Readers weigh in on Dallas shootings, Sam Brownback and Donald Trump

Dallas shootings

The Kansas City Star has again predictably done its part in inflaming racial tensions and minority distrust and hatred of police officers.

What bad timing, or perhaps blatant insensitivity, for The Star to contain a column with the headline “Police must stop killing people they’re sworn to protect” and a Lee Judge cartoon depicting an open hunting season on black men (7-8, Opinion).

The assassinations of five white police officers and wounding of several others in Dallas are a direct result of flames of racial hatred fanned by that kind of irresponsible reporting. All the facts were not in regarding the shootings by police officers of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota when the media declared both men’s deaths were racially motivated. Both were armed, but one apparently had no intent to resist arrest.

Attorney General Loretta Lynch has taken the unprecedented step of considering the police officers’ killings a hate crime. Racial hatred runs both ways. It will not stop until The Star and other media stop capitalizing on the profits, both political and monetary, that can be gained from sensationalizing it.

Ron Stone

Raytown

Comey’s decision

After listening to FBI Director James Comey’s decision not to indict Hillary Clinton, I felt like I needed to wear one of those sewage-proof suits the U.S. rowing team is having to wear in Rio just to get on with my day (7-6, A1, “FBI recommends no charges against Clinton”).

At some point, being repeatedly careless morphs into willful and grossly negligent behavior. That’s indictable in my non-lawyerly opinion.

My guess is that Comey wasn’t 100 percent sure indicting her would lead to a successful outcome.

Thank God people like him weren’t at the signing of the Declaration of Independence because nobody would have signed the thing.

Jim Eschrich

Lenexa

Suicide term

Most people who have lost a loved one by suicide are very passionate about using a term that does not stigmatize their loved one. It is not uncommon to hear in a news report someone use the term “committed suicide.”

My husband and I facilitate a support group for people who have lost loved ones by suicide. Hearing the word “commit” brings out all kinds of negative connotations. It is used in commit murder, commit robbery, commit adultery or other acts of wrongdoing that signify a crime. It even goes back to the times when people were committed to asylums.

Recently, an article by Glenn E. Rice had the headline “Man who killed estranged wife commits suicide” (7-2, A5).

A person who attempts or dies by suicide is in deep pain and hopelessness and is experiencing mental illness. This does not signify her or she is a criminal.

Please educate your staff on the importance of language and the correct term. After all, people emulate what they see in print.

If you lost a loved one to suicide, you would want his or her death treated with respect. Wouldn’t you?

Bonnie Swade

Overland Park

Brownback’s dive

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback is like the fellow who jumped from the window on the 12th floor of a high-rise building. As he passed the fifth floor he said, “Looking good so far.”

Donald Moore

Olathe

Trump, tuna

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump would be equivalent to a can of tuna. It looks really good sitting on the shelf. But when you open it, it stinks after a couple of days.

Stephen T. Schaub

Independence

Kansas cleaning

Kansas state Rep. Ray Merrick has suggested that the voters should oust the Kansas Supreme Court justices this fall. I would far prefer to oust Rep. Merrick, Sen. Susan Wagle and any other legislators who support the adolescent defiance we are seeing in Topeka.

They should all step down from office immediately.

Kathryn Moore

Manhattan, Kan.

Corporate priority

About a month ago while I was working at the Ford Motor Co. plant, a tornado warning was issued over workers’ cellphones, and sirens were going off. My supervisor told us to keep working for five minutes past the initial warning.

This was blatant disrespect for safety and shows that production outweighs lives.

William Kattner