Clear picture of judge candidates

Re: “Candidates line up on pandemic fight — 4 vying for county judge offer their thoughts on masks and vaccines,” Tuesday news story.

I would like to congratulate Charles Scudder on his story showing how the Dallas County judge candidates line up in regards to the pandemic. This is the type of story I feel we need to publish to educate our electorate.

Even though I do not live in Dallas County, I thoroughly enjoyed the read and determined, if I could, I would feel good voting for three of the four candidates. Please do more of these for our upcoming races!

Shawn Kelly, Plano

Narrowing field to one

Thank you, Dallas Morning News, for exposing the idiotic, weird opinions of three of the four candidates for Dallas County judge. There is only one clear candidate who has continuously demonstrated that he has the health, safety and welfare of all the people in his heart and mind. That person is the incumbent, Clay Jenkins.

I was especially flabbergasted by the views of Lauren Davis. Frankly, my grandchildren could have given better answers that she did. Are these the type of candidates to whom we entrust our lives?

Sheryl Santos-Hatchett,

Dallas/Mountain Creek

Gingrich vs. Cheney

Wow. Newt Gingrich, former speaker of the House, has just stated that the House members investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection should face the prospect of going to jail. Absolutely unbelievable. Why are he and other members of his party afraid of seeking the truth? One courageous Republican, Rep. Liz Cheney, said, “This is what it looks like when the rule of law unravels.”

Scott Kimball, McKinney

New senator wasn’t on my ballot

The new Texas Voter ID cards arrived in the mail. My family is redistricted out of Senate District 10 into Senate District 12. We voted for Beverly Powell, District 10, in the last election and now have a new state senator in District 12. We didn’t get to vote for our new state senator. We had no say as to who represents us. Is this democracy? Such a disregard for our votes is not American.

This comes after one of our family members was asked to prove her citizenship (born in Dallas and voted in past elections) and another never received the mail-in ballot for the past presidential election.

It’s hard to have faith in Texas elections when our votes are considered unimportant. We are just pawns in the system. Is it any wonder voter turnout is so low when you are made to feel your votes don’t count?

Judith Stewart, Colleyville

Tale of two causes

Re: “Was Jan. 6 an insurrection or a riot?” Jan. 23 Letters.

In discussing Jan. 6, some letter writers referenced other protests. Comparisons between the Black Lives Matter demonstrations and the Jan. 6 riot do exist in the vandalism, violence and death each engendered.

Beyond the shouting and screaming, smoke and mirrors, unanswered questions and what-about-isms, here is what is clear. Root cause of BLM protests — the murder(s) of Black people by police officers. Root cause of Jan. 6 — the big lie that the 2020 election was stolen.

Object of BLM — equal justice under the law. Object of Jan. 6 — prevent the peaceful transfer of power.

Despite wildly misguided actions, opportunistic looting and at times criminal behavior by some of its adherents, Black Lives Matter protesters sought to restore a democratic principle while Jan. 6 insurrectionists intended to overturn a free and fair election, the very foundation of democracy. No what-abouts about it.

Mary Beth Miles, East Dallas

What is there to protest?

Re: “Anti-vaccine activists protest shot mandates — Thousands descend on D.C., a city which requires immunization,” Monday news story.

This whole farcical thing is getting worse by the day. What are you protesting? You don’t have to wear a mask or get a vaccine; so, just don’t wear the mask or get the vaccine and be quiet. You have no more right to try to tell me that I can’t wear a mask or take the vaccine than I have to tell you otherwise.

I do not understand what is so important about being able to tell other people what to do. If I had my way, we would have martial law and shut down this country and make every person here wear a mask and take the vaccine and stop this stupid war over who has a right to do what, where and in what order.

People who probably don’t even remember high school chemistry have no right to argue with Dr. Anthony Fauci. Your so-called rights end where mine begin. I am going to wear a mask (which is designed to protect you), take the vaccine, isolate and try to stay well.

You, my benighted friends, can do whatever you wish to do. But I would appreciate it if you would keep your distance. Since you are going to do whatever you want to do anyhow, what do you have to protest?

Ellen Childress, East Dallas

Support bill to end malnutrition

As Texans, feeding people is one of the things we do best, and we know that food feeds more than just our bodies. With our abundance of food, it is almost unfathomable that even before COVID-19, child malnutrition was the underlying cause of almost half of preventable deaths of children younger than 5. Those numbers are now worse.

Proper nutrition is so important in preventing child deaths, especially during the period from pregnancy to age 2. The bipartisan Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act would provide nutritional help where it is needed most and would make the U.S. a leader in ending severe childhood malnutrition. Ask your members of Congress to join their colleagues on both sides of the fence in co-sponsoring this bill.

Laura E. Blenk, Rockwall