A rescued horse, a Chiefs fan’s COVID-19 and fighting hate

Palate cleanser

Given the hatefulness and junk going on in Washington, D.C., the devastation by fire of a big chunk of the West Coast that is making even our heartland skies hazy and the debacle of the effort to organize voting by mail, the story of the combined efforts of park police, firefighters and a veterinarian to rescue a horse mired in the mud of a creek bed was truly heartwarming. (Sept. 21, 4A, “Kansas firefighters rescue horse that was stuck in mud”)

Our hearts need more warming.

- T.J. Snyder, Mission Hills

Make sense

With the concerns of COVID-19, health care, immigration and everything else during this election cycle, it is important not to overlook the gun violence in Kansas City and across Kansas and Missouri.

For a list of candidates who support commonsense gun regulations, go to gunsensevoter.org and remember to vote.

- Donna Euston, Leawood

People, not party

In a recent Star guest commentary, Kansas Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning attacked state Sen. Barbara Bollier. (Sept. 9, 11A, “Barbara Bollier is no Kansas Republican”) His opinion doesn’t reflect the fact that her allegiance is not supposed to be to purity in the Republican Party that she left. Her votes are supposed to represent the attitudes, preferences and issues that are important to the voters in her district.

The demands by the Republicans in Kansas for rigid adherence to party are well known, as is their unwillingness to reach across the aisle. This attitude prevents progress and sets up the state to tolerate extreme candidates and poor policy. Support for former Gov. Sam Brownback’s almost bankrupting the state comes to mind.

It also gets in the way of improving the lives of everyday Kansans by failing to pass Medicaid expansion. It prevents counties from cooperating with Gov. Laura Kelly regarding mask mandates and attempts to control the COVID-19 virus.

As a Republican, Bollier did endorse Democratic candidate Kelly, but you need to consider the alternative: We are talking Kris Kobach, who takes extreme positions and promoted a false narrative regarding widespread voter fraud.

When Bollier’s constituents voted for her, they expected her to show intelligent and reasoned thinking. We were not expecting her to answer to Denning or Kansas Senate President Susan Wagle.

- Claire Barron, Kansas City

Run the numbers

It has become very clear during the COVID-19 pandemic that people do not want to follow science-based rules or best practices. Thanks to one Kansas City Chiefs fan not getting tested before he or she went to the first game, even though it was required, that person exposed 10 people. (Sept. 19, 1A, “Chiefs had lapse in fan testing, KC health department says”) Those 10 people went home and exposed more people.

Take that one person flouting the rules times millions of people who don’t want to follow best practices. This is why COVID-19 continues to multiply in our country.

Please wear a mask and socially distance. I do, for you and me.

- Julie A. Brown, Boonville, Missouri

Musical relief

The concert on the spacious lawn of the National World War I Museum and Memorial on Saturday evening was a pandemic tonic for the good-sized audience that attended.

Members of the Kansas City Symphony woodwind and brass sections played a variety of pieces from Mozart to Sousa. We in the audience wore masks and spaced ourselves. The U.S. flag was at half staff, and two of the musical numbers were in memory and honor of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

The evening grew chilly, but our hearts were warm with gratitude and appreciation for this special event.

- Ann Nelson, Fairway

Hate is taught

I understand and agree with Toriano Porter’s outrage and desire for justice in the case of Neveah Thomas after her attack and injuries by a 12-year-old boy. (Sept. 20, 21A, “Black 11-year-old girl hit with pipe deserves justice”) I would have to agree, too, that it certainly sounds like a hate crime.

The suggestion for restorative justice as an option may be a good choice, not just from the standpoint of resolution of the criminal case, but for shedding light on why it happened in the first place.

Children do not intuitively hate. Perhaps more than just this young man’s hate would be open to discovery and re-education? We live in such a hate-filled, explosive society. Prejudice and hate are not new, but they are now celebrated. It seems that demonstrations of hatred for anything viewed as “different” is a badge of honor.

We are all responsible to recognize the anger, the hate, the prejudice and the disregard for our neighbors across the country and the world and do whatever we can to address it.

I agree with Porter: I would be outraged if it had been one of my daughters attacked. I am also outraged that my grandchildren are growing up in such a hate-filled world.

- Barbara Rodts, Leawood