OPINION

All DISD non-classroom employees should be required to do two days of substitute teaching each school year. This would save money that is paid to substitute teachers.
It would put office personnel really in touch with the business of educating children. The classroom teachers would then feel that at least the administrators had a current idea of what is going on in the classroom.
They should have to do morning duty, lunch duty, after-school tutoring and faculty meetings. These assignments should be the luck of the draw, like substitutes have to take.

Re: "Sigel's sign designer surprised by its fame -- Project for family's liquor store wasn't a hit with boss, he recalls," Tuesday Metro.
Dallas has had some great neon signs that have nearly all disappeared. Too bad that some park or public exhibit couldn't gather up the signs like the Sigel's sign, the Lucas B&B; sign and others as they become obsolete in their current locations -- to be displayed like the neon Coca Cola bottle that we see in the Oklahoma tourism ads.
If downtown needs some public art, why couldn't this qualify for a way to bring fun and light to some of the darker corners of city's center? It would be a museum tribute to the city's history and bright fun at the same time.

If the Obama administration turns loans into GM stock, you won't like what you get.
Can you see the Obama people ever saying no to the United Autoworkers on pay, benefits, etc.? The UAW is their dearest constituent.

Re: "Guns don't belong on campuses -- They are the cause of problems, not a solution, says Colin Goddard," Tuesday Viewpoints.
It was a terrible ordeal that Goddard went through at Virginia Tech, and my heart goes out to him. Goddard's column is emotionally wrenching but short on solutions. Surely he would rather have the ability to take control of that terrible situation.
I find that people who are not familiar with firearms don't believe that you can successfully defend yourself without putting everyone else in the vicinity at risk.
This misconception is usually based on well-meaning ignorance. I would encourage Goddard to take a professionally taught handgun class. Knowledge is power, and the understanding that we do not have to accept our fate at the hands of a madman is a very empowering feeling.

Re: "Remember 9/11," by Sarah Zetman, Sunday Letters.
Sarah Zetman's letter on Sunday repeats the same sentiments that many such letters do: that 9/11 "happened," implying there was nothing that could have been done to prevent it.
On the contrary, if this country had implemented the same precautions now in place, the terrorists would have been stopped before they boarded, and there would have been no 9/11.
We had received the warnings and chose to ignore them. The reason there have been no repeat attacks is because of the upgrading of security measures, not because George W. Bush was in power.

Opponents of the proposed Dallas convention center hotel state, correctly, that if the project assured profitability, private developers would build the hotel.
The same is true with the development of "alternative" sources of energy, such as wind and solar power. Because these sources are impractical and unreliable, they are being developed only because the taxpayers are forced to subsidize them.

Re: "Airliner, fighter jet give New Yorkers the jitters," Tuesday news story.
The big news Tuesday was the story of the a jet normally used as Air Force One, followed by fighter jets, scaring the heck out of New York citizens because nobody was informed that the aircraft was going to fly low over the city to update pictures of the presidential aircraft with the Statue of Liberty.
In this time of national economic crisis, I'm wondering how much the taxpayers paid for the photo opportunity.
Had this been done during the Bush administration, not only would the story had been printed on the front page of every major newspaper but would have taken up most of section A.

Re: "Perry seeks flu medicine for Texas -- S. Texas school closed; 11 cases confirmed in U.S., all recovering," Sunday news story.
So Perry has asked for 37,430 courses of antiviral medications from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So now he likes taxes? So now he likes socialized medicine?
If we're so concerned with taxes, why are we paying so much state tax at the gas stations and fees on car licenses and registrations to build roads that are then turned into toll roads, which we must pay more to travel, all to benefit foreign owners?

Re: "Specter of Ghost Voting -- This sorry practice still haunts Texas House," Tuesday Editorials.
So Texas House members allow someone else to vote in their places using their voting button, regardless of where the House members are.
Isn't this the same bunch who rant with indignation and claim there's a huge conspiracy on Election Day to sway elections -- hence the need for a voter ID law? What a bunch of hypocrites.

Re: "More pay, less dress at job fair -- Strip clubs find plenty of takers in slow economy," last Thursday Metro.
Dallas-based Burch Management hosted a job fair for men and women looking for "jobs ranging from kitchen work to dancing at several area [strip] clubs."
Times are tough, but I have to wonder at how tough they are for some of these applicants. The woman of 22 years who was recently released from a three-year prison sentence for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon needs a higher paying job to support her nearly $139 per week cellphone bill?
Or the store clerk of 28 with five kids? Looks like just another in a lifetime of really bad decisions. No matter that there have been "positive changes" in the "industry" of late.

Re: " 'Top 10 percent' rule stirs brain drain fears -- Rejected by a packed UT, more heading to out-of-state colleges," Sunday news story.
Having too many of the top graduates in the state in the freshman class is a problem that is unique to UT-Austin. It is frivolous and ridiculous to spend taxpayer money trying to solve this problem. For those students fortunate enough to get the privilege of attending very competitive and excellent high schools, there are other ways of getting in to UT-Austin.
The UT system has a Coordinated Admission Program (CAP). Any student admitted to this program who attends a UT system school and maintains a 3.25 GPA will be admitted in his or her sophomore year to UT-Austin.
Students who truly want the supposedly fabulous education this giant university affords can wait until their sophomore year to get the joy of having classes with 500 people in them.

Re: "Board of education chairman denies creationism push -- Critics say actions show his bias, call for rejection of confirmation," last Thursday news story.
For both his dishonesty and positions, Don McLeroy should be rejected by the Texas Senate as State Board of Education chairman or any board position.
He chooses ignorant positions about evolution and the age of the earth. He tries by subtle maneuvering to impose his odd religious views on the science curriculum, but denies that those views influenced his actions. Shame on Rick Perry for nominating him.

Re: "Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter says he's switching from GOP to Democrats," dallasnews.com.
Arlen Specter says he changed parties because the GOP is far more conservative than it was when he joined the Senate in 1980.
I challenge anyone to name one significant issue upon which the Republican Party has changed its position within the past 30 years.

I am 12 years old, and I go to a private Christian school. What makes me mad is that some kids choose to throw away their lives because they skipped school for drugs or just did drugs.
They could ruin their lives or lose their lives to drugs and break their familys' hearts.
So my message to all kids everywhere is to stay safe and stay in school, and, most important, stay away from drugs.

Driving through Highland Park recently made me realize how bad their economy is.
I saw a poodle on a leash that wasn't wearing clothes.

Re: "Guns don't belong on campuses -- They are the cause of problems, not a solution," says Colin Goddard.
I would like my odds for survival with a licensed concealed weapon carrier nearby.
I want the choice to protect myself. Lying on the ground like a rag doll is not the way to prevent these problems. Being shot does not make you an expert on campus killings any more than my having cancer makes me an expert on preventing the disease. Make the college campus safer by allowing students and faculty to be licensed to carry concealed weapons and exercise their right to protect themselves under the law.

... but students reject plan
Re: "Put guns on campus -- Evaluate the data, and you'll see that this law could save students' lives, say three college professors," by Theodore Day, Stan Liebowitz and Ashbel Smith, Thursday Viewpoints.
This letter is written on behalf of the editors of the UT-Austin and Texas A&M; University newspapers; and the student body presidents at UT-Austin, the University of North Texas and the University of Houston.
The three professors who wrote this column played fast and loose with statistics. None of these professors is an expert in public safety, public health, psychology or any related field. Moreover, these three professors are at odds with almost every other faculty member in the state.
School shootings are extraordinarily rare. The homicide, rape and aggravated assault rates on college grounds are miniscule -- approximately nil -- compared to the surrounding areas, where guns are allowed. On the other hand, simple assault rates (think fist fights) in schools are higher. Now, imagine adding a gun to a heated situation.
As Americans, we take our rights very seriously -- but we also have responsibilities and obligations that attend those rights. To carry a gun into a classroom is both inappropriate and irresponsible.

Re: "Freedom to fail," by Kathleen Ellington, Friday Letters.
Amen to Ellington's letter criticizing proposals to give students no grade less than 50.
Has it occurred to the proposal's advocates that such a minimum grade makes 50 equal to zero? That is real discouragement to students who actually did earn a 50 and serves to obfuscate the true level of learning (and quality of teaching?) in the classroom.
Further, an appropriate grading system should recognize what is accomplished by the end of the school term and not doom the final result by a student's poor performance in the interim.

