Letters: KC readers discuss area impeachment votes, the GOP’s future and Rockhurst High

The roll call

Kansas U.S. Reps Ron Estes, Jake LaTurner and Tracey Mann and Missouri U.S. Reps. Sam Graves, Vicky Hartzler, Billy Long, Blaine Luetkemeyer, Jason Smith and Ann Wagner all come from the party that claims to “Back the blue” and support law and order.

Last week, the president sent a lawless mob into these representatives’ workplace. People in that mob attacked Capitol Police officers, brutally killing one of them. And on Wednesday, these elected officials voted that this was not an impeachable act. It’s OK with them to attack the House of Representatives and murder a cop.

It’s reported that some Republicans were terrified that if they voted to impeach the president, they or their families might be harmed by members of their own party. If you live in fear of your constituents, then maybe you should stop stoking fear, anger and hatred, and start telling them the truth.

But that would take leadership — a quality none of these people has. Each of them should resign. They do not deserve to represent the people.

They won’t even protect their own house. Do you think they’ll protect yours?

- Rod L. Williamson, Overland Park

Death notice

The GOP passed away last Wednesday from an apparent suicide. Services are under the direction of the Trump and Giuliani Mortuary. Pallbearers are Sens. Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz and Roger Marshall and Reps. Sam Graves, Vicky Hartzler and Jim Jordan. Honorary pallbearers are the representatives and senators who voted not to certify certain states’ Electoral College ballots along with Fox News, Newsmax and Parler.

RIP GOP.

- Kenneth Davis, Kansas City

Learn from this

Rockhurst High School President David J. Laughlin wrote that Sen. Josh Hawley should conduct an “examination of conscience,” as though he were preparing to receive the sacrament of reconciliation within the confines of a private, silent confessional. (Jan. 10, 10A, “Rockhurst High head condemns riot, but not alum Hawley directly”)

Instead, I suggest that for Rockhurst’s students and Jesuit teachers, this is what is called a “teachable moment.” What is the lesson to be learned in this moment for Hawley and the school’s students? What is the meaning of personal and institutional responsibility when one of its graduates encourages insurrection as an elected official through his speeches and raised-fist salute?

- Bill O’Neill, Columbia, Missouri

Unconvincing case

I read Rep. Vicky Hartzler’s explanation in the Thursday letters as to why she voted against the certification of the presidential election results, and it made me laugh. (8A) If she voted no because states violated their election laws, why did she not come out strongly before the vote and condemn the lies President Donald Trump and others were spouting on an hourly basis?

Hartzler could have condemned the president’s lies and calls for action against the government and stated that her position had nothing to do with the legitimate victory of President-elect Joe Biden. It is clear that all she really was doing was falling in line with other Trump Republicans so she would look good to the party’s base.

Would she have voted no if she had been elected in one of the states in question where she would have benefited from the supposed violations of their election laws? Somehow I doubt it.

The hypocrisy from the right is ridiculous. Thank goodness Trump will soon be gone and maybe we can look forward to when voters can vote to remove weak politicians such as Hartzler and Sen. Josh Hawley.

- David Silverstein, Kansas City

Give them voice

Once our new president in place, we need to turn our eyes toward giving those Americans currently disenfranchised by our election system a voice. One of the ways to do that is to make Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico states in their own right.

Puerto Rico was devastated by recent hurricanes and ignored by the Trump administration. That’s not how we should treat humans under our protection. The population of Washington, D.C., is large and unrepresented in our halls of federal government. That’s not how we should treat our citizens.

I urge Sens. Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall and Rep. Sharice Davids to start the process to make these two places states. It is the only fair and just thing to do.

- Gretchen Allen Johns, Shawnee