They freak out over natural gas stoves and drag queens. So are the Leprechauns next? | Opinion
Protecting whom?
I am grateful there are new laws to protect children — speaking sarcastically.
Some politicians want to protect the right to expose children to toxic fumes from gas-burning stoves. Food programs have been cut, so many families won’t have enough food to cook and will be safe from fumes while going to bed hungry. Focusing on the air we breathe in our homes is critical, because that is where we spend most of our time — unless you are taking your children out to see drag shows.
Lawmakers say they are protecting children from being “groomed” at drag shows. I wonder what the consequences are when they go to strip clubs — will they want to take their clothes off at school or in public? Look for new Leprechaun legislation tied to the just-passed St. Patrick’s Day under the same assumption that outlandish fun and costumes affect our children. I keep telling them, “It’s not easy being green.” Indeed, we are grooming children to be alcoholics with green beer.
Must we fear drag queens — or kings — because some women dress in traditionally masculine clothing? Let’s talk about grooming: Will children want to be men because their moms wear pants?
These authoritarian politicians can’t decide whether we need less or more government when it comes to how we cook and how we look.
- Maria A. Kunstadter, Overland Park
Break it out
Speaking about Kansas House Republicans’ tying special education funding to a school choice bill, state Rep. Kristey Williams said: “Bottom line, if the governor really cares about disadvantaged kids, if she wants to be different and govern from the middle of the road like she campaigned, then she should say yes.” (March 16, 1A, “Kansas House passes expansive voucher-like program”)
I say if Rep. Williams herself really cared, then she and her fellow Republicans would not have tied their voucher-like program to legislation separate from special education. By adding it to another bill, she is just trying to blackmail the governor to sign this bill.
I say it is you, Rep. Williams, who does not care about the disadvantaged except as a tool to get what you want.
- Mark Rasmussen, Leawood
Straight up
I thoroughly agree with The Star’s editorial board in that we should stop changing clocks twice a year. (March 12, 16A, “Changing the clocks twice a year is an idea that belongs in the past”) However, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s proposal to switch to daylight saving time permanently is misguided.
We should switch to permanent standard time. Noon has traditionally been known as when the sun is at the apex of its daily arc (at the center of our time zone) — think “high noon.” Under daylight saving time, the sun is at its apex at 1 p.m., contrary to long-established astronomical definitions.
Let us put aside sociological squabbles about who benefits and who suffers from either daylight saving or standard time, and stick with the scientific definition.
- David Calkins, Independence
It’s all of us
I greatly appreciated Theodore Johnson’s March 12 commentary “Son kneels for anthem; father raises flag: Both are patriots.” (17A) I would suggest one improvement to his viewpoint, however.
He states, “Nearly every American alive today descends from a race, ethnicity or nationality that was excluded in some way, at some time, from the full rights of citizenship and barred from participation in our democracy.” I suggest this be changed to say every American alive today descends from a race, ethnicity, nationality or person who was excluded in some way, at some time, from the full rights of citizenship and barred from participation in our democracy.”
Every American, obviously, was born of a woman. Women, from the nation’s founding, were long denied the full rights of citizenship and participation in our democracy. Thus, every American has a stake in the promise of equality and justice for all citizens, because every one of us has ancestors who were denied this over the nation’s history.
- Joanne King, Liberty
Not political
It is time for forward-thinking people to take a public stand for members of the LGBTQ+ community. We must oppose attempts to pass legislation that target and harm this historically marginalized community.
Our society has made significant progress in this regard over the past 50 years. We must not allow emotionally manipulative shysters to take us backward.
This is neither a progressive nor a conservative issue. It is a matter of decency and empathy. For many of our LGBTQ+ neighbors, it is a matter of survival.
It is time for all of us to stand up and be accountable.
- Brian Morse, Independence
Clear winners
The United States needs a national popular vote bill to guarantee the presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Legislation should make every person’s vote equal throughout the U.S., ensuring that every vote, in every state, matters in every presidential election.
When we vote for every other office, the candidate who gets the most votes wins. It should be the same for president. The Electoral College is an outdated system.
Our current method for electing presidents is broken. Please support legislation to guarantee the presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes.
- Rev. Chauncey R. Black, Kansas City