Re: "Success in school true goal," Gayle Thompson, Friday Letters.
Providing a minimum grade floor is, in fact, providing a life lesson to those children. Unfortunately, that lesson happens to be how to game the system rather than how to learn.
A lesson that one can succeed with minimal, if any, effort is not a lesson that will lead to success in life. If anything, it is providing a grave disservice to those children, as it does not at all reflect the challenges they will encounter after leaving school.
An educator of many years should know that school is not an end in itself. If the education establishment has lost sight of the goal of helping prepare our children for real life, then we are truly lost.

Re: "We Recommend -- Brian Loughmiller for McKinney mayor," last Wednesday Editorials.
I am writing to address George Fuller's experience and the concern regarding his potential "learning curve." As a career teacher, I have experience with learning curves, and Fuller is a strong Christian businessman who defies "learning curves."
Fuller was in Ethiopia several years ago when he wandered into a remote orphanage that did not have electricity, running water, or enough beds and mattresses for the 331 children who resided there. Fuller and his wife, Maylee, returned five weeks later with funds and essentials. They changed the lives of each child in that orphanage.
Within the constraints of an orphanage that had never adopted out a child, he successfully navigated the cultural and foreign politics, and, five months later, brought a special 10-year-old girl to their home in McKinney. Working against insurmountable odds halfway around the world, speaking a foreign language -- after these and many other accomplishments, I have no concerns about Fuller's ability to quickly and efficiently navigate the learning curve required to conquer problems in our city.

Re: "Population growth slows in N. Texas -- Cities blame recession, mortgage crisis for 2nd straight decline," Friday Metro.
The headline of this article implies that a slowing population growth is a bad thing. Not true. As water shortages and other population-driven environmental problems become increasingly acute, we need to welcome a declining rate of growth, not bemoan it.

Re: " 'Top 10 percent' rule stirs brain drain fears -- Rejected by a packed UT, more heading to out-of-state colleges," Sunday news story.
I was disappointed that this article did not provide any comparison of SAT or ACT scores between the inner-city and rural high schools that benefit from the rule and high schools such as Highland Park and Southlake Carroll that suffer from the rule.
At least half of the entering class at UT-Austin should be for the smartest students regardless of skin color or economic background. Texas needs working adults with the highest possible skills more than it needs politically correct diversity.

The upcoming election for Plano City Council is an important one. The city of Plano is in dire need of fresh young leadership if it wants to continue being one of the top places to live.

My challenge to anyone debating between Ben Harris and his opponent - spend five minutes with him.

You will see that he is not doing this to build a resume, to use this position as a stepping stone or to get some name recognition. You will find that his knowledge of the city's budget is next-to-none, he has a very good understanding of the problems that face our city (as well as concrete ideas for solving them) and that he is willing to listen to the city's residents to best address their concerns.

Young candidates this eager to serve their city do not come around too often. I hope Plano seizes this opportunity and votes for Ben Harris on May 9.

Re: "We Recommend -- Brint Ryan in Dallas City Council District 13," Friday Editorials.
I am absolutely appalled at The Dallas Morning News' recommendation of Ryan for the District 13 seat. Your editorial board must have been thoroughly bamboozled by a smooth-talking salesman with deep pockets who is trying to buy the election, since he has no community track record to demonstrate his commitment to Dallas.
He may be an "innovative thinker and a natural leader," but does he know how to accomplish those ideas on the council? That is a skill Ann Margolin has in spades.
This recommendation has squandered the credibility of a Dallas Morning News recommendation with civic leaders and other thoughtful readers by recommending a person who has no idea how the city operates and hasn't cared up to now. But maybe that's the underlying idea -- elect novices so that it is easier for the mayor to push forward his personal agenda.
I've known Ann Margolin for 25 years, and there is no more dedicated public servant in the city. She's led numerous civic organizations with skill and grace and can dissect a balance sheet or budget with the best accountants. She's lived in District 13 for many years and knows what her neighbors want and need.

... because she's responsive
Why would you recommend Brint Ryan, who never showed good citizenship by voting (you know, we have early voting), who has racked up double-digit citations for speeding, who apparently has no comprehension that being a councilman is more than his experience in building his own company.
Why would you not recognize which candidate is backed by the citizens in her area and which has money coming in from sources outside Dallas? Being a councilman requires working with constituents, helping them with their concerns, knowing what the problems and issues are. I am sick of promises.

... and she's a known quantity
Brint Ryan's expertise is to provide tax services to industries. How does this qualify him to get things done for District 13?
Ann Margolin, however, is a known quantity who has delivered outstanding results for every project she has been involved in with numerous public and private entities. She is committed to public safety and strong, safe neighborhoods. For more than 25 years, she has been immersed in community service.
We have neither the time nor the luxury of risking that her opponent, who has not been involved in civic affairs, will be an effective council member. We need a council member with the stature of Margolin, who has a proven record, to represent District 13.

Re: "Down But Not Out -- Recession-hit Victory is expanding customer base," Saturday Editorials.
The editorial gives credit to Hillwood for having "reclaimed an industrial wasteland to create a neighborhood."
I've been to Victory many times and never seen anything resembling a neighborhood.
The only humans in sight are suburbanites scurrying by on their way to an event at American Airlines Center.
Residents of Victory exit their wheeled sarcophagus in the comfort of an concrete-enclosed underground garage, rush to an elevator that whisks them to the solitude of their apartment in the sky.
Victory residents probably live there for years without a single neighborly word to a fellow Victorite and wouldn't recognize an adjacent resident from three feet in broad daylight.
That's not what most folks call a neighborhood.

Re: "Ghost voting haunts Texas Capitol -- Despite House rules, new technology, legislators can have a say, even when away," Saturday news story.
The continuing practice of some legislators to allow their votes to be made by "ghost" voters is appalling. This is tantamount to cheating and borders on being unethical.
What message are these elected -- supposedly responsible -- officials making? A duly elected official is responsible to the voters who put him or her in office and should be held accountable.
Now we find out there is a fingerprint-recognition system valued at $100,000 waiting to be installed. Good grief -- what are they waiting for?
It appears the purpose of the new system is to keep the members from "ghost" voting and actually forcing them to be responsible and accountable because they obviously cannot do this on their own. Pity.

Re: "More Choices, Not Fewer -- Don't cut options for mentally disabled children," Friday Editorials.
The Dallas Morning News recently condemned the Ellis-Rose bill to examine our state institutions, suggesting it restricted options for families searching for the best care for a mentally disabled child. Not long afterward, it was discovered that employees at one of our state institutions were coercing residents to participate in staged fight clubs for their entertainment.
As the parent of two children with severe intellectual disabilities, I'm delighted to see that you support improved conditions at local community homes, the few alternatives available.
In an unprecedented way, this Legislature has the opportunity to improve the lives of people with severe disabilities. Instead of putting Band-Aids on a heart attack, we need a comprehensive overhaul of the entire support system. Healthy discussion, not monocular philosophies and virulent rhetoric, demonstrate the care and respect our fellow citizens deserve.
Getting our disability ship off the iceberg will require new, innovative options, not simply rearranging the existing deck chairs.

Re: "Perry seeks flu medicine for Texas -- S. Texas school closed; 11 cases confirmed in U.S., all recovering," Sunday news story.
Gov. Rick Perry asked the Centers For Disease Contol and Prevention for flu medicine because of the swine flu breakout.
Is he requesting foreign aid from the United States of America?

Re: "Sure you want a mortgage? Maybe we should stop trying to be a nation of homeowners, says Rebecca Tuhus-Dubrow," Sunday Points.
This column doesn't discuss how home equity loans and second mortgages erode the "piggy bank" idea of increasing value in personally owned homes over lengthy periods. Previously protected by state homestead laws, homes often provided their owners with funds for nursing home care or for reverse mortgages. No more.
The home may simply be owned by various lenders. Any remaining equity may be grabbed by prospective heirs abetted by "elder law" lawyers. Most of nursing home care is paid by Medicaid. Are we ready for all retirement living to be paid for by the federal government?
Tuhus-Dubrow also assumes that most landlords are beneficent. But they are a mixed bag. While some care personally for their tenants, it's a business for all. Costs rise. Profit margins erode with inflation. Obtaining rent increases can be difficult.
Do we want the restricted system of rent control adopted in some major cities after World War II, with a few favored tenants having very low-priced rentals and considerable abandoned, former-rental slum property?

A voice that hushed critics
Re: "You choose how to use your talent -- Compare Susan Boyle's redemption song with Marilyn Chambers' work in raunch, says Rod Dreher," last Sunday Points.
Many of us believe that our lives do not possess enough value to impact another person's life, let alone fix our own. But now we have seen and read the story of Boyle and how it slapped the world right across the face with redemption.
Her story clearly affirms how the life of one seemingly insignificant person can change the world. Boyle's beautiful voice has shut up those classroom bullies of the world -- not to mention Simon Cowell.

