Readers share views on Fox News, hunger and wounded warriors

Gospel of Fox, war

I didn’t know Jesus was a movie critic. But Fox News just reported that, saying, “Jesus would love the film ‘American Sniper’ and would personally thank snipers for dispatching godless Muslims to the lake of fire.”

Apparently I missed that part of the New Testament. This must be the gospel according to Fox.

Paul Budd

Sugar Creek

Food frustration

At this time of year, I always think of Bob.

Bob was a single man with a small house in Johnson County. His house had a leaky roof, no running water and no electricity or gas.

He heated with a wood-burning stove and used a battery-operated radio for his news and entertainment. With no refrigerator, he stored what little food he had on a porch.

Bob worked odd jobs for food, firewood and pocket change to pay his cellphone bill. I would pick up Bob and have him do small jobs for me. I would stop at the store and buy him food going home.

At Christmas, I called Harvesters and told the people there about Bob and asked for food. I was shocked when the woman told me Harvesters did not give food to the hungry.

I think a lot of people think Harvesters does. The woman told me Harvesters gives it to food pantries and to call them.

Food pantries I called continually told me to bring in Bob and his state identification before they would give him food. Bob never did get a box of food.

Steve Belk

Kansas City, Kan.

Bleeding America

Nine hundred million dollars. Is this money that will be used for food, shelter, schools or infastructure? Nope.

This is how much the Koch brothers and a few of their very rich friends will spend to persuade Americans to vote for their candidates (1-27, A1, “Lofty sum to stoke campaign for 2016”). Their candidates are Republicans.

House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have said they are trying to focus on middle-class Americans, whose income has stagnated while the rich continue to get richer. Much richer.

However, they have responded with a resounding no to increasing the minimum wage and requiring women to be paid as men for equal work. They reversed restrictions on Wall Street banks that caused the last financial meltdown.

And they gave an especially strong, unequivocal no to an increase in taxes for the richest 1 percent to help the middle class get tax credits and help with child care and college. The combined wealth of the wealthiest 1 percent will exceed the other 99 percent’s by next year.

Why would the Republicans attempt to benefit the many when they get their money from the few?

Ken Strange

Kansas City

Gathering for peace

The Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council has viewed with dismay the violent events that have marred this new year of 2015.

While violence is still among us, people throughout the world work actively for peace and unity among people of different faiths.

The first week of February is United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week. Such observances can be a catalyst for bringing together all peoples.

We offer a common prayer for Sunday for interfaith harmony and peace:

▪ We stand together in peace within our family.

▪ We stand together in peace within our congregation.

▪ We stand together in peace within our community.

▪ We stand together in peace with the world.

▪ We look upon all others in our world as our brothers and sisters. And we ask for the peace that will come when all humanity uses the Eyes of Peace.

All are invited to join in all or part of this prayer as part of our virtual event at www.facebook.com/gkcicpage in the spirit of peace and community.

Rev. Mary Gibson McCoy

Convener

Independence

Rev. Kelly Isola

Co-Convener

Lee’s Summit

Cheering Sen. Blunt

I want to congratulate U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, a Missouri Republican, for being chosen chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies for the 114th Congress.

As an American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network volunteer, I know how important this position can be.

In his new role, Sen. Blunt will oversee funding for several government agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Cancer Institute. The CDC is a leader in nationwide efforts to ease the burden of cancer. The other agencies are the foundations of our national cancer research programs and support research in every state.

Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in our country. It costs the U.S. an estimated $216.6 billion annually because of lost productivity and direct medical costs.

As chairman of this subcommittee, Sen. Blunt can lead in the fight against cancer with increased funding for these agencies’ work to find a cure for this disease that touches us all.

Again, congratulations Sen. Blunt. I look forward to watching your efforts and hope that those across Missouri who have been touched by cancer will do the same.

Mark A. Runyan

Eldon, Mo.

Wounded warriors

I am a retired military veteran, and I’m completely frustrated with military service organizations.

I have tried numerous times to donate furniture, small appliances and household goods. I am trying to find a wounded warrior organization to facilitate donating these items. It seems that these organizations only want cash.

I find it extremely annoying that when someone wants to donate to a deserving recipient it cannot be done. These men and women have given so much, and it is impossible to support them.

Organizations such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars all seem to want the holy dollar rather than material items. My goal is to help a family and not the organizations’ pockets.

William Hahn

Mission

2014 set record

Well, the official results are in — 2014 was the

warmest year of record around the world. Official means that reputable scientists of the world say it is so.

Reputable scientists account for 97 percent of reports supporting this finding. The other 3 percent are scientists politically supporting big business interests, which cannot maintain their continuing state of excessive income without making people believe the report is totally false.

Republican Party leaders have been successful in convincing their poorly educated supporting voters that the 3 percent group is correct. In these opening months of 2015, the 3 percenters now rule the U.S. House, Senate and Supreme Court.

With the world glut of oil at an all-time high, you will see generally popular bills, with attached measures such as the Keystone XL pipeline, as being required to increase needed oil production. No doubt the Republicans will again be successful in convincing their ill-informed supporters that this, too, is correct.

As all-season storms, drought and wildfires increase in number and intensity, the talking heads of the party on the right will continue trying to fool its supporters. God help us all.

John Graff

Olathe

Comets coverage

How many sporting teams can our town support?

The Royals amassed an even greater following by making it to the World Series. The Chiefs had a promising season. Sporting KC, although I must admit I have never attended a game, typically has capacity crowds at its games.

And then we have the Missouri Comets.

They won their league’s championship last year. The Comets keep winning.

They rarely if ever get a word mentioned about them in the sports pages. The media coverage on the Comets primarily consists of whom and when they play next.

How about sharing the wealth and giving this team the credit it is due? It only seems fair.

Patty Estrada

Shawnee

This story was originally published January 30, 2015 at 6:28 PM with the headline "Readers share views on Fox News, hunger and wounded warriors."