Posted on Wed, May. 07, 2008

DUI checkpoints save lives

So Joe Williams was inconvenienced and irritated that the DUI checkpoint he was stopped at netted “only” 22 DUI citations. According to Mr. Williams, his time and the taxpayers’ money are both being wasted.

I think a reframing of priorities is in order here. If even one of those 22 citations saved someone’s life because a drunken driver was arrested, the time and money were well worth it. And by saving someone’s life, I include the drunken drivers themselves. Sometimes an arrest can be the beginning of a life of recovery from alcoholism.

Mr. Williams, next time you’re inconvenienced by a DUI checkpoint, be grateful if no one in your life is struggling with alcoholism or drug addiction. Be even more grateful if someone you know and love hasn’t been hurt or killed by an impaired driver.

Shelley Staib

Shawnee

It’s too bad that Joe Williams and his wife were “inconvenienced” by having to be part of local law enforcement doing their best to protect them from drunken drivers. The number of citations may seem small, but the message got out to every driver who passed by.

Twenty-two potential killers were taken off the road. The other citations for “miscellaneous offenses” may have brought justice to some other offenders. Remember the Son of Sam killer in New York City? He was caught by the police tracking down traffic tickets. Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh was caught by an alert highway patrolman pulling him over for not having proper license plates.

And the 1,670 inconvenienced vehicles? That’s about the number of people affected by one life lost to a drunken driver.

John E. Gacek

Liberty

Iraq’s young victims

I read Matt Schofield’s article “Heartbreaking image of Iraq’s young victims” (5/4, Opinion) with mixed feelings. On one hand, I mourn the loss of innocent life anywhere in the world. On the other hand, I feel a steely hatred for the forces of evil that engender this loss.

Iraq has a freely elected government that supports our presence in that country. The armed militias are against us and that freely elected government. A free, democratic country cannot exist with unelected individuals controlling armed militias that undermine the will of the people. The people of Iraq desire peace and stability.

The American people desire peace and stability in Iraq so we can leave. Armed militias stand in the way of that desire.

The U.S. is in Iraq as a result of a constitutional process. Leaving before Iraq is truly ready for self-governance would be irresponsible and not worthy of our country.

Mark Salas

Leavenworth

Matt Schofield’s article was a moving testimony to what war really is.

I think that too often we forget the young, innocent victims of war. Is this war worth the cost of even one child’s life? Not in my book. And so because we are so “committed” to this war, there will continue to be more victims like 2-year-old Ali Hussein.

I wish articles like this made the front page. Maybe people would stop and think about what war really is. Thank you, Matt Schofield, for opening our eyes.

Chrissy Nance

Olathe

Should McCain stick with Bush?

I fervently hope that Sen. John McCain embraces the sage advice shared in James F. Westhues’ letter (5/5, “McCain should stick with Bush”).

I can think of little that would do more to help ensure that a Democrat occupies the White House come January.

John A. Horner

Independence

I nearly fell out of my chair after reading James Westhues’ letter urging John McCain to not distance himself from all of Bush’s “successful” policies. I would like to assume that this letter was written as satire. If so, I apologize for not getting the joke.

Does Mr. Westhues not realize that President Bush has achieved levels of unpopularity not seen by any other president in modern times? He has started a war based on lies that more than six in 10 Americans view as a debacle. The idea that he has successfully replaced two rogue governments is laughable. The Taliban still run rampant throughout Afghanistan, and the Iraqi government would implode if not for our help.

Bush’s tax cuts have helped grow the deficit to near record levels, and by successful energy programs, I assume you mean they were successful in lining the pockets of his cronies in the oil industry.

And as for “preparing for future devastating disasters,” I can think of none more frightening than more of the disastrous policies we have been subject to for the past seven years.

Matt Nelson

Overland Park

James F. Westhues, what rock are you living under? Look around you. Abraham Lincoln was a great president. Bush is nowhere in sight. We need a change, and it is not McCain.

E.J. Johnson

Walker, Mo.

Wright does Obama wrong

It has been a long time since I have felt as sick and disappointed as I do over the controversy involving Barack Obama and his former pastor, Jeremiah Wright.

After watching Wright being interviewed by Bill Moyers, I felt that he was somewhat of a prophet. His remarks declaring that America should not necessarily be blessed by God because of the many abuses the American government has perpetuated through the years on Native Americans, African slaves and others, had the ring of truth. One can be patriotic without being nationalistic and thinking, “America — right or wrong.”

But he went over the top by suggesting that his very radical views about Louis Farrakhan, the cause of AIDS, and other topics were also held by Obama, but that Obama was too much of a politician to say so. What an insult, and so contrary to the views obviously held by Obama.

One wonders if Pastor Wright is jealous of Barack Obama because he is in the limelight, and will wrest it from him at all costs. Hopefully the American people are smarter than Wright gives them credit for.