Appearances can deceive
Many of my peers have been talking about Susan Boyle's singing around my school. So much that I became curious and watched the clip on YouTube.
When she first walked out, she looked pretty old with no makeup on. She looked like she had no talent. However, when she started singing, my jaw dropped. Her voice was a complete shock to me and the whole audience at the show.
This is a prime example of why we should never judge a book by its cover.

A lesson in respect
Watching and hearing (for many of us, several times) the astonishing performance and emergence of Susan Boyle, our hearts and our tears speak of how this woman, like all God's people, deserves our respect for who she is, whatever she is.
Susan Boyle is justified to stand in dignity on her own. Why bring in Marilyn Chambers, or anyone else, for comparison? Certainly, Rod Dreher, with the credentials of a columnist at a major newspaper, should have gotten an entire column, indeed even more, of inspiration just from Boyle.
Why must pundits always make their point on the backs of a person or group?

Judge not, Rod Dreher
Instead of Rod Dreher using his bully pulpit to denigrate Marilyn Chambers (who I had never heard of before reading the column), he should have used all of his ink to celebrate Susan Boyle.
By reminding us of the virtues of her well-lived life -- as a perpetual caretaker, a church and community volunteer; a pure, humble, beautiful soul with a voice "on loan from God" who has inspired millions. And further, by reminding us of the fallacy of judging another person -- for any reason, at any time.
But, no. He once again had to impose his smug, supercilious hypocrisy and sense of absolute moral superiority by judging Marilyn Chambers.
I've learned to leave the judging to the Almighty. I'd suggest Dreher do the same.

Remember 9/11
Isn't it about time that people realize or remember what happened to America on 9/11? If it has slipped your mind, we were attacked by terrorists, and thousands of our people were killed.
The terrorists didn't think twice about that because they hate America and always will. I think waterboarding is a drop in the bucket compared to the terrible savagery they put on us. I think it's clearly wrong to let them go. I fear for our safety if we are going to be so soft and believe these lying terrorists.
May we buckle down and quit putting down America to all foreign countries. We will be sorry in the end.

Not the American way
There are still plenty of us still living who have read about the Bataan Death March, the Nuremberg trials and the physical and mental abuse in North Korean POW camps. If you missed these, you've doubtlessly read more recent news items regarding Slobodan Milosevic's torture camps for Albanian and Bosnian Muslims; of Saddam Hussein's regime that systematically executed, tortured, imprisoned, raped, terrorized and repressed the Iraqi people; or of Omar al-Bashir's recent indictment by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Darfur.
How many times during this past presidential election did we hear of the atrocities that John McCain endured at the hands of his North Vietnamese captors? Yet, lamentably, we are permitting Dick Cheney, Newt Gingrich, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck and their clownish conservative cronies to move the argument from "Does the United States torture prisoners?" to "Does torture produce the desired results?"
In my grandfather's America, my father's America, my America, my son's America and my grandson's America, the U.S. does not torture. Period.
Let's keep it that way.

Behavior affects our soldiers
When the Japanese tortured our soldiers during World War II, we were outraged.
Torture makes it more dangerous for our own soldiers. We need to abide by the Geneva Conventions.
Former President George W. Bush and former Vice President Dick Cheney have broken every rule and gotten away with that, placing our country in more danger, not less.

Let's rise above this
If we allow political persecution of former administration officials who tried to protect us, we start down the banana republic road. A healthy post-war debate advanced the U.S. beyond FDR's internment camps.
Likewise, an unbiased post-9/11 commission could help us better understand which detainee interrogation methods worked and explore better alternatives.
If a post-9/11 commission is forward-thinking rather than punitive, we could advance the U.S. with better interrogation methods that suit the conscience and still provide vital intelligence during wartime.
Rather than being politically destructive, let's be statesmen instead.

We deserve to know
After years of secrecy, the Obama administration recently showed its commitment to transparency by releasing memos that reveal how senior Bush administration officials authorized cruel interrogations.
We know that torture is inhumane. We also know that torture is ineffective. We also deserve to know the truth about what happened.

Salem's testament
How could anyone doubt the validity of former Vice President Dick Cheney's claim that torture works? Just think how many witches would have escaped detection in 17th-century Salem without the use of torture.

Crackpots and extremists
Re: "What I'll leave my son on Earth Day -- I hope I can leave him a rational balance between humanity and nature, says Mark Davis," Wednesday Viewpoints.
I had a good laugh reading this column, especially when I got to the end. Davis' comment that he would protect his son by teaching him "responsible skepticism, a wise defense against any extremism."
He accuses Nobel Laureate Steven Chu of "weaving ideologically charged fiction" about global warming.
He refers to those who agree as "panic cultists" and "crackpot Greenpeacers" with "vivid imaginations" who produce "contrived scare tactics."
I'll start giving weight to Davis' opinions when he can learn to use facts instead of personal invective to make his points. Oh, and maybe after he wins a Nobel Prize.

When will Davis recant?
I have, on occasion, read Mark Davis' columns -- the occasions being when I feel my blood pressure is a little low.
Davis' column on Earth Day was probably one of the most conciliatory yet. He almost acknowledged that there was such a thing as global warming and that men might have contributed.
It is, of course, "a flaw of basic logic to instantly conclude that the current temperature up tick is a product of human industry."
This is especially true if you know that the consensus on this matter is dispelled by the great scientific mind of the senator from Oklahoma and the studied ignorance and arrogance of others who contradict a "crackpot Greenpeacer or a bored former vice president."
How screwed up does the environment have to get before the balance tips to the health of Davis' son from that of his pocketbook?

Davis' vision impaired
Mark Davis' Earth Day piece was about as well-thought-out as GM's vision for the future. Must every environmental issue be market freedoms vs. green innovation?
He's entitled to teach his kid any sort of drivel, but calling stewardship "contrived scare tactics" is nonsense.

Be a destination ...
Re: "Let's not worry about hotel just yet -- We need to make Dallas a hot spot before trying to draw visitors, says Trey Garrison," Wednesday Viewpoints.
Garrison's comments on creating a destination city before building a convention center hotel are spot-on. Conventions in desirable locations draw crowds no matter what; my professional association has its annual educational congress in March in Chicago and draws thousands.
I can assure you it isn't the wintry weather that is the attraction. Chicago is a vibrant city even in a blizzard.
Dallas has made some huge strides in starting to become a travel destination. One could only wish that the convention center itself could be moved from its poor location, closer to the Arts District, Uptown and the planned pedestrian deck over Woodall Rogers. Then maybe we'd be ready for the hotel.

... and conventions will come
As a downtown Dallas resident, I think Trey Garrison has the right idea. Downtown Dallas now has some, but not all, of the elements that would make it vibrant enough to support a convention hotel.
The Arts District, local rail system, cool buildings and proximity to airports are all important. We must fill in the gaps quickly.
How about using the money that will be wasted on the Trinity toll road debacle to subsidize more street-level shopping, restaurants and a downtown mall like San Diego?
Make the land between the levees a world-class greenbelt nature area. Then private developers will line up to build a convention center hotel.

Revitalize Market Center
Re: "Debate Hotel on Its Merits -- Crow's disingenuous fight obscures real question," last Sunday Editorials.
Perhaps if Harlan Crow invested $2.7 million in revitalizing the business of the trade corridor surrounding his Hilton Anatole, he might not need to feel so threatened by a convention center hotel.

We are in Kansas, not Oz
Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert seems to still be sleeping in a field of poppies, dreaming of Oz. Well he is not the wizard, and, in case he hasn't noticed, the movie has reversed. We are all headed back down the yellow brick road to live on the farm with Auntie Em in black and white.
It's time we get our house in order. Only in Oz will making more debt make real solid money.

Re: "Why did pilot get $2.35 million?" by Brian Burns, Thursday Letters.
The years of training and study it takes to become a proficient, highly skilled aviator can't be measured in monetary terms. This individual spent years of work and, at the same time, training to stay on top of changing technology to keep us safe in the air.
As for the $2.35 million, it was well-earned and deserved. He probably planned and saved for years to acquire it. The only mistake he made was not trusting himself to manage it.

Re: "Mother cites religion in dress code fight -- She uses modesty verse to battle tucked-in shirts rule," Thursday Metro.
Dyker Neyland quotes 1 Timothy 2:9 to justify her desire for her daughter not to tuck in her shirt. Doesn't her daughter have braids in the picture?
The Bible speaks directly to braids, but fails to mention shirts or blouses in this text. This is a test, right? And the Irving trustees failed.
Has this mother not considered putting her daughter in skirts for her modesty? Either stand behind the Bible or don't. There will be a day of reckoning, and those who misuse the Bible will be held accountable.

