Letters to the Editor – Immigration, Daniel Ellsberg, science, the Dallas YMCA

Loved the love letter

Re: “‘Mexico gave me roots and the U.S. gave me wings’ — An immigrant’s love letter to North Texas,” by Luisa del Rosal, June 11 Opinion.

Del Rosal’s beautiful tribute to her adopted city, state and country should be used nationally as a base for accepting and welcoming others to our communities!

Nancy Bryant-Welch, Rockwall

Biden is not doing his job

I want to applaud The Dallas Morning News for publishing the unbiased column by del Rosal, especially the part where she places the blame for our porous borders squarely on the shoulders of President Joe Biden.

Since his inauguration, there have been millions of illegal border crossings. The key to control is in the hands of the executive branch, which should enforce immigration laws. Only a small percentage of the claims for asylum by the immigrants end up being valid. The remainder will have to return to their country of origin or be deported. Biden is not doing his job.

Jack Chandler Myers, University Park

Back Secure the Border Act

The Secure the Border Act (HR 2) would actually address the crisis at our southern border because it provides the solution to fix the asylum system and to give Customs and Border Protection the right resources with better immigration enforcement. It also provides the resources to continue building the wall as a further deterrent to unauthorized immigrants. This is what we need!

In addition, Republicans have finally taken note: no amnesty. There is no amnesty in the bill because amnesty only encourages more illegal immigration and is unfair to those who followed the rules.

HR 2 gets it right. Build the wall. End the asylum fraud. Enforce the law. No amnesty. Support HR 2!

Don S. Pearce, Dallas/Oak Highlands

Show courage like Ellsberg

Re: “Exposed war secrets by leaking Pentagon Papers,” Saturday Metro & Business obituary.

In response to this nice obituary of Daniel Ellsberg, one might fill in the ways he spent his years after the dramatic life episodes of the Pentagon Papers stories. He obviously was an extremely courageous man trying to do the right thing by admitting that he would readily spend the rest of his life in prison if he could stop the war in Vietnam.

Well, the rest of his life, even up to just weeks before his passing, was to work for the elimination of nuclear weapons. Recommended reading is his book, The Doomsday Machine: The Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner. He also spent a lot of time promoting the ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Sixty-eight nations so far have ratified this treaty.

Hopefully, this treaty and the committed work of Ellsberg and many others can save us from the tragedy of a nuclear holocaust, either by intention or accident. Only luck has saved us so far. We can’t count on luck forever. We must show the courage of people like Ellsberg to stop this madness.

Joyce Hall, Dallas/Preston Hollow

The fabric of postwar lives

Re: “Fatherhood legacies last — Men today are in a free fall without mementos of those strong enough to serve,” by Benjamin J. Dueholm, Sunday Opinion.

As a history teacher, I had to chuckle over a “why” question posed by Dueholm in this column regarding a World War II parting memento presented to his grandfather when he mustered out of the Air Force. That parachute gift became an “ecclesiastical shroud” of a baptismal dress worn and passed down in his family.

As happened in Dueholm’s family, many other World War II parachutes also became parts of bridal gowns, as well as christening garments, with the lacking availability of fine fabrics immediately following the war years. Those families using the silk or silk and nylon parachute materials were likely delighted to have the yards of suitably soft and pretty fabric, in spite of its original use.

Additionally, as happened in the preacher’s family, another interesting note of history and family lore was sewn into family memories and occasions.

V.C. Patterson, Carrollton

Before doubting, ask a scientist

Re: “Pandemic was not faith vs. science — Religious groups promoted, more than defied, COVID-19 public health measures,” by Samirah Majumdar, June 4 Opinion.

Early in the pandemic, I remember those who doubted it was real, despite freezer trucks being needed to accommodate the bodies of the dead. If those people fell ill, became short of breath and started to fail, where did they go? They went to a bastion of science and technology — a hospital, in hopes of surviving.

When people see drug commercials on TV, how many go to their doctors and request meds that were developed from extensive research and development to improve their quality of life? Do those who celebrate self-driving cars and space launches think these things happened in one day? No, they evolved from years of research and development, testing and some failures, not chance. Talk to a scientist before doubting.

Cynthia Stock, Garland

$12 million for Y seems low

Re: “Board members decry YMCA sale — If the building is bought, the association won’t have a downtown location,” Saturday news story.

I was very surprised to read this story announcing the sale of the downtown Dallas YMCA for $12 million. I owned one of the companies that worked on the construction of that facility in 1983. It is a large YMCA that offers so much to the community, in a prime location in downtown Dallas. The people who made the decision were not disclosed in the story, nor was the buyer.

It seems to me that the building, in such a prime location across the street from the Fairmont Hotel, would be worth far more than $12 million.

Marlene Seidel, Highland Village

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