Readers react to the minimum wage, Kansas lawmakers and guns

Minimum wage

It’s ridiculous that fast-food workers and others of that ilk think they should earn breadwinners’ salaries.

These jobs require little training and are meant as stopgap positions or for high school kids.

I know a middle school science teacher in a Missouri public school who started two years ago making less than $15 per hour.

She has a master’s degree, and that requires at least five years of post-high school education and leaves these instructors tens of thousands of dollars in debt.

To think a job needing little education and minimal training should pay the same or more than these teachers is ludicrous.

Mark Minx

Kansas City

Prosecute legislators

Here’s an idea for Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach and his newfound power to prosecute/persecute voter fraudsters.

He can get some great experience prosecuting the Kansas Legislature for the fraud its members have perpetrated against the people of Kansas.

Legislators passed the outrageous budget and didn’t have any public hearings, meetings or discussions within the two political parties.

They hung out at the dome in Topeka for several extra weeks, costing taxpayers more than $1 million for their dalliances.

Don Rinck Sr.

Mission

Be smart on guns

I don’t know why guns shouldn’t be sold at corner stands, CVS drugstores and in vending machines, right? Guns are just tools.

People are the real problem. I mean, jeez, we’ve only had since Cain vs. Abel to figure out the evil side of human nature.

We haven’t given it enough time. Why should good people (and those who have their emotions under control) pay with gun regulation?

Now with tongue out of cheek.

Gun enthusiasts are missing the point: Human nature being what it is, it’s not very bright of lawmakers to make it easy for those who would do harm to others.

Putting in place a few hoops to jump through creates the opportunity to be smartly preventative, especially when it comes to mass-casualty guns.

By the way, I’m not anti-gun. We have hunting guns locked up in our house.

Cathy Anderson

Leawood

Transparency, please

The Aug. 22 article, “Coke finances scientists who shift blame from bad diets,” should infuriate all of us.

There is a plethora of unbiased research showing a strong correlation between the increased consumption of foods and drinks that are high in sugars and the epidemic of obesity and diabetes in our country.

Furthermore, there is a great deal of research showing that Americans today are more active than they were 40 years ago — and that increased activity alone (although good for you) does not result in weight loss.

It’s not surprising that a nonprofit company created and funded by Coca-Cola and which claims to be “the voice of science” contends that there is “strong evidence” that the key to preventing weight gain is not reducing food intake — as many public health experts recommend — “but maintaining an active lifestyle and eating more calories.”

To back up this contention, the group provides links to two research papers, each of which contains this footnote: “The publication of this article was supported by The Coca-Cola Company.”

We need to demand transparency from those groups that claim to be experts in health and nutrition.

Courtney

Younglove, M.D.

Diplomate

American Board

of Obesity Medicine

Kansas Weight Loss

& Wellness

Lenexa

Marceline, Disney

It was nice to wake up to a feel-good story, “Midget car carries load of Disney history,” in my Star on Aug. 11. The article written by Donald Bradley was just that.

Seeing the connection the Disney family has to Marceline, Mo., is historic and exciting.

This connection makes Marceline unique among all the small towns throughout the country that were railroad towns with a depot and many jobs related to the train stop.

When the railroads deleted those stops, these towns lost some of their importance.

At the suggestion of a former resident, I along with another senior visited the senior center there to entertain a number of people.

But I believe we were the ones who got entertained by some wonderful stories by several of the retirees, including railroad workers, an airline mechanic and farmers as well as a number of woman volunteers who have that special feeling for Marceline, just like Kaye Malins, the executive director of the Walt Disney Hometown Museum.

My friend and I had a great conversation about this piece of history all the way back to Kansas City.

If you haven’t been to Marceline you should go.

Mike Abell

Leawood

Foul protection

Big Brother is again rearing his ugly head, this time trying to infect our time-honored national pastime — baseball.

A movement is under way in the courts, the commissioner’s office and the players’ union trying to extend netting from home plate to the foul poles.

Proponents of netting argue that because about 1,750 fans each year are injured, Major League Baseball needs to enact preventive measures.

Out of millions of fans attending games in major league parks in 2014, a fraction of a percent of fans were injured.

Compare that figure with thousands of injuries in automobile wrecks. Shall we prevent fans from driving to the ballpark and mandate public transportation for their safety?

As a season ticket holder with seats 12 rows behind the visitors’ dugout, I will not be renewing my seats if netting is extended to my section.

I enjoy the intimate experience, photo ops and unobstructed view.

Fans who view games as a social event, where the game itself is of secondary importance to their texting and visiting, should stay home and not force me to do so.

Michael Kalny

Shawnee

Medical marijuana

Medicinal marijuana is a big issue in the United States. Nearly half the states have legalized medicinal marijuana, including California, New York and Illinois.

Missouri passed a law that certain oils in marijuana can be used for medicinal purposes.

I believe Kansas should be next to legalize the drug medicinally because recent studies show medicinal marijuana has been a safe and effective treatment for many illnesses and disabilities such as cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis and many others.

Yes, some individuals believe that legalizing medicinal marijuana can lead to people faking illnesses to get medical cards, but a recent study showed that the legalization does not increase teen use.

I think teen use would be the main thing to worry about, but a study published June 16 by The Lancet Psychiatry says that teen use is nothing to worry about.

Medicinal marijuana could help save lives if the drug is used the right way, so why not make it legal in Kansas as well? I believe legalizing medicinal marijuana could be a good choice for Kansas.

Sara Gassman

Belton

Swope Park gems

Swope Soccer Village is the most recent addition to Swope Park and one more excellent accomplishment of the Kansas City Parks Department.

“A capacity crowd of 3,557 fans filled Swope Soccer Village to see members of the U.S. Women’s National Team,” a recent news report said, and the game against Houston was also televised.

Who would have thought this was even possible?

Visitors to Swope Park can also see the gleaming Lakeside Nature Center, Starlight Theatre, the Kansas City Zoo, remodeled golf courses and the restored historic Swope Park Pool.

Sculptures abound, from the grand Thomas H. Swope Memorial looming high on a hill to the small but elegant Alfred Benjamin Memorial.

The Kansas City Parks Department has done quite a lot throughout Kansas City with a small budget, and its work benefits all residents.

Kenneth Lee

Raytown

This story was originally published August 12, 2015 at 10:00 AM with the headline "Readers react to the minimum wage, Kansas lawmakers and guns."