Seared consciences
Change is up to us
Regarding “When El Paso makes even Juárez look safe” (Opinion, Aug. 14): I share Luis Carrasco’s skepticism that our current leaders will soon take action to make our country safer. When one suppresses the uniquely human trait of conscience often enough and long enough, it eventually all but disappears. This failing is prevalent in many of our current leaders and their supporters. They simply are not moved to act.
I think our president’s conscience, assuming he once had one, was numbed during his hard-nosed dealings in the business world and the void accompanied him to the White House. This would explain many of his controversial actions, including the inhumane treatment of immigrant children and families and his inability to express believable, spontaneous sympathy and compassion in tragic situations where he often appears to be reading his words from notes or a teleprompter.
Inasmuch as these leaders won’t change, it’s up to us to change them at the voting booth. Mark Turner, Houston
Applauding Israel
Regarding “Israel denies entry to two Democrats” (Front page, Aug. 16): Good for Israel for doing what any sensible nation would do to those who denounce their nation. These two congresswomen deserve the consequences of their words.
Jack Gibbs, Hempstead
Fighting the heat
Regarding “Outages, lower winds threaten power supply“(Business, Aug. 16): Many could have predicted the shortages in the summer, thanks to ERCOT mothballing power plants and relying heavily on wind.
In the foreseeable future, when taxes are at a breaking point in California and New York, the people fed up with taxation will be migrating to Texas and other states. Then what? How are we going to supply electricity to all these people moving to Texas when power plants are shut down and the wind doesn’t blow? It’s easy to shut down a power plant but takes months and months to start it back up.
One solution would be to keep all the politicians in Austin year-round, then we’d have plenty of hot air to keep the wind turbines turning.
Lillian Shaver, Sugar Land
Mercy for young mom
Regarding “Mom, 18, charged in death of her son’’ (City/State, Aug. 16): Unless there is more to the story than written, wouldn’t it be a better use of taxpayer dollars to send Health and Human Services to aid the young mother than to charge her with murder? This is in terms of money because it seems we as a nation are losing heart. Picture the scene: An 18year-old with a baby in her arms, unknowingly to her, trailed by her other young son who gets hit by a car. That mother is devastated. She needs support in caring for that baby. Justice without mercy, it is said, is no justice at all.
Earlene Herrick, Willis