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Duncan family settlement

Duncan

This 2011 file photo provided by Wilmot Chayee shows Thomas Eric Duncan, the first Ebola patient diagnosed in the United States, at a wedding in Ghana. Louise Troh, the fiancee of Duncan, who died Oct. 8, 2014, hopes a book deal will propel her from homelessness and a minimum-wage job to home ownership and closure. (AP Photo)

Behind the Ebola settlement

Re: “Ebola settlement may be for the best,” Thursday Metro story.

As a trial lawyer with extensive medical malpractice experience, I agree with Steve Blow that Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital was wise to settle the Duncan case quickly; however, the public outcry over the settlement demonstrates the misinformation about this case.

Presby was extremely vulnerable, even under Republican-passed laws which require that to recover for emergency room negligence, the patient must prove gross negligence — that they knew about the risk of Ebola but didn’t care.

This is almost impossible to prove, but Presby now admits that the triage nurse recorded his symptoms and travel history, which would have required any sane ER doc to admit and isolate him. So, I believe the doctor either didn’t read the chart, or he ignored it.

What has been overlooked in this case is that thousands of patients are treated and released to their family doctor, even though they don’t have and can’t afford one, every day in Dallas, and many of them die. This is because a hospital ER only has the duty to stabilize patients under federal law, but not necessarily to admit and treat them.

One wonders what community reaction would have been if Duncan had been a white health care worker, rather than an uninsured black immigrant.

Jim Barber, Dallas

Duncan family should be thankful

I understand Steve Blow’s spin on the Duncan settlement, but I don’t buy it. The Duncan family, while deserving of our sympathy, in my opinion doesn’t deserve any restitution.

Thomas Eric Duncan may have entered America by lying about his health. He exposed many to risk by his selfish action. The hospital lost millions while treating him. When they sent him home initially, they had no idea of the Ebola situation.

I believe the family should be thanking the hospital and the staff for doing what they did, not sticking their hands out to profit off the unacceptable action of Duncan.

Mark Truskey, McKinney

Make Thanksgiving a real holiday

Re: “Christmas creep is creepy — Retailers, hands off Halloween and Thanksgiving, says Alexandra Petri,” Wednesday Viewpoints.

I loved Petri’s column and agree with her. I remember when I was growing up, retailers did not put up Christmas decorations until the day after Thanksgiving. Stores didn’t open early, and Thanksgiving was a real holiday.

I will not be among those out on Thanksgiving or even on Black Friday. I’m going to enjoy the holiday and visit with family.

Toy Thomas, Grand Prairie 

European Space Agency

Of comets and cameras

Re: “Spacecraft gives a first look at a comet — Lander expected to find clues to how the solar system formed,” Thursday news story.

The European Space Agency has landed a spacecraft the size of a washing machine on the surface of a comet that was traveling more than 40,000 mph. They are already receiving stunning photographs back here on Earth. The rocket carrying this spacecraft was launched over a decade ago and traveled 4 billion miles to rendezvous with the comet that is over 300 million miles from Earth.

Meanwhile, back in the real world on Earth, I have spent the better part of my morning unsuccessfully trying to connect my brand-new smart camera to my smartphone, which are only some 12 inches apart, in order to transmit pictures taken with that camera to my smartphone. Well, in my defense, I’ve only been at it for about three hours, and it did take the Europeans a decade to achieve success. Hopefully, I will be successful before then.

Lawrence Griffin, Providence Village

High-tech solution for high-rises?

If we can land an unmanned space vehicle on a comet, then why are we still sending humans in scaffolds up the sides of high-rise buildings to wash windows?

Ed Kominski, Weatherford 

You can’t legislate fairness

Re: “Life isn’t fair and never will be, so get over it — Ruben Navarrette says Americans need to stop listening to populist rhetoric and accept the many injustices of our system,” Sunday Points.