Re: "A financial stretch -- Leaders say dance company is on firm footing, but group has history of fiscal gambles, unorthodox management," Sunday news story.
On behalf of Texas Ballet Theater, I must express my sincere disappointment in this published article. We were promised a full and fair accounting of the current state of our company featuring our remarkable success story. Instead, the article focused on negative issues from our past.
We have made dramatic changes at Texas Ballet Theater to restore financial responsibility and improve operations over the past 10 months.
We have a new board and staff leadership, revised governance and new initiatives to reduce expenses, increase fundraising and maximize revenue. Our goal is to re-establish Texas Ballet Theater as one of the most successful arts organizations in North Texas.
We are honored that major donors have studied our business plan and invested in our future. And we are forever grateful to everyone who has helped save the ballet during this unprecedented recession.
As the resident ballet company at the Winspear Opera House in Dallas and the Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth, Texas Ballet Theater is uniquely positioned for tremendous growth and prosperity. And although you have reported our previous missteps as news, these issues are in our past and only strengthen our resolve to continue on towards a brighter future.

We still need the sheriff
Re: "Put guns on campus -- Evaluate the data, and you'll see that this law could save students' lives, say three college professors," by Theodore Day, Stan Liebowitz and Ashbel Smith, Thursday Viewpoints.
There are numerous examples of gun owners acting irrationally and committing acts of violence, thereby causing the loss of innocent lives.
There is no way way for me as a citizen to determine who is a law-abiding, concealed weapons carrier and who may be a criminal with a gun stuck down his pants.
If guns reduced shootings, then nobody would shoot a police officer.
A return to the days of our Wild West heritage with everybody packing a pistol is really not a desirable situation. Those lawless frontier towns all were much more livable after the sheriff came to town and restored law and order.
I'd rather place the right to use deadly force in the hands of a duly sworn officer of the law than in the hands of a well-intentioned vigilante.
While I support the right of every American to keep and bear arms, I place much greater trust and confidence in the ability of our law enforcement officials to protect me than I do in some random gun owner.

Enforce the laws
Re: "Prison for U.S. Gun Lords -- Prosecutions key to curbing Mexico drug violence," Wednesday Editorials.
I am outraged that The Dallas Morning News is stating as fact: "Gun-rights advocates already are grumbling." We are not grumbling. We are celebrating. We are thrilled to see gun-runners go to jail.
American gun owners stand united for the enforcement of the rule of law against drug and gun traffickers. Just as they stand united for our Second Amendment rights.
For too long, criminals have felt secure in the fact that they did not have to fear any government or police organization. And so far it has been true. It's time to start treating the criminals like the criminals they are.

Every Sunday, we present a mix of short, spicy missives from readers -- all framed in the form of a question.

Share your own Leading Question. Send your short, snappy opinion to: lq@dallasnews.com.

Re: "Wine bill gets a late boost -- Dewhurst said to back letting diners carry in own bottles," Thursday news story.
Your article states that Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst is pushing for legislation to allow Texans to carry their own bottles of wine into liquor-carrying restaurants and "then leave with whatever they don't drink."
I sure would like to see an amendment to that bill that allows me to take my Coke and popcorn into the movies.
This is an idea that would have broad-based support and might even get the bill passed.

Re: Photo with, "The tale of a baby bird rescue -- Workers snatch three hawks from light pole at Dragon Stadium," Wednesday Metro.
What a great story about rescuing the hawks from their endangered home. Wouldn't it be great to see that much effort, urgency and media coverage given to rescuing the youngest human citizens of our community from sub-standard and endangered homes?

We'll have to spend more ...
Re: "The Texas Century -- Perry's hunkering down won't get us there, so other Republicans must step up, says William McKenzie," Tuesday Viewpoints.
Texas will not have its cake and eat it too. Whether California is a "tax and spend" boogeyman or not, the West Coast is what it is partly because its citizens were willing to tax themselves for the progressive government, services, infrastructure, and business environment necessary for the growth they wanted to create.
McKenzie's vision will require far, far more than schools, research and water. Among those things is an interesting omission from his column -- decent, open, representative, and effective government, at both the state and local levels.
Texas may have its islands of richness and progress. But even a generous reading of a range of social, economic and political comparisons of the states puts Texas most often in the lowest one-fifth -- and suggests that its citizens can't be bothered to really improve things.
One wonders if, like the Saudis, Texans think their dwindling oil reserves and the state's petrochemical base will forever insulate them from the need to change, the number of Fortune 500 headquarters in the state notwithstanding.

... and demographics shifting
Is McKenzie's column typical conservative white male native Texan exclusionary arrogance and bravado? Maybe.
Curiously, nowhere in the article was the mention of the ongoing demographic shift in Texas in this century: Democrats and Hispanics. Without addressing the multiple needs of the future majority population, Texas will be Missouri.

Re: "Put guns on campus -- Evaluate the data, and you'll see that this law could save students' lives, say three college professors," by Theodore Day, Stan Liebowitz and Ashbel Smith, Thursday Viewpoints.
For as long as this legislative session has been open -- and before -- I an others like me have felt like voices crying in the wilderness about this very important issue. Thank you for giving common-sense exposure to the light of day.

Plan B available ...
Re: "Age for morning-after pill lowered -- FDA acts on order, allows nonprescription access to drug at 17," Thursday news story.
As a pharmacist, I would like to know what the federal judge who recently ruled on Plan B is using in place of a thought process.
I have more men who appear to be in their forties purchasing Plan B than any other group. In one pharmacy I worked at, the man admitted that he was purchasing it for his underage stepdaughter, whom he had just had sex with. Due to the federal privacy laws, I could not give the information to the police. Another, age 21, was a repeat purchaser, and always with a different young girl.
The laws surrounding Plan B, known as the morning-after pill, in my experience, have been the greatest boon to molesters ever. I understand that mistakes have been made by some young girls, and if they were to have an older female friend purchase it for them, I wouldn't really have such a difficult time with the sale.
Knowing that I have only sold one pack ever to a woman 18 years old or over who said that she was taking it herself makes me think that the judge who made the ruling is doing so simply because of politics.

... and curfew upheld
Re: "House endorses limits on teens' use of tanning salons," Wednesday news story, and, "City council upholds night curfew for children -- Proposal to limit kids' daytime whereabouts to be decided May 13," Thursday Metro.
In the same week, actions by governments taught us:

• A 17-year-old could not get a tan in Texas without parental permission or a doctor's note, under a Texas House bill.


• The Dallas City Council says a 17-year-old could be arrested on a curfew violation for being out in public in Dallas during the middle of the day without being in the company of her parents.


• The FDA says that same 17-year-old has a right to be sold the morning-after pill without a prescription and without parental involvement in the decision.

Re: "Perry's no populist," by Lawrence Fischman, Wednesday Letters.
Fischman attacks Gov. Rick Perry as a "Pompadoured Proponent of Plutocracy." The Dallas Morning News called him a "Pompadoured Populist." Both rhetorical "stones" thrown at the governor have said nothing of his leadership skills.
In Texas, we have a surplus. We are not broke. Look at the states that are broke and led by Democrat majorities. I would prefer a governor who brings businesses to Texas, who allows those businesses to create jobs and opportunity for Texans.
Leadership is a lonely, thankless job sometimes. But the success of his terms have been laudable and remarkable, not a function of his hairstyle.

My neighbors and I in White Rock Hills have been fortunate in our City Council representation over many years: Charlotte Mayes, Leo Chaney and now Carolyn Davis. All have been responsive to our needs, and even our dreams, of a safer and more prosperous neighborhood.
The most accessible and most collegial of all has been Davis.
On a cold, blustery Saturday morning last fall, we all gathered with Carolyn and other city dignitaries at the site of our soon-to-be library on Ferguson Road.
Davis had listened to us when we told her how important the library was, and she hit the ground running on that issue once she was in office.
Like most of my neighbors, I am going to "dance with the one who brung me" -- the one who has been doing a great job representing District 7 on the Dallas City Council and who deserves a second term -- Carolyn Davis.

Re: "Pooch promise broken," by Stephanie Oulundsen, and "Why not a shelter dog?" by Nancy Lownds, Sunday Letters.
President Barack Obama did not make a campaign promise of a dog from a shelter. He simply promised his little girls they could have a puppy if they went to the White House.

Re: "Grade expectations -- Why Heath Dollar has come around on minimum grades," Saturday Viewpoints.
Dollar sounds like a committed teacher, but on this he is dead wrong. Failure is the gift of freedom. In a free society we can fail, or we can succeed -- it is up to the individual.
All children make mistakes, especially teenagers. How are these children going to learn anything if consequences do not exist?
You need to start having greater expectations of your students and quit rationalizing this foolish minimum grade thing. It may be harder this way, but the alternative is unacceptable.
These children are not made of tissue paper. They will survive a failing grade. After all, aren't they entitled to live their own lives?

