Take a look at Beto
Re: "Texas Dem joins fray — O'Rourke expected to announce today while making first Iowa visit," Thursday news story.
Sure, Beto is white. But is he "white"?
"Whites" believe in their inherent superiority. "Whites" believe that their inherent superiority makes them deserving of rights and privileges that they can — no must — deny to others who are too inferior to be part of their exclusive club. "Whites" believe in power over. They do not know that shared power generates meaningful energy that often leads to positive changes for all.
Is Beto "white"? Before you answer, consider what he said when he announced that he would run for president: "This campaign ... recognizes ... that the opportunities before us will only be realized by overcoming the differences between us — of party, of geography, of race, of gender, of faith — before they define us forever."
Barbara Chiarello, Austin
Why mistrust media?
Re: "Not funny, Denton County GOP — Kicking out invited journalists is a dangerous precedent," Thursday Editorials.
GOP kicking out journalists? When journalists are almost always liberal and biased, why would the GOP allow these folks into a GOP fundraiser? Case in point, scandal on school admissions, an Associated Press writer named one person who may have gained admission into Harvard due to a large donation by his father. That person, of course, was the president's son-in-law. Of all the thousands of people who may potentially have bought their admission, Jared Kushner was named.
I also didn't see anything in The DMN about the bombshell story released March 13 regarding the testimony of Lisa Page, fired FBI lawyer. She testified that "The FBI was ordered by the Obama Department of Justice not to consider charging Hillary Clinton for gross negligence in the handling of classified information." Then James Comey, acting in the role of prosecutor and protecting Loretta Lynch who had met with Bill Clinton the day before, announced that there would be no charges against Clinton. So you question the media is not trusted?
Judy Stiles, Dallas
Self-inflicted wounds
I viewed this editorial with mixed feelings. First Amendment rights, including the right of a free press, are essential to our democracy and protect us against abuses of the government. But to blame the current view of the press on the president is shortsighted. Much of the criticism and damage to the press is self-inflicted. Many stories seem to be no longer driven by the facts but by a political agenda. Just look at the reporting on the Covington school incident and Jussie Smollett. We are all in need of a strong free press. However, the greatest current danger to a free press is the press itself.
Brent Cooper, Arlington
Money can buy anything
Re: "UT coach, celebrities charged — Parents paid $25M to get kids into top schools, officials say," Wednesday news story.
An incredible admissions scandal was exposed on Tuesday by the Department of Justice that implicates many of the nation's premier institutions of higher learning. Sadly, this story hit very close to home, including my own university, the University of Texas at Austin. Aside from the obvious magnitude of this story, perhaps unparalleled in the history of university admissions, we should be concerned about the larger and more endemic problem underscored by this scandal.
First, the charges of admissions fraud come at a time when many accuse the practice of race-based admissions of being unfair and discriminatory. Ironically, unlike the latest admissions scandals, race can be used as only one factor among many in reviewing an applicant's credentials — something the Supreme Court ruled is perfectly legal.
Second, as Robert Reich and others observe, the overarching crisis revealed Tuesday is economic — a "concentration of wealth in America." It now appears that buying admissions is merely one symptom of the larger problem of how those with money can buy elections, health care, justice and citizenship — privileges often beyond the reach of those without sufficient assets.
It's time for this country to have a serious conversation about the distribution of wealth, entitlement, inequality and personal responsibility.
Richard Cherwitz, Austin
Islam is not to blame
As we celebrate Women's History Month, I would like to take the opportunity to remove certain misconceptions about Muslim women. Today the suppression of women that we see in the Islamic world is not in accordance with the teachings of Islam. Islamic teachings are often confused with cultural practices. Islam arrived at a time of extreme ignorance when women were treated as commodity. Islam gave women rights to own property, to divorce and to be educated. In fact the Prophet Muhammad said, "It is the duty of every Muslim man and woman to acquire knowledge."
It is unfortunate that the media in the West blames Islam for subjugation of Muslim women. On the contrary, Islam established women's rights in the 7th century long before women's rights movements were initiated in the Western world. I believe that if the world were to follow Islamic teachings, hopefully there will remain no need for movements like #MeToo.
Nadia Pasha, Round Rock