I was, and am, appalled by the article about the youth organization based entirely on the fact that the Boy Scouts of America are accepting gay youth (See: “No longer loyal to Scouts, boys join Trail Life”).
At a time when gay marriage is becoming accepted in more states, to form this organization institutionalizing discrimination and bigotry is unbelievable.
To see these innocent 5- and 6-year-olds fed this hatred is incomprehensible. What if one of these children turns out to be gay? Imagine the guilt and humiliation the child would feel having been taught that he will rot in hell.
Sometimes it seems that we have progressed in terms of acceptance of each other. Organizations such as Trail Life make a mockery of this progress.
— Beverly Archibald, Fort Worth
Jimmy Carter 2.0
It would seem liberal democrats have finally achieved their dream: A president able to undo everything Ronald Reagan accomplished, both domestically and abroad.
Jimmy Carter 2.0.
— Arthur Bullard, Granbury
Prices and wages
Helen Vidrine’s letter (March 1) opposing raising the minimum wage requires rebuttal because it argues the false logic that if wages go up, prices go up and no one is better off.
Scientific studies have shown otherwise. In many industries, labor is not the primary driver of cost. Raising the salary of workers at a pizza parlor by several dollars, might increase the cost of a pizza by only a few cents, but would enable the workers to contribute much more to the general economy.
Henry Ford made sure his workers had a high enough wage to buy the cars they helped manufacture. Other capitalists at the time scoffed. Higher wages not only ensured that the workers could afford to buy more, but resulted in higher quality and a more motivated work force.
A new book, “The Good Jobs Strategy,” by Harvard scholar Zeynep Ton, shows that even in supposedly low-skill service sector work, higher wages are the key to greater employee engagement, better customer service, higher productivity and a better bottom line.
Do we really want to buy products and services from businesses with disgruntled workers who may take out their discontent on us, their customers?
— Mike Baldwin, Benbrook
Pipeline will mean jobs
In response to the letter “No Keystone pipeline” published March 1, Ms. Burkhart can be assured that in the event of an incident, it does not take 12 hours to respond.
Our Oil Control Centre can shut down and isolate a section of pipeline within minutes, and crews are quickly dispatched to investigate further.
TransCanada personnel have specialized training and equipment needed to clean up materials. U.S. law clearly states our responsibility to have adequate equipment and trained personnel available to respond. First responders provide support by establishing a perimeter so our crews can move in and out of an area and handle things safely.
Keystone XL will employ 9,000 Americans directly on this critical infrastructure project. The U.S. State Department’s own report found it will support the creation of 42,100 jobs both directly and indirectly.
The Keystone System is already transporting North American oil to U.S. refineries in the Gulf Coast in order to replace higher priced oil from overseas.
That is why the project is supported by a majority of Americans and remains in the national interest of the United States.
— Vern Meier and Matthew John, TransCanada
Protests and puppies
Regarding protestor rights in the March 1 Star-Telegram puppy/abortion story (See: “A sharp Paschal student answered protestors with puppies”) reminded me of this:
When I was small I thought I had the right to write on the wall. I earned the right not to sit for a week and a lesson about the rights some people still seek.
— Rebecca C. Denmon, Arlington
Letters
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E-mail (preferred): letters@star-telegram.com; Fax: 817-390-7688
Regular mail: Letters to the Editor, Box 1870, Fort Worth TX 76101
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