Religion, Chiefs’ Tyreek Hill and Leavenworth prison misery

A straw man

Banning plastic straws is dangerous. People think they’re doing enough for the planet by refusing one straw. The problem is that when people turn down a single straw for their takeout meals, they often still use disposable cups, paper bags, plastic foam boxes and plastic utensils. If straws are the only object banned, the effect is next to nothing.

Businesses need to lead the way to end single-use materials, especially plastics. “Eco-friendly” can’t just be a marketing tactic at the rate we’re polluting the Earth.

Eliminating the plastic straw is a step, but we can’t allow ourselves to believe it is the only one needed.

Mackensie Wagner

Grain Valley

All stand together

As a rabbi, in times of tragedy my community looks to me for some response, some words of comfort, some way to make sense of the senseless. That’s why on Friday, my synagogue, Congregation Kol Ami, will host Devin Burghart, a renowned expert on white supremacist movements and president of the Institute for Research and Education of Human Rights, as a part of our Shabbat worship. The previous day is Yom HaShoah — Holocaust Remembrance Day — making the presentation particularly appropriate.

In planning Devin’s appearance, we could not anticipate yet another white supremacist hate crime would have been committed Saturday near San Diego. And so we will also mourn the loss there of Lori Gilbert Kaye. In doing so, we in the Jewish community also remember all those who have lost their lives because of Sinat Chinam — baseless hatred. Whether it be our Muslim sisters and brothers in Christchurch, New Zealand, our Christian sisters and brothers in Sri Lanka or the victims of burned black churches in Louisiana, we mourn with them.

We stand with all communities who are marginalized and under attack by white supremacists emboldened by leadership that encourages hate and winks at violence. Our response to the senseless is to engage with people like Devin, who will not only address our present crisis, but also give us the tools to fight back.

Rabbi Doug Alpert

Congregation Kol Ami

Kansas City

Nothing new here

In his Sunday column, “To restore Notre Dame, we must also restore our souls,” Marc A. Thiessen seems to think that the decline in Christianity has brought about “abortion, euthanasia, sex trafficking” and so on. (25A)

Surprise, Marc. All those things have been around since the beginning of humanity. Ancient Egyptian writings discuss methods of inducing abortion. Various cultures have practiced a form of euthanasia known as senilicide by abandoning the elderly and infirm. Proverbs in the Bible talk of prostitution. Sex slaves and trafficking were around long before Christianity.

I consider myself a strong Christian, and I love my church and my God. However, ascribing all human failings to be the result of fewer people going to church ignores both history and human nature.

Suzanne B. Conaway

Kansas City

Only one choice

The Kansas City Chiefs need to release wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Domestic violence has no place in society, no matter who the person is.

His arrogance needs to be knocked to the ground. Team ownership must take a stand of zero tolerance and release Hill. Now.

Charlsey Caraviello

Medford, Massachusetts

Stuck with me

Many years ago, my family was in the lobby of a local restaurant alongside Henry and Marion Bloch, waiting for the rain to stop. Mr. Bloch asked to borrow my umbrella to shield his wife as they walked to their car. He then returned the umbrella to me and left the restaurant.

It was a small gesture that spoke volumes. Thank you, Mr. Bloch, for your gifts small and large to your community.

Linda Stinnett

Overland Park

Not rehabilitating

Death, drugs, overflowing toilets, mold, rats and roaches all couple with a staff that takes joy in insulting and belittling rather than assisting and guiding. This is life at the federal prison camp in Leavenworth.

They tell us that Mark died on the morning of March 31. He had been carried away two days before after smoking a large quantity of K2 and falling down a flight of stairs.

Anyone who has attended a 12-step meeting has met someone like Mark — the guy with a ready smile and kind approach who struggles and struggles, yet keeps relapsing. It was clear he wanted to turn his life around for the sake of his children and family. But with drugs so readily available here, and with so very few alternatives to fill the countless hours of boredom, he could not escape the grip of addiction.

It strikes me as obscene that a prisoner confined to a federal facility and enrolled in a residential drug treatment program would die from a drug-induced fall. But he was doomed by a failed system. He was not alone. There have been two drug-induced deaths here in six months and, surely, more will follow.

My six-month prison sentence is coming to an end, but Leavenworth houses more than 350 human beings who will remain here after I have returned home.

I recognize that most people don’t care about prisons or prisoners. But these people have families and lives they will rejoin.

All of this would be secondary if someone, anyone, would ask incoming prisoners two simple questions: “Why are you here?” followed by, “What are we going to do to keep you from coming back?” Sadly, that is not the Leavenworth way.

Calvin Williford

Leavenworth

Editor’s note: Williford was aide to former Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders. Both were convicted in 2018 of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.