Re: "Grade Level Crossing -- Austin should permanently flunk 'no-fail' idea," April 15 Editorials.
I have been in education for 28 years, and I have never found a student who didn't want to be successful. As teachers, it is our responsibility to give every student the tools to reach that goal.
A grade of 50 will provide an opportunity to be successful when the student realizes he or she is failing. Students who do not want to try will receive 50s and will fail that course.
We are not giving them anything but an opportunity to bring that failing grade up. What about the students who are struggling with the objectives but trying as hard as they can? Giving them grades below 50 will guarantee that they will fail.
These are children who are maturing, developing and learning life lessons. Our mission is to show them the way to succeed. The statement that there has not been an increase of dropouts or students put at risk of dropping out because of "0" grades surely cannot be from an educator.
When we take away students' opportunity to succeed, we are telling them that they cannot be successful, and they will give up and, more than likely, drop out. We, as teachers and educators, are responsible.

Re: "The Texas Century -- Perry's hunkering down won't get us there, so other Republicans must step up, says William McKenzie," Tuesday Viewpoints.
At least Rick Perry voices his convictions. We have enough hand-wringers and "save the mosquitoes and fire ants" people in this country.
Perry wants what is best for Texas. He doesn't want the goofy "funny money" slammed down his throat by our government.

Re: "Cuba, U.S. inch closer to a thaw -- Obama speech among early steps in a lengthy process, analysts say," Saturday news story.
President Barack Obama has taken the first step in normalizing relations with Cuba by relaxing the travel restrictions for Cuban-Americans to visit Cuba.
The president's next step should be to apologize to Cuba for the oppressive trade sanctions that the U.S. has imposed on Cuba for nearly 50 years. To express our genuine regret, Obama should offer reparations to Cuba to begin to redress the economic hardships that we have placed on the Cuban citizens as a result of these economic sanctions. These steps should be taken regardless of whether Cuba's leaders change their human rights abuses.
While these abuses should stop, that should not be a precondition for the U.S. to correct the wrongs it has committed against Cuba for all these years.

Re: "Senate rejects tightening insurance regulation -- Proposal to require prior approval for rate increases tabled," Tuesday news story.
Every Republican senator who voted to allow the insurance companies to continue to legally gouge the citizens of this state with the highest rates in the country should be investigated closely to find out just how many "donations" they have received from insurance companies lately.
This is disgraceful, and we just take it. They will do same thing when it comes to energy-gouging.
Why has Texas become a state where the people are constantly ignored while the fat cats get even fatter?

Re: "Bill allowing votes on road, rail taxes faces rough ride in House -- Debate starts on 6-year N. Texas priority that gives residents a say," Tuesday news story.
Would the planners of the rail system please rethink the routes?
Most of the sports, entertainment and shopping venues are on interstate highways, yet the plans show the routes far from them.
Please consider making routes that go to places other than desolate transit centers and work. If we are to have a rail system with any chance of financial survival, the rail must take people to these places.

Re: "Doing nothing can be a good use of your time -- Erin Goldman shares why meditation is the most productive part of her day," Saturday Viewpoints.
Reading Erin's column, I thought of Thomas Merton's book entitled: The Inner Experience: Notes on Contemplation. In essence, Merton's book assures the reader that meditation and contemplation is not a retreat from the world, but rather an invitation to discover and live out the sacred in every aspect of the human condition.
We need Merton and Erin to remind us to take time to quiet the mind -- take time to dream -- and maybe, just maybe, dream a dream that will work to join us with the rest of humanity.
Perhaps this task will entail a little less Twitter, a little less texting, a little less Facebook, et. al., in our lives. Perhaps this break will help transform us -- heart, mind and soul.

Re: "Fraud case devastates retirees -- Ex-pilot, wife strain to pay bills after Stanford scandal ties up assets," Sunday Business.
There is a much larger story that needs to be told. Why does a pilot get $2.35 million in a lump-sum pension?
The pilots are very vocal about the American Airlines executive bonuses, but are silent with respect to their own compensation.

Re: "Columbine's lesson is simple and sad," by Jacquielynn Floyd, Monday Metro.
Floyd's simple lesson for Columbine is much too simple. We cannot simply dismiss these kids as evil monsters. Monsters do not exist. These kids were human beings like you and me and should be thought of as such if we truly wish to understand them.
These kids did not see their peers as human beings because they did not see themselves as human beings. They were human beings who, when they were born, were perfectly capable of bringing goodness to the world. Why they chose otherwise, I do not know, but there is a reason beyond the scope of "They just felt like it," or, "They were just evil."
A friend of mine was shot and killed in the Cole Hall shootings at Northern Illinois University last year. And we do no honor to the victims of such tragedies by blaming an evil soul. Real answers exist if we are brave enough to look deeper.

Re: "City oversight questioned," by Ellis L. Bert, Monday Letters.
The letter writer has it backward. If Proposition 1 passes (that is, if a majority vote yes) the city will not own a hotel. Prop 1 asks to stop city ownership of hotels.
If you want to prevent the convention center hotel, then vote Yes on Prop 1. Understand what you're voting for (or against) on May 9.

Mayor Tom Leppert and Harlan Crow are both doing a poor job of explaining the proposed convention center hotel financing.
It would not be not an obligation for the city of Dallas. The funds would come from the sale of special revenue bonds, which would not be a direct obligation for the city. The funds received from the sale of the bonds would pay for the hotel.
Dallas has not had a big convention that brought millions of dollars to the city in a long time. The hotel should be built so Dallas can regain its position as a convention city.

Hotels don't make great cities
Great cities have clean, safe streets; low taxes; lots of non-government jobs; and are socially and economically stable with excellent educational opportunities. Hotels and sports stadiums are not on the priority list.

Re: "Senate defies Perry on stimulus -- Bill would take $555M to shore up Texas unemployment fund," Friday news story.
Sen. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler, has to be pulling our legs. His bill would have us accept half a billion dollars in federal funds for unemployment aid, which binds us to federal apron strings for years, to come to give to people who can quit their part-time job or file a claim because their spouse is transfered.
I took care of two sick and dying parents over a five-year period. Can I file a retroactive claim and take the next five years off? If so, you have my support.

Re: "Grade expectations -- Why Heath Dollar has come around on minimum grades," and, "Grade expectations -- Schools are teaching teachers not to teach. And students are learning not to learn, says Troy Camplin," Saturday Viewpoints.
Dollar posits that a failing grade to an 11th-grader on a test or homework assignment may cause that student to drop out.
Then, I contend, that student was going to drop out anyway. If minor adversity and challenge causes resignation and withdrawal, that student is not prepared for either the real world or college. Yet, Camplin testifies he has been told to "dumb down" standards and expectations in classes he taught.
Next, I guess, we can anticipate car mechanics, doctors, construction workers, pharmacists and hair stylists to ask for do-overs with no worry of rejection or repercussions. After all, they all got "participation" diplomas from high school and college.

As we are treated daily to our governor's hijinks, I am sure that Kay Bailey Hutchison must be somewhere, smiling to herself.

Re: "Even billionaires feel the blues -- Downturn shrinks fortunes of Dallas' super rich, has some juggling debt," Monday news story.
I feel so sad for the rough times billionaires are going through in our economy. They won't be able to drink champagne every night with their lobster while spending the summer months at their estates in Bermuda.
And this year, they may not be able to buy another professional sports team toy to amuse themselves.
I'm sorry, but I'm getting a lump in my throat, and tears are welling up in my middle-class eyes. The sadness is overwhelming me.

Re: "Democrats face tough balancing act on voter ID bill -- Some find their constituents support it, party doesn't," Monday news story.
The dilemma Rep. Jim McReynolds, D-Lufkin, faces -- to vote with his party or with his constituents -- says it all. Our elected representatives should vote the way we want them to vote, not the way their party wants them to vote. If they don't, we should not vote for them again.
As someone once said, if the leaders of the Boston Tea Party thought taxation without representation was bad, they should have seen it with representation.

Re: "A forceful backlash to the Obama revolution -- His 'New Foundation' speech was a whopper of a swindle, says Charles Krauthammer," Monday Viewpoints.
Krauthammer writes that Obama administration's "swindle" is "spending money like none other in peacetime history."
Peacetime? Does this mean he refutes the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? How then was the astronomical Bush deficit created? Or does he deny that too?

