Letters: Readers discuss good work in JoCo election, political labels and gun violence
Give him a chance
The Johnson County voting experience seems to have been a circus on several levels: $10 million machines that didn’t work. The election commissioner making defensive excuses (including large voter turnout) for why it happened. Similar problems in 2016, and suggestions that the vendor that produced this mess was underbid by another vendor by between $1.5 million and $5 million.
Of course, this needs to be looked into, but calling for the election commissioner’s job seems to be an extremely harsh knee-jerk reaction. (Aug. 9, 12A, “Kobach should butt out of recount, and election official must go”)
He obviously needs to be monitored — maybe trained more in the election process and taught to sound accountable when explaining shortcomings in his performance.
I am a lifelong Democrat, born and raised in Wyandotte County with little tolerance for far-right-wing Republicans or the Johnson County elite.
But recommending that this man resign is too much. He made mistakes — big mistakes maybe, but mistakes — and that’s a performance issue, not a crime. Everyone deserves a second chance.
Dan Anderson
Lee’s Summit
Can’t stop it
There is a powerful force alive, a force so great and frightening that it has rattled a man to his core.
The force is being delivered by the media, and it dogs the man like a terrible nightmare that will not end.
The force is not the media themselves. The force is the truth, and it tastes like poison to a man who lives in perpetual lies.
The man lashes out, trying to stop the truth in its tracks by telling even more lies and calling the messengers — the media — not just his own personal hindrance, but the enemy of all the people.
The truth, however, won’t be stopped. It will just keep coming, whether seeping out or gushing. It is no more the enemy of the people than the media are, but it is strong enough to surge right over the man and it might flatten him.
The same truth may leave the people shocked or sad, but probably wiser.
The truth is a light to reveal what’s in the shadows and anathema to a pathological liar.
More power to the truth.
Elizabeth Stevens
Topeka
Turned away
As an American citizen, I have the privilege to vote in any and all elections. I reside in Overland Park’s Ward 5, Precinct 10. My polling location was to be Temple B’nai Jehudah at 12320 Nall Ave. I have voted at that location many times the past 14 years.
I arrived at my polling place at about 9 a.m. Tuesday to vote, only to find a homemade sign on the locked door, reading, “There is no voting here today. We don’t know where the closest place to vote is.”
I know we have to vote at locations assigned to us, for which we receive postcards in the mail before elections so we know where to go.
I called the Johnson County Election Office the day after to report what happened, but I have not heard back.
I feel ripped off and angry that I did not get to vote, especially with how close some of the races are.
My vote would and should matter. I wish I had taken a picture of the sign on the locked door.
Mary Bell
Overland Park
Waste of space
Space Force? More like Space Farce. (Aug. 10, 1A, “Pence outlines plan for new Space Force by 2020”)
We certainly don’t need another billion-dollar expenditure for someone’s pipe dream.
Where, pray tell, is our promised better health care? Our rebuilt infrastructure?
As for the six proposed logos we’re to choose from: With all the talent out there, did the designers graduate from the Trump University of Juvenile Design?
Nancy Asire
Kansas City
Not a gun issue
I read with some interest about Mayor Sly James’ frustration with the recent spate of gun violence in Kansas City. The article starts with talk of “people doing crazy things” and quickly shifts to the lack of action by the Missouri General Assembly. (Aug. 7, 2A, “KC mayor decries weekend of gun violence, ‘people doing crazy things’”)
Rest assured, no amount of legislation is going to solve the gun violence in Kansas City. I am willing to bet that most guns used are acquired illegally and are used by people who are not allowed by law to possess them.
James is dealing with the same cultural problem that Chicago, with its wide-ranging gun-control laws, is dealing with — not one of political ideology.
Politicians like to pose as “doing something” by passing laws, but the problems are already proscribed by law.
Culture counts, and a dysfunctional culture is not going to be solved by reams of laws that will only serve to curtail the rights of law-abiding citizens.
Until the victimized residents of violence-prone areas of the city are willing to cooperate with the police, they will continue to be victimized. Full stop.
Mark Salas
Leavenworth