Readers react to Kris Kobach, Republicans and changing pronouns

Bashing Kobach

What a disgrace. Once again, The Star exposes its extreme bias in favor of all things Democrat/liberal/progressive and against all things Republican/conservative (4-2, Editorial, “Bromance between Kobach, Newby leads to attack on voters”).

One of the newspaper’s main bogeymen has been Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who has had the temerity to suggest the existence of voter fraud in elections and to attempt to implement reasonable identification requirements to eliminate it.

While The Star overreacts to this issue, it has been completely derelict in not addressing the treasonous email activity of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton while she was U.S. secretary of state.

It appears the editorial board thinks an effort to prevent voter fraud is of colossal negative significance while actual destructive corruption by a presidential candidate is unworthy of mention. Oh, that’s right, she’s a Democrat. One thing is undeniable. If The Star thought Mr. Kobach’s efforts would enhance liberal voter turnout, it would be silent about them, if not actually support them.

Crosby Engel

Weatherby Lake

Wacky GOP news

Here’s a sample of recent news items:

Sen. Jerry Moran reverses his pledge to give Merrick Garland a hearing for Supreme Court justice. He no longer needs it to conclude that Garland is unfit for service.

Tax receipts in Kansas are only $1.7 million short of estimates in March. Gov. Sam Brownback won’t have to make knee-jerk education cuts.

Missouri wants to hold Planned Parenthood in contempt for refusing to violate patient privacy. This despite Planned Parenthood being cleared of wrongdoing in 12 states, including Missouri.

Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach is still up to his old ways of restricting the voting rights of Kansans and, with luck, all Americans.

A petition to allow guns at the Republican National Convention was quashed by the Secret Service. The candidates raised no issues. It seems they’re happy to preach Second Amendment rights as long as they aren’t too close to the action. It’s probably a good idea given the violence of Donald Trump supporters.

We really don’t need to look any more like a third-world nation than we already do. Just part of another wacky week in the fantasy land of Republicans.

Scott Roby

Lenexa

Changing pronouns

In regards to Cindy Hoedel’s April 3 article, “I am: They,” there was a time in the history of the English language that the pronouns “they,” “them” and “their” had plural and singular uses. The use was changed when agreement in number became more important than agreement as to gender.

Casey Miller and Kate Swift, in their 1980 book “The Handbook of Nonsexist Writing,” argue to bring back the earlier use of “they,” “them” and “their” as both singular and plural.

Now, 36 years later, it’s more important than ever to change to non-gender-specific pronouns.

So henceforth let it be decreed, anyone who uses the dreaded he/she combination does so at their own risk.

Pam Stepanich

Platte City

Condo sales OK

The Kansas City Star had a good article, “Area’s rental appetite likely won’t abate soon,” on April 2 about the booming apartment-rental market.

I did want to comment on the last paragraph regarding condominiums. The article said: “The last condo surge, in the early 2000s, wasn’t a long-term success. Many intended condo units never sold and are now on the rental market.”

In 2015, according to Heartland Multiple Listing Services data, there were more than $100 million in condo sales in Kansas City. The number of units sold increased 23 percent over 2014.

It’s a small market compared with single-family homes in the Kansas City area, but the trend is good.

As The Star points out in the article, rents continue to rise. So, people are taking a look at purchasing condos as an alternative.

Condos may be ready for their second act.

Yvonne Hales

Mission Hills

Respect missing

Mississippi is no longer on my list of states to visit because of its “religious freedom” law (4-6, A2, “Mississippi governor signs ‘religious freedom’ law”). At one time citizens respected themselves and others. Now they have little or no respect for themselves or others and are very derogatory.

If the Missouri legislature passes SJR 39 and it becomes law I will not knowingly shop at any of the discriminatory businesses.

Mary Coatsworth

Lee’s Summit

Power of money

I find it quite curious how one mindset objects to the Citizens United Supreme Court ruling, which allows for money to be used to advertise for a political candidate or issue, but endorses the actions of businesses to fight legislation with the threat of “pull outs” or “refusals to do business with....” Looks like a duck to me.

Calling one OK and the other not is hypocritical as they are cut from the exact same cloth. I'm referring to the April 7 article, “Businesses take lead in opposing laws aimed at LGBT people,” about the bill in the legislative process honoring the freedom of practical religious expression to all Missourians.

It’s fascinating to me that the moral basis of the American society that has been in place for 200 years and considered essential to the American experiment by the founders is so casually set aside. Money is replacing morals.

The tradeoff is no tradeoff but a selling out to the highest bidder. Of course all this comes from the thinking that money makes the world go around.

Gary Mountz

Kansas City

Cheers to The Star

Thanks to The Kansas City Star and Donald Bradley for the wonderful April 3 story, “The Sisters of Troost.” I have been blessed to know them and to have worked with them over the years.

They are doing God’s work and truly making a difference.

Jim Caccamo