The right to disagree Mental health awareness
Trump’s Twitter
Regarding “Big Tech has too much power,” (A14, Jan. 27): I, like many others, have spent the last four years being embarrassed by the onslaught of information placed on Twitter by our president. At first I felt happy and relieved that Twitter took him off and closed his account. But then I realized the bigger issue. Our right to express ourselves, voice our thoughts and opinions is one of our most basic freedoms. America’s ability to allow freedom of speech and right of assembly needs to remain bigger than the issue of what is actually being said. We must continue to listen to someone voice at the top of their lungs that which we would spend our lifetime disagreeing with at the top of ours. Reviewing material and commenting on its truthfulness is one thing social media should do. But closing down someone’s account is canceling their right to be wrong, and we have no right to do that.
Chris Tripoli, Houston
Regarding “Elected officials skip the line for vaccine,” (A3, Jan. 19): Despite all the talk and press coverage of mental health issues related to COVID-19, providing these services throughout the pandemic in my office apparently has earned me no place in line for vaccination. I don’t qualify for 1A designation because my patients are not known to be ill with the virus. I agree that health-care workers on COVID units should go first, as well as other groups, but there should be some designation for health-care providers who are at risk of exposure trying to provide services in the community, whether affiliated with hospitals or not.
Denis M. Feldman, Houston
As a physician and chair of the Texas District of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, I applaud Gov. Greg Abbott’s proclamation of Jan.
23 as Maternal Health Awareness Day.
Too many pregnant or postpartum women experience adverse outcomes or even death. The goal of this observance day is to promote education and awareness to Texas women, families, communities and other health-care providers.
Our nation’s maternal death rate, which is higher than other developed countries, is highest for non-Hispanic Black women. Cardiovascular conditions are the leading cause and are largely preventable.
The solution requires a community, education and culturally sensitivity, as well as better health care(see cdc.gov/hearher). We must join together with a united purpose, for the sake of our mothers. What better way to start our inaugural Texas Maternal Health Awareness Day?
Eugene C. Toy, Houston