What the Barr letter means, pit bulls and building bridges

Show your hand

Attorney General William Barr quoted special counsel Robert Mueller’s report, saying that President Donald Trump was not exonerated. Trump and friends say the report exonerated him.

Since they are so sure he was exonerated, why don’t they show us the hundreds of pages that spell out that exoneration?

The ultimate long con continues, and Russian President Vladimir Putin is ecstatic.

June Ford

Archie, Mo.

No fire, I bet

Attorney General William Barr’s four-page summary of special counsel Robert Mueller’s 300-page report didn’t produce the outcome sought by most Democrats, setting off a firestorm of demands for release of the full report. All members of the House and Senate know by law it must first be redacted before full disclosure, but it makes for good sound bites to imply something is being covered up.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi knows that within 300 pages there must be something, anything, she can use to make the president look bad (and she probably wants another investigation).

If I had millions of dollars, two years and the ability to interview everyone you know, could I find something really juicy about you?

Just as an aside, the Bill of Rights is how many pages?

Tony Bradley

Parkville

Change it up

It looks as though this Royals season will be the same as last year. Manager Ned Yost should give it up, and general manager Dayton Moore should get a younger manager.

Yost is following his old routine and giving up a bunch of runs in the final innings. Blaming the bullpen? Who picked these guys?

I love the Royals and have been a faithful fan since 1969. Change can be good.

Darrell Lane

Leavenworth

Choice of dog

The city of Liberty has had a law on the books for more than 30 years that indiscriminately bans pit bulls, threatening to separate beloved pets from their families and endangering loving dogs who need homes. Voters in Liberty have the opportunity to overturn this misguided ban when they head to the polls Tuesday.

The stated purpose of breed-specific legislation is to reduce dog bites and attacks, and while many municipalities have passed these laws, there is no statistical evidence that they make communities safer for people or companion animals. Not only are breed-specific bans ineffective and costly to enforce, but they restrict the rights of responsible citizens.

According to a 2018 poll conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling and Strategy, 67 percent of Missouri voters do not think the government should tell people what kind of dog they can own. This is a clear case of government overreach.

Last year, residents in Springfield, Missouri, overwhelmingly rejected a similar proposed breed ban, and it’s time for Liberty to do the same.

We urge the city’s residents to vote yes to protect dogs and preserve people’s right to decide which dogs are best for their families.

Andy Briscoe

Director of state

legislation, ASPCA,

central region

Jefferson City

Not black/white

I am a white mom of an adopted, non-white little girl, and I’d be desperate for a donor if my daughter was sick. However, the March 23 story “White parents of sick girl, 9, beg black KC to help heal daughter” didn’t build the bridges we need to overcome racial barriers. (4A)

The story touched on racial disparities, with an implication that minorities don’t participate because of a cheek swab. But the issue is much deeper, and it deserved to be expanded upon by more than a short sentence.

Other areas of health care also lack minority participation, including preventive health and clinical trial enrollment. April is National Minority Health Month, a federal awareness initiative led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health.

Headlines simplifying “white parents” needing something from “black Kansas City” are insensitive not only toward transracial adoption, but health disparities.

The next time racial topics are written about, I’d love to see a minority person quoted and a more balanced narrative including insights and stories from both “black” and “white” perspectives.

Danielle Ripley-

Burgess

Lee’s Summit

Your turn, KC

Kansas City is blessed to have so many fine mayoral candidates. As responsible citizens, we should be informed and vote. Let’s have a high turnout. If you don’t vote, don’t complain.

Sister Claudette

Schiratti

Kansas City