Beverly Powell, Texas needed you to fight Republican gerrymandering, not just give up

Texas Democrats, get tougher

I anticipated my candidate for state Senate, Beverly Powell, would be slimed in ugly, dark photos and with ominous voice-overs, but I didn’t expect her to cry off in the face of smug opposition gerrymandering. (April 7, 8A, “Sen. Powell explains why she ended reelection bid”)

If you can’t craft a message that resonates with voters who are herded around like sheep, why claim to be a politician? Talk to those voters. Don’t Texas Democrats have any fight?

- Sarah Dolbier, Fort Worth

Why not just take it all the way?

With Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signing a bill that makes performing an abortion a felony, why is there not a bill making sex a felony? (April 13, 8A, “New Oklahoma law would send abortion doctors to prison”) Without the sex act, there would be no unwanted pregnancies.

- Ann Schrader, Arlington

Tarrant County voting excellence

Congratulations to Heider Garcia for his recognition by the League of Women Voters Texas as an outstanding elections administrator. Garcia was honored at the league’s state convention April 8 in Austin. Also honored were Michael Scarpello of Dallas County, Bruce Sherbet of Collin County and Isabel Longoria of Harris County.

Garcia and the Tarrant County elections office have also received an outstanding ranking for elections office website. The Texas league reviews the websites of all 254 Texas counties and ranks them according to specific criteria. Outstanding is the highest ranking that can be given, and Tarrant County has received this ranking for the past several years.

Thank you to Garcia, his staff and all the poll workers who make voting in Tarrant County safe, accessible and accurate.

- Margaret K. Hendon, President, Tarrant County League of Women Voters, Fort Worth

Get young voters more involved

As a young college student, I can see why voter turnout is so low throughout Texas. I have heard many excuses to not vote, such as, “It doesn’t make a difference if I vote,” or “I don’t know who to vote for, so why do it?”

How can we motivate young people like me? Texas needs to make registering to vote easier with automatic registration when you get a driver’s license and must create more polling spots so people can vote in a reasonable amount of time.

With growing communities in Texas, especially in Denton County, we need to make sure everyone has the opportunity and ability to vote for the leaders of tomorrow.

- Adam Lopez, Ponder

Just don’t talk about the topic

I was disappointed by the April 6 front-page story “Lt. gov. wants Florida-style ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill in Texas” about the Florida parental rights bill. Nowhere does it mention the word “gay.” I’m amazed at how many on the left think it’s OK for a teacher to talk about sex and sexuality to kindergarteners through third-graders. Why?

What people do in their personal lives is their business, but to discuss this with these kids at this age in a school setting is outrageous. The fact that the schools didn’t think parents needed to know about these kinds of discussions shows the influence of some radical groups in our schools and the need for a parental rights bill.

- Chuck Fiedler, Haslet

Let’s talk about food security first

Gov. Greg Abbott’s ads say we should vote for him and cough up money so he can “secure our borders.” What security? He delays trucks from Mexico for 30 hours, while fruits and vegetables rot in line. Is this the governor we need?

- John Keohane, Austin

Biden, world: Don’t stand by

What is it going to take for the free world to decide that enough is enough when it comes to Russia’s murderous assault on humanity in Ukraine? Is the raping of young Ukrainian girls and old women, the murders of innocents, not enough? Has the free world lost its conscience? Even the United Nations hasn’t put in a peacekeeping force to at least provide security for the International Committee of the Red Cross to deliver humanitarian aid.

President Joe Biden and NATO are apparently afraid of the possibility of a nuclear war. But a nuclear war would totally wipe out Russia, and I don’t believe Vladimir Putin is stupid enough to want that.

Putin will invade more countries until he brings back the old Soviet Union. The longer the U.S. and NATO wait, the longer the rapes, murders and displacement of millions will continue.

- Edward Lindsay, Fort Worth