Civil War? You tried that. It went poorly. Let’s not. | Letters to the Editor

No on civil war

Forty three percent of Americans evidently believe we’re headed for civil war in this country. You see Confederate flags flying on pickup trucks in rural America. We need a little history lesson.

In the US Civil War of 1861-1865 an estimated 620,000 soldiers combined from both sides died, not including all the civilian deaths due to loss of food, shelter, and health care.

My interest in the Civil War stems from my great-grandfather on my mother’s side who was from Camden, Alabama and who was a colonel in Company D of the Confederate Calvary. He survived the war to later become a Latin professor.

No one wins in a civil war. Just take a more contemporary look at the failed states of Lebanon, Syria, or Yemen as examples.

We, on the other hand, have a constitutional democracy that depends on the rule of law. It’s not perfect, but it beats any other form of government.

The talk of civil war is a very dangerous discourse. Lets talk about how we can strengthen our system of government and make it stronger, rather than tearing it down with conspiracy theories and threats.

William Skaer, Wichita

Reefer angriness

Honestly I wasn’t surprised when our left-leaning Wichita City Council decided to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana, to take some pressure off our courts and overcrowded jail.

But I was surprised when I read the decision to do so was because those prosecutions disproportionately harm Black Wichitans.

I’m extremely curious to know exactly what that means. Disproportionately harm Black Wichitans?

I’m sorry, but it’s time to stop making excuses for law breakers, regardless of what race they happen to be.

Decriminalizing marijuana is telling our children that it’s OK to smoke, chew or vape dope.

All one needs to do is look at the destruction drugs are doing to this country.

Robert D. Petersen, Wichita

Quit building roads

The Kansas Department of Transportation is back at it again with even more highway expansions.

Apparently they haven’t noticed that highway widening makes traffic worse, or that our wide roads contribute to massive annual death toll from traffic fatalities.

Apparently they think no price is too high if it’s paid for with taxpayer money.

Public transportation, road diets, walking and biking are proven traffic solutions, yet the state would rather sabotage our city for the benefit of passing through it more easily.

Michael Dorian, Wichita

Penn’s propaganda

Students in my former English classes would have had a field day examining Rep. Patrick Penn’s “special” to the Eagle on Sept. 11, regarding Gov. Laura Kelly’s performance in office.

The language he uses is specifically designed to show disregard for the governor and to “label” rather than to “describe,” a primary characteristic of propaganda.

His apparent aim, to give legislators more control over the governor’s decisions/performance, is laughable for its paucity of evidence or suggestions or educational level.

Cathryn Hay, Wichita

Election lies

Recent pro-Biden commercials tout Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act as a reduction in energy cost act. If that’s so, then why did my Evergy bill just go up 20%?

At the same time Gov. Kelly’s commercial praises her for eliminating food sales tax. Yet every time I purchase groceries I am still paying taxes on food.

Both of these are just democrat election year lies.

Ron Page, Derby