Roger Marshall says Ketanji Brown Jackson would hurt ‘Kansas values.’ What are those?
Which values?
Sen. Roger Marshall will not vote for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson for the Supreme Court because he fears she will not protect the Constitution and our Kansas values. What are our Kansas values? I didn’t go to school in Kansas, so I was never taught them. I have lived here since 1988 and haven’t seen them written down anywhere either. A Google search finds more than 7 million hits, but I still can’t find which ones Judge Jackson will ruin.
- Neal Moster, Overland Park
A moving puzzle
My question is this: Why would the Chiefs and Royals want to move from their current location?
Because the fans would be closer to the stadiums? No, most would be farther away. Because you could see the games better in the new seats? Nope. So parking would be easier? Not downtown. So you would pay less for parking, food and beverage? I’m going to take a wild guess and say fans would pay more to help the owners recoup their investments. Will you pay less in taxes to help ownership pay for the new venues? Yeah, right.
So why? So ownership can make more money — period.
I can’t believe the powers that be would remove the Chiefs from Missouri. Fans have always been loyal. Ownership? Not so much.
- Rick Schultz, Independence
Religious rules
The bill sponsored by Kansas Rep. Trevor Jacobs, as reported in the Thursday story “Kansas bill offered to ban abortion ahead of amendment vote,” (5A) would enshrine religious persecution in the laws of Kansas.
In Jewish law (halakhah), which in this instance would be followed by most Kansas’ Jews, abortion is not only legal but required when the life of the mother is threatened.
When the threat to the mother’s life is primarily psychological, Jewish legal scholars have often disagreed, with some mandating or allowing abortion and others forbidding. But there is no debating that the mother’s life takes precedence in Jewish law over the life of the fetus, which is termed “potential life.”
I would be obligated, as a rabbi, to advise Jewish women under certain circumstances to obtain abortions, which under this proposed law would be a criminal action.
This stance is at odds with the opinions of many of another faith. But the U.S. Constitution forbids the government to give preference to one religion over another. In this instance, the well-established principles in Jewish law would be overridden by a state law that favors one theology of a major religion over another.
Those who prefer a ban on abortion have no obligation to obtain an abortion. Forbidding abortions to believers of a different religious perspective that are mandatory in their tradition abrogates Kansans’ right to free speech and free practice of religion.
- Rabbi Mark H. Levin, Prairie Village
Highway headache
I’ve enjoyed seeing some of the proposals for tearing out the North Loop in Kansas City’s downtown freeway network. They’re definitely creative, but I worry the entrenched South Loop couldn’t handle the resulting increase in traffic. After navigating the area during the current closure of the Interstate 35 west-side connector because of the Buck O’Neil Bridge replacement project, I think my fears are well founded.
Unless the entire loop is going to be rebuilt, I don’t think removing the north section is a safe option.
- Dale Garrison, Liberty
A big help
On behalf of my dad, brother, husband and friend, I want to thank our VA Kansas City Healthcare System. Its service and respect have been outstanding. Those close to me have used audiology, pharmacy, ophthalmology, physicians and surgery to name a few. In addition to its medical excellence, the VA also continually updates its buildings and energy efficiency.
The nurses and aides always go the extra mile in appreciation of the service performed by these men and women who are their patients. I would rank our local V.A. a 10 out of 10.
- Kaaren M. Jones, Kansas City
Direct the anger
I keep hearing people say the president has to do something to get gas prices down. The government does not and should not control gas prices. That is a function of our capitalist system.
The way it should work is when prices go up, the greed factor kicks in and investors invest to make money. That is good greed, and the way the system should work. What we have now is bad greed, where the oil companies think they can make more money by not increasing production.
Don’t blame Joe Biden. The oil companies deserve the blame.
- William Klinkenberg, Lenexa
Parking pain
If you happen to drive by the Kansas City River Market’s paid parking lot during the week, one common sight is people crowded around the payment kiosk trying to get the machine to work. Usually, they are gathered around one of the two kiosks because the other one isn’t functioning. This is when traffic is light. Can you imagine the mess during the weekend?
In addition, it’s free to park within the market itself if you’re just shopping, and there is abundant free parking to the northeast and to the west of the market during the week.
The city must expect most of that projected $1 million in new revenue to come from parking tickets issued to people who don’t realize that parking on the weekends isn’t free anymore. (March 23, 11A, “Drivers must soon pay for parking at KC’s River Market”)
- Michael Swoyer, Kansas City
May we learn
What a refreshing piece from Mara’ Rose Williams about two local Catholic churches — St. Monica and Visitation — partnering to discuss racial justice. (March 30, 13A, “Kansas City Catholics come together for some real talk”) This is just what we need to counter all the false information and fear about “critical race theory.” I assume the people most fearful must not read the paper or other information concerning this concept, and the fact that it is an advanced academic discipline that is not part of K-12 education.
I hope that other churches, including mine, will come together for some real talk and the chance to get to know others from other races, faiths and more. We need this so much. Congratulations for these churches’ leadership.
- Linda Lockwood, Kansas City