Letters — Mosques, Dallas council members, politics, mental health

Re: “Mosques open doors to counter misconceptions – Muslim leaders invite neighbors, answer questions, explain Shariah,” Tuesday Metro & Business story. 

Thank you, Dallas Morning News, for your excellent story covering the Saturday open houses at the mosques in Plano and Richardson. I attended the one held in Richardson and am extremely glad that I did. 

Not only was it an afternoon of facts, explanations and the dispelling of myths and incorrect and damaging misconceptions, but also a welcoming one of laughter, friendliness, wonderful traditional foods and a brilliant and riveting presentation by Dr. Sabeel Ahmed. The volunteers who greeted us and sat at each table were delightful and patiently and tirelessly answered our many questions. 

It was an event that fostered peace and understanding among those of all faiths.  

My wish: that everyone could be a part of such a wonderfully inclusive event and carry those feelings out into the world. 

Thank you to the Muslim community for enriching my life. 

Charlotte Camilla Koford, Dallas/Old Lake Highlands 

Re: “Dallas’ problem is council’s indecision – Losing sports teams is survivable. Poor leadership isn’t,” by Joe Zylka, Thursday Opinion. 

Zylka hit the nail on the head with this piece regarding our City Council. Can anyone on this council make a decision and stick with it? Obviously not!

If our council members could only see the image they project to the residents of this great city, they would be ashamed. Instead, I am ashamed for them! 

Nancy Wilbur, North Dallas 

I’d like to clear something up, please. Today’s socialists are not the old school communists who demanded state ownership of everything. Democratic socialism differs from straight-up socialism because it includes democratic principles like voting.  

Communism and democratic socialism are not the same thing. Communism is a form of government popularized by Karl Marx, in which a violent revolution by the working class seizes the means of production. 

Democratic socialists are a subset of Democrats. When they run for office, they usually run as both. Defining democratic socialism can be a challenge, which helps Republicans hoping to cast it in a bad light. 

According to the Democratic Socialists of America website, democratic socialism aims to move power from big corporations and billionaires into the hands of the majority of Americans who are not wealthy. 

They believe capitalism, as it is now practiced, is corrupt and shot through with cronyism. Using the democratic process, most importantly through voting, they want to replace capitalism with an economy driven by social needs rather than profits. 

Anice Greiner, East Dallas 

Re: “Some basic math,” by Milton Cohen, Friday letters.  

Cohen gave us “basic math,” telling us Trump started the Iran war and has spent a lot of cash doing it.  Advanced math:  President Barak Obama sent Iran a freight car full of cash if they would not pursue a nuclear weapon.  As an aside, left in our coffers and gaining interest, that cash would be worth two or three times as much now.  Meanwhile, Iran used the money to fund terrorism all through the Middle East, not to mention booting out nuclear inspectors and continuing to work on a nuke. 

Next, Cohen tells us Trump and his family have made a couple billion dollars in his first year in the White House.  Trump is a multi-billionaire in his own right, and with his investments on autopilot while he’s president, it just keeps coming.  That’s how free-market capitalism works.   

Kenneth K. Ebmeier, Round Rock 

Texas is the most uninsured state in the nation, dozens of public schools are being defunded and shut down and data centers are taking over. How is Gov. Greg Abbott making Texas more affordable for working people? 

Since Abbott has been in office, data centers have taken over many urban areas and rural towns. Texas has had a 9.8% increase in healthcare costs, leaving 21.6% of adults and 13% of children without health coverage. With nearly every new law he signs, Abbott has proven that middle and low income families aren’t his priority. 

Gina Hinojosa will save public schools, put money in Texans’ pockets and end this data center takeover. She called out data centers way before Abbott flip-flopped on his position. She’s called on Abbott to put a moratorium on them until Texans can have a seat at the table.  

Hinojosa has plans to provide every Texas child with health care coverage and fund public schools by ending the unfair voucher program. 

We need a change for hard-working families in Texas. Hinojosa is that change. She is who we need as our governor. 

Alvaro Vazquez, DeSoto 

Re: “Laws need modifying,” by Tom Guerrero, Thursday Letters. 

In responding to The Dallas Morning News editorial about mental health, Guerrero in his letter points out that under our current laws, you can’t force people to be hospitalized or to accept treatment. State hospitals were closed in the 1960s and 1970s, leaving people with mental illness to fend for themselves. 

However, this was not actually the plan. Outpatient community mental health centers were supposed to provide needed services. For the most part, they were not funded. 

As an Advanced Practice R.N. in psychiatric nursing, I worked at a community project in California that was very successful. State hospitals were costing $95,000 per patient at the time. We were funded at $16,500 per capita, and our mandate was to use the money to help people with serious mental illness live in the community. In most cases, we were able to do this, while supporting their ability to make choices for themselves. 

People with mental illness have not committed a crime. Locking them up in a hospital against their will and forcing them to take medications with alarming side effects should be a last resort. Community mental health treatment is what’s needed. 

Joyce Elaine Thompson, North Dallas