Letters: KC readers discuss Confederate statue, political posturing and vaccine care
Past mistakes
One hundred seventeen years ago, my great-great grandmother unveiled the Confederate statue at Fairview Cemetery in Liberty. (March 1, 1A, “‘An abomination’: Group offers $10,000 to remove Confederate statue”) It was erected to celebrate the humiliating defeat of the secessionists at the hands of the U.S. Army.
Five thousand citizens, including Confederate veterans, heard speeches and sang songs to celebrate and perpetuate white supremacy — a “necessary” supremacy in order to justify enslavement, bondage and the continued discrimination against Black Americans, many of whom are buried in unmarked graves in the potter’s field that the “soldier” guards.
Granny Murray taught white supremacy to her children and grandchildren. One grandchild, my grandmother, worshiped Granny, especially her unveiling of the statue. My grandmother ardently tried to instill their hatred of minorities in me. She failed.
Today I stand for truth. Slavery was the reason for the War of the Rebellion. All who fought on the side of secession lost, and regardless of their motives, they were wrong, and they should not be memorialized and honored as if they were noble. They were traitors to our country and to the religious faiths many adhered to at the time.
It is time for the statue to be removed. Frankly, it is past time.
- Robert Weagley, Columbia, Missouri
Party first
A third party? I think we should do away with both parties They don’t represent the voters anymore. How could 49 senators have voted against the pandemic relief bill to help people in need? They vote along party lines, not for their constituents. I hope all people who get relief will remember how their senators voted next election.
“The Senate has never spent $2 trillion in a more haphazard way or through a less rigorous process,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. I guess all those people in those 49 senators’ states are not as important as voting for the party.
- Charles Rogers, Overland Park
Grow, don’t shrink
A significant aspect of America’s national history has been the broadening of the franchise to enable more and different people to have a voice in making decisions and setting policy. This has been an essential process in achieving the promise of liberty, opportunity and equality — economic, political and social — for all Americans. Given this goal, we should ecstatically celebrate the large voter participation in the 2020 election.
Instead of celebrating and further encouraging access to voting and democracy, Republican-controlled legislatures in state after state seek to make voting more difficult. The reasons given are to “protect voter integrity” — a specious claim. The fable of election fraud was perpetrated by Donald Trump and endorsed by Republican leaders.
The “big lie” was discounted by courts and election officials. Now Republicans seek voter suppression laws rather than faith in democracy because that may be the only way for the party to win elections.
We must resist these restrictions and continue to make voting accessible and easy. Mail-in voting, election drop boxes, early voting and weekend voting, as well as easier voter registration, are essential to maintaining democracy and the promise of America for all people.
- Vicki Arndt Helgesen, Overland Park
Treated right
My husband and I received our COVID-19 vaccinations at Truman Medical Center Lakewood in Lee’s Summit. It was a great experience and was well organized. With our appointments, we were in and out in 30 minutes. I recommended Truman Medical Center Lakewood to several family members and friends, and they all had the same experience. Great work to all the staff at the hospital.
- M. Sue Light, Raytown
This story was originally published March 10, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Letters: KC readers discuss Confederate statue, political posturing and vaccine care."