Letters: KC Readers discuss Mark Twain’s wisdom, access for the blind, Washington reform
Twain was right
Mark Twain has been called the greatest humorist the United States has produced and the father of American literature. Twain was also an anti-imperialist. It is this legacy that must be resurrected.
Touring the British colonies led him to write, “There are many humorous things in the world, among them the white man’s notion that he is less savage than the other savages.” He joined the American Anti-Imperialist League after the United States occupied the Philippines.
Imperialism is as prevalent today as it was during Twain’s time. With 500-plus military installations globally, the U.S. wants to dominate the world. The ruling class tells us it is patriotic to blindly support these endeavors. Twain called patriotism “a word that always commemorates a robbery.” We cheer bombings while neighbors go hungry. Workers overseas didn’t steal our jobs. Those jobs were sent overseas by corporations using laws and treaties written by their politicians.
Twain voiced the American eagle: “Washington revered me, the great hand of Lincoln caressed me: and now I become policeman over this carrion!” Now, the U.S. is not only the policeman, but also the jailer and executioner.
It is time to pick up his mantle. It is time for a new anti-imperialist movement.
- John LaDue, Poplar Bluff, Missouri
Lead the way
The Kansas City Star has recently reported on efforts by congressional Democrats to bridge the digital divide between rural and urban as well as affluent and underserved communities. There is another digital divide the public needs to be aware of, and it stems from the fact that blind people employ screen-reading technology to use computers and smart devices.
When websites and apps are properly coded, blind people can access digital information as effectively as everyone else. However, when websites and apps are not properly coded, it becomes difficult for blind people to access information about employment, finances, education, medical records and more.
Website and app developers say they want to make their products usable for the blind but do not know how. To remedy this situation, the National Federation of the Blind is proposing federal legislation that would provide a regulatory framework to guide developers in the creation of accessible products. The Department of Justice would enforce these regulations.
We hope Congress acts promptly to bridge the digital divide between blind and sighted consumers of digital information.
- Daniel Garcia, President, National Federation of the Blind of Kansas City, Kansas City
Forecast: wrong
Our weatherman on the local news channel that claims to be Kansas City’s “most accurate” called for 10 inches of snow for last Wednesday night. The only flake I saw was the person predicting it. Maybe the station needs to change its motto.
Also, the Merriam-Webster dictionary should change the spelling of “temperature” to “tempature.” No weather person, local or national, pronounces it correctly.
- Jeff Dold, Lenexa
Money talks
For generations, we’ve been told that money is power. Though we vote for our elected officials, once they reach office, they’re all too often swayed by lobbyists and big-money interests. Instead of representing the people, lawmakers spend most of their time fundraising, relying on large donors and holding court with corporations.
That can change, but only if Congress passes the For the People Act.
The For the People Act is a bold anti-corruption and democracy reform bill that would strengthen our democracy by reducing the influence of big money in politics. It would enact limits on donations from lobbyists and increase the power of campaign contributions from everyday Americans by creating a small-dollar-donor matching program.
Without this type of bold democracy reform, our political system will never be truly democratic or fully representative and our government will continue to work only for the privileged few. It’s past time to build a better system for all Americans. That is why I’m urging Congress to pass the For the People Act.
- Linda McCaughey, Overland Park
This story was originally published March 23, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Letters: KC Readers discuss Mark Twain’s wisdom, access for the blind, Washington reform."