Letters: KC readers discuss COVID-19 sacrifice, media tales and abortion in Kansas

More greatests

Here is the bad news: There are not many members of the so-called “Greatest Generation” still living, and we might be facing a second Great Depression.

Here is the good news: This is the perfect opportunity for all of us to step up and be part of the second Greatest Generation — the “G2 Generation.” It is our turn to lead by example to inspire the “G3 Generation” 50 or 100 years from now when the next major crisis occurs.

We benefited from the sacrifices of the Greatest Generation. Let us take responsibility to pay it forward to the G3 Generation.

- Steve Seggerman, Liberty

Why they’re afraid

The recent completion of Missouri’s legislative session again points out why our state has fallen behind. (May 17, 8A, “Missouri legislature ends session cut short by coronavirus”)

The Republican supermajority has voted to sidestep the wishes of Missouri’s voters and repeal the “Clean Missouri” constitutional amendment that would implement badly needed reform in drawing our legislative districts. And I have concluded that it does make sense after all, for how else can these legislative fossils maintain their positions and their questionable priorities?

Examples of how they are out of step with the rest of the country include:

▪ We remain the only state not to have a prescription drug monitoring program. As an individual who lost a sister to opiate abuse, I find this unforgivable.

▪ We remain one of two states not to tax online sales, which are only going to increase in the future.

▪ We continue to have among the lowest tax rates in the nation for tobacco and gasoline. Compared with other states, it isn’t even close.

▪ We continue to allow our LGBTQ Missourians to be denied their basic rights, with no state law protecting them from being fired or denied housing opportunities because of their orientation or identity.

Is it no wonder these legislators are afraid of fair elections?

- Terry Rodenberg, Greenwood, Missouri

Led narrative

Elected officials and their media surrogates have lost all credibility with the public because of the lack of integrity in information that is circulated. Both these parts of society are more interested in being the pandemic story than in collecting and reporting data for the public to make an informed decision.

Data delivered in your interpreted format is for power and shock value, not distributed in perspective. The media continue to sacrifice accuracy to distribute information that fits their opinions, regardless of long-term impact to people.

I’m a former Kansas Citian, and The Star’s interpretation of differences between Kansas and Missouri shows what fits its story.

Life is valuable, and we need to try to mitigate risks for safety. Both states have participated and sacrificed temporary freedoms for safety.

A zero-risk lifestyle is not fulfilling to Americans. People want freedoms to live and make choices, not to be dictated to by overbearing government and media. Ben Franklin said, “Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

Americans are more interested in living a good and healthy life than producing a written legacy of a pandemic. Remember, you are reporting, not developing the story.

- Paul J. Ferrall, Bonita Springs, Florida

Firepower

Michael Ryan’s column Wednesday bemoaned a Kansas Supreme Court decision that, in his assessment, left abortion in Kansas subject to less regulation than even manicures, making Kansas the Wild West for abortions, in the words of an anti-abortion advocate he quoted. (15A, “Where are conservatives on abortion amendment?”)

With the Wild West as the landscape, the proper analogy would have been about the regulation of guns, not manicures.

- Paul Schenk, Parkville

A hard stop

The Trump administration plans to end the deployment of National Guard troops assisting communities with the COVID-19 crisis after 89 days. Why that number? Could it be that after a 90-day deployment, the guardsmen would receive credits toward the GI Bill and their eventual retirement?

President Donald Trump and his supporters like to put on shows of patriotism, but the true patriots are the men and women who have put their lives in danger to serve our country.

Let’s show them that “Thank you for your service” actually means something.

- Stu Lewis, Prairie Village