Letters: Readers discuss Trump’s mental state, Steve Alford, Putin and Icelandair
Return to sender
Will The Star please inform Rep. Kevin Yoder that he sent his flier celebrating the GOP tax cut to the wrong address when it arrived at my house? The Koch brothers live in Wichita.
James Kendall
Kansas City, Kan.
Remote opinions
May I suggest that many of the putative medical diagnoses of President Donald Trump’s psychological state by medical professionals may be violating the Goldwater Rule?
The Goldwater Rule was enacted in 1964 after 1,189 psychiatrists concurred that Republican candidate Barry Goldwater was psychologically unfit to be president in the magazine humorously called Fact.
None, however, had actually examined Goldwater or had firsthand knowledge of his mental capacity. They were expressing their political views, not a diagnosis based upon facts.
As a result, the American Psychiatric Association’s Principles of Medical Ethics were amended to state that psychiatrists may not ethically render professional opinions about public figures they have not examined in person, or obtained consent to discuss.
Thus, the Goldwater Rule was put into place.
I might add that Ralph Ginzburg, the editor and publisher of the magazine that published the article, was also sued for libel and Goldwater won $75,000.
Similar statements are present in the ethical codes of the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association.
Although such comments by medical professionals would seem to undermine their credibility to the public, I can see a future upside: If psychiatrists do not have to examine patients in person, the possibility of diagnosis by computer may become common.
If a patient never has to visit a psychiatrist and can be diagnosed via letters, documents and public statements, reduced patient fees could be forthcoming. Plus, successful psychiatrists could “diagnose” dozens, or even hundreds, of patients per day, and their incomes would soar.
Looks like win-win to me.
Jack Shelton
Overland Park
Learn from history
Kudos to The Star for calling out area lawmakers for their outrageous comments. However, your Jan. 9 editorial missed the larger point. (8A, “Racist comment expands list of shame”)
Certainly these people’s words are “careless,” “embarrassing” and “dunderheaded,” but vastly more significant is what these words reveal about the corrupt, bankrupt character of these clownish figures and those who would have them continue to serve.
Kansas state Rep. Steve Alford’s words expose beliefs so ignorant, vile, outdated and un-American they are almost comical. I have zero confidence that his colleagues in Topeka will take this matter seriously.
Republican cowardice for confronting social-justice issues is breathtaking in 2018.
But I do have hope for Kansans who make their voices heard. Any constituent who does not demand Alford’s immediate and permanent retirement from politics should share his shame and examine their own beliefs in the light of day.
If Alford truly feels the “need to go back in the ’30s,” I suggest he point his time machine toward central Europe. He would have no trouble finding like-minded leaders in 1930s Germany.
One word of caution: He might not like how things turn out when the civilized world comes knocking in the spring of 1945.
Kevin Dixon
Lawrence
Stand up
An open letter to my U.S. senator from Missouri, Roy Blunt:
Over recent days, a sitting president declared that a political opponent who has not been charged with a crime should be thrown into jail.
He also called for stopping the publication of an unflattering book about him.
Shockingly, this was not Russian President Vladimir Putin, but his most prominent American admirer and protégé.
Sen. Blunt, will you honor your oath of office to “protect and defend the Constitution of the United States” by making a public statement against these affronts to the Constitution?
Or must we conclude, by your silence, that you would support a regime led by dictator Donald Trump?
Doug Shafer
Kansas City
Travel plans
Iceland. Now my bucket list is complete. Thanks, Icelandair. (Jan. 10, 1A, “Hello, Iceland: KCI gets first nonstop transatlantic flight”)
Brian Mullies
Blue Springs
This story was originally published January 14, 2018 at 8:30 PM with the headline "Letters: Readers discuss Trump’s mental state, Steve Alford, Putin and Icelandair."