Letters: U.S. Senate race, Roeland Park anti-discrimination ordinance

Elect Greg Orman

Greg Orman, independent candidate for the U.S. Senate seat in Kansas, runs positive television commercials. He states what he believes and what needs to be done to get our country on the right track.

Incumbent Republican Sen. Pat Roberts runs negative advertisements. He must have no agenda.

Roberts is that most disgusting of human beings — a career politician. As such, Roberts represents no one but himself.

His only interest appears to be re-election. He doesn’t live in Kansas and does not represent Kansas.

He represents Pat Roberts. Who needs him?

He is a disgrace. Let’s get rid of him now.

William Britt

Leawood

Orman as Democrat

Are Kansas voters crazy? Do they really think that senatorial candidate Greg Orman is a moderate, independent voice of reason?

It is a matter of record that Orman has contributed to the campaigns of President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. He actually ran for office as a Democrat candidate in the past.

Now professional insider Democratic pols smell blood and are already converging on Kansas. If elected, there can be no doubt that Orman will caucus with Sen. Reid and the Democrats.

He will be a tool for the Obama agenda, which means:

▪ More activist, leftist judges.

▪ Further emasculation of our military.

▪ Continued inept, flaccid foreign policy.

▪ Persistent incentive-stifling by the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Labor Relations Board and the Internal Revenue Service.

▪ Full implementation of the Obamacare disaster.

Sorry, Orman decidedly does not offer a refreshing change in the Washington, D.C., culture.

A vote for Orman is a vote to retain Sen. Reid as majority leader in the Senate and to perpetuate the Obama legacy. Kansans simply cannot allow such an epic catastrophe.

Michael T. Murphy

Prairie Village

Safeguarding rights

I am trying to understand why some of my Roeland Park neighbors want to deny protection from discrimination to anyone (9-17, 913, “Petition filed to repeal anti-discrimination ordinance”). I wonder whether their understanding of the recently passed ordinance is incomplete, if they think that by protecting the basic rights of gays, lesbian and transgender Roeland Parkers, they are in a way condoning same-sex marriage, which they may not support.

But the ordinance clearly has nothing to do with marriage, so that cannot be it. Clearly such protection is needed.

A number or citizens have testified at public meetings that they have felt less welcome than their straight counterparts in the arenas of housing, employment and retail service. So that cannot be it, either.

I am left with the conclusion that some citizens think that the right to discriminate against others itself needs to be protected. And with that I cannot agree.

I am hoping against hope that the City Council will not repeal this worthwhile ordinance that and if the ordinance is put to a public vote, it will be upheld. In my opinion, it is simply a matter of safeguarding “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” right that our Founding Fathers deemed inalienable for all.

Janelle Lazzo

Roeland Park

Global warming doubt

I don’t believe in global warming or climate change. But let’s assume that they are real.

Our increased CO₂ emissions are causing the world and America to experience more droughts, fires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, rising seas and all kind of weather/climate changes. If this were true, then one way to measure this should be by crop production.

Let’s take corn production in the U.S. since the year 2000. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, corn production in the U.S. in 2000 was 251,854 metric tons.

In 2013 the U.S. corn production was 353,965 metric tons. The U.S. has had a 40 percent increase in corn production over the last 13 years. If climate change is real is that such a bad thing?

Terry Kliethermes

Leawood

Positive action

Concerning the current National Football League abuse scandal, I’d like to point out that the league’s leaders, though the undisputed champions of the cover-up and looking the other way, are not the ones who beat their wives and kids. The spotlight must continue to shine on this very real, very sad problem.

It’s a reflection on all of us. On our society; on our culture of violence that we permit.

Here’s one thing we could do right away — turn off the television and stop going to the games until the supremely arrogant NFL leaders fix themselves and their broken game.

Steve Bock

Shawnee

Logo for disabilities

While an updated logo for the disabled isn’t a bad idea at all, city attorneys should know or learn that the current logo is contained in the Manual On Uniform Control Devices, a national standard for traffic signs, markings and signals (9-10, A4, “New disability sign is delayed”). Any changes to the Manual On Uniform Control Devices such as a revised disabled logo must go through a lengthy process as set forth by the Federal Highway Administration.

Use of an unapproved device makes it unenforceable, thus the courts would have to dismiss all citations given to non-disabled drivers parking in spaces designated for the disabled if an unapproved logo/sign is used. Local cities should do some research before spending money on unapproved/non-standard signs however well-intended.

Garry Metcalf

Overland Park

This story was originally published September 30, 2014 at 8:11 PM with the headline "Letters: U.S. Senate race, Roeland Park anti-discrimination ordinance."