Trail may bring respect

Re: “Dallas Cultural Trail Gets Welcome Boost — Federal grant is first step toward celebration of what defines us,” Saturday editorial.

Finally, Fair Park and Deep Ellum are reaping deserved attention. The Arts District is of interest but rather nouveau, its antecedents being in Fair Park. Hopefully architectural jewels in Fair Park will merit more respect than has the Kalita Humphreys Theater — the only theater in the world designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and sentenced to persistent neglect.

Its carefully chosen park setting is threatened by that bane of Dallas — parking lots. Tourism could have been stimulated had its condition been improved and its existence promoted.

And, by the way, I wish someone would tell its history while some of the “originals” are still here to be interviewed.

Alison Wright, North Dallas

Writers also create beauty

Re: “To all the makers in our lives, thank you — Every object we touch was designed by someone with a sense of purpose,” by Christopher de Vinck, Saturday Opinion.

Again Mr. de Vinck reminds us of the beauty in our world. He didn’t mention one very important group — all the writers like himself who create beautiful books and stories.

Mary Spickler, Allen

Disappointed in Cornyn vote

Sen. John Cornyn, I watched Friday night with disappointment and dismay, but not surprise, as your vote advanced Pete Hegseth, the most unqualified candidate in history, to the post of secretary of defense. Your single vote represented your country’s and your constituents’ chance to support a different meritorious leader, a leader such as yourself, to this hugely consequential post. But you let this singular opportunity escape you. And you let us and yourself down.

Hegseth is a documented failed manager, having run one small organization into financial ruin through his mismanagement and having been removed by his own board for similar failures with a second. He’s an admitted philanderer and embarrassing public drunk. He suggests that he will restore “merit” to the armed services. Merit indeed! Can you put forth one, single meritorious action or recognition that qualifies Hegseth for this position? One?

When will you overcome your terror of the vindictive actions of the president and begin to listen to the wise counsel of your own good judgment and better angels? Your single vote could have shown courage and protected your legacy and reputation.

Ted M. Ingersoll, Dallas/Turtle Creek

U.S. looks cruel

Re: “GOP limits global abortion access — Rule forbids countries relying on U.S. funds from performing the procedure,” Sunday news story.

I guess I don’t understand the GOP’s obsession in making sure that women do not have any say on their health care. And after reading this story, the health of women not just in the U.S., but worldwide?

President Donald Trump just reinstated a policy that is known as the Global Gag Rule. The U.S., no matter who is the president, cannot fund abortions in another country. But the last time Trump decided to reinstate this, he took it a step further, so it didn’t just apply to family planning, but also agencies that were providing assistance to programs working on nutrition, malaria and HIV/AIDS. This caused many of the programs to close which impacted the poorest and hardest to reach populations in the world.

So, I guess, here are my questions: Do Trump and the GOP not want anyone in the world to have access to a safe abortion? Do they also not want them to have access to family planning (contraceptives, etc.) to eliminate the need for an abortion? And, to top it off, does it matter that they are cutting off funding to those in dire need of help to combat other health emergencies that affect mainly those who are poor, minorities and children?

The world is watching. The U.S. looks weak and cruel.

Nora Bollhagen, McKinney

About McKinley Tariff

Being a man of high curiosity but low creativity, I checked the Wikipedia page for “McKinley Tariff,” which was enacted when William McKinley was chair of the House Ways and Means Committee and Benjamin Harrison, not McKinley, was president.

I found the following, which brightened my mood: ”The tariff was not well received by Americans who suffered a steep increase in prices. In the 1890 election, Republicans lost their majority in the House with the number of seats they won reduced by nearly half, from 171 to 88. In the 1892 presidential election, Harrison was soundly defeated by Grover Cleveland, and the Senate, House, and presidency were all under Democratic control.”

William Carroll, Far North Dallas

Who’s watching lottery?

Re: “Report details Texas Lottery failures,” by Dave Lieber, Sunday Metro column.

Eleven million lottery tickets sold in three days from one store? Twenty-six million tickets purchased by a single syndicate? Our governor should be tweeting, “Aw, hell no!” Our attorney general, champion of the people, should be filing a lawsuit against the Texas Lottery. And our lieutenant governor should be proposing legislation to eliminate gray areas in lottery operations. Instead, crickets.

Steven Monserrate, Far North Dallas

Get this on record

I don’t know how sincere congressional Republicans were in taking exception to President Donald Trump’s Jan. 6 pardons, but I know how to find out: Introduce a motion of censure and let them go on record.

Ken Duble, Dallas/The Cedars

Welcome, coach

Re: “Coordinator is new head coach — Schottenheimer signs 4-year deal to become franchise’s 10th leader,” Saturday news story.

I spent my junior year at Stanford University studying abroad in Germany, so I’m always interested in German names like Schottenheimer. It amused me to translate the Cowboy’s new Coach Brian Schottenheimer’s German name: it means a “person whose home is Scotland.” Welcome, coach!

Sharon Hockensmith, McKinney

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