unbelievers. We need to heed that advice.

Who needs God? I do! And for a variety of reasons, none of which have anything to do with evolution. And evolution is totally irrelevant to my relationship with Christ.

-- Jim Sumpter, Mansfield