Readers share views on sports, voters, Gov. Brownback, Sen. Roberts
Sports adjustments
Most employment contracts carry caveats as to personal conduct, actions affecting the employer and more.
Highly paid athletes who purport to be role models for youth should have contract stipulations affecting termination, loss of future income and expulsion from the league when there are proven allegations and/or arrests concerning spousal abuse or child endangerment of any kind.
Come on folks, it’s sports. Try to get away with that kind of bad behavior if you are any other kind of professional.
Clifford C. Carpenter
Independence
Informed voters
If you seriously want change in government, now is the time to take action. Within a month you have the privilege of voting.
Local involvement and elections are where government begins. Activities for local, state and national candidates are in full swing.
It is your privilege and duty to make the effort to find out who is campaigning for what office and their positions on issues important to you. Watch newspapers and mailed advertisements about candidates and events. Do your best to be an informed voter and vote.
I’ve heard comments that we should vote them all out, and even though that may be a good idea, there is no box on the ballot to check “Vote out all incumbents.”
You must decide which candidates most closely align with your needs and your convictions. This system of ours, by the people, for the people and of the people, is not an easy government system, but our country has fought many battles protecting it so we remain a strong and effective democracy.
Just do your best to make wise choices as you exercise your power.
Ida Mayor Clayton
Lake Waukomis
Any other state
Right now, we Kansans have a governor who wishes we were in Texas, a senator who lives in Virginia and a secretary of state who can’t wait for the weekend to jet off to any other state that will have him.
Well, we are sorry Kansas isn’t good enough for them. Gentlemen, I think the three of you would be much happier following your dreams.
Go to Texas, Sam Brownback. Go back to Virginia, Pat Roberts. Go shoot wild pigs from a plane, Kris Kobach.
Go anywhere you wish. This is America, after all.
You obviously don’t like Kansas the way it is, or was.
Stanley Stern
Prairie Village
Washboard road
In Kansas City, 85th Street is a highly used road. Yet the condition of the road is terrible.
You can see where it has been patched several times instead of being repaved. Driving down the road you feel like you are on a roller coaster.
It is bump after bump after bump. You have to switch lanes if you want to have a smoother ride.
I realize the city has a lot of roads to maintain, and it cannot keep the road in perfect condition, but city officials should be able to maintain 85th Street in a better condition.
Ryan Murphy
Kansas City
Wind power lost
The 2014 Olathe school year has gotten under way, and again the students, teachers and parents at Prairie Trail Middle School at 107th Street and Lone Elm Road must look across the street at an inactive wind turbine. What are we teaching our students?
If these blades were allowed to turn, the wind turbine would produce electricity and, in most cases, send excess power back into the grid. I am sure there is a cost for the repair but also sure there is a monetary return for the electricity it would produce.
Paul Weiss
Olathe
Voter ID quandary
If the Republican-controlled legislatures across the country think elections would be safe from voter fraud by making those casting ballots show government-approved identification (some at a steep price), then that must mean the elections that got them elected in the first place were tainted with potential fraud, making those elections invalid.
So all the elected legislators should stand by their word to do what’s right in the eyes of their constituents and resign from office, because they may not have been elected honestly.
Wait for it.
That’s right, silence from the Republican Party. Any surprise for this red herring?
Lew Hendricks
Kansas City
Lawrence sales tax
In November, Lawrence has on the ballot a proposal to raise the city sales tax. It seems the prevalent attitude of those promoting it is to stick it to the parents and out-of-town guests as well as the students at the University of Kansas.
As a local resident, I am aghast that anyone would vote for this increase for a new police station and that many of the promoters want out-of-town parents and guests to pay a few more pennies on everything they spend in Lawrence. This is ridiculous, and the tax will be for nine years.
If this passes, the locals in Lawrence are stuck with it, on everything. Utilities, phone bills, major purchases, merchandise for repairs, clothing, food.
If you have students at KU, get them to register and vote no on this issue. It is not a matter of pennies on the dollar but rather an attempt to use those who come and go to the city and spend money.
What will you get from this increase? Comments online about the tax basically say parents and guests won’t blink an eye at the increase.
David Holroyd
Lawrence
Obama’s wrong war
I recoiled in horror at President Barack Obama’s plan to ramp up military assistance to Syrian opposition rebels as counterweight to Islamic State extremists. Obama’s support for the Arab Spring, his bombing of Libya and the overthrow of secular rulers led to the al-Qaida-linked rebel invasion of Syria.
Obama provided military equipment and millions of dollars to rebels to overthrow the Syrian government. Rebels used it to terrorize and massacre civilians. This aid turned the Islamic State into an army and helped it rise to power.
Rebels intermingle with and in some cases fight alongside Islamic State militants. Rebels sold James Foley and Steven Sotloff to the Islamic State. To arm rebels is to arm the Islamic State.
Syria’s government, neutral to us, gave relative peace and security to citizens of all faiths.
Obama salivates at taking down Syria’s secular President Bashar Assad. If Congress gives Obama full rein to destroy Syria’s government, it could lead to victory for the Islamic State.
Sheila Young
Hutchinson, Kan.
Fighting in Iraq
When it came time for Iraqi soldiers to stand and fight for their country, many turned and ran like terrified dogs. No more lives of American and other allied troops should be risked.
The only aid that should be offered is to pay for the insertion of backbones into the Iraqi men.
President Barack Obama, if you think more American soldiers should be risked, why don’t you be the leader that you claim to be and lead combat missions until success is achieved in Iraq?
Randy Maddox
Kansas City
Winning memories
I remember the 1985 World Series between St. Louis and Kansas City. I worked at the main post office on Pershing Road and belonged to a chapter of the American Business Women’s Club.
Our goal that year was to raise money for scholarships to help girls go to college. Anyway, we staffed one of the concession stands in exchange for a share of the proceeds.
We did this for three nights. I didn’t realize how busy we would be. Nachos, hot dogs, beer and all the rest went out until we started running out of things. Then the cleanup.
We didn’t get to watch the game, but we were kept up to date by the fans. I don’t think I worked harder when I started at the Postal Service and unloaded trucks.
But we were able to award some money to help with school and made memories that still last.
Imogene Goss
Kansas City
This story was originally published October 13, 2014 at 4:45 PM with the headline "Readers share views on sports, voters, Gov. Brownback, Sen. Roberts."