Kindness after tragedy

Today I found an envelope in my mailbox. Inside the envelope was a $20 bill and the following note: “Merry Christmas ... in memory of the 26 children & staff members of Sandy Hook Elementary ... 26 random acts of kindness this holiday season.”

Wow! What a wonderful response to tragedy.

This act of kindness touched me deeply, and it has motivated me to pass on random acts of kindness. I hope my unknown kind person has started an epidemic, and I plan to be a carrier.

Connie Stewart

Kansas City

Delusional congressmen

Mental health experts tell us that delusions are strange beliefs that are not based in reality and that the person refuses to give up even when presented with factual information.

When The Star’s editorial board asked the U.S. senators representing Missouri and Kansas and members of Congress from the Kansas City area whether they would support bans on assault weapons and high-capacity clips (12-20, Opinion, “No more dodging on gun safety issues”), the Republican respondents showed signs of delusion. Some strongly oppose such bans; some took a sudden interest in addressing the issues of the mentally ill.

For the latter, that’s a good start, and maybe efforts should begin with Congress itself.

Ron Fugate

Overland Park

Wasteful student loans

A friend recently said her son just took out a student loan for this fall semester with 9 percent interest (partially because he had no credit record). Even the government’s published rate for Direct Unsubsidized Loans is 6.8 percent. What a rip-off with current interest rates on bank certificates of deposit around 1 percent or less.

We need to return to the days when we were teaching (1960s and 1970s) and banks handled many of the student loans. Interest rates were reasonable, and the proceeds went to the colleges to pay the actual bills.

We know of students who have used their college loans to buy a motorcycle or take spring break trips to Florida. One friend even asked the college not to give her daughter more money. It insisted it was hers and dished it out.

Are these high rates another tax so student loans for legislators’ families and others can be forgiven?

Bob Grove

Polo, Mo.

Corporations in space

Recently, as most know, Red Bull, the energy drink corporation, launched a pod into space, with Austrian Felix Baumgartner first in command in the device.

With NASA nearing its end and many private space organizations starting up, such as Virgin Galactic and SpaceX, will the space industry bring a new type of revenue to the United States?

It could create potential jobs for millions.

Cody Noeller

Liberty

Tarnishing Obama

Republicans have been talking about President Barack Obama’s poor economy. We are not living in Obama’s economy. We are still in former President George W. Bush’s economy.

The Republicans and the tea party (United Air Heads of America) have blocked and killed every decent jobs bill put forth. They couldn’t care less about jobs or the American people.

All they care about is making Obama look bad. They have admitted to this.

Albert Henry

North Kansas City

Unconscionable theft

This is for the person(s) who stole the Christmas tree and wreath from my grandson’s gravesite in Raymore.

While we cannot imagine what kind of person would do this, I want you to know a little about my grandson (possibly to add to your joy for your “take”).

The day you took these items was the second anniversary of his death after a valiant, nearly three-year battle with leukemia. He would have graduated from high school in 2013 and loved scouting and fishing (as you should be able to tell by the decorations). He was kind and generous and most likely would wish you the best.

Hope you have a nice holiday.

Carole Strube

Leawood

Ban leashes for kids

Lately, I have been noticing more children on leashes. In my opinion, this is a form of child abuse, and it encourages parents to be lazy.

For example, if I walked into a store, I would see a child on a leash.

About a leash-length away, I would see an inattentive parent paying attention to the child only enough to yank the small one back when the kid has strayed too far.

Some people would say that child leashes are necessary to keep control over children, but I disagree. Given the right parenting structure, kids are pretty easy to handle.

An example of this would be my mother. She had two rambunctious twins and managed to keep control over us without the help of toddler leashes.

Some parents use the leashes to yank their children back when they feel the need. Emotional abuse also plays a role. Being on a leash may be embarrassing for the child.

I suggest the use of toddler leashes be banned.

Ellie Bradshaw

Kansas City

Clean up crime in KC

This concerns dangerous buildings and my tax money. These buildings are not attracting the drug dealers and the female and male prostitutes who work up and down Troost Avenue.

The problem is with the property owners of the apartment buildings and houses they rent to these people and the city officials who will not do anything about this criminal element. These people operate openly on Troost Avenue day and night at the bus stops near the nonprofit agencies where they get food, money to pay their utilities, vouchers for medications and vouchers for clothing.

If the city is concerned about crime, do something about prostitution and drug dealing on Troost Avenue. Spend my tax dollars on that first, then deal with the dangerous buildings.

Criminals are not living in those dangerous buildings. They are in the apartments and houses that are not on your list of backlogged derelict buildings.

It is easier to get a building demolished in this city than it is to get a drug house closed. Help renovate these buildings instead.

Linda Zagalik

Kansas City