Letters: Readers discuss King’s name on KCI, UMKC sports and the royal wedding
Children’s rights
Does anyone see the path of insanity we have chosen to walk?
As a nation, including our highest level of elected leaders to individuals vowing to protect their rights as U.S. citizens, we choose to ultimately condone violence by prioritizing the right to own a gun. This is under the guise of protecting oneself and the right to bear arms.
Beyond those whose lives have been directly affected by the violence of guns, I have yet to hear any of our elected officials truly commit to recognizing the treasure we possess in our children — our future.
I have yet to hear anyone take a solid stand on making it a priority that our children are allowed to have their right to grow up free from fear of “I know it will someday happen in my school.”
Providing staff and teachers with weapons simply entrenches us more into the insanity of condoning violence, for whatever reason.
What will it take for us to step off this path and begin to build a healthier approach to caring for our future?
Sister Eileen Haynes
Leavenworth
Wrong, namely
A Kansas City committee has made a strong statement to name our new airport terminal after Martin Luther King Jr. (May 21, 4A, “Panel supports MLK name on KCI terminal; Street is a second option”)
This is a great idea considering King’s strong history and connection with Kansas City. When people around the world think Kansas City, they immediately think King. Obviously, this is sarcasm.
As great as Dr. King was, he had little or no connection with our city. This would be the same as naming our airport after Babe Ruth, Sammy Davis Jr. or Winston Churchill.
Let’s not embarrass ourselves around the country by picking this name.
Steven Martin
Olathe
Over here
I wish Kansas could have a senator the caliber of Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri.
Kevin Hogan
Olathe
A new world
How things have changed. More than 80 years after King Edward VIII abdicated the throne to marry a divorced American, a divorced biracial American actress — the descendant of slaves — married a British royal in a remarkable tapestry of change woven into tradition.
The winds of change included an African-American bishop giving a spirited sermon to British royalty that referenced Martin Luther King Jr. and slavery. An American gospel choir sang “Stand by Me.” A queen and a descendant of slaves sat across from each other as future grandparents to a royal child yet to be born, and a royal couple exited to a civil rights anthem.
These winds of change were woven seamlessly into a tapestry of tradition, from the 1,000-year-old church to the bishop’s credentials as head of the American Episcopal Church, from the two families sitting next to each other to a presumptive future king (Prince Charles) meeting his future daughter-in-law — halfway.
In a world where change and tradition often cannot tolerate each other, we witnessed an amazing example of how the two can respect one another and work together.
Clyde Waltermate
Raytown
Make a switch
Although I am a fan and supporter of UMKC athletic teams and appreciate that they pride themselves on being called Kansas City’s only NCAA Division I university, I think it would be much better, for a lot of reasons, if UMKC would switch to NCAA Division II and join the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association.
I think that would give the Kangaroos a better chance of being more competitive. It would also save a lot on travel costs to away games compared with what they do now (New Mexico, Utah, Seattle and so on).
They would also likely get better attendance at games from having so many regional universities in the MIAA whose fans usually travel well to nearby away games.
I hope this might be considered.
Joseph Turner
Stewartsville, Mo.
Add it all up
Cutting taxes reduces revenue and increases the deficit. It seems like simple math.
The Missouri legislature should drive west for guidance, but that would take a basic understanding of arithmetic and roads.
And that’s not possible with our current reality: The Missouri Department of Transportation is $800 million in the hole, and education in the state is underfunded.
David Barber
Kansas City
This story was originally published May 22, 2018 at 8:30 PM with the headline "Letters: Readers discuss King’s name on KCI, UMKC sports and the royal wedding."