Readers sound off on KC Royals, U.S. troops, President Obama

Never giving up

I read this quote by Babe Ruth: “You just can’t beat the person who never gives up.”

Thank you, Royals players, coaches, manager and administrators for never giving up.

What a wild ride you took us on.

Janet Duncan

Kansas City

Safeguard troops

I’m proud to admit that I’m an activist standing with Moveon.org and other politically and socially conscious groups that try to bring awareness on issues and right the wrongs of our government.

We stand in freezing and sweltering weather with signs and banners.

It’s not always fun but hopefully is productive to some degree.

The reception from the public includes honking and waves of approval, blank faces ignoring our existence and the third finger — a sign of opposition.

People don’t always agree, and that’s their right.

But, sometimes, as occurred recently while we were promoting “Diplomacy not war in Iran,” a response was the finger and a shout, “Support our troops.”

I totally agree with this. However, sending military personnel to religious wars that will never be won by either side only lines the coffers of major U.S. corporations.

How can we support our troops by deploying them to fight another non-ending war whose only threat is lost revenue to major corporations selling war-mongering weapons and supplies?

What has happened to thousands of our troops? Death, dismemberment, post-traumatic stress disorder, mental disease and many other problems.

Support our troops? Bring them home.

Linda Neville

Lenexa

President’s actions

On Monday, I watched President Barack Obama take questions at a news conference in Turkey.

At a time when Americans should be united with the French and our other allies in the fight against the Islamic State, why did the president (in front of an international audience) continue the castigation of his political adversaries?

Carolyn K. Patterson

Westwood Hills

Costly car wreck

Your older automobile with years of dependable service may present an unwelcome surprise should you need to use your insurance because of accidental damage.

Never mind that you intended to use the vehicle for 30 years. Never mind that you always kept the car serviced and maintained and drove carefully.

Never mind that the vehicle was devoid of major damage, scratches and dings, and never mind that you paid premiums on a timely basis.

When you finally need the protection you were promised, you might learn about a process called “diminished value.”

The unwelcome and costly surprise arrived for me when a visually impaired driver drove through a busy intersection against a red light signal, T-boned my 1995 Mercury Sable, inflicting great damage, and was issued a summons to appear in court.

Insurance information was exchanged. I was comfortable in knowing that insurance would cover the damages to my vehicle and only some inconvenience would be suffered.

That did not happen. Find your policy right now and look for the section “Cost to repair.”

Bill Eltzholtz

Lee’s Summit

Defeating terrorists

When did we become such a nation of heartless cowards? What does it say about us as a nation if many Americans, and all of the Republican presidential wannabes, don't think we can address terrorism in this country without losing our humanity at the same time?

As a former Naval officer, I have every confidence our country has the resources, the military, the courage and the resolve to counteract terrorism in this country and destroy the Islamic State around the world.

Jerry Stogsdill

Prairie Village

Starbucks cups

I am very perturbed that so many people are making such a big deal about the color of Starbucks’ holiday coffee cups (11-11, A22, “Starbucks touts its Christmas coffee”).

The goal for the cups was a minimalist holiday design. Some people are contending that the popular coffee chain is trying to denounce Christmas by not putting designs on the holiday cups.

I think Starbucks is trying to celebrate Christmas while respecting people who don’t celebrate it.

The bottom line is that people always read too much into the little things a company does. I think that is because we are a judgmental culture and if we see anything that might be different we go crazy.

Matt Andrews

Overland Park

This story was originally published November 19, 2015 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Readers sound off on KC Royals, U.S. troops, President Obama."