Space Force, Pope Francis and contacting Rep. Kevin Yoder

That’s what it is

It is interesting that in his commentary supporting a separate Space Force, former astronaut and retired U.S. Air Force colonel Terry Virts writes: “It defies logic to keep that domain in the Air Force — akin to having the infantry in the Navy.” (Aug. 26, 21A, “Yes, the U.S. needs to create a Space Force”)

But what is the Marine Corps if not naval infantry?

Ken Mohler

Kansas City

The long tail

In 2008, Jesuit priest and peace activist Daniel Berrigan said that it would take a generation to undo the appointments of Pope John Paul II. He also stated that John Paul had introduced Soviet methods to the Vatican by installing company men who would practice methods of “anonymous delations, removals, scrutiny and secrecy” into positions of power.

Carlo Maria Vigano, who has called for Pope Francis’ resignation in the wake of church abuse scandals, was appointed an archbishop by Pope John Paul II. (Aug. 27, 5A, “Archbishop: Pope Francis long knew of cardinal’s abuses and must resign”)

Looks like it’s going to take longer than a generation.

Thomas Hogan

Kansas City

Some response

I wonder whether anyone has ever gotten Rep. Kevin Yoder to answer directly any question posed to him via his congressional email account.

This month I asked two questions:

1. What did he mean when he said Sharice Davids, his Democratic opponent, does not have “Kansas values”?

2. Why in his newsletter did he not use the proper name of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019?

I did get a response to the second question, but it had nothing to do with what I asked.

Jeffrey Taylor

Overland Park

Working on it

The beginning of Monday’s story about Kansas City subsidies for hospital patients may have been misleading to some readers. (4A, “Review finds many patients not eligible for KC subsidy”)

It said that almost 70 percent of patients at Truman Medical Center deemed eligible for the subsidies didn’t prove their eligibility. The article went on to describe well how difficult it is for many indigent emergency room patients to keep documentation of their status on their persons.

It also described what is known as a “system problem,” where it is impossible for Truman administrators to comply absolutely with the documentation rules, regardless of how hard they try.

This is definitely not a case of Truman defrauding the city, but more practical questions of what are reasonable expectations of documentation and how Truman and the Kansas City Health Department are working to solve the problem.

Truman provides enormously valuable services to the city and our entire metro area.

The Star should be more accurate in the headlines and introductions to its stories.

Michael Sheehan

Shawnee

On his lips

An Aug. 25 letter to the editor ended with these words: “Donald Trump won my vote the first night he went on stage to speak and kissed the American flag.” (10A)

People saw Trump kiss the flag and believed he was a great patriot worthy of their votes. His embrace of the flag allowed them to ignore how he tramples American values.

How he separated children from their families along our southern border.

How he refused to call out racism clearly in Charlottesville, or to accept that Russian hackers were involved in our election.

His damage to our NATO allies.

Helsinki. North Korea.

How he instructed his personal lawyer to pay hush money to silence women he had sex with to keep this information from the voters.

How he attacks our free press as “the enemy of the people.”

How he refused to honor the heroism of Sen. John McCain at his passing.

But he kissed the flag!

George Washington said in his farewell address: “Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism.”

Bernadine Kline

Liberty

Nonsense ‘solution’

I hear some people say that the answer to the problem of priests who are sexually abusive is to allow them to marry.

Oh, the lucky woman who would marry and have children with a man who would probably still be inclined to be abusive.

But we would not know until it was too late, would we?

This is surely one of the most sexist ideas I have ever heard.

And if the priest were still abusive, would it be the woman’s fault?

Mary Keyes

Prairie Village