Letters: Readers discuss the Irish abortion vote, Greitens and safety under the sun
Irish abortion
The Star’s article “Landslide vote by Irish to end ban on abortion” (May 27, 1A) from The New York Times reports both news (Irish voted to make abortion legal) and opinion.
Prohibition against abortion appears in the Bible in the Fifth Commandment, which God gave to all people 3,200 years ago. Some actions are always wrong: taking innocent life, violating marriage, stealing and lying or distorting the truth.
These perpetual laws as to how humans should live in order to have fulfillment, peace and justice are gifts from God, who created us. They are neither “conservative” nor “liberal.” They simply express truth, and, as Scripture says, “The truth sets us free.”
I am deeply disappointed by the vote in Ireland and the way your editors chose to report it to the public. This article is slanted and gives the impression that populism is the bedrock of truth.
The Catholic Church has always taught that life is inviolable and continues to reach out in charity and mercy to the most needy and vulnerable (including the child in the womb) among us today.
Monsignor Michael
Mullen
Kansas City, Kan.
Greitens’ pain
Make no mistake, the only person responsible for the pain and suffering of Gov. Eric Greitens’ family and friends is Gov. Greitens. (May 30, 1A, “Greitens resigns”)
Instead of being forthright and admitting his mistakes on all fronts, he once again is blaming everyone else. In his world, nothing is his fault, and he bears no responsibility for anything that has happened to him or his family.
I understand the governor’s supporters wish to believe that this is all a setup and that he is innocent of many of the charges he has beenfacing. Did anyone force him to have an affair, to use the Confide app to avoid the Sunshine Law or to repeatedly fail to release information as to where all the money financing his campaign came from?
These were choices he made, and he now wants to call foul because he got caught. And that is the only thing Greitens is truly sorry about. He got caught and now wants to shift the blame to everyone else.
The final insult is that all of us in Missouri, through our tax dollars, have to pay legal fees for this self-serving man who never cared about his family, friends or the state.
Karen Bonner
Kansas City
Airport name
There seems to be no one human name for Kansas City’s new airport terminal that everybody agrees with, so why don’t we take a different and more creative approach? Why don’t we name it Heart of America or Heartland Terminal and show others who we are?
When my parents moved our family away from the ocean in Ventura, Calif., in 1969 to Missouri, I thought they meant “misery.” But I was so wrong, as I soon learned how friendly, kind, good and amazingly talented the vast majority of people are here.
I have remained here for 47 years because I love the diversity and the city’s emphasis on education, arts, music, nature, history, food, sports, fun and so much more.
Why not use our talents to show and tell who we are through beautiful sculptures, paintings, music, photographs, collections, trophies, etc., and give people a plethora of talent to marvel at as they walk through our new airport?
Our incredible diversity in culture, talent and abilities means we can show them we truly have heart.
Cathy Svacina
Kansas City
Sun safety
Most of us have experienced a sunburn at some point. However, children who have experienced sunburns before the age of 18 are more likely to develop skin cancer later in life.
With summer quickly approaching, here are some tips for staying safe in the sun.
To prevent sunburn, remember to follow the American Academy of Dermatology’s ABCs of sun exposure for children over 6 months old:
A: Away. Stay out of the sun when UV rays are the strongest. Keep sun exposure to a minimum between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
B: Block. Use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Apply this 30 minutes before going outside, and remember to reapply every two hours or anytime a child gets wet or sweaty.
C: Cover. Cover up with long sleeves, sunglasses and hats as much as possible.
These tips are recommended only for children older than 6 months. Children younger than 6 months old should be kept out of the sun. Sunscreen should be used only on small areas of the body and only if sun exposure cannot be avoided.
Remember, having fun in the sun means being safe in the sun.
McKenzie
Smith, M.D.
Kansas City
This story was originally published May 31, 2018 at 8:30 PM with the headline "Letters: Readers discuss the Irish abortion vote, Greitens and safety under the sun."