Readers share views on Kansas City schools, the NRA and the Missouri texting scandal
Superintendent quits
I am shocked to hear that the superintendent for Kansas City Public Schools is moving on (5-14, A1, “Schools chief Green set to leave”).
What will happen next in Kansas City? A petition drive by Clay Chastain?
As Yogi Berra once famously said, “It’s deja vu all over again.”
Ed Coleman
Kansas City
NRA’s successes
Each year the total cost of societal harm from traffic accidents is about $900 billion. We tolerate this because we all have cars and want to get from point A to point B, pronto.
Each year the total cost of societal harm from gunshots approaches $300 billion — about the same as smoking. We tolerate this because a lot of people own guns.
Of course, the real reason is that the National Rifle Association fires round after round of cash to bring all the lawmakers it can into its hunting pouch. The NRA is so successful that even the study of gunshot damage is stifled.
Ron Platt
Overland Park
Changes at homes
The sentence , “Honey, I’m home,” used to make a wife and kids feel warm and happy. As John Diehl, now former Missouri House speaker, resigns and joins a long list of politicians who are now spending time with their families, we are increasingly finding this sentence to be an announcement of alarm.
Spouse: “You’re home? Oh, my gosh. What did you do?” (Begins to sob.) “Please tell me it wasn’t an intern.” (Falling to her knees.)
“Surely not a prostitute? You didn’t go hiking somewhere I hope.”
I’d like to see Norman Rockwell paint this picture.
Melody Messner
Kansas City
Republican values
It was encouraging to see so many Missouri House Republicans standing behind Speaker John Diehl as he spoke to the public regarding his affair (5-17, A1, “What’s the cost to be an intern?”). We need a party that stands up and fights for the traditional concept of marriage: one woman, one man and his 19-year-old mistress.
Alex Migliazzo
Leawood
Clinton mouthpiece
George Stephanopoulos has had a great career being a spokesman for Bill and Hillary Clinton (5-15, A2, “TV’s George Stephanopoulos apologizes”). And before that, he actually worked for the Clintons in the White House.
Jim Swallow
Stilwell
High-paid Clintons
Based on material disclosed to the Federal Election Commission recently by the Clintons, they received fees for about 100 or so speeches totaling more than $25 million. I don’t care who you are, that’s a great deal of money (5-16, A2, “Speeches bring in $25 million”).
Talk about wealth redistribution. Just what could they be saying that is worth that much money? It’s an open-handed, under-the-table means of gaining influence and access by those people paying this amount.
Check the use of this money by the Clinton Foundation. Less than 15 percent (possibly less than 10 percent) actually goes to the people or countries in need. The rest is used for who knows what, but it sure doesn’t pass the smell test for good and fair management by the foundation.
Bill Clinton says he has to pay bills. In the eyes of this beholder, it’s a lie that they have been using with the American public since their time in Arkansas.
Donald Darling Jr.
Kansas City, Kan.
Capitol animal house
Interns are smart, energetic, nearly always attractive young people who adore the legislators they work for. They usually are political science majors who want to be where their studies have taken them — in the heart of political power and action.
They hear lobbyists flatter and cajole their assigned legislators and start believing much of what they hear. There is danger that comes with adoration; many are taken advantage of as the drama unfolds.
Truman University sent interns at one time to the state Capitol. I told the head of the political science department I’d never allow my daughters to intern there. From that moment on, I got to choose which legislators were assigned interns. It would be much harder to do that today with term limits.
In my experience as a legislator from 1979 to 1992, I found that young female legislators also are in vulnerable positions.
Even with sexual-harassment laws, are female lawmakers going to report someone whose vote they’ll need in the future? Are you going to be a team player? And if you are an intern, your grade may depend on your cooperation with a legislator.
Sandra Reeves
Trimble, Mo.
CEO qualities
I was recently reading a phenomenal book called “The Corner Office.” This book essentially shares Fortune 500 executives’ work, personal experiences and thoughts on how to make it to the corporate suites.
The book also discusses what executives look for in good employees. I made a discovery that I find most profound.
The book states that “the five qualities these executives each possess are: battle-hardened confidence, a passionate curiosity, team smarts, a simple mindset and fearlessness.” After reading this list of qualities, I looked over to my German shepherd, Honey, and I thought to myself, “My God! Man’s best friend would make the best CEO.”
See, Honey possesses each of these wonderful qualities. She is fearless when it comes to those tennis balls and toys. She has a team/wolfpack mentality.
She definitely has battle-hardened confidence. Her curiosity is second to none, and she has a simple mindset that revolves around life’s necessities such as food, fetch, water and rawhide bones.
Maybe the world isn’t so complicated after all.
Joe DeMarco
Overland Park
Kudos to The Star
I would like to extend thanks to the hard-working journalists at The Kansas City Star who continue to effect positive change in our world (5-14, A1, “Tenderized beef to get label under USDA rule”).
Beef that has been treated with injected tenderizers must now include that information on labeling because of The Star’s investigative reporting on the issue.
At Costco the other day, I noticed such a label on some steaks. It included that valuable information voluntarily, and I appreciated it, but knowing that such disclosure is now required in all stores is very comforting. Without reporters on the case, such positive change would not happen.
Great work, and thanks, Kansas City Star.
Bill Pallucca
Kansas City
Walker no rising star
So Scott Walker thinks he can “take on” Islamic State terrorists because he can take on protesters in Wisconsin. I am one of the persons he thinks he took on in Wisconsin — a public school teacher who belongs to the National Education Association.
I teach middle school English, don’t own a gun, have worked for peace and justice my entire life and attend church regularly. Opposing someone like me is no evidence that Walker understands the complexity of the situations in the Middle East or even here in the heartland.
In fact, his statement and the reference that he is considered a “rising star” is all the more reason to support Common Core Standards, the hallmark of which is to teach critical thinking.
Emilee Rose
Kansas City
Annual mammograms
I once asked my doctor why I needed yearly mammograms when mine have been normal in the past.
His answer was, “If you do develop breast cancer, what if this is the year to catch it?”
This is a good enough reason for me to get a mammogram done yearly.
Janet Griffiths
Lenexa
Grandview’s finest
I was involved in a one-car accident on U.S. 71. I want to compliment the two officers with the Grandview Police Department who helped a very shaken-up senior citizen.
They were so patient. They contacted a friend of mine, got me off the highway safely and stayed until my friend arrived to take me home.
Kudos to the Grandview police officers who displayed such a high degree of professionalism.
Pat Shrewsbury
Belton
This story was originally published May 19, 2015 at 10:00 AM with the headline "Readers share views on Kansas City schools, the NRA and the Missouri texting scandal."