A refreshing change
Subject: “Love your neighbor (everyone) – Imagine an election season full of better angels instead of a toxic choir,” by Peggy Wehmeyer, Sunday Opinion.
I just wanted to say “well done” to Ms. Wehmeyer and thank her for sharing this very personal story with us. I’ve been reading less and less news media lately as I’m constantly bombarded with ugly partisan rhetoric, so this was a refreshing change.
Deborah Morris, Garland
Uplifting and sad at the same time
This column made me cry. What a wise man the author’s father-in-law was. It’s so much easier to be angry and bitter than to forgive and accept. The people who need to see this won’t see it. But it was so uplifting and sad at the same time.
Anita Rushlau, Garland
There is hope
I remember Wehmeyer from WFAA-TV, so I had a face to put with the name, which made her story even more personal. It’s a story I experienced, too, but thankfully without quite as much initial vitriol.
But in the context of the divisive dilemma facing our entire country, her words and subsequent actions moved me to tears. There is hope for our country, I just know that. And love, not hate, conquers all.
Bonnie Canelakes, Dallas
More homelessness in the city center
Subject: “Don’t stop the encampments now – Dallas offers shelter and clears spaces at downtown library and city hall, but there’s more to do,” Sunday editorial.
I was dismayed to read this editorial supporting the closure of the downtown homeless encampments. Having lived downtown for over six years now, I can tell you that the pressure on the encampments and their closure has simply pushed the homeless downtown.
Due to the recent increase in homelessness in the heart of downtown, along Akard Street from AT&T to Ross Avenue, we are seriously considering relocation.
The camps should only be closed when sensible housing alternatives are available. Closing the camps alone will actually make the city center uninhabitable.
Many homeless people suffer from long-term mental illness and trauma. This is not their fault. The problem is that the nation, the city and politicians have been burying their heads in the sand for years and ignoring the need for a comprehensive and funded solution.
Scott Polikov, Downtown Dallas
Stand behind dancers
The recent actions of the management of the Dallas Black Dance Theatre represent the most blatant and unfair labor practice I have witnessed in recent memory. The bosses responded to their employees’ vote to unionize and collectively bargain by firing the entire team and hiring a PR firm to publicly smear their reputation. Outrageous!
The labor movement is about fighting for freedom and equality through collective action. The foundation of the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, discussed here, is based on the principles of the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. In particular, the rights to free speech, petition and assembly, as well as equal treatment and due process.
These amendments are also the core principles of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Thus, the labor and civil rights movements are inextricably linked. The DBDT board should remember that Martin Luther King Jr. marched with striking sanitation workers in his final days.
The Texas Young Active Labor Leaders remember. Their members will march alongside the dancers until they achieve justice.
Arash Farasat, Dallas/Oak Cliff
There is no free lunch
Dazzle. When you read the Democratic Party’s populist political agenda to shake up politics, keep in mind that when Social Security gives retirees a boost, Medicare miraculously steps in and takes a big chunk of it at the same time. There’s no such thing as a free lunch. It all sounds wonderful until reality sets in.
Using these numbers to win votes for either party sounds great in theory, but reality catches up with you. Be careful when looking at each party’s promised programs and make sensible, gut-based decisions, taking into account each candidate’s history.
If you’ve lived long enough, you’ve heard all of these promises from both sides of the aisle. Some actually fulfill their promises, some don’t. Remember, everyone wants to win the race.
Anne Davidoff, Plano
Test system makes sense
So let’s all agree that we have a need for immigrants and that there is an unlimited supply. Is there anything wrong with screening everyone who comes to our country? Just because you want secure borders doesn’t mean you’re against immigration.
Imagine a secure border and security system that accepts immigrants based on minimal criteria, such as no crime, no disease, educated or skilled labor, and a sponsoring family. Have applicants provide this information from their home country to be accepted into our application system.
Rank applicants based on your needs and desirable qualities. If you have a college education, can fill a high-demand job, and can contribute immediately, you may be higher on the list of approved applicants than an 18-year-old with no work experience or education.
Then prosecute these people and give them a limited number of years to become citizens. Let them work their way into our public services.
Simply saying we need all immigrants because we need workers is short-sighted. Check them out in their home country. Welcome them here and help them become citizens.
Frank M. Wagnon, Southlake
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