Generally speaking, life can really be unfair at times, as Navarrette wrote. Fred Neary in Wednesday’s Letters takes exception and feels that Navarrette’s viewpoint “is just not fair.”

Being fair implies being free of favor toward either or any side. I suspect that what he feels is fair may be oppressive to others. It sounds like his conclusion is that Americans and our government have the “duty and responsibility” to remedy unfairness, inequities and injustices in our society. Surely he must be joking.

Our government has been trying to legislate fairness for years and is a colossal flop at doing so. Laws usually favor the majority, and the minority gets to gripe about the unfairness. As citizens, we can encourage and empower others to overcome unfairness in life through education, employment and leadership.

To use Neary’s example, our Founding Fathers were treated unfairly by the British and chose to fight back by going to America. Ironically, the government set up by our Founding Fathers certainly did not please all the Colonists either. Go figure.

Hank Schichtle, McKinney 

What will Brent do next?

Re: “Brent says ‘mistake’ hurts him every day — DT taking it a day at a time, but doesn’t want his friend to be forgotten,” Thursday SportsDay story.

After weeks of watching the NFL try to deal with abuse issues regarding various players, I was beginning to think that the NFL was getting a handle on this issue. But after reading this story, I find myself sorely disappointed.

We all know that Cowboys player Josh Brent drove under the influence, resulting in an accident that killed his best friend, went to jail, but spent most of the jail time in rehab and is now free. And lo and behold, guess what? He is now back on the Cowboys’ roster and has signed a one-year contract through the 2015 season with a base salary of $745,000.

The mother of Jerry Brown, Brent’s best friend killed in the accident, says her “beautiful son is in heaven now and Josh has to be given a chance to live his life and do something for someone else.” From my viewpoint, Brown is in a cold grave. We will all hide and watch to see what Brent does.

Mary Weir, Dallas/White Rock

Callahan’s approach is appalling

Re: “Begging for a change — Callahan, others say police need to crack down on panhandlers,” Tuesday Metro story.

It sounds so trite to start a letter to the editor by saying I am appalled, but that is the only way I can express how I feel about the instructions council member Rick Callahan gave to the Dallas Police Department about panhandlers.

He said, and I quote, “Break their back, break their spirit — that’s the only way we’re going to win this battle.” What has happened to our compassion? What has happened to what we were taught in Sunday school about how to treat those less fortunate?

This attitude is so pervasive it poisons our whole society. Remember: there, but for the grace of God.

Joan Smozer, Dallas/Uptown

Dallas streets keep us guessing

I owe a debt of appreciation to the streets department for the brain health exercises they provide us. As I drive around Dallas, they test my mental alertness by suddenly closing the lane I am driving in, and if I travel the same route daily, they change which lane is closed so that I continue to be challenged.

Another thing they provide is problem-solving exercise. If lanes are closed, I must figure out how to adjust my route to get to my destination, or how to turn left or right when that lane is closed. Thank you for improving my alertness and problem-solving skills, and I hope that this public-service testing will be finished soon.

Suzanne Harned, Dallas/Lake Highlands 

Rick Callahan

Re: “Begging for a change — Callahan, others say police need to crack down on panhandlers,” Tuesday Metro story.

Councilman Callahan, a broken spirit is probably the reason many panhandlers and homeless are on the streets in the first place. The Bridge, the Stewpot and City Square, to name a few, have retrained, employed and encouraged those that you incredulously compare to dogs. Health and human services, volunteers and money definitely need to be addressed to enable those who actually want help to get off the streets.

How many of those who are issued tickets actually pay them? Some may make payment by serving jail time. Do we need these kinds of crimes to take up space in our already crowded jails?

My husband and I are those people who give to panhandlers and snarl traffic by stopping our car to donate. Are they truly needy and will they spend that money wisely? That, my friend, is between them and God.

Paula Dardaganian, Richardson 

What happened to compassion?

