Letters to the Editor — National Guard numbers, Rep. Barbara Jordan, Texas Republicans, Amber Hagerman, the common good, Texas oranges

TX – The numbers tell the story of the legacy of Donald Trump, the first president of the United States in history to be impeached twice. There are 20,000 members of the National Guard protecting the U.S. Capitol and the streets of Washington, D.C. Think about that number: It’s more than the total number of U.S. troops deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria combined.

Moreover, walls and fences have been erected, extra layers of security have been implemented and the National Mall is closed. What a truly tragic moment in history. This is a sad state of affairs that none of us could have imagined and a direct result of the president’s rhetoric, which resulted in domestic terrorism, insurrection and riots.

And if that isn’t bad enough, 389,000 of our fellow citizens thus far have died as a result of COVID-19, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention projects another 90,000 will die in the next few weeks. This is a toll that didn’t have to be so high, if only we had a competent president who cared more about people and country than himself and if Republican leaders had the strength to put the nation above political power and party. One thing has become clear: No amount of rhetoric or political spin can erase these numbers and change the painful reality of the past four years.

Richard Cherwitz, Austin

Don’t be an idle spectator

If you are a member of the U.S. House and you did not vote to impeach President Donald Trump, you are complicit in the incitement of insurrection.

If you are a member of the U.S. Senate and you do not vote to convict Trump in the impeachment trial, you are aiding and abetting the advancement of autocracy.

If you are a member of the electorate who believes the 2020 presidential election was “rigged,” you have been duped by the president and the right-wing media and are no different than the so-called loyalists who tried to overthrow the government.

If you are a patriot, then you must be channeling the late Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, a Democrat from Texas. As a member of the House Judiciary Committee investigating whether sufficient grounds existed to impeach former President Richard Nixon, Jordan so eloquently said: “My faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total. I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution.”

Jim Paladino, Tampa, Fla.

The Dan Patrick twist

Re: “Texas Republicans make legislative power play — Rule change limits Democrats’ ability to block bills,” Thursday news story.

I’m wondering why this article wasn’t featured on Thursday’s front page. I’d have thought the fact that Dan Patrick has once again managed to twist things in favor of his agenda would be displayed more prominently.

Sylvia Johnson, Garland

Our esteemed Texas Legislature has, once again, moved to disenfranchise nearly half of Texans. They voted to make it impossible for Democratic legislators to have any input as to what bills come to the floor in this legislative session. Why? “Because we’re the majority.”

If that’s not the statement of a bully I don’t know what is. Robert Lowry, political science professor, was right when he was quoted as saying, “it basically means you don’t have to negotiate with the other party to get things passed.” That’s not what the Legislature is for. They are supposed to negotiate, to work for the good of all Texans, not just focus on partisan issues which may be in direct conflict with the good of and the will of most Texans. This isn’t news. They forced out Speaker Joe Straus because he spent his last session pushing back against bills like the bathroom bill and others that clearly would hurt jobs and education. Don’t forget that the reason the GOP has the majority is gerrymandering, making it nearly impossible for them to lose their districts. They’ll do the same with this new census. We must keep a clear eye on them for our own good since they aren’t watching out for us.

Carol Stephenson, Mesquite

Courage of Amber’s mother

Re: “‘It’s still raw’ 25 years later, mom says — Police to retest DNA evidence, hope with tips it will lead to answer,” Thursday Metro & Business story.

I want to acknowledge the courage and compassion of Donna Williams, the mother of Amber Hagerman. As a mother of three, with my youngest the age Amber would now be, Amber’s abduction and murder has haunted me all these years. I have always admired Williams’ strength in working tirelessly with the police and authorities to establish a national alert system, despite the tremendous grief she was going through. How hard that must have been at the time, yet she followed it through to fruition, determined to ensure her precious daughter left a lasting legacy.

I can only imagine the pain she must experience every time an Amber Alert is issued. And at the same time, the satisfaction and joy of knowing how many young lives have been saved because of her efforts. I know Amber is looking down and smiling, very proud of her mom.

Kimberly Mercer, Richardson

Co-chairs from both parties

President-elect Joe Biden says that his overriding intent is to “unify the country.” This is a valuable goal. The country is split nearly 50/50 (as is the U.S. Senate and nearly so in the House). If truly interested in unity, Biden, please recommend that both houses of Congress appoint co-chairs from both parties to all congressional committees. Are there truly any statesmen (can we use this term any longer?) remaining in Washington? If so, begin to work together for the common good of all Americans.

James R. Morrow, Highland Village

A lot of crappy things have happened this past week, but one exquisitely good thing that happened was my grocery store got its first shipment of Texas oranges. With the confidence of a fruit eater of many decades, I can say Texas citrus is the best.

Jon A. Caswell, Dallas