Letters: Readers discuss Trump unbound, bus harassment and annoying celebrities
What he learned
Since President Donald Trump’s acquittal in his Senate impeachment trial, he has fired witnesses, attacked senators who opposed him, held a vindictive victory-lap ceremony and shared unfounded conspiracy theories.
Sen. Susan Collins and other senators said Trump learned his lesson — but it seems all he learned is that he can do anything and get away with it.
- Jane Toliver, Leawood
Bus harassment
Kansas City is moving to make its buses free, and people are worried this will make buses unsafe. Are they safe now?
I am a young woman who rides the bus every day. I witness or experience harassment a lot during daylight hours.
Recently, a man walked up to me while I was standing on the bus, put his hands on my arms and moved in very close. I told him not to touch me and took a seat. He stood over me, saying I couldn’t tell him what to do. He eventually took a seat.
Buses have security cameras, but the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority does not offer immediate assistance to passengers being harassed. In cities such as Portland, Oregon, drivers are trained to intervene and assist passengers.
When I spoke to a KCATA representative, she said this type of harassment happens “all the time.” She recommended calling 911. There are usually no consequences for passengers’ terrible behavior.
KCATA averages about 45,000 passengers per weekday. Many are college and high school students. KCATA should guarantee their passengers’ safety, even if that means having a security officer on every bus.
- Dawn Dixon, Kansas City
A sad return
History repeats itself. The latest repetition seems to be channeling McCarthyism from the 1950s. Fear, bullying and propaganda have again taken root in our government.
Honest public servants and military leaders can be kept from testifying truthfully by threats of job or reputation loss.
Dissent within a political party can be minimized by smearing reputations on social media and assigning derogatory nicknames.
Silence can be purchased by nondisclosure agreements.
Profane speech has replaced civil discourse.
Flooding the news with lies makes it impossible for truth to resonate with the population.
Political opponents can be pressured or weakened by seeking favors from other world leaders in exchange for U.S. aid.
The saying, “Those who cannot learn from the past are doomed to repeat it,” seems to be where we’re at in this country. Again.
- Denise Brown, Kansas City
Unchecklist
I enjoy and appreciate Hollywood actors speaking out publicly on their political views — especially those who go out of their way to demean and degrade conservative and Christian voters.
Of course, many of those performers have been washed up for several years, like Alyssa Milano, making it hard to boycott someone who is isn’t on anything. But guys like Jim Carrey and Robert DeNiro are great to avoid. They do the same schtick over and over anyway, so I’m not missing much.
All these actors immediately go on my “never watch another show or movie” list. They have saved me quite a bit of money at the movie theater these past few years. It’s my version of quid pro quo.
- Frank Green, Kansas City
Rural boost
While many of us take our e-connectivity for granted, Missouri ranks 41st nationally when it comes to broadband access, as nearly 20% of residents lack reliable high-speed internet.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing $60.9 million in rural Missouri’s broadband infrastructure. That is in addition to the $42 million it awarded in November to serve rural areas of Missouri, and on top of the $5 million grant Missouri is investing in local co-ops for broadband expansion projects.
This is welcome news for our state, and as chancellor of the nonprofit online university WGU Missouri, I must note how beneficial it will be for educational institutions and those needing the flexibility of online education. Higher education has evolved, with online learning tools and programs becoming more mainstream. Having reliable internet access removes an obstacle for many who dream of earning college degrees.
As more households gain access to high-speed internet, I am proud of a partnership WGU Missouri has formed with the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives to provide $100,000 in scholarships to customers who want to earn degrees online.
Our goal is to grow the number of degreed individuals residing in rural communities and to boost Missouri’s economy.
- Angie Besendorfer, Lee’s Summit