Letters: Readers discuss Trump’s fitness for office, a raucous crowd at Mizzou’s graduation ceremony and the pleasures of Kansas City
Conduct, not party
It’s interesting to see that some of your readers enjoy the babble of the “elitists.” Well, I’m not an elitist. I’m a (former) Republican who agrees with other Republicans such as George Will and Charles Krauthammer that Donald Trump is totally unfit to hold the office of president.
Yes, the views of the far left are often laughable. Unfortunately, we have a clown as president who is equally laughable. Our nation is too great to have Bozo performing daily in the Oval Office.
Gerry Leonard
Parkville
Airport renovation
In response to Dave Helling’s insightful piece on the proposal to build a single terminal (May 14, 17A, “New single terminal at KCI won’t be free or even cheap”), he is correct that private loans through engineering, architecture and consulting firm Burns & McDonnell would be costly.
Kansas City International Airport will never be a hub where we have large groups of people changing terminals or where people shop in fancy stores on long layovers. People begin and end their travels at KCI. Some of us fly; some of us retrieve loved ones; some of us receive goods.
If the cost of a single terminal will be passed on to the traveler or those who park there, it should be funded by bonds that will be paid back. The interest rates are lower. Plus, the user fees would also be borne by people who live in Kansas, Independence and St. Joseph, not only Kansas Citians.
The current airport is user friendly and safe. We have short security lines. A single-terminal airport would put us in the category of airports we all dread.
Perhaps we can renovate KCI and save money for the taxpayers and the travelers. Sometimes good enough is just that.
Lynne Clock
Kansas City
Quiet Graves
I am writing to express my concern regarding the suspicious silence from U.S. Rep. Sam Graves on major legislation and issues out of Washington, D.C.
Graves has yet to release any statement to help his constituents understand his stances on a number of key issues, including President Donald Trump’s firing of former FBI Director James Comey and whether a special investigator is needed to investigate ties to Russia.
We hear viewpoints from the White House, congressional Republicans and Democrats and TV talking heads, yet we are missing clarity from northern Missouri’s voice in the capital.
Graves won Missouri’s 6th District by a wide margin and thus should have no hesitation in voicing his opinions on the important issues. As the Show-Me State, we should expect and demand clarity from our elected officials and question them when they only offer us silence.
Alan Schlanker
Macon, Mo.
Rowdy graduation
As the proud parent of a 2017 graduate of the University of Missouri’s College of Arts and Science, I am pleased to see how well prepared my daughter is to meet the challenges of the world. Her education was comprehensive and guided by skilled educators. She had access to a wide range of extracurricular and volunteer activities that helped shape her character.
The recent commencement exercises, however, were completely out of sync with this high-value experience. The onstage frolics of many students as they received their diplomas, the whooping applause from the audience and the bouncing beach balls on the floor created a circus-like atmosphere that reflected poorly on our public university.
MU officials should apply the same high standards to the graduation ceremonies that they have in the classroom. Restore the dignity that a college graduation deserves. Make graduation an experience worth remembering, like the rest of the students’ four years at Mizzou.
Tom Owens
Kansas City
KC gems
Like Melinda Henneberger, I moved to Kansas City from Washington, D.C. I arrived in January 2000 and have been writing an essay similar to hers in my head ever since. (May 14, 2E, “You may take for granted stuff I like in KC, but you shouldn’t”)
I wholeheartedly agree with the assets she cited: the ease of driving and parking, the beauty and affordability of the Kauffman Center, the quality of the Nelson-Atkins collection, the professionalism and abundance of live theater and the friendly people.
My list would include those and more: the timeless appeal of J.C. Nichols-designed neighborhoods, the wonderful Country Club Plaza, the plethora of talented visual artists, the unique Arabia Steamboat Museum, the glorious Union Station and WWI Museum, the many splendidly designed public buildings and private homes, and the homes, library and museum of a Missouri-born president of whom we can be proud.
Nancy Bone
Kansas City
This story was originally published May 16, 2017 at 8:30 PM with the headline "Letters: Readers discuss Trump’s fitness for office, a raucous crowd at Mizzou’s graduation ceremony and the pleasures of Kansas City."