Andy Reid picks a candidate for Kansas governor, and other letters

Great celebration

We would like to thank Bank of America and KCPT for bringing us another Celebration at the Station this Memorial Day weekend. Conductor Michael Stern of our marvelous Kansas City Symphony called our celebration a “national model.”

We put aside, at least for a few hours, our differences and problems while giving appreciation and thanks to those who have served and who are serving in our armed forces to ensure we are free. We are proud and thankful to be American and to live in the Kansas City area.

Timothy J. Fabry

Independence

Reid, politics

Chiefs coach Andy Reid’s decision to support the campaign of Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer will certainly rile some members of Chiefs Nation and please others. (May 26, 3A, “Chiefs coach Andy Reid plans to help raise money for governor candidate”)

Although many may question the advisability of openly supporting political causes, Reid certainly has the right to do so. It would follow that Chiefs players should also be afforded the right to express their political views by kneeling during the national anthem.

Ron Fugate

Overland Park

NFL kneeling rule

Since NFL fans are so overwhelmingly in support of the new rule, I fully expect there to be no eating, drinking, talking and certainly no yelling, “Chiefs!” instead of “brave,” during the venerable national anthem. (May 24, 3B, “NFL will require players who are on field to ‘stand and show respect’ for flag”)

If this is the new rule, anyone caught disrespecting the national anthem in any way should get a $50 citation. Enough citations and you lose your season tickets.

Forced nationalism is so patriotic. What happened to the “land of the free” part? I guess that’s not for everyone, huh?

Adam Finkelston

Prairie Village

Monster vs. modest

After reading Steve Rose’s commentary on housing in Prairie Village, I had this response: Monster homes versus modest homes? (May 26, 9A “’Monster homes’ are a boon for Prairie Village”)

Now that is a first-world problem and American consumerism at its best. Just because we can build “monster” houses does not mean we should. I would like to see America learn to be modest in all things.

Christopher Jaros

Kansas City

Praising Trump

I hope Eli Lake’s op-ed piece praising the master negotiator for chickening out of negotiations marks the high point of his illogicality, but it might not. (May 26, 9A, “The canceled North Korea talks; With Bolton at his side, Trump can win by walking away”)

If Donald Trump were caught pantsless at Armageddon, Lake would praise his fashion sense.

Robert O’Rourke

Leavenworth

Not just religion

The recent letter to the editor about Planned Parenthood (May 24, 12A) was incorrect to label those of us who are pro-life as basing our beliefs on only religion and not science.

Contrary to what the writer thinks, most of us who are pro-life also base our religious belief on the scientific knowledge that was unavailable to the public when Roe v. Wade was decided.

If you and others who share your opinions would read with an open mind articles about or by Dr. Bernard Nathanson, who was one of the first abortion providers in New York, you might at least realize that being religious doesn’t equal unintelligence.

However, Mary Sanchez’s commentary in the same edition was right on. Even though some “Christians” act as terrorists, most of us believe all life is sacred — even for those who disagree with us.

Martha Crane

Overland Park

Wrong object

Martin Luther King Jr. was a great American, but naming the airport terminal after him is not a good idea. Naming a boulevard after him would be.

The airport should stay Kansas City International as a symbol of our great city. The City Council and the mayor would do well to think about this matter more thoroughly.

Michael Gunter

Kansas City

Street name

Because the African-American community appears to want The Paseo, rather than the airport, named after Martin Luther King Jr. and many longtime Kansas City residents are attached to the name of The Paseo, I would like to propose a compromise.

“Paseo” means promenade or boulevard. So why not name the street “Martin Luther King Paseo” or “MLK Paseo”? This would honor Dr. King while preserving this part of Kansas City’s history.

Stu Lewis