Bravo to gleaming rainbow
Re: “Rainbow steps stay, and Dallas keeps its soul — Landmark Commission had no choice but to say ‘Amen’ to Oak Lawn UMC,“ by Robert Wilonsky, Wednesday Opinion.
When power demanded that Texas cities and towns destroy painted crosswalks and art they view as promoting groups they consider less than themselves, they retrieved the coats of political animus they keep in their closets and put them on full display.
When the Rev. Rachel Griffin-Allison responded with the art at the steps of Oak Lawn United Methodist Church in October, she spoke truth to power.
Bravo to the Landmark Commission. Its decision to grant a three-year permit to Oak Lawn UMC to display that truth is a right, and righteous, statement that no voice is less than another, and it brightens the feathers on the wings of that conviction with a rainbow gleam.
Opinion
Kimberly Macye, Irving
Wake up to ICE’s harm
Re: “Majority arrested by Dallas ICE in 2025 did not have criminal convictions, News finds,” online story.
Deporting the “worst of the worst” has been the Trump administration’s ongoing talking point used to justify the ballooning of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s budget and the ramping up of immigration enforcement.
However, this story highlights the falsehood underneath the Department of Homeland Security’s marketing push, as The Dallas Morning News has found that most of those arrested by agents in Dallas have not been convicted of crimes.
What’s more, a glance at the story’s chart of deportations by criminal record shows that while the percentage of deportations for DUIs has increased, deportations for other serious crimes (like assault, drug trafficking and sex crimes) have all gone down. Whatever happened to removing the worst of the worst?
These trends show the results of focusing on quotas rather than prioritizing public safety. Instead of prioritizing deportations for violent criminals, ICE has instead terrorized hardworking neighbors, parents and community servants. This makes our communities less safe and erodes local trust in law enforcement.
These numbers should be a wake-up call to everyone that ICE is not working for us, but instead is harming us.
Sheila Joiner, North Richland Hills
Maybe arrests were warranted
Were the majority of those arrested in the country illegally? Perhaps that’s why they were arrested.
Olan Knight, Murphy
U.S. role in drug cartels
I never see any mention of the fact that if there wasn’t such high demand here in the U.S. for illicit drugs, there would not be any problem in needing to deal with drug cartels and the associated crime.
Our country supplies the vast majority of weapons to Mexico that keep the drug cartels lethal and powerful.
So our own country, the United States, has to bear much of the blame for keeping drugs constantly flowing into our country along with providing Mexico the arms with which to keep those drug cartels powerful.
Makes ya proud, doesn’t it?
Mary Clark, East Dallas
Persecuting Kelly is wrong
Following is the letter I just sent to my elected representative:
As one of your constituents and a veteran of Vietnam, I am asking you to do everything possible to stop the vindictive persecution of Capt. Mark Kelly as evidenced by the threat to reduce his rank in retirement. Attempting to reduce Kelly’s rank and benefits is wrong and unlawful. Reductions are authorized only for offenses that are committed while an individual is on active duty.
Not only was Kelly not on active duty when the alleged statements were uttered, but the statements attributed to him were legal and complied with his oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic,” and to bear true faith and allegiance to the same.
If this wrongful persecution continues, I shall urge all my fellow members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion and Vietnam Veterans associations to oppose any member of Congress who supports or acquiesces in the persecution of Kelly.
Donald J. Stevenson, Plano
Dallas missed Valley View for AT&T
Re: “AT&T’s shift to Plano leaves Dallas in limbo — Future remains fuzzy for firm’s downtown Discovery District,” Tuesday news story.
Months scouring North Texas for office space was what was printed in the opening of this story.
I will quote part of the second paragraph “The site at 5400 Legacy Drive will span 54 acres.” Did anyone and any person on the Dallas City Council realize or bother to look up the acreage of Valley View shopping center?
That space has about 110 acres and that would not include apartments as far north as Belt Line Road. Without moving to Plano, moving here would let the city retain all the tax benefits.
The Galleria is nearby, as is Addison with many restaurants and additional apartments.
Does our City Council look any further than the tip of its noses? Evidently not. New development would be totally welcome in the area.
David McLintock, Dallas
Free speech for all
Re: “Teachers’ group sues to halt investigations — Organization wants TEA to drop complaints over Kirk comments,” Wednesday news story.
Mike Morath, the complaints by some teachers were on their social media accounts. That is free speech and the complainers are entitled to their opinion.
President Donald Trump is unprofessional with his comments on television and on social media. Many complain about his remarks. Yet, it is his free speech.
If a few nonpolitical leaders share their opinion, they should not be questioned until the president stops. Free speech should be for all.
Anne Binns, Far North Dallas