Missouri should just ban invasive plants now, not in the future | Opinion
Get ahead
In our form of government, we select and empower individuals to make decisions on our behalf. We don’t expect them to be experts on every topic that will come before them, so they are encouraged to hire staff and study the issues.
A law recently signed by Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe for the control of invasive plants seems to indicate a total lack of advice and study or even common sense among this elected crowd.
The law lists 140 invasive plants in need of control or eradication. Six are forbidden future sales in Missouri. Four of these six go off the market in two years, and the other two are banned in four years.
Why the delay? If these six plants are a scourge to our ecosystem (and they are), why not ban their sale now? The stated purpose of this delay is to “mitigate revenue loss for plant sellers who may have a current inventory of any of these species.”
Wouldn’t it be cheaper for the state to buy and destroy the current stock of seed and plants rather than seek out and destroy them as established plants?
Invasive plants don’t need a bigger head start.
- Stan Robinson, Kansas City
No opportunity
I cannot believe Americans are not outraged over the recent execution by the U.S. military of suspected Venezuelan drug smugglers in a vessel in international waters. What if it had been Americans suspected of criminal intent, in a vessel in international waters, who had been executed by Venezuelan military?
My understanding is that drug smuggling is not a crime punishable by death. These people had no opportunity for arrest or trial.
This egregious act must not be excused.
- Carol S. Hornung, Overland Park
Take action
“Thoughts and prayers.” “Never again.” “This has to stop.” The platitudes of inaction. When will our elected officials finally take action? When will the voters finally take action?
The 2026 elections will offer those of us who believe in commonsense gun laws a real opportunity to make changes at the local, state and federal levels. We must vote for action. We must vote for real change.
- Sheryl R. Porter, Member, Grandparents for Gun Safety, Overland Park
Fight back
What would Rabbi Mark H. Levin have Israel do to defend itself against the Islamists bent on destroying it? Surrender? Cut Israel in half, hoping to placate the terrorists? (Sept. 4, 10A, “Rabbi Mark Levin: Israel destroying Gaza is not self-defense. It’s immoral”)
Did we surrender to Germany in World War II? No. We fought until the Nazis had enough and quit. Then we divided Germany into four occupied zones, tried and hanged their leaders and occupied it until we thought they had expunged the evil from their society. Only after the war did we send in aid.
Israel was savagely attacked on Oct. 7, 2023. On Oct. 8, the Jew-haters swung into action. Some 40,000 dormant social media accounts spewed antisemitic propaganda. Posters and flags were delivered to campuses all over the world. Hezbollah, Iran and Houthis fired into Israel.
Zionism means Jews fight back. We should work to save the hostages, not their aggressors.
- Len Bennett, Deerfield Beach, Florida
Pressed to lie
Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe has called for a U.S. House of Representatives map that will “truly put Missouri values first.” What is wrong with the map that was approved in 2022 by the Republican-majority General Assembly and signed by Republican then-Gov. Mike Parson?
Have Missouri values changed between 2022 and 2025? No, but what has changed is Republicans’ willingness to do anything (legal or illegal) to please Donald Trump.
Redistricting is supposed to be done only immediately after the census, once every 10 years. Its purpose is to reapportion the number of districts each state has based on populationand to equalize the population in each district. Districts should be within the same geographical region as much as possible and have easily recognized borders, usually along county lines.
Districts should be redrawn only because of changes in population, not because Trump wants to cheat in the 2026 election.
- Richard Allen, Jefferson City
Civics 101
Perhaps a civics lesson is in order:
An attack on the courts is an assault on democracy.
An attack on lawyers and law firms is an assault on democracy.
An attack on institutions and universities is an assault on democracy, as well as on free speech.
To say nothing of the assault on this nation’s crown jewels, our national parks and monuments.
Ernest Hemingway wrote in “The Sun Also Rises”: “’How did you go bankrupt?’ Bill asked. ‘Two ways,’ Mike said. ’Gradually and then suddenly.’”
Is there a reason this might apply to our democracy? It hasn’t happened here, but it has happened elsewhere.
- John Gallagher, Kansas City