Letters: Readers discuss two views on renaming The Paseo, kidney patients and crazy spring weather

Not The Paseo

No one is opposed to honoring Martin Luther King Jr. with his own road in Kansas City. (April 4, 14A, “Kansas City needs to rename The Paseo for Martin Luther King Jr.”) However, it seems that those behind the push are very narrow-minded.

What if, 50 years from now, after a name change, future Kansas City folks say King is no longer as important, and his road name comes up for replacement by a more up-to-date important person? Would they consider that fair?

I think the people behind the push should be looking at numbered streets or highways for a tribute. If the intent is to break down the racial borders of our great city, why are they just looking for a road in a black neighborhood?

I think they should look at Missouri 350. There also are U.S. 169, U.S. 69 and a host of other numbered thoroughfares around the area that would be a better and more inclusive choice to honor the great man.

Bob Harris

North Kansas City

Yes, The Paseo

As one who grew up in Kansas City in the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s, I cannot think of a better way to honor Martin Luther King Jr. and the many people he influenced — not just African-Americans, but all who want diversity and peace — than to rename The Paseo after him.

Many of my friends and I had houses on or close to The Paseo. I am old enough to remember the truly negative parts of Kansas City’s history, including drinking fountains marked “white” and “black.” Yet the gorgeous Paseo Boulevard is also filled with positive memories of Kansas City’s past and could become the path to a more united future for our city and the surrounding area.

Joanne Bodner

Prairie Village

Help patients

Kidney failure, also known as end-stage renal disease, or ESRD, is a devastating condition requiring hours of exhausting dialysis each week — unless you are fortunate enough to have received a transplant, as I have.

I’ve been a kidney disease patient for 11 years. Unfortunately, it is not the only serious health condition many ESRD patients face.

A bill in Congress would help people with ESRD and multiple co-morbidities such as diabetes or hypertension by improving access to integrated care that encourages doctors and specialists to share information in real time about a patient’s health, treatments and services.

I recently had an encouraging conversation with Rep. Kevin Yoder of Kansas and am hopeful that he will sign on to support the bill, called the Dialysis PATIENTS Act. It has bipartisan support in both the House and Senate, including that of Kansas Reps. Lynn Jenkins and Roger Marshall.

Coordinated care streamlines the delivery of care, focuses on treating the whole patient and not just the disease, and can improve patients’ overall health while reducing health care costs.

I urge the entire Kansas congressional delegation to support this critical legislation. Patients like me are counting on it.

Michael Guffey

Overland Park

A greater honor

Time and again, the news media inform us of yet another shooting. Martin Luther King Jr. preached a message of non-violence.

It seems like community activists could honor him by teaching people to resolve their differences peacefully.

Renaming The Paseo would not help anyone. Non-violent behavior helps everyone.

Becky Tracy

Lee’s Summit

Some weather

I am now officially on Spring Savings Time. I rolled back my calendar one month.

Stephen Kunz

Overland Park

This story was originally published April 7, 2018 at 8:30 PM with the headline "Letters: Readers discuss two views on renaming The Paseo, kidney patients and crazy spring weather."