Re: "Memos detail CIA interrogation tactics -- Obama says agency workers won't be prosecuted for roles," Friday news story.
Since the liberals were able to convince President Barack Obama to release the Bush-era CIA memos related to extreme questioning tactics, I am wondering if they can convince Osama bin Laden to release his memos as well. Bin Laden must have had his attorneys write a legal opinion as to the legality of hijacking commercial aircraft in the U.S. and killing thousands of innocent Americans with them.
The enemy now knows some of the tactics we used to extract useful intelligence information. The enemy knows the extremes we will go to to get information and can adapt.

... but release reaffirms values
After years of secrecy, the Obama administration recently showed its commitment to transparency by releasing memos that reveal how senior Bush administration officials authorized cruel interrogations.
Now, former Bush administration officials are trying to resuscitate a dead argument in support of torture.
We know that torture is inhumane. We also know that torture is ineffective. We also deserve to know the truth about what happened.
Let's not let these voices from the past impede our movement back toward the ideals and standards the U.S. stands for. Now is the time for a reckoning with our past.

Re: "These kids shouldn't be citizens," by Debbie Winger, Sunday Letters.
Winger opines that two illegal immigrants should not be able to birth an American citizen.
I would guess that Winger is also of the political persuasion that the Constitution is right in giving Americans "the right to keep and bear arms" as stated by the Second Amendment.
The 14th Amendment states: "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside."
Someone needs to inform Ms. Winger that the Constitution is not a restaurant menu. It is not a la carte. Take the whole meal or go somewhere else.

Re: "A gift that doesn't come easy -- Hospitals uneasy about organ donations arranged online -- Manipulation feared in deals among strangers, but lines are blurred," Monday news story.
My son received two liver transplants at Baylor. We agree with the stand Baylor is taking. Reporting all the happy-ending stories you find in no way address those transplants with unhappy endings.
Surgery on a healthy person should never be entered into casually, especially because you just like the look or have the same lifestyle as a recipient. In most cases, living donors face much greater danger than recipients.
Paying $600 to register on a "pick me" Web site should be against the law.

Re: "Ticket, please," by Lad E. Cmajdalka, Friday Letters.
Cmajdalka wrote that "more than half the people" on the DART train he rode didn't bother to buy a ticket. How could he know that? People boarded before and after him, and many (like me and other daily riders, probably including his son) have prepaid passes, so we can skip the ticket machine.
The "fix" he seeks would necessitate an elaborate turnstile and security apparatus, along with guards, at every stop, as in New York or Chicago. I'd guess the capital, operating and maintenance costs would far exceed the losses from the people who currently fail to pay.
Yes, it's unfair that a handful of nonpayers ride free. I think of it as a small subsidy I pay, far lower than the taxes I pay to subsidize the roads I don't have to drive on while I read on the train or bus.

Re: "Texas Republicans for a Texas Republic?" Hits and Misses, Saturday Editorials.
"Pompadoured Populist"? Gov. Rick Perry a populist?
The next time you need an alliteration to describe our benighted governor, try "Pompadoured Proponent of Plutocracy."

Re: "A financial stretch -- Leaders say dance company is on firm footing, but group has history of fiscal gambles, unorthodox management," Sunday news story.
Recent productions of Cleopatra by the Texas Ballet Theater in Fort Worth featured canned music. TBT paid the Chinese government to record music specifically for this event, even though a superior live orchestra was available locally.
Regrettably, lack of media coverage or patron knowledge and opposition provides tacit approval for similar practices in Dallas-Fort Worth's newest venues. These practices simultaneously cheapen traditional art forms, deprive deserving local musicians of their livelihoods through outsourcing and provide a far cheaper product to unsuspecting patrons paying premium ticket prices.
People bemoaning America's shrinking dollar and job outsourcing should oppose practices that clearly stifle American jobs and culture. It's both smart and patriotic.

Re: "Maximizing Oak Cliff's Gain -- City should include more of Zang in Trinity study, Monday Editorials.
I wanted to shed additional light on the Trinity River/Urban Design Advisory Committee's decision not to include more of Zang Boulevard in the Oak Cliff Gateway Study.
Our committee has been working through the various parts of the study area for several months. Multiple public meetings held at Hitt Auditorium in North Oak Cliff were very well-attended.
The additional piece of Zang was excluded because the request occurred only several days before our vote. Many property owners and interested parties within the newly affected area have not been following the process. They did not attend the meetings (since they thought they weren't included), and to include such a large amount of land area at the last minute would not be fair to many citizens. We had to keep the process moving forward. This issue will return to our committee once the City Council finalizes the study area.
Those newly affected property owners and tenants will now be able to have a voice in the process and be fully aware of any changes that will affect their property.
These sentiments were expressed by several commission members during the public meeting at which this vote took place.

Re: "Billboards, stars plead pachyderm's case -- Group behind signs still trying to get animal moved from the zoo to a sanctuary," Thursday Metro.
While volunteering at the Houston Zoo years ago, I learned that zookeepers treat the animals in their charge with more love, dignity and respect than most humans treat their own family members. The animals thrive on that special kinship.
Just transporting Jenny to a sanctuary might be stressful for an older elephant. How would Jenny cope with the change in temperature and humidity? Would she be frightened in a wide-open environment with unfamiliar animals? Would she feel the same sense of loss and abandonment as she did when Keke, her companion elephant, died?
It is like taking the cocker spaniel that has been sleeping on your bed for 10 years and sending her to live outdoors on a stranger's farm because "dogs should be able to run around." I fully believe that the Dallas Zoo has Jenny's best interests at heart.

Re: "Dust settles in standoff over trees -- Oncor cuts down oaks near power lines," Saturday Metro.
I use a CPAP machine to sleep. It keeps me breathing when I stop. When the power is cut because of a tree limb falling on a power line, I don't breathe. I am sorry about the oaks, but I would be a lot happier alive.

In the '90s I directed local corporate dollars to Orlando, Chicago and Anaheim because Dallas' convention facilities were too small, i.e., no hotel.
I'm sure it's difficult for non-business people to understand the importance of the hotel hospitality suite in conducting business at a trade show.
Dallas has the airport convenience and central U.S. location other cities would die for. I have every confidence Phillip Jones will bring millions of new dollars to this city with the convention center hotel.

Re: "Hotel industry faces hard times as occupancies, room rates fall," by Steve Brown, Friday Business.
Brown quotes John Keeling of PKF Consulting as saying: "The only thing worse than owning a hotel right now is being a hotel developer -- you can't get it financed."
I guess they didn't ask Mayor Tom Leppert for our money.

Re: "Texas, our Texas! All hail the mighty ... country? Perry empathy to secessionists strikes chord, sparks discord," Saturday news story, and "Perry calls wildfire damage 'the most vicious' he's seen," Saturday briefs.
On April 15, the winds were forecast to come out of the south/southeast. We know that Gov. Rick Perry was talking of secession. Then, as the governor was seen walking amid the devastation of the wildfires in Montague County, did those winds suddenly shift out of the north when Perry said he was hoping the funds from the federal government would be flowing soon to help the fire victims?
Which way were the winds blowing when he asked for federal troops for the border and help for Galveston after Hurricane Ike? Could the future of Texas depend on meteorologists?

Re: "Perry continues anti-government bent," Monday Metro.
I applaud Gov. Rick Perry's reminder to the federal government about secession and his point about the 10th Amendment.
This seemed to raise more concern than the lame "tea party" protests. The next round of protests should be of a more serious nature.

Re: "Riders tell DART board: We can't afford fare hikes -- Hearing becomes heated as residents, businesses protest plan," Wednesday Metro.
The only way in which the public will win against the DART fare hike is not to use the DART train. The same holds true for the toll roads.

Re: "Perry sticking by his words -- Democrats admonish governor for empathy for secessionists," Friday news story.
Gov. Rick Perry has some nerve making comments at a tea party. The original tea party was to protest taxation without representation, a practice that is alive and well in Texas.
If you own property in a city or county in which you do not live, you pay plenty of taxes to local governments, but cannot vote for local officials. Tax rates are set by locally elected officials. So, instead of moaning about federal government taxation, Perry might start by setting some statewide standards for determining property taxes -- and/or write a law that allows anyone who pays taxes in a given locality to vote there.

Some of the very people screaming socialism when the government considered nationalizing the banks, regulating segments of the auto industry and controlling oil drilling sites are now all for the city of Dallas going into the hotel business.
Those other great tourist attraction, the signature bridges and the toll road to enhance the Trinity River, also out of the taxpayer's pockets, were the subject of warnings by the Army Corps of Engineers. These would rest on weak levees, according to the Corps.
Is this a portent of how the city will manage the taxpayer's investment in the convention center hotel should Proposition 1 pass?

