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There’s always a risk of infection

Texas Health Presbyterian nurses walk arm in arm on their way to a press conference defending the hospital outside Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas on Monday, October 20, 2014. The first Ebola patient diagnosed in the United States, Thomas Eric Duncan was treated at this hospital. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News)

Don’t point fingers at Presby

I’m a registered nurse, native of Dallas and now living in northeast Tennessee.

I recently visited my home city, and I have been asked about the “terror” supposedly being experienced by Dallasites regarding the recent Ebola events.

I saw no terror-stricken people at all in Dallas. I talked to friends concerned for those stricken or being watched for symptoms.

They are upset about how this episode impacts the fine reputation of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. Hospitals must evaluate and treat those who arrive at their doors.

The presenting symptoms of the man from Liberia are symptoms of other common viruses. Like other U.S. health care facilities, Presbyterian observes “universal precautions.”

If this patient had presented at any hospital other than the four Ebola-trained facilities, the scenario would have been the same. Other hospitals may say they would have done better, but they are really relieved they weren’t put to that test. Ebola is new to U.S. shores.

There seems to be a lot of finger-pointing and rumor, which needs to stop. Let’s take care of those stricken, protect caregivers and fix the national health care community that failed to provide information/education to caregivers.

My mom was an OB nurse, I was a newborn and junior volunteer at Baylor. I know Presbyterian’s excellent reputation and care.

My thoughts and prayers are with victims and caregivers who face fears resulting from exposure and the knowledge that Presbyterian may not recover from this incident.

Jeanne Terrell Alexander, Kingsport, Tenn.

Laundry workers’ exposure

I’m worried! For 23 years I worked at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital in the position of director of laundry and linen services.

It was me and my staff who handled all the contaminated linens coming from isolation cases. Rarely did we receive a batch that had been bagged and sealed correctly.

Even more problematic was the unceasing flow of sharp objects coming into the laundry.

I wrote untold dozens of incident reports detailing these breaches, but it seemed nobody cared if the mere laundry workers’ lives and safety were being jeopardized.

I believe the only way to stop Ebola is to secure our borders, including the southern one. Hospitals may easily and unknowingly spread the infection.

Larry Johnson, Mesquite

Settle Voter ID once and for all

Publicize mobile voter ID units

Re: “High court keeps Texas voter ID law — Justices rush to issue divided ruling before balloting begins,” Sunday news story.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg claims that 600,000 eligible Texas voters may be disenfranchised from voting because they lack a valid ID.

The Texas secretary of state and Department of Public Safety provide free election identification certificates at 2,200 locations and by mobile stations scheduled in 45 cities.

To date, only about 300 have been issued.

We all want eligible voters to vote, so announce the law that allows people without the required IDs to cast provisional ballots by signing an affidavit and providing a valid ID in six days.

Therefore, we can confirm the number of all ID-less voters, DPS can provide mobile access to these people, and the state can issue free IDs in time for their votes to count.

Furthermore, nobody will be disenfranchised now or in the future. I believe it is really that simple to solve the problem.

Chris Stephen, Dallas/Medical District

Paying 75 cents to vote

I went to the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library to vote today.

I parked downstairs, went up to vote — read all the propositions, thoughtfully made my selections — and hit the “Vote” button.

Then I went downstairs and paid my 75 cents for parking — to vote.

Where was the free parking? I don’t know.

All I know is that I had to pay to access my constitutionally protected right to vote. America, America, Land of the Fee.

In an extra-ironic twist, all I had was a $20 bill that the machine wouldn’t take. The security guard informed me it was because the machine, which indicated it took $20s, didn’t have enough change to break my $20.

Thank the Founding Fathers that my floorboard had 75 cents scattered about.

Beau McDermott, Dallas/Uptown

 

Tips from an election judge

Having served as an election judge, I’ve been asked for tips on voting.

1. If you did not get the voter registration card in the mail or if the name doesn’t exactly match your driver’s license, call your county election administrator.

2. Vote as early as possible. Campaigns download the list of early voters every night and strike them from their call list, so it will cut down on the number of campaign phone calls you get.

And if you get sick or an emergency calls you out of town, you have the satisfaction of knowing you’ve already voted. If there are problems with your name or photo ID, you’ll possibly have time to fix it.

3. If the election officials don’t want to let you vote due to voter ID issues, demand a provisional ballot. But it won’t count unless the vote is very close in one of the races.

4. Thank the election judge and election clerks behind the table. If everything goes smoothly, the equipment works flawlessly and there is no hitch in the vote count, they are putting in a 14-hour day minimum.

