Letters – Texas GOP, religion, E. Jean Carroll, Waymo

Re: “Texas GOP’s Terrible Night – Voters chose corruption, lies and bigotry over experience and independence,” Thursday editorial. 

This editorial is the best written editorial that I have read in The Dallas Morning News in some time. It correctly summarizes what is wrong with politics in general, not just in Texas.  

It is sad to say that too many of our elected officials only represent themselves, and not the people they took an oath to represent.  

Your editorial summary stated “shameful.” I believe it is “disgusting.” 

I always have hope for our future generations. We, the people, must demand better from our candidates and our elected officials. 

Steve Roach, Temple 

Now you’ve done it, Dallas Morning News editorial board. You’ve told your readers exactly what you think of Ken Paxton, MAGA Mayes Middleton and their election. 

You said of Paxton, “a man whose personal and professional dishonesty is so manifest that the mother of his own children can’t endorse him.” And you described Middleton as a “lickspittle of the president.” 

I hope people read the entire editorial, because way down toward the end, you categorized the election itself as shameful. 

It takes guts to stand up to power. You have placed your newspaper in the crosshairs of two people nominated to some of our highest national and state offices. 

I enjoy reading The Dallas Morning News with my coffee in the morning. I sincerely hope you last longer than my subscription. 

Keep writing those editorials. We may not like everything you print, but we need you. 

Randy Brack, Garland 

Re: “Paxton tackles GOP divisions – Republican Senate nominee tries to unify the party; Democrats see opening,” Thursday news story. 

“Nixon was a crook, but he was our crook” was attributed to Richard Painter, a former Navy judge advocate who commented on Richard Nixon’s Watergate scandal. 

GOP critics of Ken Paxton suddenly rallied behind him after he trounced Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary runoff for Senate. 

Their new message appears to be: “Paxton may be a crook, but he’s our crook.” 

Bernard Diemer, Saginaw 

Re: “Reconsider the reading lists,” by Kim Schonwald, Thursday Letters. 

Schonwald is absolutely correct. I think the State Board of Education must reconsider the use of religious text in school reading lists. She makes the point against the list that are the reasons proponents of the list want the religious texts included in it. She wrote: 

“They include passages from the Protestant Bible in mandatory instructional content without comparable inclusion of religious texts from other faith traditions. This imbalance raises serious concerns about fairness, religious freedom and the role of public education in a religiously diverse society.” 

The proponents don’t want fairness, religious freedom or diversity. They want a nation based on what their idea of Christianity is. There is no room for other views. They are not trying to be fair in the least. 

Richard Bach, Garland 

It’s not surprising but appalling that Donald Trump’s personal lawyers, also known as our Department of Justice, are criminally investigating rape victim E. Jean Carroll. The proven rapist, who is president, is using the government’s attorneys to harass the woman who successfully proved to a jury what he did, and punish her with criminal charges. 

Besides this egregious attack on Carroll following her successfully adjudicated case, it tells every woman in this country who has been raped that she can tell the truth, take the accused rapist to court, prove her case and win, and Trump’s MAGA machinery will still come after her. 

He is the criminal in this case, not Carroll. Yet, he chooses to have the DOJ investigate her, not the Epstein files. 

All Americans have to stand up to this repeated fraudulent use of our government agencies by Trump, who keeps using the DOJ to terrorize people he has a personal vendetta against.  

We can, and we must, fix this by voting Democratic in the midterms. 

Susan Giardina, Allen 

Park and Recreation seems to be the latest department set for drastic reduction in budget and services, as I understand about $13 to $14 million, which I oppose. City residents would also seem to oppose this reduction. They approved a $345 million bond in 2024 to invest in our park system. 

How will service cuts enable the city to staff and support these new investments residents are excited about? Residents are already organizing against changes to staffing for the community hub, Kiest Tennis Center. 

As someone raised through the Dallas ISD system and who participated in these programs, I would have missed out on foundational experiences without them. And more germane to the question, my parents would have had less working flexibility.  

In a time when working families are making difficult decisions, removing childcare options will only create more downstream financial constraints and other public safety concerns. 

On Wednesday, the Dallas City Council discussed at length the positive impacts of school programs and how they keep students safe. Yet, these same programs are candidates for budget reduction citywide. 

Sam Williams, Northeast Dallas 

Re: “Waymo is not ready for Dallas – Robotaxis cannot safely navigate our streets,” by Amy Witherite, Wednesday Opinion. 

I agree with Witherite. Three weeks ago, I personally watched a Waymo completely blow through a stop sign without slowing down in Highland Park right in front of me. Spooked me. I reported it to a Highland Park police officer who happened to be sitting at the next intersection. 

I like technology, but I feel this tech is “too soon.” 

Robert Lacy, Dallas