Re: "Adjust to no raises -- Retirees' cost-of-living hikes may vanish after this year," Wednesday news story.
Again the elders are put on the back burner while we pay for the millionaires' mistakes and the economy being so bad.
Our Medicare increases every year, our personal insurance increases every year and all our expenses go up.
Yes, the Social Security system needs to be overhauled, but the senior citizens are the ones to do it. We could certainly do a better job than has been done.
Talk to any senior citizen and see what has to be paid out of their monthly checks. And we won't get a raise for a few years? Maybe we should all put a garden on our lawn.

Re: "Officer who let suspect go is fired -- Senior corporal accused of sleeping on the job also dismissed," Friday Metro.
This article about two Dallas Police officers being fired for misconduct shows that the Dallas Police department has a long way to go in changing people's perception of the department.
The fact that these officers committed these offenses and remained on the force as long as they have is incredible.
One can only hope that Chief David Kunkle continues his efforts in cleaning up this department and bringing respect back to the Dallas Police Department.

Re: "Mexico visit renews hopes -- Trip aims to re-engage with region; policy breakthroughs unlikely," Thursday news story.
It is disappointing to think that Obama is considering re-enacting the failed assault weapons ban as a solution to the violence in Mexico.
Given the free flow of drugs and illegal immigrants from Mexico to the U.S., our federal government can't enforce the immigration laws and drug laws on the books now.
The press has been silent regarding the fact that there are federal laws forbidding the export of firearms from the U.S. Apparently those aren't enforced either.
With such a porous border (in both directions), what confidence do we have in the effectiveness of any new federal law regarding the border with Mexico?
Of course, the liberal solution is to pass more laws that infringe on the rights of law-abiding citizens that the criminals don't obey -- because that's what criminals do -- to solve another country's problem.

Re: "Memos detail CIA interrogation tactics -- Obama says agency workers won't be prosecuted for roles," Friday news story.
Oh, no! A terrorist attempts to kill thousands of Americans, and we put him in a cardboard box with a caterpillar. I think we "tortured" my 4-year-old sister this way one time.
The terrorist was also slapped, but only hard enough to startle him, and thrown against a specially constructed "flexible wall."
Finally, these detainees were kept up with loud music. I think there may be a CIA interrogation center across my alley.

Re: "Southern Dallas 101 -- Inland Port saga a valuable lesson about restraint," Thursday Editorials.
A developer, Richard Allen, comes all the way from San Diego to establish an inland port in southern Dallas. Everybody applauds the initiative for obvious economic reasons.
If the development had been made in North Dallas, Allen would have been given total freedom to choose his contractors and workers.
But southern Dallas is different. Whoever wants to do something there has to grease the paws of the local politicians through consultancy contracts and the hiring of minority-owned firms.
Allen refuses to be blackmailed. The politicians retaliate by slowing down the delivery of necessary permits for the development.
Instead of calling a cat a cat, your publication in a convoluted editorial defends the so-called customs of southern Dallas! Shouldn't The Dallas Morning News instead embrace modernity and leave the "race card" behind forever?

Re: "Grade Level Crossing -- Arlington rep has right idea to expand pre-K," Wednesday Editorials.
State Rep. Diane Patrick, R-Arlington, has a bill (HB 130) with the overwhelming support of not only Texas taxpayers, but 94 representatives. This is almost two-thirds of the Texas Legislature.
The research is clear. High-quality early childhood education is one of the most cost-saving investments we can make as a state.
Our own Bush School of Government Public Service at Texas A&M; confirms it. The House Public Education Committee must take action now, so this bill has time to pass.

What is wrong with our local election system? Why do we keep using Orwellian methods to present issues?
Why does "no" mean "yes" and "yes" mean "no"? Is this another way to confuse the public to prevent it from being interested enough to make the effort to vote? Then we complain about a poor turnout.

Re: "Girding for Revenge -- Response to pirates must be fierce, coordinated," Tuesday Editorials.
I'd like to applaud the captain for for putting others before himself. Second, I'd like to thank the Navy SEALS for their quick reaction to this unjust practice.
I see this experience as an eye-opener for pirates around the globe, but I also see it as a red flag for all the nations to refuse to let piracy continue. If the nations would unite against this foe, pirates would soon be sleeping with the fishes.

Hail to the chief
President Barack Obama gave the necessary order to retrieve an American citizen from harm. If the captain had been taken to shore and held hostage, the conservatives would have been outraged.
It is a shame that three pirates lost their lives, but they were threatening an innocent life. Bravo to the captain, the Navy SEALS and our American president.

Convoys could help
I wonder whether convoys of ships are being considered as a viable defense to the Somali pirates? It would take coordination and planning, but should not require too many U.S. Navy ships.
It would also limit the area that the Navy would have to cover to protect our merchant ships.

Advanced weaponry one answer
In the case of the ships being attacked by pirates, more portable but deadly weapons could be effectively used against the pirates in their small attack boats.
Certainly using someone trained in advanced weaponry is more effective than arming the ship's crew.
And if these ships could be placed in convoys, gunners could easily control pirates attacking ships other than their own. Or a couple of destroyers circling the convoy could take out attackers.

Adopt a team approach
Why not have teams that could be sent via helicopter to ships just before they enter the pirate areas and flown off after they leave the pirate areas? The most time the teams would be on board would be less than a week.
The shipping companies could pay for the assistance, and I'm sure a company like Blackwater would be happy to provide the personnel, weapons and electronic targeting equipment. A mother ship could cruise in the area to furnish the teams.

A simple solution
We don't have to invade Somalia. We don't have to employ Navy convoys.
Millions of people in Somalia depend on foreign food aid. Many of the ships who have been attacked by the cowardly pirates were carrying that food. The solution is to stop the ships carrying the food aid.
A couple thousand years ago, a smart man said that it is better to teach someone to fish rather than give him a fish.
The citizens of Somalia could pressure the government by staging protests and other uncomfortable actions that the government won't like. They could step up and govern. Those hungry people could act if they were motivated enough. They could stop the small groups of bullies terrorizing the food aid workers.
Then we resume the food shipments. Then we teach them how to fish.

Re: "Cutting Up the Pie -- The good and the bad of Texas House's budget," Thursday Editorials.
I was disappointed to see your editorial on your legislative priorities for higher education for the Dallas area did not mention the Dallas County Community College District.
The district serves more students than any other institution of higher education in the state of Texas and deserves to be fully funded by the state, yet is facing a serious reduction in state funding due to the state Senate and the governor's proposal to cut funding for faculty and staff benefits.
The citizens of Dallas County would be well served if you would support the DCCCD as passionately in your editorial stance as you do UNT and UT-Dallas.
I am proud that I have been a full-time professor in the DCCCD for 39 years and strongly urge you to oppose the governors' call for proportionality of funding for employee benefits.

Re: "Buy local, vote Conservative? Britain's Conservatives are trying a new idea, says Sasha Issenberg: fighting for mom-and-pop shops," last Sunday Points.
Yes, George W. Bush acted like he was a king, just like in England, but I'm with all of those who want Bush, Dick Cheney and others in his administration to be indicted and prosecuted for their violations of our Constitution.
Americans are tired of big business and a few greedy rich families controlling, and then screwing up, our country. All the Republican "no" votes in Congress aren't helping them, either.
The majority of Americans are tired of all the Republican Party's old, failed conservative ideas, as the last election has shown.

May rail find a home in Texas
Re: "The trains in Spain -- Texas can learn from others' rail experience or get left behind, says Clayton McCleskey," last Sunday Points.
You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that high-speed rail in Texas would connect Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Austin.
Rail delivers you to the heart of the central business district where you can walk or use a taxi, without needing a bank loan to get to where you are going. For high-speed rail to have a chance in Texas, two things must change.
The potential ridership must see the advantages, and the powerful lobbies that know that if the rail is correctly done, they would face serious competition must not be allowed to monopolize the media with their opposition.

Bars, conservatives don't mix
Re: "Buy local, vote Conservative? Could this work here? Rod Dreher looks at Austin vs. Dallas as a useful case study," last Sunday Points.
I loved the use of bars in the illustrated face of Dreher's column on conservative behavior.
It does, however, appear to be at odds with typical behavior here in Big D, where conservatives demonize public consumption of alcohol.
I wonder how many ultra-conservatives skipped the column because of the illustration.

One cannot believe much of what Hilton Anatole owner Harlan Crow's camp is telling us, since they are selfishly striving to eliminate any future competition. On the other hand, are we to believe Tom Leppert when he says the project will be a money-maker from Day One?
This is essentially a business decision, and we do not know enough about the financial success (or failure) that other Texas cities have experienced, and how their case is comparable to ours in Dallas. If this is such a great deal, why aren't the private hotel investor groups stepping up to the plate?

