Readers share thoughts on police, Kansas schools and Missouri agriculture bill

Service of police

In 2015, more than 120 police officers died in the line of duty, defending society from criminals. (No mention of this from The Kansas City Star.)

Since records have been kept, more than 20,000 police officers have been killed on duty. That’s nearly 10 times the number of military deaths during the war in Afghanistan. No mention by The Star.

Every year, about 50,000 police officers are assaulted. No mention by The Star.

After your store is robbed, your car is vandalized or your home is broken into, remember this: When you call 911, you are not looking for a community leader to show up and organize a protest.

Instead, you want a police officer to come and deal with the criminal, armed or unarmed. The officer will quite possibly put his life on the line for you, a complete stranger.

There are hundreds of these calls every day, in every city across the country. No mention made.

The Star stands as a beacon of darkness in an increasingly dark society.

Brian Cage

Shawnee

Unruly children

It was a shame that Cincinnati Zoo officials had to put down one of its great apes on Saturday (6-1, A7, “Like Cincinnati, zoo in KC says: Human life comes first”). Lowland gorillas are in short supply.

Unfortunately, unruly children are not.

Joe Fopeano

Parkville

Taxing agenda

The Star’s editorial board has never met a tax increase it doesn’t like. So it is no surprise the newspaper is weighing in early on Kansas legislative races to promote candidates who will raise taxes in Topeka (5-31, Editorial, “Three story lines will dominate 2016 elections and Kansas’ future”).

The choice is easy once you decipher the editorial board’s code words. If you think government is too small in Kansas, go ahead and follow The Star’s advice and vote for so-called “moderates” in the August primary.

If you think government growth should be held in check — or if you’re exhausted by this newspaper’s relentless anti-conservative propaganda — vote for Republican incumbents who have worked hard to protect Kansas families from unsustainable government growth.

There’s a legitimate debate to be had about the size of government and whether the $6 billion-a-year investment in Kansas K-12 public schools is producing results, but you can be sure about this: The Star’s pet representatives — Stephanie Clayton, Melissa Rooker and Linda Gallagher — are firmly on the side of sending more dollars from Johnson County families and small businesses to Topeka bureaucrats.

Patty Keaton

Shawnee

Sexual link

Wow. Ken Starr. He sure is into that sex stuff isn’t he (5-26, Commentary, “In resurrecting conspiracy theories, Trump goes too far”)?

John Lancaster

Plattsburg, Mo.

Veto big ag bill

Big agriculture lobbyists have launched yet another attack on the rights of Missourians. They’ve quickly pushed a bill through the legislature that would allow large-scale factory farms to escape accountability.

HB 1414 would withhold agricultural data from the public, making it extremely difficult to find out about what’s happening at these corporate farming operations.

Our elected officials should be fighting for Missouri residents. Instead, they’ve chosen to allow irresponsible corporations to hide behind a shoddy piece of legislation.

I encourage Gov. Jay Nixon to do the right thing and veto HB 1414.

Lynne Rees

Kansas City

Brownback’s rule

Let’s get past the idea that Gov. Sam Brownback really thought his tax cuts would stimulate the economy so much they would replace, and then exceed, the decrease in government receipts.

The intent is clearly to cut government and starve public agencies so they are no longer able to function effectively.

This falls in line with the libertarian notions of those who fund Brownback and his minions in the Legislature. He does not want more money in the state coffers. He wants less and less.

It is said that absolute power corrupts absolutely. But what happens when you start corrupt?

There is no solution except a revolt by his party, in particular an escape to the opposing party. I don’t know why it’s not happening as it did during Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ administration, but it needs to start happening.

Stanley Stern

Prairie Village

This story was originally published June 2, 2016 at 6:45 PM with the headline "Readers share thoughts on police, Kansas schools and Missouri agriculture bill."