Readers react to veterans, the Royals and sports gambling
Honoring veterans
Today, Americans will give pause for Veterans Day to honor our men and women who have served in the armed forces. Many veterans return home and become mired in a struggle to readjust to civilian life after multiple tours.
Upon return, they face economic insecurity and invisible wounds such as post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, survivor’s guilt and depression. We must remember that they possess courage, pride, determination, selflessness and dedication to duty — all qualities needed to serve a cause larger than oneself and to continue to serve our nation as civilians.
Throughout history, service men and women have demonstrated strength and resolve, preserving our freedom through service and sacrifice. Thus, it becomes our duty to support our troops and our veterans.
At the Kansas City Department of Veterans Affairs, we are committed to providing the best care and service to those who answered the call to serve in our nation’s armed forces. We are honored to join millions of Americans in saying to our great veterans, “Thank you for your service.”
Kevin Inkley
Acting Director
Kansas City
VA Medical Center
Overland Park
Skewed priorities
On Nov. 3, up to 800,000 people gathered for a parade in downtown Kansas City. Most schools in the metropolitan area let out for the day.
What a tribute to the Kansas City Royals. They are a wonderful team of talented athletes who exemplify the best in the world of sports and entertainment.
Today, people will gather for another parade. Most schools in the metropolitan area will remain in session. The Veterans Day parade in Leavenworth is a tribute to the living men and women who served in our nation’s armed forces. They are a wonderful group of citizens who exemplify the best qualities of humanity and service.
The parade, one of the largest in the nation, will draw a little more than 5,000 people. What an indictment on the priorities of our society.
Allan Boyce
Leavenworth
Royals message
Well, 800,000 people turned out Nov. 3 to celebrate the Kansas City Royals’ 2015 World Series championship. Everybody had a wonderful time.
Nobody baited the police. The cops hassled no one. No one tipped over cars for fun, picked fights, set fire to their neighbors’ property, looted neighborhood stores or exchanged gunfire.
Last season, the Kansas City Royals sent a message to Major League Baseball.
Last Tuesday, Kansas City sent a message to the whole country.
Sam Gill
Kansas City
Sports gambling
I wish states would wake up and legalize sports betting. States could collect millions of dollars in revenue with the taxes collected.
The American Gaming Association recently reported that $95 billion — yes, that figure is correct — was expected to be bet on college and pro football this season. The report also said that $93 billion of that would be bet illegally.
Most states already allow gambling in the form of scratch-offs, Powerball and Keno. I think most people have no idea how much money is wagered overseas every week on illegal gaming sites.
Dwain Lovitch
Independence
Bullying at MU
I don’t like the message the University of Missouri-Columbia football players sent to the college administration.
Does anyone really believe more diversity training will solve the race-relations problem?
Black students should not be subjected to verbal abuse they received, but I think we are putting too much of a burden on our universities to correct these social issues.
The university dismissed one student who was using offensive language. Was it not done swiftly enough?
I am not sure how you regulate non-university citizens, but apparently the students want something done.
From what I have read, the student group is an offshoot from the Michael Brown shooting in Ferguson, Mo. Unfortunately, the shooting was cleared by the Justice Department as a justified action. Michael Brown was a nearly 300-pound youth involved in disturbing incidents.
I resist the idea of a minority of students setting policy for our universities.
In one sense, what they did was bully the system into accommodating their desires. That’s not a good precedent.
William Gray
Overland Park
This story was originally published November 10, 2015 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Readers react to veterans, the Royals and sports gambling."