Kansas wants legal medical marijuana. State senators are standing in the people’s way

Time to legalize

Why does the Kansas Legislature want to limit the free market in our state? The majority of Kansans support medical marijuana. We talk and talk about giving people options and getting government out of our personal business. Why do our legislators want to make things more difficult for everyday Kansans?

The Kansas Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs has the unique ability to suspend rules and consider normal business in the Statehouse. More Kansans need to reach out to their state senators and those specific committee members to tell them we want this.

Senators, why is it so hard to treat people the way you would want to be treated? As lawmakers, your responsibility is to care for the people you are elected to represent. That means all of them. Give people an option for a natural path to management of pain and other symptoms.

Legalize medical marijuana. The Kansas House passed it. It’s time for the Kansas Senate to step up and quit playing around. It’s not that divisive an issue, and it would be incredibly beneficial to the state for health, taxes and job creation.

- Rachel Tittle, Overland Park

Welcome banned

Why on earth would the Grain Valley school board forbid high school teachers from displaying cards or stickers letting LGBT kids know they are welcome and safe in class? (April 27, 14A, “KC-area district bans teachers from posting ‘safe space’ signs”) God forbid kids think they are safe in school and an ally is close. I hope that is the case no matter what any student identifies as, regardless of orientation.

This is the dumbest issue I can imagine for school personnel to argue over.

- Pamela Troutwine, Independence

Political ploys

My blood is boiling after reading about state Rep. Chuck Bayse’s rude response to Missourian Nedra Jeffress’ respectful inquiry about an anti-LGBT bill he is sponsoring. (April 27, 12A, “Lawmaker to retired teacher: ‘I don’t care about your feelings’”)

I am sick and tired of the culture wars being pushed by certain politicians keeping the fires of division burning. These politicians do not deserve our votes nor do they deserve to be in office.

- Debbie Turner, Leawood

Macron’s big win

My response to the decisive results of the French presidential election: Vive la France! (April 26, 4A, “European, US leaders congratulate Macron on election victory”)

- Corwin Simmonds, Roeland Park

We did this

With the exception of some new items (certain cellphones, computers, televisions and microwave ovens, for example), we consume very few products that are not made overseas. As Pogo said, “We have met the enemy and he is us.”

We wanted to pay less for the products we bought, and manufacturers were only too happy to oblige. In some cases, U.S. employees boxed up production lines and shipped them overseas, to be reassembled and run by foreign workers.

Whether electronics, clothing or shoes, almost everything we bought 50 years ago was made in the United States.

Ask your grandparents. We are old enough to remember when “Made in the USA” wasn’t just a political slogan.

- Michael Pandzik, Lenexa

It’s about fear

Missouri’s U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler is typical of religious right politicians who make up the bulk of the Missouri and Kansas legislatures.

The Star’s April 17 front-page story “Running God’s way” quoted a prayer from a recent Boone County Lincoln Day dinner: “We pray … the fear of God will be upon every candidate … to take our Senate, to take our House of Representatives back.” The phrase “fear of God” is not simply rhetorical. Fear is used to drive people to do what church leaders demand. Fear is instilled by using graphic descriptions of people writhing in eternal flames.

To many Christians, God is a vengeful specter who punishes those who fail to follow their rules. Their goal is to take over the government of the United States, dump the First Amendment and require everyone to adopt their belief system.

They want power. That is why Christian leaders rushed to beg favors at the feet of Donald Trump, a profane man who won their support by claiming he would revive Christian patriarchy by eliminating women’s right to control their own bodies.

Six of our nine U.S. Supreme Court justices are Catholic, and one was raised Catholic and goes to an Episcopalian church. They are close to fulfilling Trump’s pledge to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Remember: The history of Christianity is no less bloody than the history of Islam. We must stop religious extremists.

- L. Yvonne Bruner, Overland Park