Yes, vote
Even if I disagree with you, I will respect your opinion. But if your decision regarding our options for the November presidential election is not to vote, my respect for your opinions — from the weather to the Supreme Court — disappears.
I know a few people who have threatened to not vote, or to waste their votes, because they are unhappy with the choices. But think about the fact that if the wrong person wins, and you didn’t do anything to try keeping him out of office again, your opinion goes from whatever it was to absolutely inconsequential.
I wish there would be stickers available on Nov. 5 stating, “I didn’t vote,” so we would know who to count on and who to count out. If you don’t vote, you have nothing to say that I want to hear. There is no excuse this time. You have made it clear that you want everyone else to be responsible so you can continue to complain and not do anything about solving our problems.
As much as I do not care for the previous occupant of the Oval Office, I resent more anyone who might send him there again by self-righteous ignorance.
- Ellen Murphy, Mission Hills
Wrong appeal
“Please God, let us stop hating one another this much,” said your July 15 front-page editorial. Oh, really? Can we hate not quite as much but still seek what Donald Trump calls “Second Amendment people” seeking their own solutions to political problems? The editorial board insults people who have an authentic belief in God.
The editorial says, “What happened on Saturday night was a shock, after all, but it wasn’t a surprise.” I say, of course it wasn’t a surprise, not in a country where there are enough guns for every man, woman, child, infant and fetus. I say it’s never a surprise when some disaffected person can readily take up the weapon of war that is sitting in the corner at home. We tease with the language of guns in our speech, and we have so many guns at the ready.
Rage? Yes, I have rage: rage that I can’t go to a peaceful protest, a parade, a festival, a voting place, playground duty, church or the PTA without fearing gun violence. I have rage — and fear — yet you think to petition God to soothe this?
Action! Don’t vote for the catastrophe of unbridled gun freedom. I will write letters and strive for meaningful dialogue and action with politicians and the community.
- Suzann Geringer, Kansas City
One answer
The attempted assassination of Donald Trump followed an all too familiar path.
An evidently disturbed person used a legally purchased assault weapon to carry out his fantasies of death and glory. He committed no illegal act, however, until he took the rifle from his vehicle and climbed to his perch on top of a building.
There are no federal laws to control the sale and use of military assault weapons. Most everyone is free to own one and carry it on the street.
What was the young man’s motive? We will probably never know. And it makes no real difference. What we do know is that given current gun laws, mass shootings and deaths will continue.
- Keith Evans, St. Joseph
Tax flows
The Star Editorial Board recommended a yes vote for Amendment 1 without addressing the massive resultant property tax shifts from child care providers to increases on utilities, the industrial sector, railroads and others. (July 18, 11A, “The Star’s endorsements on Amendments 1 and 4”) This is hidden in the amendment and could result in rate increases for customers, since counties will be required to raise the tax rates to recover the lost revenues.
Did the editorial board consider these impacts on Missouri residents? Will voters have any idea that approval of this amendment could result in these huge tax changes?
- Jerry Patterson, Lee’s Summit
Public crisis
Recently, the U.S. Surgeon General issued the first ever national advisory recognizing gun violence as a ”public health crisis.” Although the official recognition may be new, it’s certainly not news to medical professionals supporting the gun-safety movement or to local nonprofit groups such as Grandparents for Gun Safety.
In 2015, Dr. Rex Archer, then Kansas City’s Health Department director, was the featured speaker at Grandparents’ annual Community Forum. His keynote speech? “Gun Violence — A Public Health Issue.”
Six years later, the forum’s keynoter was Megan Ranney, a nationally recognized public health expert and researcher. Her topic? “Strategies to Curb This Public Health Epidemic.”
Talking about the devastating effects of gun violence is important, but Grandparents for Gun Safety has worked to prevent it before it happens here. Since 2017, our Lock It For Love program has distributed more than 6,500 free gun locks at more than 250 community events.
Some 4.6 million children live in homes with at least one loaded, unlocked gun, according to Everytown for Gun Safety. Research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows gun violence is the No. 11 cause of death of American children.
A “public health crisis”? No question. Just ask the surgeon general.
- Barb McNeile, Chair, Lock It For Love, Grandparents for Gun Safety, Overland Park
Heavy weapon
Watching a TV commercial for Missouri attorney general candidate Will Scharf, in which he uses a grenade launcher to blow up phony legal documents related to Donald Trump, makes you wonder: How does a civilian get his hands on a grenade launcher?
- Richard Nastav, Kansas City, Kansas
Supreme mistrust
I am not the only one looking askance at the shenanigans of our Supreme Court. As he articulated in his July 18 guest commentary “There’s still one recourse for Supreme Court justices who lied,” (12A) Brian Vukadinovich’s list of certain justices’ misdeeds included lying during their Senate confirmation hearings , their decisions overturning settled precedents of law, as well as deciding bribes are legal. The actions of these justices seem quite unjust to me.
According to long-term Gallup polls, confidence the Supreme Court reached a high of 80% in 1999 . Sadly, as of 2023, America’s approval of the court has eroded to 40% . Why? Using their judicial chopping block, they eviscerated long-held public rights. Campaign finance restrictions, abortion, voting rights, affirmative action, clean air and water standards, gun regulations — they all fell under the thumb of this Supreme Court.
The justices have now granted absolute immunity to Donald Trump for his criminal acts while in office, something the founders would absolutely disavow. Showering justices with lavish gifts, the wealthy, the powerful, the polluters have found friends on this court.
No doubt, these justices plan more of the same for our country in the coming years. Court reform is necessary.
- Angela Schieferecke, Prairie Village
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