Party respectfully; skin color; Arlington smoking; motorcycle safety

Party respectfully

When you come to Fairmount to party up and down West Magnolia Avenue, please keep in mind that it is actually a residential neighborhood.

Restaurants, bars, coffee shops and retail are located on Magnolia between Eighth Avenue and Hemphill Street.

Off of Magnolia, people with families and children and cars live. Be respectful, please.

There is a big parking garage you can use, and you will have only a short walk to get where you plan to dine and drink.

Don’t park where we who actually live will be blocked in or unable to enjoy our street, walk with children and walk pets.

A little bit of respect goes a long, long way, neighbor.

Skin color

Over the last week, my sons turned 31 and a young man named Jordan was killed driving away from a party in Balch Springs.

As a mom, I have always worried about my sons and will continue to for as long as I live, but I haven’t had to worry about them being shot by police.

I am a grandmother now, and I tell my grandson that if he is ever in trouble, he can turn to a police officer for help.

But my grandson has red hair and fair skin. I am not sure if I could teach him the same if he had dark hair and dark skin.

What a world of difference the pigmentation of our sons makes.

We are friends with a couple in Woodhaven who told their son recently that he shouldn’t wear a hoodie walking around the neighborhood.

They explained that even though as a white male he is safe wearing one, the young black men in their neighborhood are not safe, and that’s not fair.

They love their son, I love my sons, and Jordan’s parents loved him. For all of our sons and grandsons, we need to end this violence.

Arlington smoking

On behalf of the DFW Hospital Council, I express our full support for Mayor Jeff Williams and the Arlington City Council to vote yes to adopt a comprehensive smoke-free ordinance this Tuesday.

Exposure to second-hand smoke is an urgent public health issue.

Every breath in a workplace permitting smoking indoors exposes employees to 7,000 toxic chemicals causing lung cancer, heart disease and other preventable diseases.

Whether you work in a corporate office or bar, no worker should have to sacrifice their health to earn a paycheck.

Study after study show no impact to business occurs because of a smoke-free ordinance.

Simply put, smoke-free ordinances save lives and communities save money with lower healthcare costs and greater productivity thanks to a healthier workforce.

In 2015, Arlington saw 8,348 hospital visits related to heart disease and lung cancer, with charges reaching $381,093,324 for care.

The mayor and council have a tangible opportunity on Tuesday night to make a positive impact on this staggering statistic.

We urge the Arlington City Council to vote yes to protect all indoor workplaces to improve the health and quality of life for all Arlington workers and families.

Motorcycle safety

If you don’t ride a motorcycle, that is your choice and more power to you. (“Motorcycle deaths,” Thursday letters)

However, whether I or anyone else ride a motorcycle is none of your concern.

I have been riding motorcycles for over 40 years and I have logged over 200,000 miles.

I can tell you that I have more close calls with cars and trucks due to inattentive or distracted drivers than anything else.

Riding a motorcycle has made me a better driver. I am more aware of what is going on around me, and my reflexes are quicker.

I don’t text and drive or look at my Facebook while driving or riding.

If people would drive and pay attention, maybe there wouldn’t be so many motorcycle accidents.

This story was originally published May 5, 2017 at 8:01 PM with the headline "Party respectfully; skin color; Arlington smoking; motorcycle safety."