Letters: The Star, other media don’t give Trump credit he deserves for Mideast deal

Trump slighted

The Star has shown its obvious bias against this sitting president. Referred to as the “dawn of a new Middle East” by President Donald Trump, the peace treaty among Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, no doubt the most significant international issue of this century and perhaps the last 100 years, was relegated to Page 12 of Wednesday’s Extra Extra section of the electronic edition. (“Israel signs pacts with two Arab states: A ‘new’ Mideast?”)

If President Barack Obama had accomplished something anywhere near this significant, it would have been hailed as the No. 1 story and printed in bold letters on the front page. But this president did something no other president could accomplish since Israel became a nation in 1948, coming through in spades and bringing two Arab nations to the negotiating table, and with the swipe of a pen created a much safer and unified Middle East.

Let’s give Trump and his administration the credit they so greatly deserve. On a side note, I watched three hours of Kansas City TV news and nary a word was mentioned about this historic event. That is a great injustice. You guys can do better than this.

- Mark Anthony Gaskill, Kansas City

Poetic injustice?

There’s an old ghazal (a poem, often satirical, with a repeated hook as the first lines) that goes like this:

Human greed knows no bounds.

Human greed knows no bounds.

First one wants six feet of cloth.

Then one wants six feet of ground.

Ostensibly, the poem is spoken by a business owner complaining about the demands of unions, with damning implications about the business owner’s inhumanity.

The point is that people need clothes and graves to live and die decently, with respect, and that somebody who cannot pay a wage that allows a person to die decently, as well as to live decently, ought not hire an employee.

This ghazal keeps ringing in my mind, because as a society we are not giving each other the 6 feet of social distancing we need to live. Does that mean we’re unworthy of the company we keep?

- Michelle Jain, Overland Park

Increase access

We pediatricians care for the students in local public school districts. With the transition to virtual learning in March, we have seen students who were left behind because of a lack of internet or computer access.

Data from 2019 shows that 15% of households in the Kansas City area do not have access to broadband internet. Furthermore, only 50% of low-income households have internet access. Public libraries normally would be a resource for students without internet or computer access. However, many of these have been closed or are offering only limited access.

Disparities that already exist within the education system could be worsened by the digital divide. Recent efforts by Google, Sprint and other companies to expand internet coverage to low-income households locally should be praised, supported and expanded where needed.

Additionally, schools can look to other solutions, such as providing paper copies of online assignments for students with limited or no online access.

The transition to virtual learning has been challenging for teachers, students and school districts. As the new school year begins, it is important to consider the population of students being served and take every step to ensure that more students don’t get left behind.

- Jonathan Ermer, Kansas City

Missing money

The author of a Sunday letter to the editor (18A) wrote that she and her husband have not received their $1,200 stimulus checks. My wife and I have not received our checks either, and our adjusted gross income is definitely below the limit to receive the money.

We have phoned the IRS and other federal agencies, and we’ve heard the same lame recorded customer service messages saying the same thing as the IRS website, which does nothing to help.

I have read that our issue might be related to me being a disabled veteran who receives retirement benefits and compensation for my disabilities. I retired after 21-plus years on active duty in the U.S. Army. Unfortunately, now we believe we wouldn’t get a second check either if more stimulus is approved, since this one has gone so badly for some.

At least Rep. Sharice Davids’ office reached out, saying it is hearing about this issue from many people and is engaging the IRS to get it resolved. None of our other senators or congressmen has responded after I contacted them about our problems.

I guess my wife and I don’t get an opportunity to stimulate the economy.

- Kelly L. Deatsch, Louisburg, Kansas