Letters: Readers discuss The Star’s Bill Snyder editorial, gun rights and happy Kansas City memories

K-State editorial

I despair. A famous coach, one of his players, a clash of wills, a mistake made, remedies found and apologizes made: The End. Nothing I see warrants The Star’s harsh, lecturing Sunday editorial. (June 4, 14A, “Snyder made foolish decision at KSU”)

No one knows the whole story except perhaps the parties involved. Surely you support obeying the law and following the rules and regulations with honor and discipline.

This is a man who is teaching and leading young men. I attended the Catbacker event where coach Bill Snyder made the comments Thursday night. He was obviously ill. Yet he was honoring his commitment, speaking to our group as promised, even after receiving a cancer treatment that day.

People make mistakes, especially when they are suffering. They make amends if they are honorable. They don’t need a pack of hyenas pouncing on them the minute they falter.

Georganne Gorham

Kansas City

New approaches

The KC Tech Council serves as the regional advocate for Kansas City’s technology industry, which includes more than 93,000 workers and 3,700 employers and contributes to nearly 10 percent of our region’s total economy.

We are concerned with the city’s approach to what we call the collaborative economy. More than once, we’ve seen policymakers choose to regulate this new business segment by adjusting or overlaying existing, ill-fitting regulations.

Most recently, we’re concerned about the proposed regulations of short-term rental services such as Airbnb, Homeaway and VRBO, which are internet-based marketplaces for individuals to list and rent privately owned short-term lodging, including entire homes or single rooms.

Kansas City needs short-term rentals to attract a technology workforce. Whether interviewing for tech jobs, completing a contract or visiting from another city for tech conferences, our audience uses this asset.

The proposed regulations will kill the supply of short-term rentals with no guarantee of increased safety or enforcement. If passed, there are two predictable outcomes: People will stop using these technology platforms entirely, or they will find other ways to host guests without the watchful eye of city officials, creating a public safety concern.

If others care about the future sustainability of short-term rentals in Kansas City, they should reach out to their elected officials. These people are great public servants, and they listen to residents and business leaders.

Ryan Weber

President

KC Tech Council

Kansas City

Gun debate

I read with interest The Star’s story “Kansas lawmakers vote to bar guns in hospitals.” (June 2, 1A)

As I read the article, I was amazed at the number of times Senate President Susan Wagle referred to the needs of the National Rifle Association. She said, “The NRA believes that people who might do harm don’t look at a sign and follow it. They say when you walk into a facility and the good guy is turning over his gun, they want adequate security there to protect the good guy.”

My question to Wagle: Who elected the NRA to the Kansas Legislature?

Mike Burns

Kansas City

Since when did people toting guns start referring to themselves as the “good guys”? Are they suggesting a kind of vigilante interaction with the “bad guys”?

I know the police can’t prevent a sudden violent assault, but the many repercussions of a citizen trying to stop a crime by jerking out his Glock and unloading bullets drive me to distraction.

I’d rather count on the Lone Ranger and his trusty sidekick Tonto.

Katie Linder

Prairie Village

Happy times

I always enjoy the Time Capsule in Sunday’s Arts and Culture section. The picture of the Barclay Hotel has some special memories. (June 4, 5D, “Barclay hotel on Troost sold”)

As a child, I lived at 26th Street and Cherry Street, just a few blocks from 27th Street and Troost Avenue, a once-vibrant area with a grocery store, a barber shop and even the Bagdad Theatre — a place for double features of Roy Rogers and Hopalong Cassidy.

The corner business at the hotel was a drugstore and fountain serving burgers and the best malts in the neighborhood.

The bicycle appearing on the side in the photo must have belonged to an old, black gentleman who delivered prescriptions and even hamburgers. I can’t remember his name, but at times he stood on the corner visiting as we waited for the Troost Avenue streetcar to take us uptown.

Thanks for the memory.

Larry Miller

Overland Park

This story was originally published June 5, 2017 at 8:30 PM with the headline "Letters: Readers discuss The Star’s Bill Snyder editorial, gun rights and happy Kansas City memories."