Posted on Tue, May. 06, 2008

Tornado warnings

Macaela Stephenson (5/4, Letters, “Extreme weather coverage”) apparently has never heard the phrase “It’s better to be safe than sorry.” The newscasters were doing what they did to keep us safe, and I appreciate that.

She said most of the city experienced little or no damage from the storm. Since she was so busy watching the news and criticizing the weather newscasters, she should have heard them say what damage was being done. She should have heard that roofs were coming off houses and lawn furniture and other things were being thrown around outside.

The newscasters deserve more credit than Ms. Stephenson is giving them. If she doesn’t think they are doing the right thing when it comes to severe weather, she should move to another place where she approves of it.

Carolyn Williams

Overland Park

If a straight-line wind is as strong as an F-1 tornado, the sirens should go off to warn people of the danger.

Betty Lusby

Village of Loch Lloyd

Biofuels and farming

Before C.W. Gusewelle and the public support the farm lobby (5/4, Local, “Farmers shouldn’t reap blame”), they should read “Brazil can’t find world market for its ethanol” (5/4, A-16), which is made from sugar cane.

Has it not been proved that ethanol, especially corn ethanol, is not the answer to the oil shortage? Read The Star’s article (4/27, A-1, “Does ethanol measure up?”).

Why did the farm lobby, ethanol folks and oil companies push very hard to change the requirement that gasoline pumps had to label gasoline that contained alcohol? Ethanol pumps in Missouri and Kansas are not required to be labeled.

The consumer has right to know what he is buying.

Pat Hunt

Raymore

Thank you to C.W. Gusewelle for a well-written article. Not all farmers are corporations, as some have said in the blogs. Here in western Kansas, many of us have been brought up to provide for our country, as our ancestors have.

Thanks for the kind words, and I will continue to provide a “horn of plenty” for all my neighbors.

Jay Giessel

Larned, Kan.

Whitlock in PlayboyJason Whitlock: I agree with and enjoy reading so many of your articles, but please tell me why you would agree to write for a magazine like Playboy (5/2, Sports, “Playboy headline misleads readers”), when it so obviously objectifies women?

Angela Cox

Lee’s Summit

War in Iraq

Regarding Kim Kennaley’s letter (5/1) on how well Bush is saving Iraq: First of all, if she thinks we can change anyone’s religion or cultures of thousands of years, as well as ours in the United States, I have a bridge in New York that I will sell her for $1. The “single-minded” focus is on Iraq’s oil and money. In the meantime America is going to hell in a handbasket while we are busy butting into everybody’s business.

One of our brave troops lost is one too many.

She says the American people don’t seem to know to accept a country that is not united. Take a good look at our own country. Do you call that united?

Josephine Byrne

Raytown

No one can “snap their fingers” and fix a country, but apparently we can snap our fingers and break one. All excuses aside about why we’re there in the first place, the next time a country needs “ help,” it would be wise to fully evaluate the cultural situation.

Too many Americans believe that our way is the only way. If you don’t understand the machine, don’t try to “fix” it.

Yes, there are crimes against humanity worldwide, including New Orleans and the federal government’s continuing lack of support. But before you press your values and beliefs on another, try to understand the structure you’re “improving” and the cost of foreign “improvements,” and then think about the many people in your own country who lack desperately needed intervention.

Kelly Feigenbaum

Leawood

John Reilly (5/1, Letters) appears to be disgruntled with Congress for not holding Iraqis financially responsible for the rebuilding of Iraq after the U.S. made a shambles of it. Mr. Reilly says Iraq should repay billions of dollars to the U.S. government and to the injured and surviving U.S. soldiers who liberated them.

How noble of Mr. Reilly to desire payment for an unrequested service that destroyed thousands of lives, U.S. and Iraqi alike. The commandeering of Iraqi profits from an unprovoked war would fall under the category of pillaging.

Perhaps finding weapons of mass destruction would have hidden our true intentions. But now the reality that we are simply ridding the Middle East of a tyrant who threatens countries that supply the U.S. with oil reveals the true mission that was planned and accomplished.

Greg Hand

Lee’s Summit

Nuclear waste

Just as we are awakening to being “green” conscious by doing what is good for the Earth, nuclear-waste lobbyists are intending to kill a bill that bans Italy’s 20,000 tons of low-level waste from being taken to a Utah dump (4/17, Business, “Lobbying to import nuclear waste”).

If Italy receives permission to send its waste, surely other countries will also apply.

Nuclear waste is already being transported through Missouri via rail and truck. The state does not have to receive notification of low-level waste (gloves, protective clothing, tools) before transportation. However, it does have to be notified before shipments of nuclear spent-fuel waste, which is done periodically. It was under the “Atoms for Peace” program that President Eisenhower agreed to accept such waste from foreign countries in order for them to agree to doing research work for peaceful means.

