Healthcare and politics

Subject: “Two Denied Procedures File Protest – Women Say Hospitals Are Putting Lives at Risk by Not Helping Them with Their Ectopic Pregnancies,” and “Some Emergency Rooms Turn Away Pregnant Women in Distress – Report: Ectopic Pregnancies Patients Sent Home Despite Law,” news reports Tuesday.

Does pregnancy begin at conception? Or does it begin the moment a fertilized egg implants in the uterus? If we defined pregnancy as a fertilized egg implanting in the uterus, we could drop the term “ectopic pregnancy” for the conditions outside the uterus that can never result in childbirth. I’m sure the medical profession can come up with a more friendly term.

My deepest sympathy goes out to the women mentioned in these two stories whose health was compromised and who received very poor care in various hospitals. The doctors and administrators involved should be held accountable for their mistakes.

Women are not baby machines. A fertilized egg should never be more important than a woman’s health. Politicians should stay out of women’s health care.

Nesha Morey, Arlington

Let nature take its course?

I appreciate when women are willing to share their unexpectedly difficult pregnancy stories because it is important for us to understand that abortion care is healthcare—more specifically, healthcare for women.

When Kyleigh Thurman needed medical attention, doctors at Ascension Seton Williamson “gave her a pamphlet on miscarriage and told her to ‘let nature take its course.'”

The prevailing opinion among our Texas legislators seems to be that we women should let nature take its course. Why are men rarely encouraged to “let nature take its course” when it comes to health issues? If you think about it, women should never step foot in the door of a hospital or doctor’s office. Is that the next thing our legislators have in mind?

Ann Graham, Denton

Take CO2 emissions seriously

Subject: “FEMA swamped by storms, fires and global warming – Activists also urge agency to respond more strongly to extreme heat,” Tuesday news report.

As history states, July 2024 was the hottest July on record. Unfortunately, FEMA will need more funding, and our home insurance premiums are already soaring. The best available science suggests that the buildup of long-lasting concentrations of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere traps more heat, leading to more extreme heat and greater energy demands for these extreme weather events.

So let’s not forget to look at prevention too. We have to do our part to reduce carbon emissions. I call on my Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn and my Representative Beth Van Duyne to take carbon emissions into account when drafting legislation or when deciding whether to support legislation.

Thomas Wikman, Dallas

Another scam on Facebook

Subject: “Common crypto scams creep into social media – FTC: Cryptocurrency scams skyrocketed on popular platforms,” Metro & Business article, July 30.

I read this story about Kelly Mitchell’s identity being stolen from Facebook (Meta) with great interest as the same thing happened to me. My Facebook account and photos were stolen and despite my immediate attempts to contact Meta or fix the problem, my account was suspended.

In the weeks that followed, cryptocurrencies, houses, cars, RVs, and even land north of Dallas were sold under my name and images. The worst part is that I will never have control over the stolen images or the use of my name again.

I just hope and pray that no one I know falls for this scam. I urge everyone to be vigilant with their social media accounts as it is so easy to get scammed or have your identity stolen these days.

Carol Duff, Dallas/Preston Hollow

Give us DART facts

Subject: “DART is not failing; we are failing DART – The agency must bear the burden of three factors beyond its control,” by Mike Grace, Sunday Opinion.

It would be helpful if this article included details about how efficient, cost-effective, and reliable Dallas Area Rapid Transit is. When I saw a 60-passenger DART bus pick up a passenger at a private home on my street, I wondered how widespread this costly use of public transportation is.

The author says, “It is critical to educate citizens, land developers and policy makers about the relationship between economic prosperity, population density and transit.” Sounds good, but we need facts about the efficiency and effectiveness of DART.

I’m snarky in my opinion that Uber is a bargain compared to the cost of DART if you think it’s expensive. Government programs don’t have the best reputation for being efficient, reliable and cost effective. Give us the facts on DART so we can better educate citizens.

Don Skaggs, Garland

Rate the presidents

If you’ve ever attended a Donald Trump rally or seen a news clip, you know that the first thing he says is that Joe Biden is our country’s worst president. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but Trump isn’t the only one who voices his opinions about presidents.

For many years, historians have rated presidents based on a variety of factors. Almost every poll names Abraham Lincoln as the best president. At the other end of the scale, James Buchanan invariably appears as the worst because of his conduct in office that led to the Civil War.

But in a recent poll of 150 members of the American Political Science Association, Buchanan was replaced by Trump. Remember, each of us is entitled to our own opinion.

William F. Sanderson Jr., Dallas/Lake Highlands

Kennedy on the ballot

Subject: “Officials clear Kennedy for ballot spot – Candidate’s bid accepted after Democrats’ objection,” August 9 news report.

I am writing to express my concerns about statements made by John Mott, the Texas Democratic Party’s director of voter protection, and his attorney Chad Dunn, who claimed that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s signatures on the petition were insufficient to meet the requirements of state law. However, this claim was refuted by the Texas Secretary of State’s office, which confirmed last week that Kennedy’s petition was indeed valid.

Although the Democratic Party stands for democracy and voting rights, this incident raises questions about its commitment to these principles, as it appears to have been an attempt to discourage Kennedy’s campaign and supporters. Fortunately, these efforts were unsuccessful, and we remain committed to providing voters with a viable choice for President.

Wes Benedict, Austin,

Country Director Texas, Team Kennedy

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