Letters — The President's Words About Jews; the Rev. Waters Words About Racial Terrorism

Take Trump's megaphoneRe: "Trump repeats 'disloyal' remark — Of comment that offended many Jews, he says, 'It's only anti-Semitic in your head,'" Thursday news story.Wouldn't it be wonderful if President Donald Trump's impromptu press conferences were not attended by the press and later played on multiple media platforms ad nauseam? Maybe just have photographers follow him around at a distance with only faux news reporters recording what he says. Why give this person a megaphone to lie over and over again to the American public?Trump has disgraced the office of the presidency to such a degree that whatever he says is either nonsense, deliberate lies or outrageous distractions. We do not need to hear any more of it. This kind of press coverage is why, at least in part, he was elected in the first place. We should concentrate on what he does and not what he says. I think that would improve the political climate dramatically.Rusalyn Kosofsky, Everton, Ark.President breaking democracyPresident Donald Trump repeated his claim Wednesday that American Jews who vote for Democrats are "disloyal," refusing to back away from language that has been wide criticized as anti-Semitic and anti-democratic, and called himself "the chosen one" who is confronting China on trade. The Chosen One? Is he God now? He dismisses critics that any anti-Semitic comments were "only anti-Semitic in your head." Wow. Unbelievable! He also thanked Wayne Allen Root, the guy at the center of the "birther" theory for President Barack Obama. Root called Trump "the greatest president for Jews and for Israel in the history of the world" and that Jews love him "like he's the King of Israel." Within this article under "Other comments and actions," Trump said he was looking 'very seriously' at ending the right to citizenship for babies born to non-U.S. citizens on American soil. This is clearly unconstitutional, due to Section 1 of the 14th Amendment. Trump is breaking our democracy.Sandy Elkins, PlanoCould Danish buy us?Re: "Trump scolds Denmark over rejection — He says he canceled trip over 'nasty' comment from prime minister," Thursday news story.After closely watching President Donald Trump for the last 2 1/2 years, and then hearing his reaction to Denmark's rejection of his proposal to purchase Greenland, I have one request of the Danish government: Please buy the United States.Alan Kazdoy, Far North DallasPastor fans flames of racism Re: "Sins of slavery still haunt U.S. — Ripping immigrant families apart demonstrates that the fire of racial terror burns anew," by Michael W. Waters, Thursday Viewpoints.How sad that Pastor Waters continues to fan the very flames of racism that he complains about. Yes, it is sad that children are separated from their parents when they illegally cross our borders and encounter an undermanned border patrol with facilities insufficient to accommodate the invasion.He dredges up racist sins from 100 years ago. Are 2019 white Americans supposed to feel guilty? Then he dishonestly attempts to garner sympathy for Michael Brown who was shot while he was assaulting an officer after robbing a store and assaulting the clerk. The Eric Holder Justice Department was forced to exonerate the officer after a full investigation in spite of how badly Holder and President Barack Obama wanted the white officer convicted. Facts, not misinformed opinions, supported the shooting.Next, he tries to portray Allen as a community of white supremacists because it was the shooter's last address. The shooter is also from Texas. Why not call all Texans white supremacists? Finally, his daughter comes home from school asking if Trump is going to send blacks back to slavery. Was Beto O'Rourke the guest speaker?Does Waters think his editorial is part of the solution?Chris Hill, AllenSome wish to keep us at oddsIt is discouraging when a man of the Rev. Waters' stature chooses to write about a narrative rather than fact. First, regardless of many investigations, children at the border are often being detained for their own well-being. They are being protected, in many instances, from being used as currency for sex and slave traffickers. The narrative that they are living in their own filth originates from those who would open our borders to all comers. Second, he attempts to rewrite the history of Michael Brown's shooting in Missouri. Brown, a huge young man and known bully and thief, attempted to do harm to an officer of the law. Even the Obama administration was forced to exonerate the officer. Now we are supposed to accept Brown as St. Michael of Ferguson? Have many, too many, injustices been perpetrated on the black community since slavery was abolished? Of course. Has progress been made to overcome prejudice and hate? Of course. Do we still have a long way to go? Of course. But articles such as the Rev. Waters' do little to assuage the feelings of both the black and white communities but rather plays into the hands of those who wish to keep both at odds with each other. Don't let it.Art Roy, MesquitePrincipal's letters dishearteningRe: "Comparing the odds," by Howard Logan Casada, Thursday Letters.At least once a month I see a letter to the editor from my old elementary school principal. It seems to always pertain to illegal immigrants or how people of color should stop looking for handouts. Thirty years later, I find this troubling because I was a 9-year-old kid of color who moved from Oak Cliff to Duncanville when the demographics were much different. I was placed in remedial classes and told I wasn't intelligent because my handwriting looked like chicken scratch. Three degrees, a professional job and even a stint as a Community Voices contributor later, I'm happy to say I proved that principal wrong. But it makes me wonder after all these years, did those biases influence his attitude toward kids like me? I'm not sure, but reading his letters 30 years later sure says a lot.Sydney Oliver, Dallas/Oak Cliff  Continue reading...