Letters: Readers discuss a new Kansas City airport, net neutrality and banning plastic bags
Airport financing
I may be a solo voice, but since Kansas City International Airport serves the region, shouldn’t there be a mechanism for all area residents to support the construction of a new airport or redevelopment of the existing one?
I am a resident of Kansas and a frequent user of the airport. I would support a regional group with taxing authority to pay for bonds to upgrade the airport. The authority could expire when bonds are repaid.
Dennis Nicely
Overland Park
Neutral net
Members of Congress need to support bipartisan legislative solutions that prohibit internet service providers from selectively throttling data speeds, because that foments a conflict of interest between the providers and their corporate relationships — at the expense of independent content creators unwilling or unable to buy “friendly partnerships.”
They should also require transparency of network management practices so all ISPs are held accountable and policy is made clear and equitable to all users.
Broadband internet should be an open information service whose content is available to all. Current policy, the 2015 Open Internet Order, treats internet providers under the same legal framework as public utilities. It ensures that all traffic gets an equal and fair chance to be seen and heard.
Erin Burroughs
Kansas City
Bag it
This is a beautiful time of year. Flowers are blooming and the woods are alive with flowering trees. When traveling north on Interstate 435, I see the highway strewn with trash and plastic bags flying from the beautiful blooming trees.
This is a plea to Missouri and Kansas legislators to ban plastic bags, as other states have done. We can get along without them by using reusable and paper bags.
Roberta Newth
Leawood
Yoga debate
Benedictine College in Atchison has announced it will no longer teach yoga because “the word suggests advocacy for Hindu mysticism.” Well, actually the classes will remain the same, but they will be called “lifestyle fitness.” (April 14, 4A, “Catholic college in Kansas wipes ‘yoga’ from names of classes — it’s a Hindu thing”)
Finally, someone is addressing the terrible flood of people rushing out of yoga studios and heading straight for the nearest Hindu temple to join up. It’s a very insidious and effective recruiting tool. As we all know, nearly everyone who takes yoga classes becomes a Hindu.
Who among us hasn’t faced the devastating loss of a friend or loved one to this epidemic? Thank goodness someone is finalIy taking action. I say, bravo Benedictine.
Talis Bergmanis
Fairway
Well, my dear old alma mater, Mount St. Scholastica College — now called Benedictine College — has sprung a leak. Common sense is seeping away like last night’s rain.
Benedictine College is a liberal arts college whose leadership has not thought through this “Hindu thing” very carefully. The archbishop, college president and chancellor have all expressed concern that the effects of mysticism and Hinduism could lead to the “dangers” of a “spiritual dimension.”
The downward dog is among yoga’s stretching and breathing exercises. Alert to all Catholics: Maybe practice yoga, but don’t inhale?
How long before Catholics will be in the confessional admitting to the sin of yoga — hopefully not in any kneeling position that could be construed as you know what.
Shouldn’t this liberal arts college just let sleeping downward dogs lie?
Lee Karbaumer
Platte City
Not just Russia
Did Russia hack the Democrats’ computers? Who cares? Is it important enough to start a war? I don’t think so.
Is this considered meddling in the U.S. elections? Probably. Has the U.S. ever done anything similar? Yes.
Since the end of World War II, the U.S. has been involved in interfering with foreign governments frequently. One of the better-known was Iran in 1953, when the CIA helped put the Shah in as leader. Then there were Honduras and Guatemala in the 1950s and Chile and South Vietnam in the 1960s and ’70s.
Media reports suggest President Barack Obama spent taxpayers’ money to help the opposition try to upset Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the 2015 Israeli election.
I say let he who is without sin cast the first stone.
The neocons appear to be returning to power. John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Marco Rubio, Nancy Pelosi and Charles Schumer all seem to want to take on the Russians.
John Lovelace
Olathe
This story was originally published April 18, 2017 at 8:30 PM with the headline "Letters: Readers discuss a new Kansas City airport, net neutrality and banning plastic bags."