Chiefs’ respect missing

I boycotted the Kansas City Chiefs game on Sunday, not wishing to watch and asking my husband to not turn it on in the car. It is because of the lack of sensitivity the Chiefs showed for tragedy (12-3, A1, “A city united in sorrow”).

I believe they should have called the game off or forfeited. The prioritizing of NFL games has been apparent to me previously. The league places more importance on the continuation of the industry than on showing any respect or value for human life.

Regardless of how the deaths happened, the team suffered loss. But this did not stand in the way of playing the game.

I grieve for the loss of Kasandra Perkins. I grieve for the infant who will grow up without either parent.

I also grieve for the loss of Jovan Belcher, who was obviously sick in ways we will never know completely. To not give pause causes my respect for the Chiefs to fall even lower than it was before.

Nancy McCormick

Kansas City

Social Security freedom

A Dec. 3 letter writer’s comments regarding how people receiving entitlements should be “allowed” to spend their money got my ire up.

I am 75 years old, and I worked for more than 40 years. I paid into Social Security all those years so I would be able to retire. I also pay a premium for Medicare. It is not free.

I am not a freeloader. I spend my hard-earned Social Security on food, shelter, gasoline and insurance.

But if I want to buy lottery tickets, get my hair done, go to the movies or take a vacation, that is up to me.

Just wait until it is the letter writer’s turn to retire. See if you want someone telling you how to spend your money.

Juanell Largent

Kansas City

Fixing traffic hazard

At the intersection of Missouri 150 and Wyandotte Street in Kansas City, the traffic light is often blinking yellow for the people traveling east or west on the highway and red for those going north or south on Wyandotte. This is confusing and occurs about half the time I drive through this intersection.

One day on my way home a woman thought that because the light was flashing it was a four-way stop and proceeded into the intersection. At the highway speed of 55 mph, my pickup truck would not stop fast enough.

She ended up hitting me, and the truck was totaled. Luckily, nobody was injured.

However, I fear that because of this confusing intersection, others could easily make the same mistake, and eventually somebody will be hurt, if they haven’t already. This light needs to be fixed.

Cody Kandt

Leawood

Police warning stickers

Here’s an idea: When a police officer observes a motorist violating any of our basic traffic laws, such as failure to use turn signal (this includes using it halfway through the turn); improper turn; speeding; passing in an intersection, on a hill or in a curve; following too closely; lights not on at night or when wipers are needed; or any violation that would cause a person to fail a driving test, then the officer should place a red sticker on the vehicle’s windshield in the shape of a dunce cap.

This could be in lieu of a fine or in addition to a reduced fine, depending on the offense, to encourage participation. Stickers would show the date of the violation and be initialed by the driver.

This could warn other motorists when they are near someone who is not a very safety-conscious driver. With a “three strikes and you walk” rule, traffic jams would be eliminated in 30 days.

With horrific traffic accidents recently resulting in deaths, grieving families and lives changed forever, please take very seriously your driving privilege.

Thank you and happy motoring.

Michael Maudlin

Blue Springs

Compromise in House

It took House Speaker John Boehner no time to make it perfectly clear that the Republicans would not work with the president. Boehner said they would continue to push for tax cuts for the top 1 percent.

I would like to point out to the speaker that poll after poll shows that the majority of people in this country favor raising taxes for the top 1 percent. Study after study proves that the tax breaks given to the top 1 percent have not and will not create new jobs, as some people continue to claim.

During the campaign season, Republicans screamed that the president hasn’t even tried to work with Republicans. Really?

Again this election cycle, Republicans talked about jobs, jobs, jobs, and if we just lower the tax rates for the top 1 percent they’ll create jobs. Mr. Speaker, you refused to bring up jobs bills brought to you by Democrats, and those that did manage to get past you were filibustered by Republicans in the Senate or rejected by Democrats because of amendments you attached that you knew would never pass.

Compromise is not a bad word, Mr. Speaker. That’s how things actually get done.

Karen Lane

Overland Park

Vote out McConnell

I suggest that to create an atmosphere of true bipartisanship, the Senate minority party should vote out Mitch McConnell, who had as his single goal for the last two years to eliminate any chance of a second term for President Barack Obama, and vote in a Republican minority leader who truly wants to work to improve jobs and the economy.

Robert Jenkins

Kansas City

Gun rights in U.S.

For years, I’ve read articles and seen cartoons deriding gun ownership.

I’ve shot and owned guns for about 55 years. I am 67 years old.

No one I know in my gun community has had an accident or had to shoot someone. That’s because we’re trained and know the functionality of weapons.

Police officers I have talked to have told me most of the deaths from guns are from gangs and criminals and civilians using them for protection. Why don’t authorities concentrate on activities like drunken driving, murder, mental problems and even education to lower the overall death rate in this country?

People in other countries have warned us gun owners not to let very stringent laws restrict our Second Amendment in the United States. Also, if you’re going to write articles about guns, don’t you think you should maybe study what you’re talking about?

Maybe go to a gun range, go hunting or target-shooting or get some instruction from someone who knows about guns. Maybe even take a right-to-carry class.

I don’t make judgments about motorcycles because I don’t ride one. I don’t write articles about cooking because I’m not a good cook.

Gary Parlier

Independence

Sports vs. education

Which is a higher priority in Texas, sports or education? If you said sports, you are right.

Republican governor (and former presidential candidate) Rick Perry advocated the elimination of the federal Department of Education and targeted state public and higher education funding to help balance his budget.

Nonetheless, money is still found to build a $60 million, 18,000-seat football stadium for Allen High School, a suburb of Dallas.

Many universities could not afford such a facility.

It’s yet another example of the Republican Party’s misplaced priorities.

William Eickhorst

Kansas City

Voter ID laws

I would favor requiring voter identification cards if it were needed and effective.

However, I heard on NPR an interview with a college professor who has studied voter fraud for some time. He said that there is quite a bit of voter fraud in this country but that it was not at a level to be of concern.

He went on to say that voter fraud does not occur at the polls but through absentee or mail-in ballots and that voter ID laws do not address these votes.

Consequently, the only effect of voter ID laws is to suppress votes.

Donald Moore

Olathe

Buy American-made

Help. Please help me. Please help me help America.

To create jobs here we must buy American products and not buy any if that little tag that says “Made in China” is stuck on the bottom.

Simple. We consume products made here in America.

Who makes them? Americans. Enough said.

No more “Made in China,” please.

Jack Folse

Overland Park