Letters: KC readers discuss Gosar’s threats, Whataburger lines and scam phone calls
Equal justice
Several years ago, I had a young student who threatened the life of the president within hours of his arrival in Kansas City. I reported the threat to the principal, who in turn called the U.S. Secret Service. Agents arrived at the school within hours and removed the student, who never returned to my classroom or to the school.
U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar was censured by the U.S. House of Representatives for actions that have been described as a death threat against a congressional colleague and a threat of violence against the president. (Nov. 18, A3, “In rare rebuke, House censures Gosar for video”)
If we really believe in the axiom that no one is above the law, then I can’t help but wonder what will happen with Gosar going forward. If he has in fact violated federal or state statutes, then he should be investigated and prosecuted without exception.
My former student was a juvenile when members of the Secret Service showed up at her high school classroom and removed her in front of her classmates for making a threat. Unlike Paul Gosar, she had little or no possible access to the president.
Real justice must be consistent not selective.
- Jeffery R. Dysart, Overland Park
Heads up
“On your left!”
No, that is not a political statement — not at all. Rather, it is a request from a walker who enjoys our area’s wonderful walking and biking paths to bicyclists who do not have the courtesy to shout, “On your left,” when passing walkers. Not to offer that courtesy warning is dangerous to those who share the paths.
I have surveyed families with strollers and younger and older walkers, and to a person they shake their heads in agreement as to why many bikers don’t have the courtesy to announce their passing from behind.
Someone will get hurt. So to bikers who fail to shout, “On your left,” I shout (apolitically), “On your right!”
- Robert G. Shaw, Leawood
In the know
Recent editions of the paper are why I get The Star. I never heard of Aim4Peace before the Nov. 10 story, “An ounce of prevention.” (3A) Thanks to the investigative reporting, I understand what a helpful program it is, and how the City Council has attempted to stop it. The Sunday story about Eric Schmitt was well done and very revealing. (1A, “About face”)
Both are stories we all need to read. None of that information is available on the news channels.
- Mary Eick, Gladstone
Health equation
I find it interesting that people will wait in line for hours to ingest high-fat, unhealthy hamburgers and fries, (Nov. 16, 5A, “Fans line up early for opening of area’s first Whataburger”) but many won’t take a proven vaccine to prevent sickness or death. Would those folks take a vaccine to unclog their arteries?
Only in America.
- Larry Miller, Overland Park
Stop the scams
I want to know what our Missouri attorney general is actively doing to stop Medicare fraud and identity theft. I want to know what he’s actively doing to arrest and charge Medicare scammers. I want to know if he’s just too busy playing political games and filing lawsuits against Democrats to provide protections against thieves, cons and scammers.
If this is too much to ask of an attorney general of Missouri, then perhaps he should resign. My mother gets scam calls daily. She gets confused when “Medicare” or “Social Security” calls her to “verify” her numbers.
Three weeks ago, she gave a scammer her Medicare number. I had to get it replaced. This week, another scammer called and had her personal info and her new Medicare number.
This is a hot issue. It’s extremely frustrating to find that the attorney general and governor don’t seem to care about their constituents, don’t want to talk about these issues with their constituents, refuse to acknowledge us, and do everything under cover of darkness as they take advantage of us. And it’s more frustrating to discover that your attorney general and governor work only for their own party, totally ignoring the rest of us.
- Dolores Owen, Kansas City
This story was originally published November 19, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Letters: KC readers discuss Gosar’s threats, Whataburger lines and scam phone calls."