Letters: Readers discuss women’s choice, ‘Hamilton’ non-news and Trump’s ‘stolen’ years

Not my voice

Kansas Senate President Susan Wagle apparently believes she has a right to speak for all Kansans with her Sunday commentary, “This abortion ruling isn’t like Kansas anymore.” (25A) She certainly doesn’t have the right to speak for me, and I’m certain I’m not the only woman in Kansas who feels that women should be allowed to have control over their own bodies.

What she fails to understand is that many women who choose to have abortions don’t do so with nonchalance or a casual thought process. Nor do many believe that “a child in utero is a distinct human being from the moment of conception,” as she wrote. If that were the case, a distinct human being could be delivered moments after being conceived; that is hardly the case.

Wagle uses words such as “heinous,” “slaughtering,” “monstrous,” “grotesque,” “barbaric” and “dismemberment” in an attempt to paint all women who choose to have abortions as inhuman and uncaring. She is certainly entitled to hold any position she wishes, but she should not speak for all women. I am quite capable of speaking for myself, as are most women.

Thank you, Kansas Supreme Court, for allowing women to control their bodies and make their own decisions — however difficult those decisions might be.

Janet Weiblen

Merriam

Overplayed tunes

I’ve got news for you, Kansas City Star: Getting tickets to see the musical “Hamilton” is not a major news story. Most of your readers, myself included, couldn’t care less.

Yet for some reason, stories and photos on this topic have recently been given prominent coverage, including a photo on the front page Tuesday to go with a story on Page 2A. (“‘Hamilton’ fans lined up at Music Hall to buy tickets”)

Your readers deserve better.

Suzanne Duncan

Kansas City

Stop, thief

Apparently, the current White House resident thinks that, regardless of the Constitution, he should be awarded two extra years to make up for time “stolen” from him. On Sunday, he retweeted Jerry Falwell Jr.’s call for the time to be added to his term.

If you buy that, you should be ready to first give President Barack Obama another eight years as reparation for time stolen by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (among others), as well as to make amends for the Supreme Court seat that was definitely stolen by the same person.

June Ford

Archie, Missouri

View from Texas

I visited El Paso, Texas, for about two weeks last month to volunteer with the Catholic shelter Annunciation House. There, I learned about what I think were unacceptable practices by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

Immigrants’ sponsors, usually family members, pay for tickets for them to go to destinations across the United States after they are processed by ICE. Shelter volunteers clothe, feed, house and transport them to buses or planes. They help the immigrants pick up tickets, get through security and find their gates and connections.

Most seemed to be native Americans (Mayans) from Guatemala, where I was a Peace Corps volunteer from 1973 to 1975.

One told me about his experiences with ICE. He said the gruff, heavily tattooed agents hit, insulted and shouted at the immigrants. He said they were given a sandwich and water each day while being held.

I asked three other immigrant women how they were treated. They had the same stories. Dozens of others said their treatment was similar.

Yet despite that, the flow of would-be immigrants at the border has spiked this year.

I called my U.S. representatives from the shelter.

This is not acceptable. This is not who we are. Stop it.

Chris Roesel

Roeland Park

Aim for none

According to the latest numbers from Gallup, 4.5% of American adults identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender in 2017. But the community hasn’t been well received by people who don’t like change. Reported hate crimes against members of the LGBT community rose to 17% of all recorded incidents in 2017, according to the FBI.

It doesn’t matter if those crimes are committed because of a person’s sexual orientation, gender, skin color or religion. We should focus on changing the hatred in the hearts of the people behind those acts. Schools including Grain Valley High School have clubs such as the Gay Straight Alliance to inspire change and tolerance.

Seventeen percent may seem like a small figure, but why shouldn’t we strive for zero percent?

Tristan Spooner

Grain Valley