Harvey rescues, Jenee Osterheldt’s return and John Danforth

Coming together

The fact that people from all over the country are heading to help in Texas surely proves that we are united states.

Lee Barewin

Kansas City

A happy return

Dear Jeneé Osterheldt,

I opened the paper Wednesday morning, and there you were on Page 2A, writing with the same power, clarity and eloquence as before you left for Harvard. (Aug. 30, “My welcome back to Missouri”)

You have always given me food for thought, and I have been the better for it. You are a jewel in the crown of The Kansas City Star.

Welcome home.

David Wristen

Leawood

Hollow words

I have read and reread the commentary by John C. Danforth, ordained minister and former U.S. senator from Missouri, “Republicans must break with Trump and his divisiveness.” (Aug. 26, 11A)

Though the headline was encouraging, the body did not live up to the hope it instilled. Sadly, it would seem, Danforth’s greatest concern is for the Republican brand rather than being focused on the very real danger that an ongoing Donald Trump presidency presents to our nation and the world.

Instead of offering rational and practical steps forward, it served only to bring to mind the words of another Christian minister about buyer’s remorse: Martin Niemoller and his poem, “First They Came …”

Danforth’s column is all about the great things associated with the GOP, but it does not acknowledge the fact that the Republican Party is responsible for installing this terribly unqualified and unbalanced man in office in the first place, nor does it advocate for his removal from that office by the only bodies with the power to legally and peaceably take the steps necessary to do so: the Republican-controlled House and Senate.

Royal Scanlon

Kansas City

Big fans

President Donald Trump has reportedly fired his longtime rally organizer, George Gigicos, because of a less-than-capacity crowd last week in Phoenix.

A paraphrase of Yogi Berra seems apropos: If people don’t want to attend a Trump rally, how are you going to stop them?

Lee Kirchhoff

Blue Springs

Poor conduct

According to the Aug. 30 story “Republican senator won’t vote to expel Democrat over Trump assassination post,” (4A) it seems as though a GOP senator from Springfield would support an official censure of state Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, as well as her permanent removal from Senate committees.

However, he would not vote to expel her from the Senate.

Chappelle-Nadal, who embarrassed herself during the Ferguson uprisings with foul language toward then-Gov. Jay Nixon instead of living up to her duties as a state senator, recently posted then removed on her personal Facebook page a post saying she hoped President Donald Trump would be assassinated.

Her behavior besmirches not only her constituents, but her stature as a senator and perhaps even the Senate as an institution.

There must be standards of behavior that all our elected officials have to abide by. Violating them, as Chappelle-Nadal has, should be reason for at least an official reprimand or censure.

The question is whether our political representatives have the courage to do so, or if it will be business as usual.

Helmuth Haug

Kearney

Unhealthy trust

According to attachment theory, basic trust is developed early in infancy in the context of a secure and safe attachment with the maternal object. Otherwise, if the nature of the attachment is insecure, basic distrust permeates the quality of relations.

As a psychoanalyst, I know these early developments set the basis for future relations in life.

After watching President Donald Trump and his audience in Phoenix recently, I was appalled by how the crowd blindly cheered and celebrated his obvious lies and his self-aggrandizing persona. The president and his audience encourage each other with endless mutual admiration in the false belief they are unquestionably right.

Nothing in excess is healthy. Too much trust or distrust can be equally deceitful to our belief system and will cloud our critical thinking.

Distrust can evoke a negative feeling, yet it can also be a warning of something potentially dangerous. So we better pay close attention to somebody with an authoritarian personality such as our current president.

Manuel Morales

Overland Park

This story was originally published August 31, 2017 at 8:30 PM with the headline "Letters: Readers discuss Hurricane Harvey rescues, Jenee Osterheldt’s return and John Danforth."