Letters: Readers discuss PPP for payday loans, more KC royalty and praying for Trump

Others’ kids

Remind me, where and how does our president’s youngest child receive his education? (July 8, KansasCity.com, “Trump to US schools: Reopen or you may lose federal funds”)

- Anna Merritt, Overland Park

Pay it back

A company supporting/enabling payday loan companies received $1 million to $2 million from the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program? (July 9, 6A, “Kansas payday lending service provider got PPP loan”)

I fervently hope the SBA has the sense to charge 400% interest on the loan so the company can “enjoy” the same pressure its clients must feel.

- Conrad Smith, Overland Park

More royalty

It’s about time the Washington NFL team is considering changing its appalling name and mascot. I don’t see the connection to the names Chiefs, Braves and Warriors. However, I’m not in the position to disagree with Native Americans who are offended by those names, either.

If the Chiefs were to change their name, I would suggest that the Kansas City Monarchs is perfect. It fits with the Black team that called Kansas City home during the Negro Leagues times and fits well with the Kansas City Royals’ name. I have long hoped if Kansas City ever got a NBA franchise, it would be called the Monarchs.

- Terry P. Miller, Independence

Time for prayer

Let us pray for members of our armed forces who were targeted, by Russian directive, without response from our president’s administration. (June 29, 1A, “Trump denies he was briefed on Russia putting bounties on US troops”)

Let us pray for those who have suffered from police violence encouraged by our president’s actions, example and rhetoric, as well as families, particularly children, who have suffered because of the immigration policies of our president.

Let us pray for all who have suffered from the anti-life policies of our president.

Let us pray that we remember the words of Pope Francis, who said that the Roman Catholic Church had grown “obsessed” with preaching about abortion, gay marriage and contraception. Francis sought to set a new tone for the church, saying it should be a “home for all” and not a “small chapel” focused on doctrine, orthodoxy and a limited agenda of moral teachings.

Let us pray for those who died because of the mismanagement of the pandemic by the president.

Let us pray for the soul of the most anti-life president in our nation’s history, Donald J. Trump. May the Lord in his mercy forgive him.

Let us pray that all Catholics realize that single-issue voting is a grave abandonment of the privilege of voting in a true democracy.

- Jim Vacek, Olathe

Time to learn

I was disappointed with recent news about my school, Kansas State University. Now it appears racism doubled down with a horrible and hateful tweet last week by a student activist. (July 5, 13A, “At K-State and elsewhere, listen to student athletes”)

I am not sure why any student of color or any international student would want to attend or support K-State.

Putting aside raw emotion and sadness, let’s use this as a learning opportunity. Put a spotlight on this particular racism and convince people that we need to evolve. Isn’t that what schools and education are about?

My main point to the K-State president and administrators: Don’t sweep it under the rug. Don’t put out politically correct statements to calm the waters. Don’t try to weather the storm. Do what a good professor would do. Debate the issue.

Let’s find out what’s really troubling the students who have this hate. I am sure we have skilled debaters and scholars at our school (across social and racial spectrums) who would know how to defend right versus wrong and just versus unjust.

Put a video conference together. Invite the troubled individuals to join. Let’s hear them out and then mitigate the ignorance. The goal should be to change hearts and minds. Do what a university is supposed to do: Educate.

- Vasu Vallurupalli, Sacramento, California

Time to change

With Washington and Cleveland considering team name changes, it is a good time for high school and college teams that use Native American mascots or team names to also consider changing them. The use of minority groups as mascots has had a terrible influence on the youth of America for a very long time.

Positive change is an excellent goal. Now is the time to make this change and improve the future for the sake of all people.

- David Whitlock, Kansas City