Letters to the Editor – Immigrants, Southern Gateway deck park, Texas Democrats, elections bill

Insights into immigration

Subject: “Immigrants Could Fill In Workforce Gaps,” by Mitchell Schnurman, Sunday Business column.

Thank you Mitchell Schnurman for this very informative and insightful column on how immigrants have been critical to Texas’s growth for decades. Most interesting of all are the two extremes in the immigrant workforce, where needs are at both the bottom and top of the education ladder – more American students are graduating from high school and college and unwilling to take on manual jobs – and that too few American students specialize in STEM subjects.

As the column notes, over 90 business leaders have signed a treaty to pressure lawmakers to act with temporary status on immigration reforms including permanent status for the dreamers and those already here. All of this contrasts with Governor Greg Abbott’s push against the border wall and Attorney General Ken Paxton’s lawsuit to expel immigrants at the border.

The U.S. economy has likely recovered from the pandemic with millions of manufacturing, hotel and restaurant vacancies. For Texan lawmakers, immigration should be seen as a solution, not a dilemma.

Paul Dreimiller, Plano

Support Southern Gateway

Subject: “Building a Purpose-Built Park” by Sharon Grigsby, Sunday Metro Column, and “Throwing Money Around” by Eric C. Foster, July 11th letters.

Hats off to April Allen, Lester Houston, and other supporters who made the Southern Gateway Deckpark a reality along the Interstate 35E corridor from Oak Cliff. Let’s hope that one day it can even be extended north to East 8th Street. It’s a good use of funds to heal and connect disparate neighborhoods, encourage new local investment, use public rights of way to provide parking to restore these communities, and be of value to all Dallas residents.

Foster’s letter stated that the funds for deck parks should be better spent on other parks. So, to put things in an urban in a rural context – no question that a terraced park along Main Street in the Lakeshore City of Gun Barrel City would be a waste of money, but a good investment and greater value for more residents around To enjoy the lake, buy sprawling lakefront lots in this town for parking on Cedar Creek Lake. So, whose private lake land should be bought first?

Robert Prejean, Dallas / Oak Lawn

Angry? Welcome to our world

Re: “GOP Senators: ‘We’re Angry’ – Austin Republicans Say Strikes Block Reform, Call for Sanctions,” News July 15.

I see this headline saying the Texas Republican Senators are furious. Seriously? After five years of kowtowing an angry president, enduring an accused attorney general, hearing a belittled governor whom I don’t even recognize and who seems willing to withdraw legitimate votes from your voters, they must hear the screams to heaven “Election fraud” when there isn’t one – and you think you are angry?

If this devotion to an insurgent and divisive “Republican” continues, the country you know and supposedly “love” will soon be devastated. The rest of us are angry already. Welcome to the club.

Marcy Coats, McKinney

Something doesn’t go together

I think it’s funny that President Joe Biden is always preaching how we can do anything if we do it together. Then he and all the Career Democrats in Washington hug and celebrate the Texas Democrats who are running away from their jobs for being outnumbered. If Biden really believes in collaboration, send them back to do the job they were chosen to do.

David Barber, Arlington

Have the Democrats stepped down?

Didn’t the Democrats essentially quit their offices by fleeing the state instead of staying in the job? If they continue to receive a salary while they are away, are they not breaking the law – fraud for not doing what they are paid to do? These Democrats have to stay in Washington, where they fit perfectly.

Ronald P. Parker, Plano

What if Cowboys did that?

The democratic legislators, feeling that they could not win, decided to flee their responsibilities. What would we think if the Cowboys offensive line decided they would likely lose on Sunday and decided to flee to Cancun for the weekend?

Richard C. Bacon, Far North Dallas

Oppression vs. apathy

Every day I see media reports about the suppression of voters. Recently, the Fort Worth city elections had the highest turnout ever – 90,000 voters out of 300,000 eligible voters. This is not oppression; that is voter weakness.

Jim Vaughn, Terrell

Food for thought

Re: “What is actually in the bills?” by Doloris Lajoie; “Let the People Decide,” by Elizabeth A. Read; and “Did that really hurt?” by Mike Coughlin, Thursday Letters.

Three interesting letters were published on Thursday. Two concerned changes to the Texas legislature regarding new election restrictions. In 2020, I chose to vote by mail, but was intimidated by the false message from former President Donald Trump that the U.S. Postal Service was unreliable. When I contacted our polling station, I was shocked to learn that there was only one mailbox for Ellis County. I “dared” the USPS system and sent my vote. I’m lucky enough to have transportation, but many aren’t that blessed. For some families, getting to a single Dropbox can be financially prohibitive. I don’t think our electoral system is insecure, but if changes are to be made, voters should have the right to vote on those changes.

The third letter concerned Gerrymandering, which by definition is an unfair practice. If our electoral system is to be changed, it should start with a just redistribution. Take a look at a map of Texas constituencies to see how ridiculous they are. The redistribution should be done by a bipartisan commission, a neutral third party, or software that has no bias. Districtization affects county, state and national elections and often deprives the minority party of the right to vote.

Vivian Bush, Ovilla

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