Surely there is a better solution than “Break their backs, break their spirit — that’s the only way we’re going to win this battle,” as said by Dallas council member Rick Callahan regarding his preferred method to get panhandlers off the streets by putting them in jail.

I believe some basic training in compassion and seeking a middle-ground solution certainly would serve him better than divisive and reactionary statements.

Bruce Harris, Dallas

Honor Flight is heartwarming

I recently took my Honor Flight from Dallas Love Field to Washington, D.C. The volunteers in this organization are super. One guardian is needed for every military service member, and approximately 50 percent are not family members or friends, but volunteers who take time from work, spending two days closely watching out for their veteran. They even pay their own way.

In addition to the 39 veterans and their guardians, there are four nurses, four volunteer leaders for the four teams of veterans, additional medical personnel and a photographer. Besides the goodness in their hearts, you would like to know what else may be the motivation for this sacrifice of their time and financial contribution.

Besides the airport send-off, gathering and greeting at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, the greeting upon our arrival back at Love Field at 11:30 p.m. was remarkable and emotional. Dozens of people, families with children, flags, clapping and shouts of thanks. Dallas-Fort Worth should be proud of its citizens. My thanks to Honor Flight DFW.

Charles Pomatto, Dallas 

Veterans, parade deserve better

Re: “A salute for service — Parade honors duty performed on nation’s behalf,” Wednesday news story.

I was disappointed and saddened by the lack of local TV coverage of the Veterans Day Parade in downtown Dallas Tuesday.

The noon news mentioned it and showed a few brief shots, but concentrated more on cold weather than on the people. My 99-year-old friend William McDavid Filgo was thrilled to be invited to participate — even with the prospect of riding in an open vehicle. He wouldn’t consider wearing a warm cap. He said his regular Cowboy hat “would be just fine!”

The faces of many who have served for us and survived deserve to be remembered and be reminders of those who didn’t. One 6 p.m. newscast really insulted all who made the event possible by showing only 10 seconds, fast-forward of footage.

That was comical and shouldn’t have been. Now I understand what short shrift means.

Franne Jackson, Dallas 

Christmas creep is creepy indeed

Re: “Christmas creep is creepy — Retailers, hands off Halloween and Thanksgiving, says Alexandra Petri,” Wednesday Viewpoints.

Hear, hear! My feelings exactly about Christmas starting in October, Rudolph in the yard Nov. 1 and Christmas music for two months. Pity the poor salesclerks. There’s more, but she said it all. Just like Alexander Pope said, “What oft was thought but ne’er so well expressed.”

Doris Gardehire, Athens, Tex

Americans value justice

Re: “Life isn’t fair and never will be, so get over it — Ruben Navarrette says Americans need to stop listening to populist rhetoric and accept the many injustices of our system,” Sunday Points.

At a time when middle class values are besieged from every side, women are often paid less than men for the same work and the income gap may be the greatest in recent history, the title of this column seems strikingly callous and thoughtless. If we replace fair with just, it would be easier to understand his meaning more clearly.

Over the doors of the Supreme Court building is carved, “Equal justice under law.” Justice — not equality of circumstance. Justice has to do with injury and making the injured whole. What this nation has promised is not that every inequity would be eliminated, but that those injured by the accidents of life — battle wound, skin color, lost job or family history — will be made as whole as any society claiming to be just can.

American values do not include looking at the wounded veterans of our many wars and saying to them; “Suck it up. Life is not fair.” We do everything possible to, in the words of the biblical prophet, bring about the day when “justice shall roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Stephen Love, Northwest Dallas 

@Steve_Love 

Denton, stand up to oil bullies

Re: “Fracking ban a costly mistake,” by Chris Faulkner, Sunday Letters.

Good for the voters of Denton. They are taking a stand against the bullying of the oil and gas industry. The tone of Chris Faulkner’s letter is insulting and should be seen for just what it is: the mouthpiece of the Texas Republican-led government and its big business mentality.