Re: "Number of illegal immigrants' kids soars -- Pew study's findings may raise issues of legalization, deportation for U.S., Mexico," Wednesday Metro.
I was taught that two wrongs don't make a right. Two illegal immigrants don't make an American citizen. No child born here with illegal parents should be an automatic citizen of this country.

Re: "First dog's not breeders' first choice -- Those in the know worry about fit and frenzy," Tuesday news story.
North Korea is restarting its weapons plant. Somalis fired a shell on a U.S. member of Congress. A man landed a plane after the pilot died.
So what are the stories on pages 1 and 2 of The Dallas Morning News? They're about the dog President Barack Obama picked.

Pooch promise broken
I checked the SPCA Web site this morning and found poodles and bichon frises (they have a similar coat to a Portuguese water dog), just waiting for a home.
By adopting a shelter dog, Obama would have made a positive impact on the plight of homeless animals. As he has done time and again, Obama has broken campaign promises and proved he is purely a politician (and his cronyism with his buddy, Sen. Edward Kennedy) and a fraud.

Why not a shelter dog?
Re: "Rescue controversy dogs selection -- Some say Obama broke promise; others suspect an 'arranged' adoption," Tuesday news story.
What an exciting time for President Barack Obama and his girls. A new dog has joined the family.
Yet, I have heard very little about Obama's failure to keep his campaign promise to adopt a shelter mutt.
I'm very disappointed they adopted a dog from a breeder. How many animals are destroyed every day because they have no home? This would have been an excellent opportunity to show the country that a president actually keeps his promises.
Maybe it would have inspired others to adopt a dog that would otherwise have been destroyed. Yes, even at the shelter, he could have found a mutt that does not shed. I have two.

LBJ's dog had his initials
Much has been made about the naming of the new first hound and how he obtained his name. The ideas have gone from Bo Diddley to many other prominent Bo's, including the initials of Bill O'Reilly. Has anyone thought that Bo might be named after President Barack Obama?

Lone Star dog
As an avid dog lover, I was pleased to hear Bo came from a kennel in North Texas. It didn't take long before another Texan was in the White House. I like this one.

Re: "D-FW protesters tee off on taxes, spending -- Events draw thousands decrying policies, Obama," Thursday news story.
Yes, the "Tax Day Tea Parties" were about taxes, but people were not complaining about their current income taxes. They were upset about the massive income tax increase that will be required to support the crazy spending proposed by the president and Congress.
A better story would have listed the other U.S. cities that held these historic tax demonstrations, or at least others in Texas, such as those in Carrollton, San Antonio, Southlake, Austin, Houston, Boerne, etc.

Wars require taxes
It is interesting that the Tea Party people were silent while the Bush administration was handing out money to AIG, Freddie, Fannie, GM and Citibank. I guess they also believe that wars don't cost taxpayers a penny. Are they sore losers -- or just slow learners?

Anti-tax movement on rise
History was made with the tea parties. The media are totally refusing to understand what the parties are all about. The American people have had it with the massive spending by President Barack Obama and Congress.
These are just plain people who have had it. This movement will only grow bigger. As someone who attended the Southlake Tea Party, I have never been prouder.

Perry's talk clouds business climate
If I were a corporate head (or on a board of directors) of a company looking to relocate from the Northeast or the West Coast, Gov. Rick Perry's statements that alluded to secession might cause me to reconsider a move to Texas. Likewise, could such statements cause corporations currently based here in Texas to consider leaving?
This question was settled in 1865. Do we really want our governor to bring it up again?

Others laughed as Perry talked
I am a proud Texan. Recently, I was sitting in at the Miami airport watching Gov. Rick Perry on CNN. He was talking about the federal government interference with our great state, and implied that we should leave the Union.
I was sitting there watching people laugh at him. He gives us Aggies the reputation of being stupid.
Get to work, Perry, and make our great state great again.

Re: "How port, politics collided -- The word 'shakedown' left developer, southern Dallas leaders in a dust-up," Sunday news story.
This article vividly illustrates why more progress has not been made in developing southern Dallas. Lacking real vision, a few minority leaders in southern Dallas have insisted on micro-managing the developer of an inland port in a way that could threaten the progress of its development by the developer, the Allen Group.
The inland port and the creation of a foreign trade zone is vital to not only the economic growth of southern Dallas, but to all of Dallas County in terms of job creation and increasing the tax base.
It is vital that all of Dallas move forward together on the international inland port of Dallas. We can not allow it to fall prey to the petty politics of a few who only seem to be furthering their own personal agenda rather than having the interest of the city of Dallas and Dallas County at heart.

The convention center hotel opponents would prefer that Dallas just attach to a rock and become a spectator to other cities that have meaning and purpose. Cities that have a purpose focus on being beneficial and creating greater advantages for guests visiting the city.
That is what the convention center hotel will do -- create benefits and advantages that will draw billions of dollars of business to Dallas as a whole.
Otherwise, Dallas' billion-dollar convention center will become an empty shell. The city that is better able to create advantages wins.

How can justice be served by sentencing a man with a significant intellectual disability to a 100-year prison sentence for participating in an inappropriate sexual act? Murderers often receive far shorter terms.
Paris resident Aaron Hart's severe disability likely prevents his understanding of the inappropriateness of his actions. He would surely not understand the Miranda warning given by the arresting officer or the judicial process that lead to his conviction. Aaron would certainly not understand why jail officials could not prevent the vicious assault and rape that landed him in the Paris hospital.
After another hearing when testimony was given about Aaron's intellectual and functional ability, as well as the incompetent representation offered by his attorney, the same judge rejected an order for a new trial.
Aaron's case illustrates how arbitrary and unfair the judicial process can be for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Let's pray that Aaron's case can quickly move forward in the appellate process, that the Court of Appeals will correctly review his competence to stand trial, and that the court will consider his actions in the light of his disabilities. Finally, let's pray that those overseeing his incarceration will ensure his safety until justice is served.

Re: "Who's arrogant now?" by Gail Smith, Wednesday Letters.
So Smith thinks former President Jimmy Carter was the most arrogant president of all time.
Carter was perhaps the most humble president of all time. He was so meek and mild that he had problems with confrontation. His work with charities, particularly Habitat For Humanity, shows his true side.
George W. Bush deserves the title of most arrogant president -- hands down.

Re: "Prop 2 would hurt city's vitality -- Passage of proposition would decimate Dallas' tax base, says Ebby Halliday," Tuesday Viewpoints.
I have long admired Halliday's energy and passion. She is truly an inspiration to generations of young women who heard "no" time and time again.
But this country is in crisis is because we have lost the one thing our founders intended: a system of checks and balances on the self-serving in government who make the rules.
Developers develop and the incentive is financial. Construction jobs, by definition, end when the project ends. Building for building's sake is wasteful and greedy. We have seen too much of that in Dallas already. Two voting cycles per year would not deter developers.
But take away the people from the equation and we no longer have the essential premise this country was founded upon.

Re: "A church should have dignity," by Shirley McGlothlin, Wednesday Letters.
Just because cowboy church members don't dress up in three-piece suits and ties doesn't mean we have no pride or dignity when attending church.
I grew up in a mainstream Baptist church, have been a member of non-denominational churches and Methodist churches. The cowboy church is no different in respecting God or having pride and dignity.
We don't put up barriers to keep people from coming to church. We accept them as they are.
So if McGlothlin wants to come to Rope, Catch, and Ride for Christ Cowboy Church in Mabank in her swimsuit, we will accept her with open arms.

Re: "Fitness instructor, her paralyzed husband both contribute to class," by Steve Blow, Wednesday Metro.
I have been a participant in Cheryl Pacinda's spinning class in Plano for two years. I have been inspired by her enthusiasm and unwavering support for her husband, Mark, as he battles ALS.
Many mornings, I have left spin class with tears in my eyes and thankfulness in my heart after witnessing the trials their wonderful family is fighting with such grace and dignity.
I also feel a little ashamed that I've let my attitude sour over such trivial difficulties as traffic, crying kids and laundry, when I have been blessed with so much.

Re: "Infirmary is issue for jails -- But March federal health care inspection is best so far, and facility is in works," Thursday Metro.
What about the recent worker who has been displaced because of this economy? Who's going to pay for his medical expenses, let alone those of his family?
Don't get me wrong, but why must taxpayers continue to pay for having state-of-the-art facilities in county jails? According to this story, inmates are already being treated through Parkland Memorial Hospital and getting good evaluations by the federal government.
Put that money to better use. For instance, putting more governmental resources toward a health insurance system for displaced workers would be a great start.