Reasonable conversation; missing the trees; poor hospital care; support the police; too many guns

Reasonable conversation

After reading the Star-Telegram’s lead editorial last Saturday, one thing stood out.

When your group does not get its way in a discussion (Saturday’s being about selling a defunct golf course to a thriving local business), why, just pull the race card — we were “treated with disrespect in a way it would not have done for a predominantly white community.”

Let’s see how that plays out with other groups: “We could have a flag honoring our heritage on license plates if we were from north of the Mason-Dixon line.”

Or perhaps, “We could go anywhere in the country we wanted to, whenever we wanted if we were not from south of the Rio Grande River.”

Professional victims can always pull some excuse out for being “disrespected.”

How about, as the editorial suggests, reasonably talking the matter out on its merits, in the light of the cooperation offered to the community by the business, instead of “protest every event there.”

That last phrase sounds like something off a grade-school playground, made by spoiled children!

— James R. Cooke, Willow Park

Missing the trees

I’ve lived in the HEB area for 40 years.

A beautiful part of it was just taken away.

As I left my home the other morning, then took a right on Brown Trail the Bradford Pear trees were being removed by the city of Hurst.

Not one or two of them — all of them. All the way up the boulevard.

I called the city of Hurst and was told by the Parks Department that the trees were old, they were badly trimmed and the medians were being re-worked. So, we killed trees?

I’ve really never counted them, but I have taken pictures of this beautiful site many springs, I’m thinking maybe 15 or 20 trees.

All gone.

So, don’t come to Hurst and drive down Brown Trail in the early spring hoping to see the beautiful site that was once all these Bradford Pear trees in full bloom.

They are gone.

Because they were old.

Shameful.

— Nita Turpin, Bedford

Poor hospital care

I would like to bring attention to an issue with a hospital that should be made public.

A family member of mine who I would like to remain anonymous, attempted suicide and was brought to the hospital. My family was promised the best care, and that after physically recovering, would be moved to a psychiatric hospital.

A hospital was found to which to send him/her to, but after finding out it did not have space, it sent my family member home.

The hospital sent my suicidal family member back to their home, where they then attempted suicide again.

The hospital needs to be held accountable for this.

It is absolutely unacceptable health practice and people need to be aware as to avoid receiving such poor care for themselves or their own families.

Not only were we blatantly lied to, but risked the loss of someone we love at the hands of an irresponsible medical establishment.

— Erika Simonson,

Fort Worth

Support the police

Well, the mainstream media got the blood it wanted when an armed black man assassinated two New York City police officers, allegedly over the events in Ferguson, Mo. and New York.

When you try and take an officer’s weapon and you get killed, so be it. I don’t care what color you are, you commit a felony on a police officer and get killed — too bad for you!

Don’t resist arrest, go to jail peacefully, sort it out with judge.

I support the police!

— J.D. Taylor, Arlington

Too many guns

We keep arming them and they keep killing us.

Just last week, a crazed killer shot two New York police officers, allegedly in retaliation for the choking death of Eric Garner. And, as most cowards do, he then killed himself.

The fact is, there are thousands of unstable people like this killer. But that doesn’t matter to state Rep. Jonathon Strickland. He intends to introduce a bill that will let people buy guns with no checks and no license needed. If you have the money, you can have the gun.

Attention criminals, mentally deranged, abusers: Come on down to Texas, we have a gun for you.

— Frank Matthews,

Fort Worth

This story was originally published December 26, 2014 at 6:25 PM with the headline "Reasonable conversation; missing the trees; poor hospital care; support the police; too many guns."