He warns of the financial impact of lawsuits, but I believe Denton voters see the cost fracking may have on the health of their citizens and the natural beauty of their community. They voted with an eye to their future, and I believe they made the correct decision. Don’t give in, Denton; you are an example of the right thing for other Texas communities to do.

Pamela Voorn, Frisco

Limerick: Trinity Wastewater Canal

It sits under fishin’ and lure side,
While assisting our City’s manure side,
And we had to construct it,
Any cat who’d obstruct it,
Is committing political sewerside.

Cornyn fights against trafficking

Cornyn

US Senator John Cornyn with his family before speaking at Texas Governor elect Greg Abbott election party at Moody Theatre in Austin on Tuesday, November 4, 2014 (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News)

Rights4Girls, which is a human rights organization focused on gender-based violence, would like to commend Sen. John Cornyn for his leadership on fighting child sex trafficking in the United States. In his op-ed “It’s time to take human trafficking seriously,” which was published Nov. 9, Cornyn tells the story of Melissa Woodward from Dallas. Melissa is among the thousands of children enduring a form of what is modern-day slavery.

Americans need to know that child sex trafficking is prevalent in the United States. It is happening in our backyards, and young girls like Melissa are being kidnapped, raped and sold for sex on a daily basis. As Cornyn points out, close to 300,000 children are now at risk of commercial sexual exploitation in the United States. These girls are vulnerable, and they need our help.

Fortunately, members of Congress like Cornyn are fighting to protect these young girls. Cornyn introduced legislation, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, which aims to stop child sex trafficking in its tracks by going after the buyers in this horrific crime. Rights4Girls wholeheartedly supports Cornyn’s efforts, and we commend him for his leadership.

Malika Saada Saar, Washington, D.C.,

executive director, Rights4Girls

Higher standards for teachers

Re: “Teacher suspended for tweet — Profane comment crossed line, school district says,” Tuesday Metro story.

I applaud Duncanville ISD for its decision to suspend without pay teacher Vinita Hegwood after she posted racist comments on Twitter. As a teacher, Hegwood should know that anything she posts on the Internet may be read by her students and others.

That said, Hegwood is no different than any other teacher. She should be held to a higher standard.

A.J. Chilson, Princeton

@AJ_Chilson

Local control and fracking

Re: “Fracking ban a costly mistake,” by Chris Faulkner, Sunday Letters.

What Faulkner seems to be saying is that he and others in the energy business have no respect for the expression of the public will as it has been manifested in the outcome of Denton’s election to ban fracking. He is making a thinly veiled threat that the deep pockets of the energy companies can overwhelm the capacity of the city of Denton to defend itself.

Where is the respect for local control in this strategy? The people of Denton have spoken, so let their wishes stand.

Scott Mashburn, Dallas/Devonshire

Prepare for next epidemic

Re: “Broken Trust — What can America’s premier public health agency do to rebuild people’s confidence? Jeffrey Weiss offers a few suggestions,” Sunday Points.

Before this superb column, I hadn’t realized that our friends’ fear of Ebola and distrust of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention broke along party lines. We are all paying a price for the constant hammering of the government. But future epidemics are coming.

The West needs better preparation for ones that more resemble SARS or HIV. Either the World Health Organization and the CDC need to be given more more resources and responsibility or a new organization needs to be created to contain potential international epidemics.

However, while attention was diverted to Ebola, people were dying from obesity, tobacco, alcohol, illicit drugs, guns, etc., all preventable with a change in lifestyle.

Compared with Ebola, many more Texans and Americans are harmed or die from disregard of the public good: A plant in West didn’t follow guidelines for storing fertilizer, a company in Dallas knowingly made faulty highway guardrails, a rig in the Gulf of Mexico ignored safety regulations, and millions of Texans and Americans are without health insurance due to politics.

I believe we need to restore faith in the American dream, and one way is to act by taking positive stops to protect the public good.

Jerry Frankel, Plano