But where does this leave us? Accidents can happen from point A to B: Trucks collide, trains derail and ships sink. And politicians and corporations make money.

Laura Herdman

Lake Lotawana

McCaskill and Air Force

Sen. Claire McCaskill’s persistence in requesting that the Air Force explain the handling of the air show contract (4/26, A-5, “McCaskill turns up heat on Air Force contract”) is the sort of action we need from our legislators.

Members of the Senate Armed Services Committee can be the guardians of our military’s moral authority. The only way our military men and women can remain great is to follow the rule of law. People who have guns and don’t follow the law are usually called criminals. When a member of the military ignores the law and elected politicians are afraid to challenge them, it is time to pay attention.

I am reminded of the words of Edmund Burke: “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” American democracy depends on the acceptance of disagreement, checks and balances, and the willingness to accept a little messiness.

If that means an air show doesn’t get its video screen from the personal friend of a four-star general, be glad. And remember to thank Claire McCaskill for keeping our values in mind.

Pamela Barone

Kansas City, Kan.

Kudos for Carter

Michelle Malkin’s commentary on Jimmy Carter (4/25, Opinion) has to be the most mean-spirited and narrow-minded column she has ever written.

Former President Carter and the Carter Center have done more to foster world peace and brotherhood than the saber-rattling far right ever dreamed of doing.

The policy of our State Department, confronting our adversaries with a peace sign in one hand and a saber in the other, is just not working. President Bush and Condoleezza Rice need to begin greeting the world with an open heart and mind and forgo their super egos and hidden agendas.

They need to stop talking out of both sides of their mouths and put politics aside if they are truly seeking peace.

Bill Mace

Overland Park

Costs of long-term care

Your article “Survey shows cost of nursing homes (4/30, Business) raises an issue our country must consider: How can we ensure that all individuals can receive the care they need at a price they can afford?

Millions struggle with the financial responsibility of caregiving for someone we love. Despite individuals’ efforts and substantial public expenditures, many are left with unmet needs and catastrophic costs. With the aging baby boomers, the demand on Medicaid will stretch beyond its ability to pay, leaving many without necessary care.

Our country needs a national insurance trust, whose premiums provide cash benefits to pay for long-term care. All adults who need assistance would receive cash benefits to pay for services such as hiring an aide or paying a family member who misses work to help. Benefits would be received regardless of ability to pay premiums. All adults with means would contribute premiums, pre-funding care for the baby boomers. We must make care affordable.

Denise Clemonds

CEO, Missouri Association

of Homes for the Aging

Jefferson City

Principled Phill Kline

Phill Kline is the most admirable kind of zealot — a zealot with principles.

Richard L. Kiper

Leavenworth

It seems a lot of folks really don’t like Phill Kline, in large part because of his ongoing battle with Dr. Robert Tiller of Wichita. They say Mr. Kline is zealous, powerful, egotistical and ruthless.

Personally, I’ve never met the man — don’t know him at all. Call me crazy but, of the two men, my likeability factor seems to favor the guy who isn’t actually killing babies.

Bob Jenkins

Kansas City, Kan.

Friendly congressman

It was really exciting to see my U.S. Congressman, Sam Graves, running up and down the Apple Blossom Parade route Saturday in downtown St. Joseph. Rep. Graves was all over the place, shaking hands and talking with people.

It’s nice to know that I have a congressman who is willing to personally interact with the people he represents.

Brandon Boswell

Chillicothe, Mo.

Medicare coverage

Medicare is supposed to be health insurance for the elderly. Then why isn’t it? My doctor informs me that Medicare will no longer pay for the weekly injections of Procrit I need to stay alive. Now I must have blood transfusions to do this. Blood transfusions are certainly no picnic and, I might add, they are risky.

My doctor charges $1,280 for one weekly injection of Procrit. Medicare pays my doctor only $290. I certainly can’t afford to pay for this, which amounts to about $66,000 a year.

When is our president or our next president going to fix this problem? Or is the plan to kill off the still very useful to society 70-year-olds?

LaVerne Fieseler

Olathe

Who’s really ‘pro-life?’

Kudos to Beth Williams (5/2, Letters, “Shocking anti-abortion signs”). She is truly pro-life. She doesn’t “condone abortions.” She fosters children.

Instead of putting their energy into the “anti,” why not go for the “pro?” Spend our tax dollars on reproductive health education instead of putting Planned Parenthood on trial again. Planned Parenthood provides this education and much more.

Spend our tax dollars helping foster parents who take in the growing number of children with special needs instead of cutting funds for these programs.

These “pro-lifers” seem to care only for a baby while it’s in the womb. We have many unwanted, unloved and sometimes abused children that are already born.

It’s so unfortunate that to some, being “pro-life” is really only about being anti-abortion.

Kathryn Alexander

Olathe

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