Janelle Lazzo

Roeland Park

Why does everyone find it so hard to believe that the Rev. Jeremiah Wright didn’t put on a controversial show each and every Sunday from the pulpit? It seems perfectly plausible to me that Wright spent most Sundays tending to the needs of his 8,000-member flock and preaching the good news.

On sporadic occasions he delved into areas more inflammatory and controversial (the caricatures we originally witnessed on youtube.com). Unfortunately with the spotlight of the national media on him, he chooses to highlight a small yet radical rhetoric for personal gain and attention.

I believe that these rantings were not heard weekly, but are the poor choices of a man who would rather sabotage an African-American presidential candidate so that he can say “I told you so,” rather than help heal the racial divide as Sen. Obama attempts to do.

Amy Pozin

Kansas City

The motivation of the Rev. Wright is simple. If Sen. Obama becomes president, the premise that minorities cannot excel in this country disintegrates.

Under an Obama administration, unemployment would indeed increase as Wright, Jesse Jackson, Louis Farrakhan and Al Sharpton are added to the unemployment rolls.

Fred J. Sanchez

Parkville

GM workers’ strike

The union workers on strike (5/6, A-1, “A prolonged Fairfax strike could hurt Malibu sales”) should get everything they are asking for, which, of course, means GM should shutter the plant and move production overseas.

When will unions learn that they, and they alone, are responsible for ruining the American economy over the past 40 years? Extortion is illegal, and the union leadership should be charged.

Pat Nolan

Sedalia, Mo.

Another danger for U.S. troops

Buried on Page A-12 in Sunday’s paper (5/4) was an article titled “Troops face another deadly threat — bad electrical work.” The article states that flawed electrical work by contractors is killing our soldiers in Iraq.

At least a dozen U.S soldiers have been electrocuted in Iraq, according to the Pentagon and congressional investigators. The deaths and close calls are being investigated by Congress and the Defense Department’s inspector general. American electricians, who worked for KBR, the Houston-based defense contractor responsible for maintaining U.S. bases in Iraq and Afghanistan, said they repeatedly warned company managers and military officials about unsafe electrical work.

No matter how you feel about the war in Iraq, it is unconscionable that a corporation knowingly performed unsafe work and that our soldiers risk death taking showers and during other normal activities because of their poor work. I don’t know how much greed was involved. But for the soldiers, their families and for America, it’s hard enough to fight the enemy. And now we find the enemy is a corporation in Houston?

As an American, I am outraged and would hope that others like me will contact their senators and Congress members.

Michele Manne Snyder

Overland Park

‘Protecting’ Missouri women

Missouri Rep. Onder’s letter (5/1) described how he has sponsored HB 1831 to “protect women and ensure they are fully informed should they choose to have an abortion.”

I work with women in Missouri daily. I see the effects of poverty, sexual assault, violence, rape and various other forms of abuse and neglect on their lives. One of the abuses I see most often is poor quality of life and early death due to the lack of access to health care. This is systemic abuse.

I wonder if Mr. Onder has considered working on this issue, or if he has worked to fund programs that help women when they’ve been raped or have suffered domestic violence. I wonder if he helps them find child care or health care for their children.

It would be interesting to learn how many women confide in Mr. Onder that he believes his top priority is to protect women from abortion. Using the word “protect” to justify controlling women is a tired old cliche.

Ask women what they need to be protected from, Mr. Onder. I assure you, abortion isn’t at the top of their lists.

Mary Bradley

Leawood

Thank you, firefighters

I would like to publicly thank the Kansas City and South Platte fire departments and remind everyone what superb service our firefighters provide while risking their lives in many situations.

Firefighters have come to my aid twice within the past few months. Once was for a medical emergency, and the other was for a feline rescue. These two situations were extreme opposites in emergency value, but in each case the firefighters were very helpful and unfailingly kind.

We hear so much about budget-tightening and cost-cutting. Let’s all hope that our cities and counties can find ways around having our firefighters make sacrifices when they deserve so much.

Sue Camarillo

Kansas City

Bush and immigration

Trying to educate people like Mary Sanchez is an exercise in futility because they refuse to acknowledge fact (4/29, Opinion, “Bush wasted an opportunity on immigration”). The facts are that America is a nation of laws, and illegal immigrants break its laws.

For her to invoke the Pope’s visit in concluding that this country is “cruel” and “sinful” contradicts her position and raises the issue of true culpability for the problem. The Roman Catholic Church dominates religion in Latin America, where it condemns effective family planning, resulting in unsupportable population growth, poverty and a flood of unlawful immigrants across our border. It is these realities that are cruel and sinful.

In true liberal fashion, Sanchez faults our country for its imperfect system of immigration enforcement instead of the people violating it. That is, the system is to blame for the lawbreaking, not the lawbreakers themselves.

Crosby P. Engel

Weatherby Lake

Aquila payment

Cass County should consider taking stock in Aquila instead of the fine. A payment of 500,000 million shares would give citizens more power and return benefits to the people.

If you want your country back, you’ll have to take it where you can!

Neil Block

Huntsville, Mo.

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