LETTERS 08/23/08

GOP not all white Christians

Nice article from Lewis Diuguid (8/20, Opinion, “Muslims in America are patriotic as anyone”). I actually thought he was writing an unbiased article until I got to the paragraph that stated how Republicans aren’t shy about including people of color and people of different faiths, at least for photo opportunities. That was truly weak.

Diuguid is constantly wanting to bring people together, yet statements like that do nothing but separate. Talk about profiling. Just because a person is a Republican doesn’t mean he or she is not sincere about the needs of people of color or different faiths.

What makes Diuguid think there are not Republicans of color and different faiths? I guess his shortsightedness has once again proved his hypocrisy.

Terry Hancock

Lee’s Summit

The Star’s coverage of Dennis Skillicorn’s case has not explored the major concerns raised by the groups submitting clemency petitions. Skillicorn takes full responsibility for the crimes that led to the murder of Richard Drummond and has continually expressed remorse for his actions. While Skillicorn is certainly guilty of a crime, it is not first-degree murder. Skillicorn was not the shooter and was not present when Drummond was shot.

Skillicorn has also been a leader in restorative justice efforts. He has worked with the Potosi Safe Coalition to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House, victims’ groups and other charities. He is the editor of Compassion magazine, which raised $34,000 in scholarships for murder victims’ families.

Skillicorn co-founded the award-winning 4-H Life, which teaches inmates to become better parents. He has worked to create harmony among various religious groups in the prison community. The list goes on.

I hope next week The Star will provide more complete coverage of the facts of the case and a real overview of the work Skillicorn has done while imprisoned.

Susie Roling

Kansas City

Forbidden booze sweeter?

When I was a child, my parents sold beer in their rural Missouri restaurant. No one ever told me I couldn’t help myself or that it was against the law for me to drink, yet I never did.

Why? Probably because there was no fun in sneaking beer behind my parents’ back since they didn’t seem to care if I did so. I have a hunch this is why I rarely consume alcoholic beverages today.

I wonder if we might experience less alcoholism in our society if the legal drinking age were lowered or possibly eliminated.

Charles Ballew

Kansas City

Why have members of the Jackson County Legislature taken it upon themselves to support a sales-tax-free district? (8/19, Local, “Tax-free district attracts support; Jackson County Legislature backs state measure that would help businesses in urban cores”)

I do not think that it is right to give one area in Kansas City a waiver on sales tax for 23 years. There are other depressed areas in Kansas City that will not benefit from this, so why would the state do it for 67 businesses? The northeast, the west side and parts of south Kansas City need help also.

I will tell legislator Henry Rizzo one thing: When this comes up for a vote in the legislature, there will be a lot of us who will shout “no!” Kansas City is always crying “poor mouth,” and this is being considered for a specific area? This is an election year, Mr. Rizzo.

Donna Cox

Independence

Barbara Shelly rightly cautions Johnson County voters about the risks of putting judges up for election (8/1, Opinion, “Wild judicial election is a cautionary tale”). But she does not mention the controversial aspects of Johnson County’s current Judicial Nominating Commission process: its secrecy and the way it favors lawyers.

Currently, each commissioner’s vote is secret, so he or she cannot be held publicly accountable for it. And the way the commissioners are selected creates two classes of citizens: lawyers (who get tremendous power) and second-class citizens (who get far less).

That secrecy and power for lawyers are also found in the processes Kansas and Missouri use to select their supreme courts, so a thoughtful discussion of them would be a positive consequence of the Johnson County ballot issue.

Stephen J. Ware

Professor of law, University of Kansas

Lawrence

Many of us who are pro-choice are not in favor of more abortions. We are pro-choice because we don’t want 40 percent of the citizens of this country using the government to limit, by legislation, decisions best left to families in a time of crisis.

The Terri Schiavo mess proved to me that the Christian conservatives won’t stop with Roe v. Wade if they succeed in stacking the court with “originalist” judges and getting it overturned. They will also try to limit access to birth control and insert themselves, by statute nationwide, into family decisions on life-and-death issues that should remain private.

That’s why we have free speech, so people who are pro-life can make their arguments in the public square, where persuasion seems to be working. Abortions are on the decline throughout the country.

Mike Dugger

Shawnee

The article “Abuse more likely by parents who spank kids with objects” (8/19, A-4) should have been titled “Abusive people are more likely to abuse their children.” Shame on the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill for insinuating that spanking is the culprit. Spanking is not the culprit and is still a very effective measure of discipline.

Abusive people punish their children and don’t utilize discipline. Non-abusive people discipline their children and don’t utilize punishment. Spanking has been a form of discipline for generations because it works when properly administered.

