Readers react to candidates, violence and voter restrictions
Serious candidates
America, a country deserving of serious leadership, has no room for narcissistic presidential candidates. They are the last thing America needs — not just now but ever.
We have candidates on both sides running for the wrong reasons. They think it’s “their turn,” or their egos are so inflated they can’t see past the next poll.
The No. 1 reason for not electing a narcissistic president is we don’t want him or her sending our children to war. Going to war for the wrong reasons is, hands down, the worst thing that can happen. A narcissist is simply incapable of making that decision for the right reasons.
Good self-esteem is essential to good psychological and physical health. But a lack of balance in this critical area of the human psyche is dangerous, particularly at the top.
So whether for president or for other elective offices, please support candidates you think are the serious leaders America needs and deserves.
Jerry Ameling
Lee’s Summit
Spreading violence
For anyone cognizant of the murderous conduct of the countless miscreants whose actions constitute much of the reporting of daily occurrences, it is hard to remain sanguine.
I do not use the term “today’s news” because every day we are confronted by deplorable acts that have the ability to shock.
Unless a means is found to get control of the violent responses to displeasure exacted on the citizenry of this country, I see nothing but a descent into a very deep black hole.
This country is singularly notable for violent acts perpetrated by ordinary citizens. It seems the endless stream of problem-solving is, if not murder, some form of unrestrained retribution.
There should be — must be — emergency meetings of representatives of relevant organizations and disciplines whose sole mission is to uncover factors common to the problem.
This is a national emergency. We cannot assign blame anywhere but to ourselves. We are the problem and must be the solution.
Steve Sherry
Kansas City
Voter restrictions
Secretary of State Kris Kobach is keeping 36,000 Kansans from voting because he thinks most of them want to vote Democrat. He’ll tell you otherwise, but he’s dodging the rules of evidence he learned in law school. Question: Where were you born?
Mr. Kobach: Objection, your honor. Hearsay! The registering voter was told by his parents where he/she was born. Therefore, he/she can’t know from his/her own knowledge where he/she was born, and the answer is based on hearsay.
The judge: American law has ruled for 100 years that that objection in all courts is overruled as hyper-technical, and you, Mr. Kobach, will be left to introduce any relevant, admissible evidence found to the contrary.
Witness: Honolulu, Hawaii.
Question: Where do you live now?
Mr.Kobach: Objection, your honor. I think he/she looks like a Democrat, and we don’t want them.
The judge: Overruled. He or she may swear as to his/her address, and, Mr. Kobach, you may introduce evidence to the contrary, if you have any, and particularly as to the 36,000 registration applications you’re withholding.
Lloyd Hellman
Overland Park
Quizzical thinking
Diversity of thought is a good thing, but I often wonder why some people:
1. Believe that corporations are people but individual voter registration needs to be restricted.
2. Complain that social welfare is socialism but believe corporate welfare to be free enterprise.
3. Can’t correlate gun violence with easy access to guns despite global statistics that speak for themselves.
4. Are so concerned about who other people want to love and marry.
5. Seem to think the lives of children are more precious before they are born.
6. Want to make it harder for citizens to get health care and a quality education.
7. Believe that trickle-down economics ever worked.
8. Dispute the fundamentals of evolution and climate change.
Perhaps you have your own list of things that seem hard to understand.
Scott Roby
Lenexa
This story was originally published November 26, 2015 at 7:00 AM with the headline "Readers react to candidates, violence and voter restrictions."