Letters: Readers discuss unintended consequences, Veterans Day and Ricky Gervais
Growing tide
Where is the moral outcry of Americans that in our name, the president ordered the cold-blooded killing of a top general from another sovereign nation?
During the Vietnam War, I knew an old gent whose greatest fear was “America becoming a mass wave of ignorance.” Were he alive today, he would most likely consider the dumbing down of our means of communication a major factor in the United States becoming a mass tsunami of ignorance.
- Jay W. Wright, Kansas City, Kansas
Dominoes fall
Now that Iran has admitted that it accidentally shot down a Ukrainian jetliner, there are those, especially on the right, who will say that this declaration totally vindicates President Donald Trump of wrongdoing in this tragedy. (Jan. 12, 1A, “New questions arise as Iran says it downed plane”)
I believe we should ask ourselves this question: If Trump had not ordered the assassination of Gen. Qassem Soleimani — regardless of whether it was or was not the right thing to do — would those innocent passengers be alive today?
Sadly, too many actions result in reactions that produce unintended consequences. In this case, the words from the 1970s soul tune “Mind Blowing Decisions” by Heatwave seem appropriate: ‘‘Mind blowing decisions causes head on collisions.”
- Eddie L. Clay, Grandview
Keep the bridge
The double-decker bridge on Interstate 229 on the west side of St. Joseph is a huge community asset that should be maintained. Keeping this bridge in good condition would allow it to continue to provide commercial access to the industrial area on the city’s south side, the Port Authority and U.S. 36 (east and west). It would also continue to provide an easy gateway into St. Joseph’s downtown area from the north and south.
As a former St. Joseph traffic commissioner, I believe investment in the double-decker bridge should be prioritized by the Missouri Department of Transportation. Contact the members of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission at P.O. Box 270, Jefferson City, Missouri, 65102, or call 573-751-2824.
- Ken Beck, St. Joseph
Will we forget?
I was sad as I read my notes about a ceremony to honor veterans that I attended on Memorial Day last year. My 97-year-old aunt, who has lived at a care facility since 2002, headed up the event. I took pictures and wrote a news story, and a nearby town’s newspaper published it.
I read in my notes, “We sang ‘God Bless America’ and small flags were distributed. My aunt told about her husband’s service in the Navy during World War II. She hopes to hold another event on Veterans Day.”
Yes, you guessed it: There was no Veterans Day ceremony. And the rest is history.
- Theresa Cotter, Belton
They’re our voice
I cannot understand how Sens. Roy Blunt and Josh Hawley could have reached any conclusion on the guilt or innocence of President Donald Trump before beginning to consider the articles of impeachment passed in the House.
How can they sit idly by while Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell publicly and gleefully announces his intention to defeat those articles? Why are they not enraged by this terrible breach of the public trust?
What defense can possibly be constructed for this complete abdication of their public duties?
We are depending on Congress to be a check on the president, but the check appears to be broken. Missouri has elected Blunt and Hawley, and we expect them to respect us enough to do their due diligence in this and all matters.
- Joel Kraft, Kansas City
Whose hypocrisy?
Columnist Megan McArdle expressed surprise and admiration for Ricky Gervais calling out celebrities’ hypocrisy while serving as host of the recent Golden Globes awards show. (Jan. 10, 9A, “Gervais took a real risk by calling out Hollywood hypocrites”)
She wrote that “it was refreshing to see someone stand up at a Hollywood awards ceremony and actually speak truth to power.” She cited research about why people hate hypocrites so much, including the finding that we resent people who condemn others while privately indulging in the same vices.
First of all, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that Gervais did this. Pushing boundaries is his brand.
What is surprising is that McArdle sees such value and merit in his “truth to power” comments in the context of Hollywood, but she makes no mention of the much more consequential comments of a few brave Republicans in Congress who are in opposition to our president, the hypocrite-in-chief.
- Marilyn Belwood, Marshall, Missouri
This story was originally published January 15, 2020 at 5:00 AM.