Mark Bauer, Colleyville

Democratic Party, Precinct Chair #3193

@easyaim1

Step up fight on Islamic State

Re: “Islamic State may fly MiGs — Former Iraqi air force pilots help with tests, Syrian activists say,” Saturday news story.

The Obama administration states our mission entitled Inherent Resolve is to destroy ISIS.

To date, ISIS has captured several Syrian and Iraqi military bases, complete with all the equipment and supplies. Some housed heavy military vehicles such as tanks, armored vehicles and various transport vehicles.

At least one contained military aircraft as described in the captioned article. These planes are now being used by former Iraqi fliers to train ISIS to become proficient, thus adding another attack potential to what they already possess.

If we’re in this conflict to destroy ISIS, why weren’t the bases destroyed when ISIS took them over?

Had we used all our resources, bombers, fighters, cruise missiles, etc., we could have rendered those described assets useless, plus have killed large numbers of ISIS occupying personnel. Instead, we expend expensive ordnance destroying Toyota pickups with machine guns mounted in back.

As usual, the administration talks a good game to satisfy the polls. However, the sorties we fly are little more than what the pilots would perform in training missions. If we’re going to fight a war, then fight with all our resources to end it as soon as possible, and with a victory.

Richard Daubenspeck,
Far North Dallas/ Bent Tree

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So why are you Catholic?

catholic

Pope Francis arrives to attend an afternoon session of a two-week synod on family issues at the Vatican, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014. Catholic bishops predicted widespread approval Saturday of a revised document laying out the church's position on gays, sex, marriage and divorce, saying the report is a "balanced" reflection of church teaching and pastoral demands. The final report of the two-week meeting of bishops will be voted on later Saturday. (AP Photo)

 

He’s missing the message

Re: “Confessions of a frustrated Catholic — Maybe this pope can make fundamental changes, says Frank Matthews,” Saturday Viewpoints.

Matthews’ column is baffling. He acknowledges that he is full of anger at the church.

He rejects some well-known Catholic teachings. He speaks cavalierly about hell.

He sees no difference between people who commit serious sins, stop and repent, and those who commit serious sins, don’t stop and don’t repent.

He seems to have nothing but scorn for the Catholic Church’s clergy, including the bishops who are, in Catholic theology, the successors of the Apostles themselves.

And he misunderstands the current state of the Catholic discipline regarding abstinence from meat on Fridays.

I was left wondering whether he has ever taken the time to study why the church teaches the things it teaches — especially on the matters he disagrees with.

Mr. Matthews, please write a follow-up column under the headline “Why I am a Catholic.” I really want to know.

Greg Lensing, Dallas

 

A simplistic mistake

Frank Matthews, in his somewhat nasty attack on the Catholic Church and Catholics, makes a very simplistic mistake.

He believes that it is important that Catholics are being judged daily by the church or one another. In fact, in Matthew 7:1-3 King James Version, the Lord simply said: Judge not, that ye be not judged.

We Catholics believe we all will be judged one day, but by God, not Catholic officials, Mr. Matthews’ Community Voices, or anyone else.

Paul Knopick, Denton

Abbott recommendation off base

Re: “We Recommend,” Friday Editorials.

I’ve read through this twice now. I cannot help being struck by the fact that several times throughout, very real concerns about Greg Abbott’s record are raised with good cause.

In my opinion, the worst thing said about Wendy Davis is that she has a “lofty” goal without a firm price tag. This is enough to recommend Abbott?

I believe the concerns listed about Abbott are valid and should give any voter in Texas pause to consider whether Abbott is capable of leading our fine state and representing all Texans fairly.

The News reports that he has been too beholden to donors and business interests to date to give me much confidence that I will be represented effectively by Greg Abbott.

I find it quite disturbing that you claim we should not elect Davis based, not on her own qualifications, but on the probably correct assumption that some elements among the GOP in Texas would react with stubborn gridlock if she were elected.

When did it become a good idea to cater to these elements and make decisions based on whether or not they will throw a temper tantrum instead of what is best for Texas?

Samantha Scott, North Dallas

@thelittlefyre

Nephew’s anger misplaced

I read this column exclusive to The News with dismay and disbelief. I am saddened by the loss of his uncle, Thomas Duncan, but find it ironic that he demonizes Presbyterian Hospital with incompetence and insensitivity when it mounted an incredible effort to save him and spent most likely more than a million dollars on care that will never be paid.

