I finally feel safe crossing 11th Street

Regarding “Mayor Whitmire isn’t quitting Vision Zero. He’s making street safety his own. | Opinion,” (April 7): After living north of 11th Street and crossing it multiple times a day since 2001, I finally feel safe doing so. The crosswalks, a left-turn lane and protected bike lanes are a vast improvement. I no longer feel like I’m risking my life — and that of my kids and pets — when I cross 11th Street.

The configuration mimics the improvements made on Studewood, which have been hugely beneficial. Traffic overall in this area is better managed, and now accommodates pedestrians and cyclists in a more efficient way. Neighborhood streets are not highways. Managing traffic flow in this new configuration keeps everyone safer, and my daily driving experience on these roads has improved overall.

I applaud the mayor for paying attention to these improvements, and my hope is that he will replicate this example in neighborhoods throughout Houston for the benefit of everyone.     

Regarding “The Rev. Lawson’s gentle demeanor in a world of strife embodied the peaceful promise of humanity,” (May 14): There I was, in my usual unnecessary eagerness to get through the paper, and I almost skipped it, as I have so many times in the past when the Chronicle highlights some person from the community on the front page. 

But then, that smile in the photograph. So genuine. So welcoming. Rather begrudgingly, I started to read about the Rev. William “Bill” Lawson, a Black pastor whose story had never breached the walls that protect my white suburban universe. Another instance of my head being buried in the sand as urban heroes do what they do to bring our city a step closer to its best self. Just reading about him made me a better person. Sparks hope!

A rabbi, a priest and a Black Baptist preacher walk into an office … and change Houston for the better. Thank you for the article on the Rev. Lawson and his legacy. 

Peggy FIsher Price, Houston 

Regarding “Black businesses making progress, but are still beset by bigotry, study says,” (May 10):  Chris Tomlinson’s column on Black business obstacles struck a chord with me. As economic refugees from the auto industry-dependent and depressed industrial North, my wife and I moved to Houston in early 1980 to start new lives in booming Houston. What we found out then is that apartments were hard to rent and money was hard to borrow because we didn’t have any. It didn’t matter that my three previous loans from up north were paid off.

As an aspiring professional pilot, I discovered that I wasn’t qualified to be hired by the major airlines. The Future Airline Pilots Association published the hiring demographics at that time. The data reflected that the vast majority of the pilots hired were former military pilots and the remaining fraction seemed to be “minority hires.” I guess these facts reflected that I experienced some sort of employment discrimination at that time. However, my wife and I quickly moved on to other opportunities.  

Here is my takeaway from Mr. Tomlinson’s commentary. In spite of various obstacles, persistence, perseverance and searching for one’s bliss play a significant role in all of our lives, regardless of skin pigment. So, I will be the first to acknowledge my head start, which I believe applies to Mr. Tomlinson, Mr. Jeremy Peaches, Ms. Ivy Lawrence-Walls and many other successful individuals: We were all born into the land of faults and opportunities known as the United States of America. 

Edward A. Vesely, Houston

This column downplays one statistic. Tomlinson writes, “Black people make up 14% of the U.S. population yet own only 2.5% of American businesses, Census Bureau data shows. While that’s an increase from 2% in 2018, it’s still remarkably low.”

The difference between 2% and 2.5% is actually a 25% increase. And I would think that such an increase is in itself a great story to pursue. How did it happen and what were the reasons? Reading Tomlinson’s pieces and checking the headlines serves as a very simple indicator to me that his memes are almost always directed toward a political agenda. 

Regarding “In Sunday sermon Dan Patrick says that if Christians don’t fight, ‘we lose,’” (May 13): I could not help but notice the height of hypocrisy exhibited by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in his sermon delivered to Houston’s Second Baptist Church. Patrick says that it is a…