Letters: Readers discuss Midwestern verbal acuity, The Paseo and KC mounted police
Ahead of the curve
The thoughtful people in our region have used gender-neutral pronouns for many decades now, long before our bicoastal fellow citizens.
The smug trendsetters on both coasts are now promoting “they” and “them” as gender-neutral pronoun substitutes for “him” and “her.” But we residents of Missoura and Kansas have long championed gender-neutral pronouns.
Just ask anyone from Kansas City, and they will tell ya: “Y’all didn’t do nothing, and all y’all be crazy.”
- Allen Engel, Independence
Name changes
I would like to remind the author of a Nov. 22 letter who suggested that renaming the Paseo Bridge after Christopher Bond was racially motivated (10A) that the Broadway Bridge was renamed for John Jordan “Buck” O’Neil and a major boulevard running through the city was renamed for Rep. Emanuel Cleaver. I don’t recall any suggestion that those changes were racially motivated.
- Steve Eisman, Kansas City
How we learn
What do Albert Einstein, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs have in common? Not only were they all extremely successful in their careers, but all have been vocal about their dislike of formal education.
The focus of education continues to be on tests and grades, not on learning as it should be. Remember the class you got a B in, yet worked so hard and learned so much? Now compare that with the easy-A class: It looked better on your transcript, but you don’t remember a bit of information you “learned” in it.
The idea of making the perfect score is the problem. We should try to do better and better, not just get 100% on tests.
As children, our ultimate goal is to learn as much as we can. However, when we’re in the classroom, that foundation is lost. We’re told to care more about grades than learning.
Shouldn’t improvement be more important than a test score?
- Casey Geddes, Platte City
KanCare woes
After reading coverage in The Star concerning how badly KanCare treats the people who need its services, I am writing about the same treatment I’ve received.
I have been trying to get on KanCare for about three months. No one answers the phone. Its upload service doesn’t work for required things (but nobody tells you that). You have to get a phone number for the agency’s technical department, and it took me six days to talk to someone there. I sent in requested information almost three weeks ago, then received the same letter requesting the identical information again.
Last week, the office called me back. It rang twice before I had a chance to answer, and the caller left a message saying I can call the 800 number again. I suppose KanCare at least can say that it returned my call.
I’m not calling again. It took days for them to return my call the last time.
I’m sick of playing KanCare’s games. They say I have until Dec. 26 to comply or I will be denied. I have heard complaints about how inept this department is, but I didn’t expect this.
- Bruce R. Smith, Emporia, Kansas
Save my GOP
I am miffed. The latest declaration that Kansas Republicans would subject us over the next six years to a President Donald Trump-endorsed senator in the form of Mike Pompeo offends me to the extreme.
Someone must run against Trump in Kansas. I have little money or organization, but I have been a Republican since the days of Dwight D. Eisenhower, and I resent where Kansas Republicans have taken us.
I call for Sen. Pat Roberts to vote for the impeachment of Trump as his last, greatest act as senator from Kansas. Should he fall short, I am prepared to run against Trump for the U.S. Senate, if only because there are so few Republicans ready to save our party from further demise.
- Joe Myers, Overland Park
Horse sense
I am saddened to learn of the disbandment of the Kansas City Police Department’s mounted patrol. (Nov. 20, KansasCity.com, “‘No one takes joy,’ in decision to disband KCPD mounted patrol unit, chief says”)
I understand Police Chief Rick Smith’s need for more officers on the street, but I can’t help wondering if adding eight more officers to the homicide division makes up for the loss of the positive features of the mounted police.
Mounted patrols are more effective in large crowds, and they present a different face for the police department — one that makes people smile.
I wish the move to break up the unit could be reconsidered. Please bring them back.
- Ruth Fine, Paola, Kansas