Letters: Readers discuss Trump’s vulgar immigrant insult, a bad Star editorial and Eric Greitens
Win by helping
On Thursday, President Donald Trump balked at an emerging bipartisan deal on immigration because he didn’t want to admit people to the U.S. from “shithole” countries. (Jan. 12, 1A, “Trump’s insulting words on immigration set off alarms”)
He asked, “Why do we need more Haitians?” when we could have people from Norway. He particularly objected to the diversity visa lottery.
Mr. President, are you aware that medical teams from Haiti deployed to Puerto Rico to provide health care for Americans who were affected by Hurricane Maria? Are you aware that your response to Hurricane Maria was so inadequate that people from Haiti came to the U.S. to provide the support that your administration did not provide?
I have spent years in Haiti providing health care as a physician in disaster response and with the U.S. Army, from which I retired as a colonel. I have learned to respect the Haitian people and all they have accomplished despite adversity.
Mr. President, I have read that you don’t associate with people who aren’t winners, and I suppose you wouldn’t characterize the people of Haiti as winners.
Sir, I can assure you that I would much rather associate with Haitians than with a billionaire who consistently lies and who evaded military service.
Richard J. Randolph
Lenexa
The new normal?
The words that come out of President Donald Trump’s mouth — are they the norm now?
He has used so many words about football players; now it’s about countries. Do religious people think this is the norm? I pray not.
Russell Taylor
Blue Springs
Time to act
On Thursday, President Donald Trump referred to countries in Africa in a way that shines a bright light on his ill-informed world view. So when will we hear Sens. Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran and Rep. Kevin Yoder hold the president accountable for his most abhorrent comment yet?
On the eve of Martin Luther King Jr. Day I am reminded of that great man’s words: “And it may well be that we will have to repent in this generation. Not merely for the vitriolic words and the violent actions of the bad people, but for the appalling silence and indifference of the good people who sit around and say, ‘Wait on time.’”
Time’s up.
To my representatives, I say: I’m waiting.
Please don’t bother with a canned response. I would rather no response at all.
Patricia Cokingtin
Leawood
Apples, oranges
The Star’s lead editorial Jan. 11 was about as far off base as it could get. (12A, “Why was a Democrat punished while the Republican got off scot-free?”)
The Democrat, state Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, specified a person whose death she wished for — and it was the president of the United States. That should have (and probably did) get the attention of the FBI.
The Republican, Missouri state Rep. Warren Love, talked about an act and persons unknown whom he thought deserved death.
There is just no comparison between these two people and their actions.
Jim Nichols
Belton
Don’t be swayed
Who can be surprised by Republican Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens’ latest revelation? (Jan. 12, 1A, “Greitens to face criminal inquiry”)
He has been fined for not disclosing that his campaign obtained a donor list from his supposedly unconnected nonprofit charity, The Mission Continues. He won’t show his tax returns, is deep in dark money and is under investigation for using the message-destroying texting app Confide.
Now, the “family values” candidate had an affair with a married woman and allegedly threatened her with blackmail if anything came out about it. (Jan. 12, 1A, “Greitens to face criminal inquiry”)
Will good people ever quit believing talk radio’s and Fox News’ propaganda that Republicans are for the common people?
Democrats are the ones who protect Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare. They try to give everyone health care, establish consumer protection agencies and fight for higher wages.
Republicans give us tax cuts for the rich, climate change denial, the repeal of net neutrality, Citizens United and President Donald Trump.
The choice for Missouri governor between Chris Koster, an honest and experienced candidate, and Greitens should have been clear, but the right-wing machine has convinced good people that Democrats are demons.
Next time, please believe that Democrats love this country and deeply care about its citizens.
Nancy Morris
Kansas City
This story was originally published January 12, 2018 at 8:30 PM with the headline "Letters: Readers discuss Trump’s vulgar immigrant insult, a bad Star editorial and Eric Greitens."