Readers react to Kansas gun laws, the firing of a teacher and the Confederate flag
Anti-gun rhetoric
For months now, The Kansas City Star and letter writers have forecast dire results for Kansas after it eased anti-Second Amendment laws, allowing concealed carry for all Kansas citizens without licensing or training.
The dire warnings from the gun-control zealots included gunfights on Kansas streets similar to Dodge City of TV fame, or strongest of all, that the state would again be known as “bleeding or bloody Kansas” of pre-Civil War fame.
Yet, weeks into the new law and the only street shootings reported were in Kansas City, which has a very vocal anti-Second Amendment administration. Perhaps, it’s time to change the rhetoric.
Waldo Clock
Leavenworth
Teacher firing
In regards to Ken Simon being fired by the Raymore-Peculiar School District just short of his retirement (8-2, A1, “New year a sad one for former teacher”):
“In the first place, God made idiots. That was for practice. Then he made school boards.” — Mark Twain
’Nuff said.
Ross Warnell
Kansas City
Togetherness needed
The last few decades have brought us information and technology revolutions, while more recent events such as the Occupy, Arab Spring and other movements are pushing us toward a revolution in human values.
Most people would likely concede that our prowess with technology and information has outpaced advances in human and civil rights.
In fact, a lack of progress in all forms of human relationships is keeping us from making significant progress. Our problem is we can’t get politicians to move in the right direction. They are captives of big money.
This wealthy class will continue for a time to suppress the will of the people, but time is not on its side.
Polls show the public supporting more progressive positions than almost any mainstream politician would dare advocate. So what do politicians do? They sow chaos and confusion to try to keep the populace distracted.
People want our inequality problem addressed. Nothing short of that will do.
The rich constantly up the bar on what consumers desire. Our planet cannot take it.
We all need to work together to solve our problems, but how can that happen when some people suffer so that others can have gratuitous wealth?
Ken Gates
Overland Park
Confederate flag
The Confederate battle flag has been the most recent victim of political correctness, with all kinds of organizations jumping on the bandwagon. It has occurred to me that from 1776 through Jan. 1, 1863, the effective date of the Emancipation Proclamation, many flags flew over our nation, and during that entire time slavery was legal everywhere.
The Confederate battle flag is a complex symbol, sometimes misused and misappropriated by reprehensible organizations after the Civil War. But it seems to me that if we are to remove every Confederate battle blag, then under the same reasoning, all U.S. flags and state flags created before Jan. 1, 1863, must be treated equally and removed.
We cannot rewrite history, nor should we. What is important is to learn from history so we can improve the future.
Robert Croft
Leawood
Shop in Missouri
By eliminating Kansas income taxes for limited-liability companies, small businesses and farmers, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback and conservative legislators are in effect giving them a gift of cash.
Many business owners are embarrassed that they are not supporting their schools, maintaining the roads and paying their fair share of government services, such as the Kansas Highway Patrol.
Yet they choose to remain silent, accepting the gifts despite their embarrassment. Kansans can help them by shopping in Missouri.
Dave Peterson
Lenexa
Junk mail overload
I’m one of the many senior citizens who receive many pieces of junk mail daily. They all want money for their organizations.
I had four organizations that I donated to on a regular basis plus, of course, my church. I can’t do that anymore because these businesses have sold my address to many others who want donations.
I figured if I quit donating to my four they would eventually quit sending requests for funds. Let’s hope it works.
I hate not to send to my four, but it has created way too much mail.
Julie Watterson
Independence
Google Fiber wait
Google Fiber has again started a “sign-up south Kansas City campaign.” It would be a lot better if it installed fiber in the Woodbridge area, which it signed up more than a year ago.
Contracts were signed and deposits paid, but so far no action or information. If you are planning to sign up, be patient. Be very patient.
David Long
Kansas City
Transparency needed
Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers finalized one of the most significant environmental regulations in our nation’s history. The Waters of the U.S. rule expands the agencies’ regulatory footprint far beyond historical bounds.
Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt has filed a lawsuit, along with eight other states, challenging the rule. Kansas Farm Bureau supports this litigation.
The states rightfully claim the new rule violates the Administrative Procedures Act, the Clean Water Act, the National Environmental Policy Act and Article 1, Commerce Clause, of the U.S. Constitution. This rule exceeds the agencies’ legal authority.
Legislation that will require honest and transparent rulemaking to define the waters of the U.S. is clearly needed. Such legislation is the Federal Water Quality Protection Act, which the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has approved.
This legislation does not amend or narrow the Clean Water Act, but it requires the agencies to withdraw the current Waters of the U.S. rule and re-propose a rule based on limiting principles established by Congress. It is critical that EPA be required to do an open, honest and transparent rulemaking to define waters of the U.S.
The current rule does not meet that standard.
George Pretz
Paola, Kan.
Obama’s chaotic rule
When President Barack Obama leaves office in 2017, he will hand his successor a nation in chaos. On every front, this man has inflicted damage that may take generations to recover from.
Obama springs from the dark basement of the dissociative thought process of progressive liberalism. His administration has mastered the art of jumping from one lie and one disaster to another without missing a heartbeat. “Truth becomes lies,” “war is peace” and all that Orwellian memorabilia fit the “most transparent administration in history” to a T.
Great men and women try to find practical solutions to the world’s problems, while the Obamas of the world try to make the world’s problems fit politically correct solutions arrived at by ideological elitism. And when they fail, which they always do, it’s at the hands of some vast conspiracy instead of their own incompetence.
To politicians such as Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Obama, the acquisition of power is the end in itself, and it will always be couched behind the fiction of looking out for the little guy.
Gregory H. Bontrager
Hutchinson, Kan.
Older workers
I am a 69-year-old female, and I am looking for a part-time job. I have hand-delivered six resumes and filled out applications online to 42 other companies.
But I have not heard from anyone. Oh, let me take that back. I have heard with rejection. Do you think it could be my age?
As long as I have a house payment, I need to work. I drive. I bathe. I brush my teeth (I have teeth). I dress pretty nicely. Oh, and I am a nice person. I have worked for some big companies and off and on for attorneys for 20 years.
I have skills. So what is the problem? Again, I ask is it my age?
Older people are much more dedicated. We were taught work ethics. So if anyone has any suggestions, please let me know.
Lorrie Curtis
Kansas City
This story was originally published August 4, 2015 at 5:51 PM with the headline "Readers react to Kansas gun laws, the firing of a teacher and the Confederate flag."