Readers share thoughts on the Chiefs, Iraq and the Constitution

Chiefs’ strategy

The strategy for 2014 is obvious. Go for the first overall draft pick in 2015.

Tony Bradley

Parkville

This war is different?

The president said the next war will be different because of no troops on the ground as he sends nearly 500 more U.S. troops to Iraq, bringing the total to 1,600 in that country (9-11, A1, “Obama outlines plan to combat militants”).

Tell families of the next Americans in body bags returning to Dover Air Force Base that their war was “different.”

David L. Davis

Leavenworth

Chiefs disappointing

I have concluded that it really isn’t important to the Hunt family that the Chiefs be a successful team. As long as fans buy tickets, pay to park and buy concessions, they are a financial success. And I believe that’s the only concern of the owners.

I don’t think it was a coincidence that around the time they reached an agreement with Alex Smith they decided to release Ryan Succop.

What a shame, too, because he clearly is still a wonderful kicker.

I also miss Dexter McCluster.

Clearly, the only driving factor in decisions for this franchise is money, and I am becoming less naive about that.

I fear this is going to be a long and brutal season. I believe in order to enjoy football, which I so look forward to and have done so in Kansas City since I moved to the area two decades ago, I think it is time to go back to cheering for my original home team. Go Bears.

Myra Hyatt

Leawood

Constitution at risk

The pre-mumble: “We the corporations of the United States of America, in order to form a more perfect kleptocracy, eschew justice, ensure domestic disunity, provide uncommon offense, promote corporate welfare and ensure the blessing of prosperity to ourselves and our fellow oligarchs, do hereby ordain and establish this constitution for our own interests first, last and always.”

That is how five of our current Supreme Court justices interpreted the preamble in the Citizens United ruling.

Regarding the Hobby Lobby decision, corporations are entitled to religious rights.

The alleged fundamentalists rejoicing over that last ruling are nauseating. To them, the Bible is but a convenient coaster for a Coors.

It took months of compromising and haggling to produce the Constitution. It is no accident that we were given a concise, compact, secular document. The first three words are the most important: “We, the people.”

Everything else is but details. When our elected officials and appointed justices fail to grasp the significance of those three words, our republic is in peril.

Norence A. Nelson

Waverly, Mo.

Lost meat security

I read the Sept. 9 editorial, “Don’t jeopardize meat safety,” regarding U.S. Department of Agriculture cutting back on government inspectors and giving that responsibility to employees of the meat-processing plants. This makes me very uncomfortable to realize that the meat we buy may no longer be safe.

Also, the fact that more than 600 inspectors will see their jobs vanish is very concerning.

The old saying about sending the fox to guard the chicken coop seems to fit in this situation.

Perhaps a vegetarian diet might be a good thing to consider. That would likely be healthier and safer.

Carolyn Spohn

Shawnee

Make Missouri proud

Voters were correct in rejecting a sales-tax increase for transportation in Missouri. The needs are there. The source is wrong.

I was reminded that we didn’t have pressing revenue needs when the legislature cut income-tax rates that mostly benefit the wealthy. The sales-tax boost would have been regressive and is supported by the same groups that want to make Missouri a right-to-work state, keep the minimum wage low, oppose expansion of Medicaid and support other anti-worker issues.

Let’s be practical and stop corporate welfare and support education. Let’s make Missouri a proud and progressive state again.

Warren Moult

Blue Springs

Overfed on Apple

Here’s an idea: How about if Apple pays for ads describing its new products instead of media outlets covering them as if they were news (9-10, A10, “Apple offers bigger iPhones, new pay system”)?

These hyped releases are not news but free advertising for just one more consumer product that some people like to wait in line for.

The same goes for Ikea. So what if a new furniture store opens?

This is not the Old West, and we are not isolated from discovering these things for ourselves.

Restrict the news to what is going on in the real world. Talk about what happens when people don’t vote, when our community is affected by quality-of-life issues and when we want to know about the things that matter in life, not about new products shoved down our throats.

Ellen Murphy

Mission Hills

Veterans underserved

I am livid over what’s happening to our veterans and the care they aren’t getting from the Department of Veterans Affairs. This regime gives better care to the terrorists imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay than to our veterans.

The Obama administration gives quicker health care to illegal immigrants than to our veterans. In Arizona, illegal immigrants incurred health-care costs totaling millions of dollars while 40 veterans died in Phoenix waiting to be treated.

Not to mention, if you’re in an Army prison and you think you’ve been born the wrong gender, you can get a sex-change operation quicker than an injured veteran can get treatment.

This is insane and treasonous in my opinion.

Shame on us if we, the people, continue to let this happen. Get these lawless, corrupt and money/power-hungry traitors out of office. All of them.

And ship their socialist/communist ideals out with them.

Sharon Stathopoulos

Raymore

Awareness of falls

One-third of Americans age 65 and older fall each year. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the leading cause of fatal injury among older adults.

To help you — or older family members — prevent falls and stay active, a physical therapist or some other practitioner can examine and evaluate balance difficulties.

Additional strategies to reduce falls include talking to your doctor or pharmacist about your medications, adding calcium and Vitamin D to your daily regimen, and checking your vision and hearing annually.

Appropriately, fall includes two weeks designated to increase awareness of fall risks: Balance Awareness Week is Sept. 15-21, and Fall Prevention Awareness Week is Sept. 23-29.

Learn about fall prevention at stopfalls.org.

To find area health professionals who focus on dizziness disorders, check the Vestibular Disorders Association website at vestibular.org.

To locate area physical therapists, visit the American Physical Therapy Association at apta.org.

Sue Tucker

Overland Park

Hospice care, love

In our troubled world, it is hard to find hope. Most of us are experiencing terrible stress.

More than 5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, and their loved ones and friends are experiencing stress.

Efforts are being made to find a cure, and there is hope that soon this will happen.

Meanwhile, hospice care is an answer for those who face terminal illness. Doctors, nurses, chaplains, social workers and volunteers make up teams that provide wonderful relief.

With my wife, Twila, an Alzheimer’s disease patient, I have been wonderfully blessed by the caring and love coming from hospice.

Doug Sutherland