Letters: KC readers discuss kudos for Jerry Moran, a failed coup aftermath and Josh Hawley
A public servant
I want to publicly thank Sen. Jerry Moran for speaking out in support of the Constitution and the people’s choice of the next president. It comforts me to know that as a resident of Kansas I have one person representing me in the U.S. Senate who is in touch with reality and not simply pursuing his own self-interests.
- Joan Daniels, Kansas City, Kansas
What comes next
Things do not usually go well for the leaders of failed coup attempts. Quite often in other countries, they end up behind bars or worse. So Sens. Josh Hawley and Roger Marshall are fortunate they chose to betray America, where we don’t do things that way.
As despicable as their behavior has been, the only punishment they and other members of the “sedition caucus” are likely to face is from the voters whom, ironically, they tried to disenfranchise.
- Kevin Smith, Lawrence, Kansas
A bright spot
After having read your editorial on Sen. Josh Hawley, I wanted to take the chance that you’d read this simple message of praise for saying what needed to be said. (Jan. 7, 10A, “Assault on democracy: Sen. Josh Hawley has blood on his hands in Capitol coup attempt”) Thank you for having the courage to stand for the truth and for identifying the self-serving nature of your state’s senator.
There is a sickness in America being fed by the legions of corruption. One of my conservative neighbors told me when my facts and reasoning finally broke through the fog of one of President Donald Trump’s lies: “Well, I guess I’m easily duped.”
Yes, many of our fellow Americans are easily duped — and they are far less to blame for the division and hatred promoted by the Trump administration than are the Josh Hawleys of the world, who know the truth but conveniently suppress it to advance their careers.
Thank you again for your message of patriotism and your defense of democracy rising from the heart of a red state. After a very dark day, I found it a beacon of hope.
- Paul Kasselman, Merchantville, New Jersey
What we saw
On Wednesday, we watched rioters scaling the walls of the United States Capitol. We saw anarchists rush past police into Statuary Hall. We watched footage of people breaking windows to gain entrance into the House gallery and making themselves comfortable in the office of the Speaker of the House.
The Confederate flag waved in our nation’s Rotunda on Wednesday. We watched our country being attacked by its own, and we watched white supremacy in action.
We saw police officers helping rioters down the stairs, taking selfies with insurgents and allowing criminal activity to occur directly in front of them. Contrast this with the images from the Black Lives Matter protests last summer, when activists from around the country were met with the law enforcement officers dressed in full riot gear. These people were pelted with rubber bullets, teargassed, beaten and arrested while protesting the continued killings of unarmed black men and women by police.
White supremacy reared its ugly head that day, as it does every day, and challenged us in broad daylight. It’s time we all call out and address the systemic racism and oppression our nation was built upon so we can establish a new path forward.
- Courtney Yount McGinnis, Blue Springs
Who he is
Sen. Josh Hawley is becoming quite the clone of President Donald Trump. He lied about a small group of protesters at his house Monday evening, falsely claiming they were “Antifa scumbags” who “tried to pound open our door.” He takes no responsibility for the riot at the U.S. Capitol. And he seems to enjoy people talking about him, even if it’s negative.
This is your U.S. senator, Missouri.
- Richard Johns, Kansas City
This story was originally published January 8, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Letters: KC readers discuss kudos for Jerry Moran, a failed coup aftermath and Josh Hawley."