I am a retired physician who cared for some of the first patients with HIV in the ’80s in Dallas. It was a plague.

There was much fear and misunderstanding. Very little was known.

Those of us who chose to treat them did so at our own risk, although it turned out that was low.

I can attest to the fact that things in emergency rooms all across this country fall through the cracks every hour of every day.

Fortunately, most of them do not result in deaths. This was ONE exception.

To his nephew, I would ask what level of care would he have received if he had remained in Liberia?

Robert Henderson, Dallas/ Turtle Creek

Ebola is a big deal

Re: “Taking Ebola seriously — CDC’s clinical response to virus worrisome, Heather Wilhelm writes,” Friday Viewpoints.

Having followed the Ebola matter perhaps closer than most, I was a bit puzzled and taken aback to read in Ms. Wilhelm’s recent Dallas Morning News op-ed her attribution to the CDC, the White House and other officials the statement “Don’t panic; it’s no big deal.”

In all my reading and, since this article, Google searches, blog searches, congressional hearings on C-SPAN, and governmental agency searches, I failed to encounter the statement “Don’t panic; it’s no big deal,” or even “It’s no big deal.”

It’s always helpful if one knows someone’s agenda in order to determine their motivation. If what the author asserts is true, it borders on criminal activity. If it is not true, she has built and demolished the biggest, most self-serving straw horse I’ve ever encountered in my 80 years.

I would be grateful if Ms. Wilhelm would send just one citation not to me, but to The News, which citation supports her contention that anyone engaged in trying to manage this tragic situation has said or implied, “It’s no big deal.”

In the milieu we live in today, truth telling is more important than ever before — and that’s a big deal!

Rodney Pirtle, Farmers Branch

Where’s my old Cowboys jersey?

I told myself that if Da Boys whooped the Giants I would dig out my Cowboys jersey. It’s been so long, I can’t find it.

Virginia Milburn, Midlothian

Technology can’t replace the human touch

Re: “Learning new ways to connect — Tech-free semester was eye-opening experience, says Catherine Blizzard,” Saturday Viewpoints.

Congratulations to Ms. Blizzard for her lovely article of returning to the world of her grandparents.

A time before Gates and Jobs.

A time when you called out, “Hey, let’s play baseball,” instead of having your mother arrange a play date.

A time when you rode a bike, fell and scraped your knees or elbows, and maybe even knocked out one of your baby teeth.

A time when you went to the library and roamed through tall stacks of dusty books in a high-ceiling, fan-cooled library and scanned the titles of the books, sometimes finding one that was completely different from anything you had heard of that opened up to you a world of thinking that affected your life.

A time when we wrote long letters to each other and reread them over and over again until they fell apart.

Maybe the last letter from someone we truly cared for who died unexpectedly at an early age or in a war.

Welcome, Ms. Blizzard, to a time when human beings ruled the planet, not computers.

Don McElfresh, Dallas/Lake Highlands

‘The News’ recommends Abbott

abbott davis

FILE- In this Sept. 30, 2014, file pool photo, Texas State Senator Wendy Davis, right, Democratic candidate, and Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, left, Republican candidate, participate in the final gubernatorial debate in a KERA-TV studio in Dallas. Abbott will begin the final stretch Monday, Oct. 20, in East Texas, riding a comfortable lead in public polls and a 5-to-1 advantage in campaign cash over Davis. (Dallas Morning News, Andy Jacobsohn, Pool, File)

Abbott can’t quell extremism

Re: “We Recommend Greg Abbott for governor,” Friday Editorials.

I am completely shocked and confused at your recommendation of Greg Abbott. You couldn’t recommend Dan Patrick for lieutenant governor, but claim Abbott can hold the growing extremism in the GOP. What exactly is your evidence of this?

This is the man who seems like he sues Obama every day; continues to defend billions in education cuts; continues to defend SB2, an EXTREME bill that cuts services to most of the state and puts women with catastrophic pregnancies in danger; will continue to refuse to expand Medicaid while we lose millions every day, burdening our county health system; and continues the assault on voting rights. But HE is going to rein in GOP extremism?

Then there’s the crony capitalism. The Dallas Morning News showed how Abbott covered up imaginary applications for hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars. How on earth do you justify this recommendation?

I thought The News had come to its senses and realized the state GOP has become a self-serving clown show. Sadly, you endorsed the Ringmaster.

Diane Treider, Dallas

@sportsprincess

 

Revelations in Abbott pick

When I saw that you were endorsing Greg Abbott I wondered immediately how far down I’d have to read before the words “hard-right” would appear.

