Yes, ghost guns are a problem. But they aren’t the reason Kansas City is so violent

Not ghost guns

Many people in Kansas City have said that the reason for so many crimes committed with guns is the easy availability of those guns. I wonder, if that were true, why anyone would need to obtain a ghost gun. It cannot be cheaper than obtaining a preassembled gun. And since most criminals presumably believe they will not be caught, why would an untraceable gun be so desirable?

Ghost guns should be banned, but the reasons for so much gun violence must be found elsewhere.

- Dick Davenport, Lee’s Summit

It takes two

I feel that the predominately male-run state and local governments mandating women’s rights to their own reproductive choices is totally wrong. Some states are even trying to limit a woman’s access to contraceptives.

Well, I have a fix for this. Since most pregnancies involve a man, he too should bear responsibility. Any woman denied an abortion of an unwanted fetus should be allowed to have the impregnator equally responsible for the pregnancy and raising of the child. If a DNA test is needed, so be it.

The man should be held responsible for all costs involved in carrying the fetus to term. He should be responsible for the cost of the delivery of the child. He should definitely have responsibility for the cost of rearing said child. This would include feeding, clothing, child care and education of the child, through college or trade school.

The woman did not get pregnant alone and should not have to bear the burden of raising a child alone.

Republican lawmakers, if you don’t want abortions, then enact laws that put the responsibilities where they belong.

- Pat J. Serrone, Kansas City

Teachers’ worth

As a community health worker, I help individuals find resources in the community. I recently connected a public school teacher who could not afford food to a food pantry.

Our nation believes students can’t learn if they aren’t properly nourished. This is why we have free and reduced lunch programs. How do we expect our teachers to instruct those children if they can’t nourish themselves?

All workers deserve a living wage, and those who teach our children especially deserve to be compensated well, or at a bare minimum, fairly. We as a society must do better. Our elected officials must do better.

- Eric Williams, Kansas City

In the game

I phoned Koch Industries in Wichita and spoke with a very pleasant lady. I asked for the public relations department. “Which company?” she asked. “The whole big industry,” I replied.

When I said I wanted to speak with someone about Koch continuing to do business in Russia, she told me there was no one with whom to connect me. “I’m just a receptionist.” I suggested she consider whether she wanted to continue working for Koch. None of us is “just a receptionist.”

- Cynthia Puppel Stofiel, Kansas City

On the take?

I think the United States needs to take a step back and start looking at the funding sources of politicians, groups, organizations and companies for foreign influence.

We need to understand who is the actual wizard behind the curtain. Who is paying for the lobbyists? Who is funding the foundations? Who is contributing to political campaigns to influence decisions? Who is spending money to stoke civil unrest?

What if China and Russia are spending millions of dollars to influence our internal policies and decisions? What if they are the real funding source? What if they are the funding source behind our country’s divisive politics? Moving factories and jobs overseas? Buying off journalists and company heads to provide support? Funding company expansions and buyouts that benefit them?

Maybe there is a reason so many of our jobs have been moved overseas, including critical industries such as energy, pharmacy and electronics.

What if we are replacing reliance on OPEC with reliance on China?

What if our country is being bought by our enemies to weaken us?

- Frank Green, Kansas City

Bigger footprint

It is a shame that Russia, with the largest landmass of any country, wants to increase its territory by invading Ukraine.

- James Veach, Warsaw, Missouri

This story was originally published March 17, 2022 at 5:00 AM.