Letters to the editor
Uplifting 816 issue
A big ''shout out'' and thank you for the Aug. 13 edition of the 816 news magazine. After reading the A section of The Star regarding the riots in Ferguson, Mo., the Ebola crisis, the fighting in Iraq, and the deaths of Robin Williams and Lauren Bacall, one can easily get discouraged and question the direction in which our youth, our country and our world is headed.
As an aging baby boomer, it does this old heart good to read inspiring and heartwarming stories in the 816 magazine such as the articles about the young black kids learning to play golf (unheard of in the days of my youth growing up in the inner city) and the five young people from the Kansas City area selected for the Bank of America student leaders program. I applaud and salute you for a job well done.
While bad news in the A section might bring me down temporarily, heartwarming and inspiring stories in the 816 like these lift my spirits and reinforce my faith in our young people to lead us to a better tomorrow.
Eddie L. Clay
Grandview
Violence in Ferguson
Revenge is never right. Getting even does not work in life. Acts of injustice just breed more acts of injustice.
As I watched the television news reports from St Louis, my head understands the anger. My heart aches for all involved.
Man has always had a character streak that wants to have everything that everybody else has. Man is also ready to pass judgment on others.
Revenge has never been a winner for anyone.
Richard Blaisdell
Kansas City
Seeking political truth
Finding the truth about political issues has changed over the last couple of decades. Knocking on the door of my seventh decade, my go-to sources for an honest assessments have changed.
National issues — Jon Stewart, Bill Maher and John Oliver clear the BS and shine a light on the truth. On statewide Missouri and Kansas issues, finding the political truth isn't possible.
Each state is dominated by politicians who are so corrupt the truth comes packaged in kickbacks from special and narrow interest groups. Reporting on statewide issues relevant to the metro area is inadequate by the local news media.
Metro issues are covered adequately by KCPT-TV, Channel 19 and The Kansas City Star. The local TV stations seem to be lost in the abyss of celebrity and reality TV shows.
Their newscasts have become nothing more than promoting “selfies,” pushing their nighttime entertainment lineups and the pet rescue industry!
Finding truth in political issues isn't hard. What politicians do and don't do will affect your ability to survive.
The political “crazies” don't care about the truth.
Paul Comerford
Blue Springs
Unthinkable negligence
As a parent-grandparent, over the years I have hauled countless numbers of children in car seats. I cannot understand how anyone could innocently forget a baby or young child and leave that person strapped in a hot car for even a minute.
John Couture Sr.
Kansas City
This story was originally published August 19, 2014 at 9:35 PM with the headline "Letters to the editor."