Readers share views on hunting in Kansas, capital punishment and President Obama
Right to hunt, fish
The language of a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution, HCR 5008, says that “public hunting and fishing shall be a preferred means of managing and controlling wildlife.”
This type of restrictive language is a one-size-fits-all restriction that fails to take into account situations in which hunting and fishing may not be feasible or scientifically advisable to protect wildlife.
It could present serious roadblocks to applying sound science in wildlife-management decisions. Pushing for the state to forever preserve and assign priority to these methods, to these means, creates a conflict of interest for agency biologists controlling invasive species using sound scientific principles.
We’ve always had a right to hunt and fish. Why are we reinventing the wheel?
Let your representative know that we don’t want this amendment to the Kansas Constitution.
Shelley Homan
Olathe
Capital punishment
Like The Star editorial board, I believe Missouri has no business participating in a seriously flawed enterprise — both from a moral and practical perspective — of taking lives.
It’s too bad The Star’s editorial staff is unwilling to apply the same arguments and moral principles to the notion of the state sanctioning and subsidizing abortions on demand.
Jeff Root
Overland Park
Rockhurst plan
The Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph dormitory proposal on the site of the closed St. Francis Xavier School was unanimously voted down by the City Plan Commission (3-18, A4, “Housing proposal suffers setback”). It was the third time the proposal was turned down, but the diocese is determined to move forward with the plan.
I would like to know how many times someone has to say the word “no” before the bishop gets the message.
The surrounding neighborhood, the St. Francis Xavier parish and the two universities that are neighbors of the parish all agree that there is no market for the high-priced ($700-$1,200 a month, no meal plan, no free parking) dormitory, not to mention the influx of more than 200 additional residents in the area.
The bishop is demonstrating his arrogance by continuing to push this dead issue, and he showed it by turning his back to an opponent who spoke to him and refusing to shake hands with one of the opponents by swatting the person’s hand.
This is the behavior of the diocesan “shepherd”?
If he really wants this proposal to go through, he could offer his palace as the site and find less ostentatious digs for himself, a la Pope Francis.
Karen Stigers
Kansas City
Obama, Chamberlain
President Barack Obama should pick up a history book about the beginning of World War II.
Before the war started, England’s Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain met with Adolf Hitler. The prime minister left thinking Germany wanted peace, and he defended his opinion over and over.
Germany, of course started the war.
History is repeating itself at this very moment. Our president not only defends his opinion but defends the terrorists.
That our lives are supposed to be defended by this man is a terrifying fact. Pray for our country.
Joe Lavender
Lenexa
Obama’s overreach
The Star’s March 16 editorial, “GOP senators place spite before diplomacy,” condemning Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton and 46 of his colleagues for sending a letter to Iran’s leaders shows an incredible partisan view of recent American foreign policy.
The editorial states, “This congressional meddling is unprecedented and skirts the line of the Logan Act, which forbids Americans from negotiating with foreign powers.”
But it fails to mention past Democrat transgressions in Republican foreign policymaking.
In 1985, then-Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry and Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin went to Nicaragua to meet with the Sandinista government in order to undermine President Ronald Reagan’s support for the Contra rebels.
In 2002, House Democrat David Bonior flew to Baghdad in an attempt to undermine George W. Bush’s case for war in Iraq.
In 2007, Rep. Nancy Pelosi visited Syrian dictator Bashar Assad in an attempt to push the Bush administration to open a direct dialogue with Syria.
The Founding Fathers wisely implemented separation of powers with checks and balances and created three equal branches of government.
Respect is a two-way street. President Barack Obama thumbed his nose at the legislative branch regarding immigration and Cuba. His imperial presidency borders on tyranny.
Michael Kalny
Shawnee
Good spring habit
The advent of spring is also a great opportunity to turn over a new leaf on our dietary habits. In fact, hundreds of communities welcome spring today with an observance of the Great American Meatout. Visitors are asked to go vegan, at least for the day, and to explore a healthy diet of vegetables, fresh fruits, legumes and grains.
This year’s 30th anniversary celebration of the Meatout is particularly significant because of the massive shift in America’s eating habits. Meatless Monday has been making huge advances in schools, universities, institutional cafeterias and restaurants. The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee is recommending reduced meat consumption.
Almost 50 percent of the respondents in a special GlobalMeatNews poll said they had reduced their meat consumption. Accordingly, per-capita U.S. meat consumption has dropped since 2005.
Each of us can celebrate our own advent of spring by checking out vegan foods in our local supermarket and vegan recipes on the Internet.
Victor Wing
Kansas City
Amnesty benefits
Our president has published a map of the United States showing how much each state’s GDP, or gross domestic product, will increase under his farsighted immigration executive-ordered amnesty.
Missouri will be particularly blessed, with a promised windfall of $9 billion. Of the states that border Missouri, only Illinois at $3.8 billion and Tennessee at $1.5 billion are close, with others merely in the millions of dollars.
For one man in all of history to be gifted with this level of brilliance and leadership is a true miracle. He makes me proud to be a Democrat. Bless him.
Lee Allen
Kansas City
Teacher shortage
As a retired teacher who taught for nearly 40 years (20 in Kansas), I predict that in the not too distant future Kansas will have a shortage of teachers. With the current administration, why would anyone choose teaching as a profession?
Gov. Sam Brownback is destroying public education by cutting budgets, eliminating due process and hacking away at retirement. Those are the things that keep teachers hanging in there because they love what they are doing.
In my experience, I had to constantly fight or beg for money to run my programs. In fact, when I retired I had quite a credit-card balance because of things I bought for my classes.
That was under the normal amount of aid to schools. I can only imagine what it is now under the Brownback cuts.
I foresee young people today, many with large college loans, steering clear of a profession that has very little support.
Ron Wray
Bonner Springs
Firefighters, police
This is an acknowledgment of the great work and effort put in by our police and fire departments.
At my place of work, Price Chopper, we have firefighters come in every week to buy groceries.
When I don’t have a sacker to sack their groceries, they will do it themselves.
If they see that another cashier or an elderly woman needs help, they stop to help. Even though I’ve gotten only one ticket in my time of using a vehicle, the experience was made less stressful by the police officer. He was calm and gentle when asking for identification and insurance.
Our public servants in Kansas City are amazing in a time of much distrust and unease. I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Tony George
Kansas City
This story was originally published March 19, 2015 at 10:00 AM with the headline "Readers share views on hunting in Kansas, capital punishment and President Obama."