Letters: This old white guy hopes ‘Kansas City nice’ can be more than just skin deep
Separate tests
A Sunday letter to the editor discussed possible benefits of plasma infusions from COVID-19 survivors, which require testing for antibodies. (18A) However, this could help perpetuate misconceptions about testing for active coronavirus infections. Testing for antibodies is different from testing for current cases of COVID-19.
- Susan Stricker, Olathe
American ideals
I hope Kansas Citians are ashamed at the behavior of our neighbors toward the California family who recently moved into our area and faced overt and brazen racism in a neighborhood near Parkville. (Sept. 4, 1A, “KC answers racist attacks against biracial family”) I know I am.
For some of us, the thin, superficial veneer of “Kansas City nice” becomes downright putrid when it comes to how we treat our neighbors of color.
I hope that when such despicable, unkind, cruel behavior toward fellow human beings came to light, when the entire city read about it in the newspaper, the hate-filled racism within the racist heart skulked back under the rock from which it came.
Unfortunately, the cancer of racism in our country is a virulent strain, surviving, even still thriving.
I wonder, when our racist neighbors saw the newspaper, did they recognize themselves in the reported behavior and could they see how reprehensible their behavior appears?
Let’s make America truly great by living up to our highest civic ideals enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, building a beloved American community where all people — especially our neighbors of color — are welcomed and treated with the dignity they deserve.
Sign me, “an old white guy.”
- Joe Potter, Shawnee
Failing grades
I am a retired lieutenant colonel with the U.S. Army. Army officers receive performance reviews at least annually.
In the first half of the report, character is evaluated in terms of honor, integrity, courage, loyalty, respect, selfless service and the degree to which professional, legal and moral obligations have been met. Additional skills and leadership behaviors evaluated include mental and physical fitness, emotional self-control, sound judgment, creative thinking and moral reasoning, interpersonal skills in terms of coaching, teaching, counseling, motivating and empowering, oral, written and listening skills, logical decision-making skills and more.
The second half of the report is dedicated to performance of duties and potential for promotion.
The 45th president demonstrates few if any of the character traits applied to those for whom he is the commander in chief. His observed behavior is the antithesis of what is acceptable for our president. What we see in his behavior is the product of his upbringing and years as a businessman, none of which remotely prepared him for this job.
Hillary Clinton is not in jail, the wall has not been built and the swamp has been dredged and deepened.
Do not retain. Do not promote.
- David B. Smiley, Shawnee
Don’t believe it
The Star is quick to post an editorial cartoon of President Donald Trump slamming World War I veterans, (Sept. 7, 7A) but The Atlantic article claiming he called veterans “losers” and “suckers” has been publicly denied by the White House (unlike the anonymous Atlantic sources), and John Bolton, who hates Trump, said he didn’t hear such things.
- Douglas J. Euston, Leawood
Kap’s future?
Colin Kaepernick is ranked higher than half of the starting quarterbacks in the new Madden NFL 21 football video game. I am surprised to hear so many people on sports talk radio and the blogosphere outraged and planning to boycott the game — maybe beyond this season.
Kaepernick ranked 17th in the passer ratings in 2016, and it wasn’t his best.
Since 2015, many quarterbacks have bounced back after losing starting jobs, or after serving as backups who had barely played, to produce their first — and sometimes only — years in the top half as starting quarterbacks by passer rating. Some of them were not on rosters at the start of the season.
Kaepernick has been there before more often than almost all of them. He wouldn’t be the first to have a career year after being out of the league (Randall Cunningham in 1998 with the Vikings, Michael Vick in 2010 with the Eagles after serving time in prison, Tommy Maddox with the Steelers in 2002, to list a few). Rich Gannon went from a failed starter and decent backup to become a perennial Pro Bowler at age 34. Kaepernick is 32 and has been there before.
Stranger things have happened in the NFL.
- Mark Cuthbertson Kansas City