Readers discuss poverty, climate change, politicians, presidency, gym class
Poverty’s effects
The topic of poverty, not just around the globe but in our community, draws my attention and so it should yours.
Living a day-to-day life to get by with enough food for you and your family can have a negative impact on your well-being. Poverty can also be long-lasting. It limits the chances of a rise in class, adequate health care, safe neighborhoods and schools with full resources.
As a child of two parents from a poverty-stricken country, I have matured to appreciate the sacrifices made by those who came before me. My parents moved to America from the Philippines to fulfill their dreams and work their way to stability.
I believe America has the potential to relieve the strain on those in poverty by providing them with simple things such as food by donations to any local food bank and through practically any volunteer work. As for health-care coverage, acceptable funding of Medicaid would truly help those who cannot afford it.
These are just little things that can help our community. Positive actions will bring forth compassionate and respectful attention and eventually strengthen our community as a whole.
Alyzza Vitug
Kansas City
Climate change
The planet is getting hotter. Maybe not in every spot on every day, but the average temperature day and night around the world is going up.
It affects rainfall patterns, which cause droughts and floods. It affects agriculture, insects, wildlife and snowfall. It melts glaciers and opens new shipping routes in the arctic. Food and water shortages cause political turmoil, migration and war.
Let’s not overreact trying to deal with it by scrapping everything we’ve put in place. Let’s try to understand what is or is not happening and what is or is not effective in adapting to our changing environment.
Mack Tilton
Kansas City
Scientific data has proved that global warming is a fact — much debated, but still a fact. Many countries, including the United States, agree that it is a problem caused by humans and needs to be addressed.
This is where the Paris Agreement comes into play. Secretary of State John Kerry has worked hard in support of this agreement, which involves moving away from fossil fuels and attempting to decrease the rate of rise in global temperatures. More than 100 nations have signed this agreement because of a belief in climate change and a need to reduce its effects.
President-elect Donald Trump, however, does not believe in climate change and will not want to devote resources or money to this cause.
So the question has to be asked: What will happen to the future of climate change in America? Without federal legislation, businesses will have no incentives to reduce their environmental impact.
Even though the United States has ratified the Paris Agreement will Trump try to repeal it? How can the United States continue to move in the right direction if our president doesn’t think it’s a problem?
Amy Burnham
Kansas City
Future hope
As a dismayed, disappointed and depressed voter, I find great hope in the letter from 16-year-old Daniel Bauman in the Nov. 14 Star regarding this election and our future.
I echo all of your pleas for our future. My greatest hope is that your generation will lead us to equality, tolerance and a peaceful future. Lead on.
Shannon Jones
Kansas City
Gym class
As a high school student who participates in a sport, I find it unnecessary that our school district requires us to take a physical education class. The school district is only making it harder for student-athletes to pursue their academic goals with the requirement of a gym class.
The credits that are spent in a physical education class could be used on an extra fine arts class or a core class. If students decide not to take the gym class during the school year, they are forced to waste a month of their summers to make up for it.
Athletes are getting as much, if not more, physical activity than an average student who participates in a gym class.
Most important, athletes are taking time out of their daily lives to go to after-school practices.
The least the school district could do is give these athletes some credit for the effort they put forth while representing the school.
Ellen Auduong
Kansas City
Offensive cartoon
Glenn McCoy’s cartoon depicting the “Last helicopter out of Hollywood” (Opinion, 11-15) is offensive because of its racist and anti-Semitic portrayals.
The Star has published not just an opposing viewpoint, but the work of someone who denigrates people of color and Jews to get his point across about Hollywood being full of liberals.
Just look at the three individuals hanging from the helicopter: an angry woman, a dark-skinned man with his cap on backward and a man who has something like devil horns on his head.
This is insulting, but most of all, scary. When else have we seen devils portrayed in political cartoons?
I’m for free speech and political discourse. I am a liberal and Jewish, but I do not think the newspaper of record in Kansas City should be printing racist political cartoons.
Erika Zeitz
Roeland Park
Who’s like you?
So we want our elected leaders to represent us. Ask yourself: Which congressman looks like you? Which ones live like you? Who among them try to budget on $30,000 per year? Which senators live in $150,000 homes? Who drives a 10-year-old car?
Those would be the ones who can relate your life. Do some looking and see if you can find one.
John Chapman
Gladstone
Arts education
I am in the musical pit at my high school, and I love it. However, we have to have 12 performances because our theater is not big enough to allow everyone to come see the show in three nights, as most shows would have.
During those two weeks of shows, musical kids don’t get home until around 10 p.m., and then we do homework until midnight or later. Musical kids’ grades drop because we’re tired all the time.
Recently, my school paid for a third gym. This is great for the school. However, I think a new theater would be more beneficial, since ours is so small.
Since there is no place for a pit, we musicians must play in a separate room and our sound is piped into the theater. This could result in a significant problem if an electrical cord stopped working, and it also prevents us from receiving awards for our pit because of the delay that is caused.
The fine arts department deserves just as much funding as the athletic department receives so we can live up to our full potential.
Natalie Juno
Liberty
Presidential script?
DT: “How come the nasty woman got more votes than I did but I have to do a job for four years that I never really wanted? What about those guys in black suits with the sunglasses?”
GOP: “Those gentlemen are paid to keep you alive. You now have a great number of new enemies.”
DT: “And if they fail?”
GOP: “They lose their pensions.”
DT: “What about my privacy?”
GOP: “You have a new microscopic lifestyle. Privacy is forgotten for four years. Everybody is watching.”
DT: “What about my decision-making?”
GOP: “We’ll take care of that completely.”
DT: “Stroke my chin, keep my opinions to myself? I have delivered myself to a new, silent ringmaster job and all these excellent brains of the GOP will tell me what to say and what my scheduled days and meetings will be. I’ll even get to see Arlington Cemetery for the first time. What about church? Do I have to go?”
GOP: “No one expects you to attend anyway.”
DT: “Golf, swimming — sounds like retirement.”
GOP: “Limit your board meetings. You will go down in history as the Greatest Presidential Delegator.”
DT: “What about those foreign leaders I meet with?”
GOP: “You really don’t do the English language very well so just whisper to your translators, and we will give them words of wisdom for your replies. They won’t know you’re uneducated.”
DT: “Smile a bunch and look thoughtful?”
GOP: “Now you have it.”
DT: (Whispered) “Group of deplorables.”
Will Jones
Maplewood, Mo.
Serving customers
I believe customer service can be one of the most difficult jobs. When you are in customer service, you always have to have a good attitude and a smile on your face.
For most people, it comes easy and is natural. It is rewarding to have conversations with people and connect with them.
The hardest thing about a job that requires interacting with customers and making relationships with them is when you try to talk to them and they ignore you or are very short with you.
Most customer-service employees are trying their hardest to make your time at their workplace enjoyable, easy experiences. When the customer ignores these customer-service agents, it is very disheartening to them. They are just trying to make sure you have the best time you can have.
If a worker comes up to talk to you, join in the conversation and be nice. It just might make his or her day.
Kathryn Gaither
Kansas City
This story was originally published November 16, 2016 at 3:02 PM with the headline "Readers discuss poverty, climate change, politicians, presidency, gym class."