Not far. There they were, right there in the third paragraph.

I learned in this paragraph that as a participant in the “hard-right swing” in the “ruling party” I am “indifferent to the plight of the working poor, the uninsured or youths caught through no fault of their own in immigration limbo.” I hadn’t realized any of this. I hadn’t realized that I am against working poor people, folks without insurance and immigrant kids. It was a revelation.

I didn’t expect to see anything anywhere in your piece about the “hard left,” but I did learn that Wendy Davis had “demonstrated exceptional courage with her 2013 Senate filibuster to halt legislation aimed at restricting abortion rights.”

Dick Johns, Tyler

Limerick: Houston Bill of Rights – ‘We’ll just skip that First one.’

When editing things that we preach on,
We’re shedding the creed that we teach on,
And no slippery slope,
This is slippin’ a rope
On getting our freedom of speech on.

But the Council said don’t be concerned,
They’re announcing what shouldn’t be learned,
And when done with the preachers,
They’ll discuss with the teachers,
Just how many books ‘ll be burned.

Minor storms stymie DART

The meager coverage of the DART disruption last Monday masked major problems with the city’s public transportation system. It can’t handle minor storms with 20- to 30-mph winds.

The power outage that caused havoc with the trains lasted all afternoon and all evening, all supposedly due to a tree limb that fell on one train.

Many families, including the very old and the very young, had to wait for more than two hours at the Baylor station after 5 p.m. Monday to board buses that came sporadically to pick up fairgoers.

There was no order or police supervision to help passengers get on these buses, and a riot nearly ensued.

Then DART wonders why they can’t get more riders on their trains.

Michael Burton, Richardson

Early voting begins, but political controversy doesn’t end

County sinking in a vast red sea

I strongly disagree with The Dallas Morning News’ recommendations of Leticia Van de Putte and Clay Jenkins in the upcoming elections. If we in Texas are ever going to break the chain of poor leadership, we must start here.

I was not impressed with Jenkins as grandstander-in-chief in the recent Ebola problem. His showing up in the middle of it all was a political farce and dangerous. Looks like he subscribes to the old Democratic slogan, “Never let a crisis go to waste.”

In Dallas County, if we are ever going to change the drift toward the “Detroit of the South,” we must have true leadership in Dallas. The Commissioners Court is a joke since the lone Republican could not even get a second on his motion to look into the crooked deal by the DA in spending money he did not control.

Furthermore, allowing Price to continue to vote while under indictment is also a joke.

Let’s face it, voters, Dallas County is a sinking blue dot in a vast red sea.

Bob Wynne, Far North Dallas

Davis’ ad crosses the line

I have been trying to spend a little time educating myself on the race for governor. I watched the debate, visited the websites and followed the DMN news and analysis. I was having a tough time making my choice. Then Wendy Davis made it easy. She had her Clayton Williams moment. Her new ad featuring the wheelchair is over the line. Whoever advised her to run that ad made a bad mistake. I won’t make one.

John Threadgill, Dallas/Lake Highlands

Abbott, Patrick bad for Texas

The 2011 budget cuts resulted in Texas schools losing thousands of teachers and increasing class sizes. Although $3.4 billion was restored this past session, Dan Patrick also voted against the restoring of these funds.

In 2011, hundreds of school districts filed a lawsuit over the state’s failure to fix the funding system that is unfair and inadequate for the state’s 5 million public school students. Most North Texas districts — from Allen to Dallas, Coppell to Denton, Frisco to Richardson, Little Elm to Plano — as well as nearly 600 other large and small districts all over Texas joined in this suit. A judge recently decided IN FAVOR of the school districts; however, Attorney General Greg Abbott is appealing this decision and continuing to fight against adequate and fair funding of our public education system. He could have settled the suit and helped to work out a better funding system, but instead he has chosen politics over our children and schools.

Please remember at voting time, Abbott and Patrick have both chosen politics and power over the needs and success of our children and public school system. They are bad for Texas and our future.

Priscilla Dayton, Frisco

Miles should apologize and quit

The forcible removal of school trustee Bernadette Nuttall from a school in her district is a new low for DISD. Dade Middle School is obviously a school in turmoil, with its fourth principal since 2012, its leadership team, and 10 of its 72 teachers replaced without any public explanation by Superintendent Mike Miles on Monday. As the elected representative of the public, Nuttall would have been irresponsible had she not visited the school and attempted to sit in on the reorganization meeting.

