Letters: Readers discuss Obama’s divisiveness, the Chiefs anthem and Westport crime
Obama’s legacy
I am appalled at the rising disrespect for our flag and country being displayed by athletes in the NFL. I believe that many agree as I do with President Donald Trump’s feelings on this issue. However, I don’t agree with his choice of words to get his point across.
As a veteran, I am sickened watching this grow, even spreading to little league kids playing football. These actions are racially motivated. We should not show disrespect for our American flag as a protest for any other reasons.
We can thank our former president for setting the stage for racial unrest and destructive protesting across America.
Come on, folks, this is not the America we once knew. Be respectful to our flag. Support your president, and let’s all challenge our political leaders and ourselves to set good examples for our youth and future leaders of our great nation.
Larry Timberlake
Lee’s Summit
True disrespect
The most unpatriotic thing that happens in the NFL is Chiefs fans singing the ending of the national anthem at games with “and the home of the Chiefs!”
If Chiefs fans will not sing the anthem as written, “The Star-Spangled Banner” should not be played at Arrowhead Stadium.
David Loven
Kansas City
What words mean
Has anyone told President Donald Trump that for the most part we do not want to go to war and we would like someone with a little moxie to negotiate peace?
Trump is used to bullying. This usually just costs his contractors money, but this is people’s lives. He has literally threatened to kill 26 million people in North Korea. That is murder.
Go to the table and negotiate. Will someone please take this man’s phone away so he can’t tweet?
North Korea’s foreign minister said that Trump declared war and that the North Koreans will start firing at U.S. bombers. We didn’t really declare war, did we?
Richard C. Lumpkin
Prairie Village
Too close
Does anyone have a problem with Kris Kobach remaining as Kansas secretary of state, in charge of elections and purging voters, while working for President Donald Trump and also running for governor? It would be pretty easy to purge thousands from the rolls and sway the election to another four years of Gov. Sam Brownback’s style.
Kobach needs to resign his current office or drop out of the governor’s race.
Marty Birch
Olathe
Westport omens
The increasing violence in Westport is bringing back memories of when the River Quay in the 1970s started its downhill slide. What started as a popular entertainment district became a place where people feared to go because of panhandling, risk of muggings or worse.
The final blow came with the bombing of two popular bars, Pat O’Brien’s and Judge Roy Bean’s.
Westport seems to be following the same pattern with the increase of violence. If this continues, it’s only a matter of time before it becomes a place where people fear to visit.
The city government seems unable to control the escalating problems, so it may be up to the business owners to take a hard stance to curb the situation.
Privatizing the streets might help, but closing the bars at a more appropriate time such as midnight also could provide a means of preventing late night-early morning violence.
I would be saddened to see Westport go the way of the River Quay.
Bruce Gallipole
Lenexa
Lesson missed
As a physician who specializes in child psychiatry, I have had the privilege of working with teenagers and learning their deepest thoughts. It saddens me when I see the adults in their world pass up opportunities to guide them to fulfill their potential.
It was jarring to read about the girls from St. Teresa’s Academy who posted pictures of themselves with a swastika and that their discipline consisted simply of a day of reflection. I would think their parents have given sizable donations to the academy because they believe in and want to uphold the social justice values for which this venerable institution is known.
Allowing their children to be cheated of an education has eroded the value of these donations.
Anti-semitism hurts everyone. These are the holiest days in the Jewish calendar, when we celebrate the birthday of the world and atone for the sins of the world, a time of renewed hope in the promise of a better tomorrow. Our children, all of them, are the future and the hope for all of us.
They deserve nothing less than to be brought back when they have wandered astray.
Micaela Wexler
Leawood
This story was originally published September 26, 2017 at 8:30 PM with the headline "Letters: Readers discuss Obama’s divisiveness, the Chiefs anthem and Westport crime."