Letters to the Editor — Immigration, skilled workers, redistricting, Dallas business leaders

Revision of immigration policy

Re: “The reaction to the border rise is correct – scenes are heartbreaking, but Biden takes the right approach,” Wednesday editorials.

While I agree that the masses incarcerated at Del Rio are heartbreaking (not “heartbreaking”), it is easy to blame President Joe Biden for this crisis alone. Also complicit are authorities in Mexico and other Latin American countries responsible for restricting free access beyond their own borders. In addition, we have had a growing border crisis that spanned decades, presidents, and terms in Congress.

Obvious factors in any onslaught of migrants are the life-threatening effects of natural disasters, gang-overrun homeland, political / religious persecution, economic drought and of course the pandemic. While our country must have rules, many of us still consider the Statue of Liberty to be a still relevant symbol of freedom.

With the ongoing blockade of Congress in cooperation between the parties, the problems will continue to increase, regardless of how many kilometers of fence / wall are erected. Title 42 offers some blame protection to blue and red politicians, but only a revised immigration policy will bring lasting relief. The answer is not – as some classic cars seem to believe – to close the borders. After all, we are a nation made up mostly of immigrants.

Phil Mayfield, Dallas

Invest in business education

Subject: “Capital D for Victory – Dallas-Fort Worth Will Become the Capital of America’s Heartland, With Prospect for Business and Growth,” by Joel Kotkin and Cullum Clark, Sept. 19 statement.

In this comment, the authors touch on many factors driving the region’s rise, from its regulatory environment to its transportation infrastructure. I propose adding another key success factor: our broad base of qualified, employable residents.

To stay on top, we need to reduce one of the biggest hidden costs of doing business in a region: an unskilled workforce unable to meet the needs of the business. That means investing in our public education system is just as important to attracting and keeping businesses as low taxes, easy regulation and transportation infrastructure.

We will also lose our position if we remain a hotbed of inequality. As Kotkin and Clark carefully warn, the broad strength of our economy hides the millions that are being spared. Funding public education institutions like Dallas College, where the vast majority of students come from low-income and under-represented backgrounds, promotes a fairer economy.

Our potential is limitless. But we will only achieve it if we recognize the deepest source of our success and finance it accordingly.

Josh Skolnick, East Dallas

Executive Director, Dallas College Foundation

Let the tech team draw the counties of Texas

Re: “Redistribution is really a blood sport – some of the biggest struggles for self-preservation are within parties,” by Ron Simmons, Wednesday Opinion.

Simmons’ description of the blatant gerrymandering going on in the redistribution as 100% policy only confirmed what we all knew. That it is about self-preservation is also not news, even if it is really sad that the concern for the voters has nothing to do with it.

Gerrymandering is why the GOP has Texas firmly in its grip, despite the many polls that say most Texans, with many of their priorities, actions, laws, etc having a potential seat of convention to protect their own, also shows that they are ready to overthrow Texas and democracy in the interests of power.

My solution: Have an independent IT team break up the map of Texas into the appropriate number of grids, and then expand and contract them to account for the population. The grids should stay with more or less square lines rather than the crazy configurations we see now.

Contrary to Simmons’ recommendation, I don’t find this a pleasant show that ultimately “brings fair representation” to our state. It is not fair now, and it is less likely to be when this term ends. Not fair. Not pleasant.

Carol Stephenson, Mesquite

Dallas executives, speak up

Dallas business and citizen leaders, where are you? After six weeks, Texans are faced with new election restrictions, permit-free wear, abortion bans with $ 10,000 bounties and a governor who refuses to allow masking mandates in schools that would protect our children and educators. Dallas business and citizen leaders are largely silent when they could use their platforms to crack down on these measures, which are likely to have serious negative economic effects on our community and state. No answer is an answer. And it’s a powerful one.

Carolyn Walters, University Park

The pastor’s words are wise

While I have my personal opinion of First Baptist Dallas Pastor Robert Jeffress, how he had allied himself with a certain former US President, it was a pleasant surprise to read that he did not accept a religious view as a valid reason to do so not to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. Neither do I. This is a skewed reasoning that makes absolutely no sense. And I bet God Himself would agree. I hope that the good pastor’s wise words reach the many who blindly rely on their faith to make decisions in real life.

Richard Street, Carrollton

Save a world that revolves around me

Fires, floods, frost, droughts, cyclones. . . the consequences of global warming that science has warned about are there and terrifying. We could theoretically prevent them from getting worse, but think about it: in this world where everything is about me, how do we convince people who believe masks and vaccinations are violating their civil rights to make the sacrifices necessary to stop global warming?

Ann Ward Purcell, Dallas / Lake Highlands

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