Even if Miles does have some policy or statutory authority, by what standard of good judgment did he order her removed? Tell me that the city manager would call the police to remove an elected council member from a meeting. Tell me that the headmistress of Hockaday would call the police to remove one of her board members from the campus.

Miles has gone off the deep end in his disrespect for an elected public official. His apology and, indeed, his resignation are in order.

John Fullinwider, Dallas

Ebola letters: Who is responsible for the outbreak of fear?

In this Thursday, Oct. 16, 2014, photo released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Coast Guard Health Technician Nathan Wallenmeyer, left, and CBP supervisor Sam Ko conduct prescreening measures on a passenger, right, who arrived from Sierra Leone at O'Hare International Airport's Terminal 5 in Chicago. (AP Photo/U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Melissa Maraj)

Spread hope, not fear

Nina Pham and Amber Vinson need support from the place they call home more than ever right now. They selflessly did their job to the best of their training and abilities to care for Thomas Eric Duncan the way they would care for any other patient that walked into the facility.

The fear in Dallas right now is not encouraging hope for these women or any other potentially at-risk individual but adding to the problem at hand. The fact that West Africa is essentially ground zero for this often fatal condition is something we all need to keep in mind.

We need to be cautious without adding discrimination and give these people something to hope for: a better, caring piece of humanity that we all have the potential to be. Instead of fearing to be the next victim, consider donating for research to find treatment or cure for this terrible virus. All of us must keep the true victims of this illness in their minds and their hearts at this time of need.

Susannah Beverly, Dallas

 

Leadership breach

When nurse Nina Pham was found to have contracted Ebola it appeared that Presbyterian hospital’s approach to protective clothing wear was not uniform. Now a second nurse who treated Duncan has contracted Ebola.

She was infectious after returning by air from a family visit in Cleveland. This air travel constituted another “breach of protocol” by potentially exposing many, many more people to the Ebola virus. Was she instructed not to fly? Was there anyone at the hospital who assumed responsibility to make sure that CDC guidance was mandatory, not optional?

As a retired military officer my observation is that no one was in charge. Doctors, it seems, rule by consensus rather than by fiat.

Was there any one leader at Presbyterian who directed all staff in how they were to interact with patients and their fellow workers; how they were to follow CDC guidance about wearing protective clothing and that during the 21-day self-monitoring period, staff would certainly NOT be allowed to travel anywhere on public transportation?

My answer is a decided “no” because if there had been someone in charge, policies and procedures would have been crystal clear, complete, concise and mandatory.

The infection of nurse Pham and now nurse Vinson and potentially many more people in Dallas and Cleveland might have been absolutely avoided. The first question in any investigation should be “Who was in charge?”

Michael Morawey, North Dallas

Heads should roll

There was clearly no “protocol” breached at Dallas’ Presbyterian Hospital because the CDC had not instructed hospitals other than with occasional fliers about the deadliest virus currently on the planet. In my opinion, that minimalist approach did not and does not constitute a protocol.

It was only a matter of time before this virus hit the U.S., and for the CDC not to have better prepared U.S. medical personnel is actually a breach of something called just plain common sense.

I believe heads need to roll at the CDC (the director, please) and at Presbyterian Hospital, too.

When the survival rate of most Ebola health care workers is 50 percent in the undeveloped world, that doesn’t mean it goes to zero in the developed world. Why weren’t those health care workers being monitored more closely?

Further, should there be legal consequences for breaking the rules as the latest victim did? Using public transportation with a fever and history with patient No. 1 should qualify as a criminal act.

Arrogance will cost lives, as will permissiveness in this freewheeling society. This story continues to disturb, and now all the talk about quashing the fear factor seems naive and out of step with the reality.

Nancy Sanders, Dallas

 

Preparing for the worst

Dallas has received global criticism for our response to the first Ebola patient and subsequent isolation techniques. We now stand as the citadel to our continent. Our local leadership has been “spot on” in their actions to contain Ebola. However, we must prepare for an epidemic situation. The genie is out of the bottle, and this will require extraordinary efforts to respond to this contagion. The Centers for Disease Control, a government agency, has responded promptly to this rapidly evolving situation.

Our conservative politicians have excoriated government intervention into health issues. They have refused billions of dollars needed to fund Medicaid and other much needed programs. The governor and state legislators have exerted extraordinary measures and resources to deny health care to millions of deserving fellow Texans. Our Texas senators and representatives have demonized and fought Obamacare.