Nowhere in the study was the admission that abusive people abuse their children regardless of the method (i.e. spanking, hitting, shaking, burning). And stress, marital unrest, financial instability and the general lack of attention many parents give their children other than spanking, hitting, shaking, beating and burning also were not discussed in this study.

Every child’s bad behavior needs assessment before discipline is administered. Spanking, time-outs, taking away phone and computer privileges, talking, redirecting — all are forms of discipline when properly administered to the appropriate scenario. The key words are “properly administered.” It is every parent’s duty to know the difference and to seek help if they don’t.

Kristy Hobbs

Trimble, Mo.

Michele Chambers’ letter (8/13) states “We need Sam Graves fighting for us in Washington so we can keep more of our money in our own pockets.”

I would like to point out that when President Bush and Sam Graves were sworn into office, there was a record surplus. Each of the last seven years we have had record deficits, and the national debt has ballooned under Graves. Graves repeatedly supports tax cuts for oil companies and billionaires.

We need someone like Kay Barnes, who will bring tax relief to the middle class. It’s about time we had a representative who fights for the little guy. That’s why I’m voting for Kay Barnes. She’s the best candidate to represent the people who live in Missouri’s 6th District.

M. L. Stone

Gladstone

Kay, why don’t you try to break your party’s stranglehold on this country’s oil supply?

George Walz

Kansas City

Where do people get the idea that higher income earners don’t pay their fair share of taxes? The people who believe that probably don’t even have the foggiest idea what people actually pay.

With nearly 50 percent of wage earners paying practically no federal tax, it is hard to believe they can complain or feel cheated. Why not get behind responsible spending before demanding even more taxes?

I’ll make a deal. For my share of every dollar of spending cuts, I’ll support a tax increase to match.

Stephen Kunz

Overland Park

With school starting, we hear, “Look for children crossing the streets and getting on and off the school buses.” This is all for good advice.

However, I also want to send a warning out to the drivers going to and from work. Look out for the children on the school buses throwing items out that they think are funny. Last year, at separate times, more than $900 in damage was done to my car by children throwing things out of school buses such as rocks and books.

Another word of warning: Nobody will take the responsibility for this. The bus company tells you the school is responsible. The school tells you it is the bus company or the parents of the child. The parents hide from you so that you cannot collect.

You end up paying out of pocket for these expenses or, better yet, turn it over to your insurance company, pay your deductible and they try and collect that from the parents.

So drivers, beware when going by a school bus, because it is the children we need to look out for.

Nan Hanna

Independence

There has been significant media attention to protests surrounding the new movie “Tropic Thunder” and its misguided use of a term that is inaccurate and offensive to many people: “retard.”

The Arc of the United States — Missouri Chapter is certainly displeased by the use of this term in any setting, especially one that will be viewed by millions of people. The term is a very sensitive issue for people with developmental disabilities, their parents and advocacy groups.

The Arc understands that the term was used as an attempt at humor. Nonetheless, it demonstrates a severe lack of sensitivity for people with developmental disabilities who are often subjected to the derogatory use of the term. It would be a simple show of respect for the movie industry to recognize the harmful implications associated with this word.

This should be a learning experience for the movie industry and the public at large: Words that offend and demean people are not funny — in any context.

Mike Hanrahan

President, Arc of the United States —

Missouri Chapter

Cameron, Mo.

I just read Sports Illustrated’s pro football preview for the upcoming season. Once again, it looks dismal for our Chiefs.

As a former longtime resident of Kansas City, it is my opinion that the Chiefs have a chance of getting better only if Carl Peterson is cut loose. I know that is an opinion shared by many a Chiefs fan, because I’ve talked to a lot of them.

Since he’s still hanging around, I can only conclude that he has some sort of dirt on the Hunt family, or that the Hunt family is intensely loyal. If it is the latter, I say get over it. Football is business, and Peterson is bad for business.

If you want to be loyal, be loyal to the fans. We’ve certainly been loyal to the Chiefs, even when it’s been horribly painful.

Lisa Jeffries

Ozark, Mo.

The letter (8/19) from Tony Kovach, “Um, like people don’t talk right,” makes an excellent point. In fact, even a certain current presidential candidate and his spouse insert “ah” in almost every sentence.

And teenagers with minimal speech abilities constantly articulate “I’m like,” “I go,” and the repetitive “you know.” Isn’t speech a subject taught in the schools these days?

And while on the subject: Why have the news media become so preoccupied with using the expression “as well” rather than “too” or “also?” Particularly the weather and financial reporters. It seems so artificial.

Skip Willrett

Overland Park