Mob, not government

If a mob that claims to be a government cannot guarantee the sovereignty of the property of the United States, our embassy, or the personal safety of the personal representative of our president, the ambassador (9-13, A1, “ ‘They attacked right away’ ”), and when both have been violated it fails to express its abject apologies and vow to bring the perpetrators to justice, it is not a government. It is only a rabble, unfit to receive support of any nature from our government.

Bill Pray

Leavenworth

Romney’s message

Mitt Romney used the attack on an American embassy abroad and the death of ambassador Christopher Stevens to fabricate another political slam against the president (9-13, A10 “Comments signal a new campaign”).

To me, this proves that he has no message, nothing positive to say. He is an empty wagon, which is the wagon that makes the most noise.

Arthur Lafex

Olathe

Cancer test saved life

I have to disagree with the panel of medical experts (9-11, A8, “Ovarian cancer tests under fire”).

In 1984, had it not been for the medical experts who recommended an ultrasound on my healthy mother, my family would not have had her another 27 years.

Because of an abnormal ultrasound, surgery was done and she survived ovarian cancer. Mom saw four grandchildren born and raised.

We lost her in 2011 at the age of 82, and the cause of death was not cancer. Screenings are important, healthy or not.

Fonda Wells

Lansing, Kan.

Church’s moral compass

The church has lost its way (9-7, A1, “KC bishop guilty in Ratigan case”). This is really simple.

If you are a sitting bishop and you are convicted of placing the interests of a pedophile above the interest of the kids who were harmed, you should be defrocked. Period.

As a bishop, if he were out challenging church orthodoxy (married priests, female priests, pro-choice, birth control, etc.), the church would have no problem removing him from his office and might even excommunicate him.

Somehow, the church has lost its moral compass when it puts more importance on what is said and less importance on deeds. How ironic.

David Mertz

Lenexa

Guns and U.S. freedoms

I have lived in several countries and have visited many others and tried to find out why America is so proud of its freedoms.

Now I know. If you are disappointed or not happy with stuff that is going on, you are free to just shoot and kill.

Maria Baldwin

Kansas City

Lapdog news media

We all live on this planet called Earth. We are a combination of races, creeds and colors.

Not one of us is unique or exceptional — just different. We all rely on one another when our needs arise — mechanics to fix and repair, carpenters to construct and build, teachers to educate and instruct, news media to investigate and report, presidents to lead and direct.

Based on what is happening here in the United States, I feel that our news media have let us all down. Had they properly investigated, reported and vetted our president, maybe some of our current problems would not be happening.

Class warfare, security leaks, unemployment, shovel-ready jobs, unqualified bureaucratic appointees, billions of lost or unpaid taxpayer loans or dollars, failed green energy jobs and an unresolved death of a border agent. Shame on all current media who knew and covered up this travesty.

We all know who you are.

DeWayne Steele

Kansas City

Molasses economics

Economics 101 is really hard for Republicans. They keep telling us that the wealthy create jobs when it is really small businesses that create jobs.

It takes demand for their products for all businesses to succeed, and that means they have to have customers with money to spend.

When the recession started, consumers (the low and middle classes) stopped spending, and with high unemployment and low purchasing power, consumerism continues to lag.

The Federal Reserve’s monetary policies have been very aggressive, and interest rates have been at historic lows for months.

The president and Congress handle fiscal policies, and they have gridlock. As long as Republicans block fiscal stimulus proposals, economic growth will be slow.

Donald Moore

Olathe

Circus cruelty and abuse

Sure, you can find undercover footage of elephant handlers senselessly abusing elephants with pitchforks and bullhooks and other handlers terrifying lions to make them jump through fiery hoops during training sessions in the Ringling Bros. circus.

Or, you can talk to the ex-Ringling Bros. circus clown who now lives in Kansas City and protests the arrival of this event at Sprint Center every year.

Or, you could read the Department of Agriculture petition against Ringling Bros. that slapped a record $270,000 fine for cruelty to animals ($10,000 per animal abuse incident). My plea to the public? Please stop supporting this cruel, inhumane and archaic form of entertainment (9-12, A4, photo, “Next time, use the crosswalk”). This abuse has to stop.

Sarah Estlund

Kansas City

Slick oil candidate

Just for the sake of discussion, let’s say we have a candidate for president who is characterized as a business expert. He gains support whenever he places the word “socialism” on the same shelf with “Satan.”

He makes friends by ignoring the benefits of conservation and by ignoring the game-changing catastrophe of global climate change. He demeans the development of renewable energy sources while promising that deregulation of our nation’s oil and gas industries will make us energy independent within 10 years.

Here are some questions: Wouldn’t we have to keep our oil and gas to ourselves if we wanted to drill our way to petro independence? Why does this business expert overlook the fact that all oil is a fungible commodity that is bought, sold and transported freely in a world market?

How else but through national reorganization and regulation of our petroleum industry could we establish the petro isolation necessary to keep our oil from leaking into the world market? Would such reorganization be similar to socialism on a grand scale?

Why does this candidate promote such ideas without explaining why their implementation wouldn’t require nationalizing our oil industry?

Martin Tennant

Kansas City

GOP non-starter

Here are reasons I won’t be voting Republican:

Taxation doesn’t offend me. I know we must pay for services we receive. Trickle-down economics don’t work.

Investment in our nation’s infrastructure is a necessity, not a luxury. Everyone deserves health care, whether or not they can afford it. Diplomacy, rather than invasion, should be the first and primary means of dealing with an adversary.

Public-sector workers aren’t responsible for America’s economic meltdown. The influence that corporations have over our democracy sickens me. Public school systems are assets. We need to invest more funds in education, not less.

Privatization of public resources rarely benefits the public. Only a woman has the right to make the decisions that affect her body. Birth control isn’t abortion. The welfare of existing children is as important as that of the unborn.

The separation of church and state is necessary for a vigorous democracy. Regulations are required to protect food, children’s toys, worker safety and our financial instruments.

Clean air and water are essential for human life. Investments in renewable energy will positively affect our lives. Social Security and Medicare aren’t handouts; they’re rights earned and paid for by the public.

Ric Litton

Lenexa

Exit Afghanistan war

How can we ask our soldiers in Afghanistan to believe in their mission while they are being shot by Taliban disguised as their allies? What are we doing?

Let’s stop wasting American lives in an impossible situation.

Jack Blackett

Leawood

Well-groomed athletes

What’s with these role-model athletes and their scruffy beards and long hair? Do they really think they look better like that? I think not.

If I owned the sports teams, my first priority would be to establish a dress and grooming code and then get a good barber in the next draft.

Leo Shalinsky

Prairie Village

Royals mascot change

After much consideration, I offer this thought about the Kansas City Royals baseball club. Keep the owner and the manager.

Just change the mascot from a lion named Slugger to a skunk named Stinker.

Daniel R. Goodwin

Kansas City