Readers share thoughts on Ferguson, Kansas City leaders and crude oil trains
Killing unnecessary
What has occurred to me many times is this question: In all the police shootings, most recently in Ferguson, Mo., why are all the suspects slain?
It would seem that a trained police officer could shoot someone in the knee to keep the suspect from advancing, particularly if the person is unarmed.
Do our police officers need more training? Just asking.
Judy Rieck
Grandmothers
Against Gun Violence
Overland Park
Poor KC leadership
I appreciate the fact that the city leaders of Kansas City have a vision of where they would like the city to go.
Unfortunately for the city leaders, the residents of the city, who are also the taxpayers, have expressed great concern about the choice of projects the city leaders have chosen.
One misplaced choice is Kansas City International Airport. Repeatedly, the taxpayers and residents of the city have stated that they love KCI because it is so blasted convenient. The city’s response was to close Terminal A and make the parking situation more critical.
Example No. 2 is the streetcar expansion. The city leaders say we want the streetcar expansion.
However, when they were finally forced to put the measure on the ballot, they received a super majority vote that said we, the people, do not want to spend the money on the streetcar project.
At this point, I must ask the question: City leaders, what part of “no” don’t you understand?
It is disturbing when the city leaders, who pledged to represent you and the best interests of the city, turn deaf ears to those who elected them.
Robert C. Struble
Kansas City
Oil trains in KC
It’s reassuring to know that the major railroads transporting crude oil from North Dakota to Southern refineries are training local fire departments to deal with crude oil train fires (9-25, A1, “KC a thoroughfare for crude oil trains”).
When I am waiting 10 minutes or more for a Burlington Northern Santa Fe oil train owned by Warren Buffet to cross the 67th Street-Interstate 35 intersection in Merriam, I can rest assured that the local Fire Department will come to my rescue if one of the cars derails, explodes and engulfs the area in a fiery inferno.
I can thank the Obama administration for killing the Keystone XL Pipeline under the guise of protecting the Ogallala Aquifer only to enrich a crony capitalist like Buffett, who does the Obama administration’s bidding.
Michael Kalny
Shawnee
Contradictions galore
America, what a country. We are told not to judge all Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we judge all gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics.
We are constantly hearing about how Social Security is running out of money, and yet we never hear that the agencies that provide welfare or food stamps are running out of money. What is interesting about that is that the first group worked for the money and the second group didn’t.
We are cutting benefits and freezing pay for our veterans, but we are not stopping the payments or benefits to illegal immigrants nor have we stopped monetary aid to countries that clearly hate America.
America is a capitalistic society, yet half the population is subsidized. Half the population is subsidized, yet they think they are victims.
They think they are victims, yet their representatives run the country. Their representatives run the country, yet the poor keep getting poorer.
The poor keep getting poorer, yet they have things people in other countries dream about. They have things people in other countries dream about, yet they want America to be more like those other countries.
What’s wrong with this picture?
Kyle Black
Overland Park
Guns for security
To many, gun control means disarmament. Some people have suggested that Japan didn’t invade the United States during World War II because our citizens had too many guns.
Today, the citizens of Mosul in Iraq (the country’s second-largest city) are weaponless because the Iraqi army went door to door a few years ago and confiscated all weapons. This was done to reduce violence.
So along come Islamic State militants, and they occupy the city of 1.7 million and control the place with no more than 500 armed collaborators imposing strict Islamic law.
I am not a gun owner but am paralyzed with fear of the possibility that citizens could not arm themselves. The world’s civilization is rapidly deteriorating under the onslaught of extremists now infesting virtually every country.
Like our early patriots, I also fear government.
Roger Parrish
Overland Park
Real war pain
Other people, I am sure, have shared my wondering about what happens to the children who are exposed for years to the violence, cruelty, death, loss of family and displacement of war. In the Middle East, many children have known nothing but this for years.
This has been the reality of their lives.
We ask how people can commit the atrocities we see on television. Well, they haven’t seen it on television. They have lived it and suffered from it.
How have they been able to learn that there is another way to live?
We ask what happens to them. We will see on television.
Louann Stahl
Prairie Village
Do-nothing Congress
Much has been written about the low approval rating of Congress in various polls. Republicans usually are singled out as the cause.
What should be mentioned is that Congress comprises two bodies — the Republicans control the House, and the Democrats control the Senate.
I submit that Majority Leader Harry Reid’s Senate is the real do-nothing culprit.
Since the Republicans became the majority in the House, they have passed and forwarded 356 bills to the Senate, according to Judicial Watch. Mr. Reid has seen fit to sit on these bills, not even allowing discussion, much less calling for a vote. This is rarely reported by the media, hence the average voter isn’t aware of this disgraceful practice by the majority leader.
Washington is broken, and there is no doubt about it. But please don’t let the Democrat from Nevada get away with his questionable tactics.
Clyde Houghton
Lake Quivira
Golf, politics, Kansas
Do you know the difference between golf and politics? In golf you can’t improve your lie.
Maybe some of our GOP incumbents in Kansas should take up golf full time. And you all know who you are.
Glen McNickle
Overland Park
Sharing privilege
As a white person and a keen follower of American history, I am sick to my stomach regarding the continued white privilege I receive on a daily basis when it is denied my sisters and brothers of color.
Many white folks don’t have a clue of the many societal advantages we’ve had since birth while persons of color have been denied the advantages and privileges we take for granted. It makes me embarrassed and sad to be white sometimes, knowing the history of our country.
Adults of color, please, please, please vote every election.
I wish we could all walk in each other’s shoes for a month and then regroup to have the conversation.
Kathleen Kennedy
North Kansas City
Stunts win donations
Hurray for the ALS Association for raising more than $88 million in donations — and counting — by simply getting people to make fools of themselves by pouring ice-cold water over themselves.
What a gimmick, and it worked.
Now what should the blood banks in this country do to get donors — get people to pour ice-cold, red-dyed water over their heads? If you think I am being sarcastic, you’re right.
I am pleased for the ALS Association. But why does it take a stunt to open up wallets and veins?
I have given 153 units of blood in three states, and I am in a wheelchair. Why can’t people just write their checks and open their arms?
It confounds me.
Ronnell B. Townsend
Independence
This story was originally published September 27, 2014 at 10:00 AM with the headline "Readers share thoughts on Ferguson, Kansas City leaders and crude oil trains."