KCI, loss of museum, tea party

Since my husband retired, we have traveled extensively in the United States and to and from Europe, Great Britain, New Zealand and Australia. Of the airports we have experienced, Kansas City International Airport is the best we have seen. London’s Heathrow, Chicago’s O’Hare, Paris’ Charles de Gaulle, Schiphol in Amsterdam, Lambert Field in St. Louis, Ronald Reagan in Washington, D.C., Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta, Seattle-Tacoma, JFK in New York, LAX, Denver International and others are huge and confusing.

Distances between gates were a big problem. If you transferred at any of those airports, you had to rush to your next gate or risk missing your connection.

KCI travelers can check their baggage outside the terminal buildings. Compared with all of the airports listed and others, KCI is far better.

There is an old saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

To let stand the “administrative leave” posture of Dr. Ed Richardson, principal of Southwest Early College Campus, is a tragic miscarriage of justice (4-5, A4, “School examines failures”). The school has taken some great steps forward in the delivery of solid advances for its students.

All of it can be attributed to Richardson’s leadership. The school district is guilty, once again, of very poor management decisions.

If we are really about turning out a good product, we should put him back to work now.

Isn’t it ironic? Officials in prosperous Johnson County can’t bring themselves to retain the former King Louie West, an ideal facility given its large and flexible spaces and location on Metcalf Avenue to house a national museum of suburbia (4-23, A1, “Suburban icon’s future uncertain”).

The very professional proposal prepared for this museum demonstrates how it would highlight Johnson County’s impressive development but within a broader framework to attract and reward local, regional and national visitors.

Meanwhile, Kansas City will pour millions of dollars into restoring and maintaining an old mansion ill-suited to a modern museum and in a location unlikely ever to draw tourists or even many locals to engage with Kansas City’s multifaceted history.

Neither government has done due diligence to balance potential positives against negatives from a long-term perspective and against defined objectives.

Go figure.

A person’s quality of life can be affected if that man or woman becomes sick and has no health care. It can also be a death sentence. I believe there is victory of justice in one justice for all.

To produce justice, health care should be affordable and not based on pre-existing conditions. Let justice have its perfect work with affordable health care now.

If and when an affliction comes upon a person, it always hits hard. Health care needs to be available for all men and women whether rich or poor.

Health-care costs have gone out of sight. The agenda of President Barack Obama is for everyone to have affordable health care. This is the work of a great humanitarian.

Many Americans have embraced the opportunity that has been made available. Life is too precious to let it slip away from us.

If you ever visit St. Jude Hospital, go to the children’s ward and see whether you agree with me that life is precious. Help indeed for those in need.

A college athlete who wants money for playing a sport should just turn pro, but if he’s not old enough or good enough, he should just enjoy college life and get a degree. We should not let it be about the schools with the most money getting the best players.

Two weeks ago, our community was shocked by a heinous, senseless hate crime perpetrated at the Jewish Community Center and Village Shalom, resulting in the shooting deaths of three innocent people.

Just days afterward at the Jewish Community Center, our community came together to say loudly and clearly that we will not allow hatred and gun violence to win. Instead, at an Interfaith Service of Unity and Hope, a message of peace and love was espoused by clergy from throughout our community.

I want to thank the clergy for reaching out to all of us who are grieving over this horrific crime and for providing us with a message of solace and hope.

We have had sanctions against Cuba for more than 50 years. President Barack Obama has been considering sanctions against Russia for that country’s actions in Crimea.

However, Pakistan harbored Osama bin Laden, this country’s worst enemy since World War II. Why hasn’t President Obama taken action against that nation?

I had an enlightening time talking to a tea party member. Everything is so clear to me now.

President Barack Obama is a socialist Muslim.

Women should be pregnant and in the kitchen, and any woman who gets her contraception through her insurance is either a whore or slut. However, I agree that men should still be able to have their Viagra covered.

If you can’t pay your medical bills, sell your house, car or wife. Science and the global warming theory are liberal conspiracies to control government and capitalism.

People who get any sort of government assistance are lazy liberals. Rush Limbaugh is the new messiah, and I will listen to every word he and Fox News state as fact.

I will adhere to the tea party slogan, “I got mine; screw you.” Gays and lesbians are going to hell, and I will hide my bigotry behind my Bible.

Somebody please send me the Tea Party Handbook so I can further educate myself on these new and enlightening ideas.

Yes, people, there are those who believe some or all these ideas, and they walk among us.

I am a staunch supporter of the Democratic Party, with few exceptions. However, I am considering voting for some Republicans, if and only if they will promise the American people to stop wasting Congress’ time and taxpayer money trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

There are so many issues facing us now that demand the attention of Congress. It’s time for the worst do-nothing Congress in history to grow up and lead. Shame on every member of Congress who continues to pursue pointless blustering.

As I drove late one night to work

Missed quite a few turns in the dark

For the signs seemed new and few

And the roads were long and far apart!

The mocking darkness and the crescent moon

the chilly air, the scattered whispering stars

A thick silence so deep and hard to break

Apart for the few random sirens and cars.

Unhappy I endured the night,

Sadly ignorant of the darkness and calm I remained whining

Finally clouds of self-pity drew away

I then realized the advantages of late night working!

Driving back in the morning the warm sunshine touched me

Repentant of every complaint I had made

Every inconvenience is not just a burden

But how parts of His plan are played.

I finally realize I need to give up my vice of complaining

Not just chips and chocolate this season

I need to fall in line with His plan

Work and play while life lasts

Until I am worthy to mix my ashes

With those of His gorgeous land!

This story was originally published April 26, 2014 at 5:00 PM with the headline "KCI, loss of museum, tea party."