Kansas redistricting, KC Air Show slight and the Declaration

Playing around

In the board game Risk, the object is to conquer the world by claiming all the territories. In my mind, this is the current process for drawing legislative districts.

In Kansas, the Legislature draws the maps, with the majority political party slicing the state to claim majorities in most voting districts. Those voting districts are in place for the next 10 years. Regardless of political party affiliation, is this the best way to draw district lines? The question for Kansas is, “How might voting district lines be drawn fairly?”

I propose following the lead of nine states that employ commissions of five to 14 members to draw maps. Arizona appoints five nonpoliticians to the Independent Redistricting Commission. It must have two Republicans, two Democrats and an independent chairperson. Arizona’s commission does not redraw district maps. It draws them from scratch every 10 years.

To me, removing politicians is a welcome first step to drawing fair maps.

Risk is labeled “The World Conquest Game.” Redistricting is not a game. Kansas should not take risks in assuring that all voters select their representatives, not representatives selecting voters in their district.

- Nancy Allen, Overland Park

No accommodations

An open letter to officials of the Kansas City Air Show:

We want you to know about our terrible experience at the air show on July 4. My friend Kaye and I, who are 82 and 77, respectively, and both medically disabled, have dreamed for years about seeing the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds perform.

We spent $220.09 on tickets and parking. We thought there would be special accommodations. There were not.

The mile or so walk to go through security and to the viewing area really did us in. Again we asked if there were any accommodations for disabled people, and the reply was that there were none.

We literally had to beg event organizers to ask security staffers who had golf carts to help us make it to the viewing area. We were both in great pain because of our attempt to walk part of the way. We left after two hours and went home.

The organizers had absolutely no plans to accommodate the disabled. How can this be in light of the Americans with Disabilities Act?

- Ken Bingman, Spring Hill, Kansas

It’s just reality

I am befuddled by my white brethren who fear an honest examination of the history of race relations in our country. In my opinion, the only explanation seems to be pride in their own ignorance.

In my lifetime, I have witnessed way too many policies and incidents to deny the reality of racism.

- John Ernest Bishop, Atchison, Kansas

Timeless words

Thank you for reprinting the Declaration of Independence in The Star on July 4. (20A) I read this document every year just to remind myself what the holiday is truly about.

More people need to read this foundational piece of our history from time to time to refresh themselves on where we come from as a people and the true meaning of independence.

- Bill Baxter, Kansas City

If it’s about history

As I see the removal of statues of Confederate slave owners, I ask why we would object to seeing and explaining to our children what those statues represent and how they are part of our country’s history. Then I ask myself, Why not erect statues of Adolf Hitler or Benito Mussolini? They certainly represent part of our country’s history. I wish I had a definitive answer.

- Robert Rogers, Leavenworth

Small kindness

With all the bad news, we can’t let the good deeds go unacknowledged.

My granddaughter Gabriella can’t go to bed without her “Little Bunny” stuffed toy. On a walk to Classic Cookie in Waldo on Saturday, Little Bunny fell out of the stroller. That went unnoticed until bedtime. When we retraced the route, we discovered that someone had found the beloved toy and had carefully and lovingly place Little Bunny against a tree on Gregory Boulevard.

Thank you to that person, whoever you are. You did a good thing. It was so kind and thoughtful.

- Nelson Nast, Kansas City

Policing data

I read a story in The Star about the Kansas City Police Department ranking low on a national “study.” (July 3, 1A, “Terrible scores for KC police ‘says it all,’ civil rights leaders say”) The data from the Police Scorecard is not really a research study, but an aggregate of descriptive statistics.

A study drills deeper, looking at the independent variables or causes of outcomes, which are dependent variables described in the research data as reported in the story. The Police Scorecard also uses assumptions in its data structure that are not fully consistent with empirical research on the issues.

This is not to suggest everything is fine at KCPD. But understand, based on my 40 years as a professor and police researcher, that the data taken from the Police Scoreboard needs more depth of causal analysis and its conclusions should not be taken at face value.

- David L. Carter, Professor, School of Criminal Justice, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan