Letters: Readers discuss Northam’s indefensible behavior and Trump’s rudeness
Lasting impacts
As a late baby boomer, my generation and I were repeatedly told by our elders to make good choices and good grades, because everything became part of our permanent record. For us, that was low-tech — photographs, transcripts and the like.
“We all did stupid things when we were young” is a tempting mea culpa, but it is not sufficient to excuse the behaviors of Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam.
In American law, we recognize several categories of characteristics that can render one a member of a protected class: gender, race, ethnicity, national origin and age. Why? Because these characteristics represent who we are. Our skin color, ethnic identity, birthplace and age are beyond our control. No one should be treated differently from someone else because of who he or she is.
No amount of explaining away discrimination against a member of a protected class should be acceptable by our leaders — whether our pastors, mayors, governors, Supreme Court justices or president. These are the consequences of a permanent record.
Melinda S. Whitman
Lenexa
Top-down unity
A headline in Monday’s Star read, “Trump’s State of the Union aims for unifying tone.” (4A)
If that’s his intention, he could start by addressing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as “Madam Speaker” instead of “Nancy” and quit calling Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer “Crying Chuck.”
He might also start calling the Democratic Party by its official name and stop claiming it advocates for open borders, human trafficking and uncontrolled drugs.
Just a start …
Scott Gregory
Roeland Park