Letters: Readers discuss George Romero, hazardous highways and horse slaughterhouses
Horror great
The 1932 movie “White Zombie,” starring Bela Lugosi, is credited as being the first legitimate Hollywood zombie movie. It wasn’t until 1968’s “Night of the Living Dead,” directed by George Romero, that zombie movies were universally embraced by movie fans.
Thank you, George Romero. Rest in peace. You will not be forgotten
Margaret Kensinger
Raytown
Dangerous driving
Area city, county and state law-enforcement agencies badly need to establish periods of intense traffic enforcement. Three recent fiery and fatal truck crashes and 13 motorcycle fatalities indicate motorists are driving with reckless abandon — speeding, inattention and distraction behind the wheel, questionable high-speed police chases on city streets, weaving in and out of traffic and so on.
This behavior is killing more and more people and causing costly property damage and inconvenience after these multivehicle crashes occur and block streets and interstates. The heat and humidity of summer will only worsen these situations until police crack down with visible, strict traffic enforcement.
Joe H. Vaughan
Prairie Village
I have been driving back and forth from Topeka to Kansas City for 40 years, making hundreds of trips. What used to be a nice, pastoral drive has turned into a very dangerous highway.
I think the semis are much to blame. When the speed limit was changed from 65 to 75 mph, the traffic began traveling at 85.
The other day I looked in my rear-view mirror and saw three semis parallel to each other — red, white and blue. They constantly come barreling up behind you.
It is really bad when there is rain and they kick up so much water you cannot see.
Given all the road construction, lanes have been narrowed and now swerve. Those barricades make for death traps if you are caught in the lane next to them.
Last week was a tragic week with the two terrible accidents, one on U.S. 69 and Interstate 435 and one on Interstate 70, both involving trucks and cars. The fires were so frightening. All I could think of was there but for the grace of God go I.
A couple of days before, I had been in that lane on Interstate 70 where the semi came over the hill and killed five people.
Donna Parr
Prairie Village
Budget reality
While I applaud Joe Scarborough for leaving the Republican Party, his July 18 column contained a serious historical error. (11A, “The end of the two-party political system is in sight”)
The balanced budgets at the end of the Clinton presidency were the direct result of the increase in the top marginal tax rate passed by a Democratic Congress in 1993 without a single Republican vote.
It’s a shame so many Democrats lost their seats because of that vote. And it’s equally shameful that neither President George W. Bush nor the Congress used the projected budget surpluses to fix our aging infrastructure, opting instead for a disastrous war and more tax cuts.
Gary Brush
Kansas City
Statesmanship
My compliments to Sen. Jerry Moran, whose policy preferences seldom align with mine.
He has demonstrated character by holding public meetings. He courageously acted contrary to Republican leadership in the health care battle. In days gone by these were expectations of multiple-term senators.
Today, his actions have put Moran on the path to statesmanship and provide a glimmer of hope that values and country can supersede party.
Well done, sir.
David P. Winans
Kansas City, Kan.
No horse meat
Last week, the U.S. House Appropriations Committee voted to go against the wishes of the vast majority of Americans to reopen horse slaughter plants.
This country was built on the backs of horses, and it is tragic to think we might now start slaughtering them for human consumption.
Not only is slaughtering horses a complete betrayal of the human-horse bond, but it would also cost Americans millions of taxpayer dollars to fund the inspection of plants that will slaughter meat most Americans have no interest in consuming. Horse slaughter is inherently cruel and cannot be done humanely.
While I am incredibly sad to see the way the appropriations committee voted, I am glad to know that Rep. Kevin Yoder voted with his constituents in mind and voted to defund theses horse slaughter plants.
Thank you, Congressman Yoder, for voting with your heart and being the voice of your constituents.
Susan Kaufmann
Fairway
This story was originally published July 19, 2017 at 8:30 PM with the headline "Letters: Readers discuss George Romero, hazardous highways and horse slaughterhouses."