Letters to the Editor – Airline travel, rape victims, ‘In God we trust,’ Big Tech

Some regulation isn’t so bad

Re: “Some Good News for Airline Passengers — Is government pressure finally forcing carriers to do more for stranded ticket holders?” Sept. 3 editorial.

Good news, indeed, but as this editorial suggests, it’s just a small beginning.

I am old enough to remember when the airlines were a regulated industry. The promises of deregulation included lower fares and better service. Fares did drop, opening up a huge increase in public ability to travel. But at what cost?

The airline industry’s greed combined with its apparent inability to plan have resulted in today’s slap-in-the face customer-service levels and reduced safety oversight (see 737 Max).

I am not suggesting a return to complete regulation, but the scope of recent travel snafus makes it clear that more airline arm-twisting and oversight need to happen. Incidentally, there is another industry where regulation seems to be better for consumers: electricity production, distribution and grid.

I have lived in eight states, all regulated except one. In all of the regulated states, the independent regulatory commissions approved or revised requested price increases and controlled electric company profits. There were no $4,000 bills during a crisis and we seldom lost power.

Dan Siculan, Royse City

Abortion pill isn’t the answer

Re: “Abbott defends state law — He says victims of rape and incest can take emergency contraception,” Sept. 3 Metro & Business story.

According to this story, Gov. Greg Abbott says that victims of rape can take the Plan B pill. Abbott wants victims to seek medical care and report to police.

According to an abstract of an article in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine by Zinzow, Resnick and Kilpatrick, only 21% of rape victims seek medical care following a rape. Most of these women had been raped in what is known as a classic stereotypical rape, which is by someone they know such as a current partner, family member, friend or acquaintance, and they are less likely to report rape in these cases.

Those who were raped under the influence of a drug or alcohol were also less likely to report. Some women did not report rape due to the stigma. For some women, it takes time to report rape due to trauma. Some victims of sexual abuse often do not tell about the abuse until many years later.

Rape is traumatic. Reporting and seeking medical care for rape is traumatic as well. It is important to understand that, for these reasons and many others, many victims may not be able to seek medical care in time to get the Plan B medication.

Christine Leftwich, Plano

Still waiting, governor

Rape has existed for all of recorded history in every corner of the globe. If Gov. Greg Abbott has the magic solution to end rape in Texas or anywhere else, I’m sure the world would love to know what it is. Seriously? And Texas keeps electing him?

Carlton Witherington, Highland Village

Please don’t be like them

Re: “School book debate expands — Parents can now opt out of Scholastic fair,” Sept. 4 Metro story.

Come on, Richardson ISD! You caved to those ultra-conservative voices. What’s next, opt out of music because you don’t like the songs? Please let’s not follow in Keller’s and Southlake’s footsteps.

Sara Gandy, Richardson

A nuance that’s being forgotten

Regarding the ongoing “In God We Trust” signage controversy, I have an observation. Beyond the obvious First Amendment and separation of church and state issues, I find it humorous that school districts are resisting the placement of a sign which reads “In God We Trust” in Arabic. How is it that so many of us seem to have forgotten that Christians, Muslims and Jews all pray to the same God — the god of Abraham?

Daniel Dunham, Frisco

Years of consideration?

Re: “What’s in the funny papers,” by Rose-Mary Rumbley, Thursday Letters

How long does the editorial board hold on to a letter before publishing? I read Rumbley’s letter where she mentioned “the very serious, controversial topic of LGBTIQ Americans” showing up in a comic strip and couldn’t help but think it was submitted in the 1950s using paper, an envelope and postage stamp.

Lynn Wolfe, Plano

A fan of De Vinck

I am not a great fan of The Dallas Morning Newsbut like the Southern aphorism, “Even a blind hog will find an acorn once in a while.” Some of your most valuable and valued acorns have been the essays of Christopher de Vinck. I hope we get to continue reading them.

Larry W. White, Dallas

Reader’s points back other side

Re: “Bill targeting Big Tech isn’t the answer — Big government won’t benefit consumers, so let market work,” by Bill Peacock, Sept. 4 Opinion.

Peacock laid out his versions of the history of the Netscape browser and what small businesses face in attempting to gain traction without having to go through, and paying fees to, one or more of the large tech companies caused me to chuckle. As he sees it, his versions prove legislation targeting Big Tech is bad and counterproductive.

As a certified computer expert, I see that all his points actually prove there is not enough legislation to rein in the predatory practices of Big Tech.

Peacock mentions Microsoft closely integrated Internet Explorer with its essentially monopolistic Windows operating system and higher fees from any personal computer manufacturer who didn’t include IE on their systems. That is an example of predatory practices.

Amazon has begun identifying successful small sellers and then jumping in with its own equivalent products and listing its products first in a manner that makes it almost impossible for the small businesses to survive. But then in the end, I must assume that’s what Peacock supports and doesn’t want to stop.

Michael Moore, Dallas

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