Letters: Readers discuss Girl Scout lessons, Dan Coffey and tragic child abuse in Kansas City
Girl Scouts
I did not read one fact to support the anti-Girl Scout argument made recently by Elizabeth Kirk. (May 6, 13A, “Naumann’s Girl Scouts stance rightly reflects Catholic values”)
Instead of facts, I read vague generalities, like Scouts operate under a “tired strain of feminism.” I read unsubstantiated claims, such as citing the Girl Scouts’ “promoting contraception, abortion” or saying they have partnered with Planned Parenthood.
As an adult volunteer for 12 years with Girl Scouts USA, I worked with four troops, two service units and one regional counsel. I assure you, we never worked on a Girl Scout contraception badge.
The new group Kirk promotes, American Heritage Girls, sounds like Girl Scouts with a dose of religion added. Well and good. However, don’t attack the very group you are copying with falsehoods. May I suggest the Heritage Girls work on a fact-finding badge?
Amy Haun
Prairie Village
Naysayers
I’m unbelievably tired of Dan Coffey and others of his ilk who seem relentlessly against progress and growth in Kansas City — the latest being the downtown convention hotel. (April 29, 4A, “Another potential stumbling block for downtown convention hotel”)
To them I say, find a hobby to fill your obviously abundant spare time, or move to a country where your negative attitude and energy would be welcomed.
Kansas City needs to continue its current trend of growth, progress and prosperity.
Charles Ballew
Kansas City
Speaking fees
Should we limit the speaking fees of former presidents? It’s funny when supposed lovers of the “free market” say yes, especially because there is nothing new in this issue. Compared with some predecessors, Barack Obama’s $400,000 speaking fee is not unusually big.
This did not suddenly become an issue in the last week or two. Ronald Reagan got $2 million for a couple speeches in Japan in 1989. That’s about $3.8 million in current dollars.
The pivotal figure may have been Gerald Ford. Within a year after his presidency ended, he collected about $1 million from sitting on a few corporate boards, or about $4 million today.
I’m much more worried about profiteering by having your in-laws in the White House and then selling properties to foreigners to ensure that they can get visas and access to currently well-connected people. Just imagine if it were Hillary Clinton’s family trying to pull that off.
Don Mrozek
Kansas City
Endless warfare
Seventeen years in Afghanistan and similar engagement throughout the Middle East. Why? What have we to gain?
Are the countries better off with our involvement? Is our country behind this endless warfare? How about Congress?
We deserve to know why we are involved. How do we extract ourselves? Is perpetual warfare our future?
George J. McLiney Jr.
Kansas City
Abuse tragedy
The last line of a letter in The Star on May 7 regarding the tragedy of Adrian Jones was about protecting the reader from this horrendous news. (14A) Really?
I hope The Star and every other news agency in this region will stay on this story until both Kansas and Missouri agencies have been held accountable for the too many unanswered questions, unreleased records, sealed records and “decline to comments.”
Kansas Department for Children and Families Secretary Phyllis Gilmore alleges that her agency provided “multiple services” to the Jones family, yet refuses to give any specifics about those services, any phone calls made to the hotline or when abuse or neglect were reported. (May 6, 1A, “Agency describes how it tried to help Adrian Jones’ family”)
Neither state is willing to release any records. Kansas City, Kan., police will not release records, and a judge has ordered the case be sealed. There is so much secrecy here that one might wonder if there is a cover-up.
I pray that Adrian’s grandmother, Judy Conway, continues to hound those who were responsible for intervening in this situation but seemingly did little, if anything, to help.
Sherry Darrow
Leawood
This story was originally published May 9, 2017 at 5:34 PM with the headline "Letters: Readers discuss Girl Scout lessons, Dan Coffey and tragic child abuse in Kansas City."