Now is the time for the governor to call an extra session of the Legislature (as was done to enact anti-abortion laws) to confront the issues that are germane to our real crisis, Ebola. Ask your local and state politicians how they feel about government intervention into our health crisis. As for me, I would trust CDC over Perry and Cruz.

Dr. Robert Prince, Far North Dallas

Time to quarantine

Re: “Airport fever checks give Obama breathing room on Ebola,” Sunday news story.

There is a big difference between “travel ban” and “quarantine.” The first stops any and all transfers between two points, the second delays arrivals.

If you want to travel from the U.S. to West Africa, knock yourself out. If you want to send a boxcar of supplies to West Africa, do so, and there are no restrictions. However, if you want to travel from West Africa to the U.S. I think you should quarantined for a specified period of time.

If at the end of the time you are symptom-free, then you will be allowed into the U.S. to mingle with the general population.

Seems like a reasonable precaution to me.

Catherine Taylor, Dallas

Rising to the threat

Americans have long enjoyed the belief that being surrounded by two oceans distanced them from the diseases, political turmoil and wars rampant in other countries.

Thanks to Thomas Duncan we now know the truth. For that I am thankful. Just as we gave up many personal liberties after the 2001 assault on our country, protocols for community health and safety will change the way we live in a post-Ebola environment.

Criticism abounds in Dallas’ handling of the health threat, but I commend the response and wonder what would have happened had Mr. Duncan chosen a less-populated area without the same health care and security resources.

Responsible citizens must be prepared to give some more for the sake of community health and safety.

The CDC recommends using facilities with practiced expertise in the care of infectious patients. This follows the logic used to quash the polio epidemic. This type of care requires special training, equipment and mental toughness. Our national security demands flawless management of this crisis.

Cynthia Stock, Garland

All forms of ID not equal


Re: “Court reinstates voter ID law — Appeals panel says it’s too late to change rules for November election,” Wednesday news story.

It seems every article about our voter ID law contains the phrase “college student IDs aren’t acceptable, but concealed handgun licenses are,” implying some kind of conspiracy or ill intent.

I’ve had both forms of ID. The college ID was obtained by standing in line for a photo and telling them who I was and my Social Security number. Then, I went around the corner and they handed me the ID. There was no effort to verify my address (which wasn’t on the ID), my identity or anything else.

To obtain my concealed handgun license, I had to be fingerprinted, present passport photos and undergo a background check by the state. After that was completed, the license was sent by mail to the address on the license.

To imply that there is some kind of effort to suppress minority voters in allowing the CHL and not the college ID is disingenuous. One is issued and verified by the state and the other is not. It’s that simple.

You would think college-educated newspaper writers would know that.

Barbara King, East Dallas

 

 

 

Marriage not as simple as it used to be

Discretion is admirable

Re: “Gay or straight? It doesn’t matter — Day of full acceptance is not far off, says Laurie Lynn Lindemeier,” Saturday Viewpoints.

Laurie states her opinion that it does not matter if someone is gay. I agree to a point. It does not matter until they celebrate their gayness openly. The in-your-face declarations of Rosie O’Donnell and others offend me.

I have known and worked with some gay men and women. Some of my best friends in high school have come out. A parent can love and accept an unruly child, but not accept their behavior. I can love someone and still not approve of their sinful actions. Acting on gay impulses is a sin. Now every man sins. But not every man celebrates his sins in public.

I do not make a practice of celebrating my sexuality in public. I do not want gays to do this either.

John Combs, Garland

 

Changing face of marriage

Re: “Conservative bishops decry new tone on gays — Report that softens stands on divorce, sexuality, other issues is condemned,” Wednesday news story.

Today’s advocates for gay marriage bans would say that matrimony has historically been between one man and one woman. However, many might realize a problem with that view if they look to other cultures in existence today, along with societies that flourished in the past.

St. Paul compared marriage to the relationship Christ had with his church (Eph. v. 23-33).

In ancient times, most marriages were arranged and had nothing to do with love. Most of those marriages were about the acquisition and protection of wealth, power and bloodlines.

History gives us evidence that polygamy has been practiced in Christian, Jewish and Muslim cultures.

Today, we can use our friend as an example of polygamy, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. I wish I could give more examples of marriages that don’t fit the one-man and one-woman definition, like common-law marriages, but that can easily be found on the Internet.

In short, if we want to go back to the day when women were traded like cattle, then we should embrace those historic traditions in totality, like the one where you don’t get to choose who you marry because you were betrothed as a child.

Eddie Ortega, downtown Dallas