Beauty despite misery

Re: ‘Survey reveals silver lining of lockdown – Parents responding to census say they spent more quality time with children’, Sunday report.

I read this article and started smiling. Not because of the immense sadness that has descended on our world, but because of the beauty that has emerged from it.

I thought I was a compassionate person until I learned true compassion. Always, I say I can’t cure cancer, but I can cook. And I was cooking – bread, pastries, meals for others. I was making more frequent phone calls to others.

There have been the normal “circle of life” periods expected over the past couple of years. My husband lost two siblings in four months. Expected, but stressful nonetheless. Many have suffered losses of all kinds, but for many of us lessons have been learned.

We had the opportunity to reflect, recharge and reassess how we now want to live our lives. Personally, many of our children have had changes in their work habits that will forever change the way we view work and the culture of a balanced quality of life.

I enjoyed reading about a father who saw the value of time spent with his family. We are only here for a moment. The pandemic has sparked a revolution of change which, if we allow it, will give us a better life.

Anne Davidoff, Plano

Call it what it was

As a retired military member – 35 years on active duty – I was appalled by last year’s attack on the Capitol. It goes against everything I fought and served for. I was injured in Iraq and sacrificed for those who wished to express their political opinions.

It was an insurrection, period. An insurrection is “a violent uprising against an authority or government”. As a lifelong Republican, I consider this for what it was, and no other semantics will do. We need to own this because our democracy is at stake.

Stuart W. Maberry, Rockwall

Retired Colonel, US Air Force

Offending owner class

Re: “What January 6 taught us – Democracy is fragile and we must come together to end the venomous national dialogue that sparked the attack”, January 6 editorials.

While the attempted insurrection of January 6, 2021 was yet another attack on our democracy, it is far from the most widespread. The owning class controls the media, buys off the politicians, fills the bureaucracy with their cronies and writes all the laws. We do not live in a democracy, but in a plutocracy.

Elections are a formality for the wealthy, a way to legitimize their control. Wealth and class are fundamentally anti-democratic: class creates inequality, and wealth is power. Even with campaign finance or media reforms, the capitalists will find a way.

The people who want to overturn the election of President Joe Biden have been deceived by a false conscience. Biden governs like former President Donald Trump but with the facade of “civility”. Politics isn’t the problem, and a billionaire backed by billionaires isn’t, can’t be “anti-elitist.”

Win or lose, Trump’s madness allows capitalists to justify consolidating their power. Fascism can only be formed with the consent of the owning class, and the rich fear equality more than totalitarianism.

Thomas Urech, Plano

What about recommendations?

It’s funny how you feel the GOP is attacking our democracy with people like Senator Ted Cruz and other Texas elected officials. But you and your newspaper generally recommend most GOP members for re-election in that state.

Gilbert Granado, Rowlett

Police chief on track

Your recent articles on Dallas Police Chief Eddie García are spot on, as are his initiatives and results. People have grown tired of seeing cannabis smokers prosecuted at the same level of priority as murderers and rapists, and then receive sentences that do not reflect the seriousness or lack of crime.

And while that’s an exaggeration, there’s some truth to it. Because it makes sense to first investigate where the chaos is occurring, then put a heavy police presence in that area to help stop it.

This may sound like police common sense, but obviously not all police chiefs follow this path. I’m certainly glad we have one that does.

Bruce DavidsonCarrollton

Bulldozer crime paradise

Re: “Criminal Shelters in City’s Crosshairs – Multiple Lawsuits Seem Landlords Forcing Security Repairs, Security Upgrades,” January 2 article.

I would have thought the city of Dallas would have learned from the Shingle Mountain fiasco in South Dallas. That’s why the city has codes, code enforcement and attorneys’ offices. Holmes Street apartments are a pariah and will become a cancer if allowed to thrive in this area. They should be bulldozed by now and then face legal action from the sleazy landowner.

James Howard Sherrard, Plano

CFP of 8 teams required

Re: “An expanded CFP would add more fun to the playoffs – 12-team format beats the prospect of seeing the same teams every year,” by Kevin Sherrington, Wednesday’s SportsDay column.

Sherrington is right that adding college playoff teams would add more fun for college football fans, but how about moving to an eight-team playoff format? It would only add one more week to the bowling season, and no one would get an advantage due to receiving a bye in the tournament, which would happen with a 12-team format. The Power Five champions plus the next best three. In football, a No. 8 seed could very well beat a No. 1 seed on any day. An expanded eight-team CFP is now needed.

Jeff FosterCarrollton

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