A terrific role model
On Dec. 2, I attended Al Biernat’s celebration of life at First Baptist Church in downtown Dallas. Biernat was like few others in the restaurant business, as evidenced by the 2,000 best friends honoring him.
He went from a traditional middle-class upbringing in the ’60s and ’70s, to moving to Aspen after high school with only $300 in his pocket, to working every role possible in restaurants, to managing various locations of a large steakhouse chain, and eventually launching Al Biernat’s Steakhouse 26 years ago. He learned everything about restaurants, but what distinguished him from the rest was that he learned about people — really learned about people, their names, their stories, their hopes and values.
He spent his many years in this business making sure all his people (family, customers and employees) felt like he cared and were happy with everything he could provide them.
We all felt like he was our best friend. So I will continue to frequent his steakhouse not only because its food and services are the best, but also because when I walk in the door, I’ll remember Biernat’s story and be re-inspired to live a life like him, focusing on those around me and trying to make them feel special.
Jack Carroll, Irving/Las Colinas
Ponder this …
Nov. 29 was National Native American Heritage Day, also known as National Day of Mourning.
Thought experiment: Philosophically, would there be a difference between government-staffed ICE trucks rounding up 11 million immigrants and Native American-staffed trucks rounding up 325 million residents?
Michael Barron, Corrales, N.M.
Sloganeering
We need a new slogan for the city of Dallas. How about “Dallas: A day late, a dollar short and half a block away”?
Ellen Childress, Far East Dallas
On conservatism
I am a conservative. I am a Democrat. I am a patriot.
I hear the term “conservative” every day. When was it reserved for the right and far right? I’ve been disturbed by this. So being an educator, I researched the definition of the word in hopes of establishing why I feel strongly about conserving the democracy on which this country is built.
”Aiming to preserve” and “protecting from harm or destruction” are the definitions. So this is 100% which leads me to proclaim myself a conservative.
Re-reading the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, my values are completely aligned with what the Founding Fathers wrote 250 years ago with certainty and passion. ”We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal. That they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
So granted, our immigration system is broken. Did Congress have a chance last year to begin the process of fixing it? Inflation is a great concern, but is that the job of the president or the job of the federal government?
Stand up for America. The real America.
Virginia Dupuy, East Dallas
Missing a piece
Re: “Who ‘won’ Black Friday? Credit card companies did — Their hidden swipe fees are an inflation multiplier that cuts into business growth,” by John McCord, Thursday Opinion.
Understanding that this column is in the Opinion section, I felt that it was wholly missing the most important part of this conversation: credit card rewards.
If I wanted to help Texans or whatever small-business play you’d like me to make, you’d have to factor in the opportunity cost of doing so. Prices are inflated due to credit card swipe fees, sure, but everyone who uses a credit card is getting a piece of that back in the form of points, rewards, cash back, etc.
I could not tell you the last time I used a debit card in the past five-plus years. I have zero incentives to do so. Instead, I am wholly incentivized, for example, to load up on 5% Target and Amazon spending categories through a Discover It card in the fourth quarter every year.
This op-ed feels like it really missed the whole reason why credit cards are used by someone like me, who has never given a dollar of interest to a credit card company and instead pays off the balance every week.
I do not care about the hidden swipe fees, I care about battling rising prices with 1.5% to 5% back depending on merchant and timing of purchase. If I do not use my credit card, I lose twice: I have inflated prices and I miss out on the credit card rewards that are available.
Braden Smotherman, Plano
Yes, a good question
In a conversation with a friend who lives in another part of the country, he asked what are the continuing hot political issues in Texas. I replied that for a long while, the same four topics have been kicked around. Those would be the rights of a woman and her doctor to choose what is best for her own body, should public tax dollars be used to supplement the budgets of religious and private schools through the voucher program, the strengthening of gun-control laws and the teaching of Bible stories in public schools.
He asked a simple question. Why don’t the people of Texas get to vote on each of the issues with the majority of voters deciding? That is an excellent question for which I have no answer!
Thomas Kelly, Lantana
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