Readers share thoughts on celebratory gunfire, the Royals and elections
Celebratory gunfire
When you step outdoors to fire your gun in celebration of a Kansas City Royals win, please first ask yourself whether the bullet will come down with lethal force on one of your children — or someone else’s.
Norm Ledgin
Stanley, Kan.
Steve Rose column
Finally an analysis in The Star, that explains the facts on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s obstructionist control of the Senate.
Thank you, Steve Rose, for pointing out in your Oct. 5 column, “Given Orman’s uncertainty, I’m for Roberts,” the need to have congressional action by making sure Kansans vote for Sen. Pat Roberts.
Jim Laufenberg
Leawood
Important election
I recently saw a campaign sign in my neighborhood advocating for the re-election of my Kansas House representative. My immediate thought was, “Why?”
Why would anyone want to re-elect a member of the House majority who voted for bad fiscal policy that will see this state without any funds in two years? And who voted for bad social and public-safety policies?
And who voted for bad educational, transportation and taxation policies that shifted state-taxation burdens to the middle class? And who violated his oath of office by voting for a law that clearly violates the U.S. Constitution, such as the Second Amendment Protection Act? And who did not advocate for expanding Medicaid to 78,000 Kansans? Why?
I suspect state GOP leaders are working overtime drafting the talking points for those seeking re-election. The points better be more than bashing the Affordable Care Act, ranting about Benghazi and offering tax cuts to cure all problems.
Local and state elections have more impact on us than politics at a higher level, so I hope Kansans have been paying attention to the economic and social decline in this state. Otherwise, vote to re-elect and see where Kansas is in a few years.
Michael Yanez
Tonganoxie
All votes matter
Conservatives bemoan that there’s too much government interference in people’s lives. Many legislatures have restricted a woman’s right to terminate her pregnancy and have inflicted strict voter-identification laws on their constituents.
Government interference? Many legislatures refuse to implement the Affordable Care Act, calling it “socialism,” leaving thousands without health care.
Legislators draft American Legislative Exchange Council-sponsored right-to-carry laws, allowing anyone to purchase weapons. Meaningful gun regulation is seen as an affront to Second Amendment rights.
Which is it? Government restrictions for women, the uninsured and voters but none for weapons?
Legislators pass bills that affect citizens on a personal level. Women’s health, voter restrictions and gun legislation shape families and communities every day. Just ask the citizens of Ferguson, Mo., and many other communities who continue to be controlled by a minority of the white male patriarchy because citizens chose not to vote.
All of the U.S. House, 36 U.S. senators and 36 governors face re-election. Midterm voter turnout runs notoriously low.
Too many citizens show voter apathy, later lamenting legislative decisions. If you want to change the complexion of your state and national legislature, midterm voting matters.
By not voting, the results are by default.
Rosemarie Woods
Kansas City
Heavily armed police
It makes one suspicious when police departments nationwide have acquired military equipment and tactics to enhance public safety while instances of police brutality are on the rise.
How many times do we read about journalists and bystanders being targeted by officers in these situations? The words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. haunt us with the warning: “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible make violent revolution inevitable.”
Jesse Hall
Lenexa
Oust incumbents
When are the American people going to start voting for the best person instead of voting politics? For example, I have read that Sen. Pat Roberts lives in Washington, D.C., and is getting close to 80 years old.
Let’s replace the good ol’ boys with younger men and women who are running for office to help the average person instead of for greed. The amount of money being spent to get elected is almost a crime, especially when families are starving for food and shelter.
Wake up America.
John Cook
Kansas City
Marijuana, football
The National Football League needs to get with the times and forget about banning marijuana use among its players. This attitude is counterproductive and against the scientific evidence that marijuana is safer than alcohol, which the NFL advertises and sells during the games.
Corky Lewis
Lee’s Summit
Unforgettable killings
I am a very peaceful person, but I get very upset about horrible crimes.
I cannot forget Ann Harrison, kidnapped and killed by two young men who were high on drugs. I have a very difficult time with the memory of Demetrius Herndon and his casual murder of two young people in central Kansas City.
But nothing compares to the Sept. 2 homicides in south Kansas City. Brandon Howell is charged in those slayings.
I cannot imagine a punishment that is sufficiently horrible to make someone pay for these killings. It is a crime against humanity.
William Britt
Leawood
Living better sober
I am a recovering alcoholic. My father was an alcoholic.
His life was a struggle for him, and alcohol finally claimed his life. I was on the same path.
I was fighting addiction and was very depressed. One day I was staring at my gun cabinet and saying to myself, “I am not happy sober, and I am not happy drunk.”
That doesn’t leave many other choices. I decided to give sobriety one more chance.
That was 25 years ago. I still remember how my alcoholic mind almost killed me, as it has so many others.
Bill Coffman
Lee’s Summit
Generosity in KC
I witnessed a thoughtful act of kindness at batting practice preceding the Royals’ wild-card game. One of the boys catching balls hit into the stands gave his caught ball to an elderly guy there also hoping for a souvenir.
Although it may not be important that others always notice kind acts, I hope this fine young man (and his mom) know others did see and admire his generosity. What a nice example.
May he catch many more baseballs in years to come — perhaps even as a player on the field, if that’s his desire.
Reading about how the Royals are graciously and generously handling their success, I think this kid would fit right in.
Ed Hilligoss
Pleasant Hill
True blue Royals
The Kansas City Royals play baseball. They don’t play the steroid ball of the 1990s and 2000s.
They play fast-moving, unpredictable, fun-to-watch, respectable baseball. Our Royals are a team, and the players get runs using every strategy known to the game.
The outfielders run all out and then take off at low altitudes to back up the other guy even though they know he won’t need it.
We’re seeing double plays. We have the best pitching in baseball.
Our All-Star catcher looks like a disguised superhero in his catcher’s gear, and he’s solid. Does anyone else suspect he returns to Venezuela in the offseason to fight evil?
We have a lineup that is unpredictably feisty and effective. Don’t say they play with swagger. These gentlemen are undeserving of such trite commentary.
They love the game. They’re having fun. We’re having fun watching them.
Paid predictors never think the Royals will win. Those obstreperous, overpaid, barking hucksters will be forgotten.
I believe the Royals will win, but that is secondary to my belief in the Royals as a team. I’m proud of them because of how they are playing the game, and win or lose they have my heart.
Erin Curry
Olathe
This story was originally published October 8, 2014 at 10:00 AM with the headline "Readers share thoughts on celebratory gunfire, the Royals and elections."