Shrinking congregations are churches’ fault. Keep religion out of Missouri schools | Opinion

Out of class

If Missouri parents are keen to have their schoolchildren learn about the Bible, they should take them to their preferred house of worship. Our public schools are not meant to make up for the failure of religious institutions to attract people to join their congregations or to raise their children according to their particular religious beliefs. (May 24, 8A, “In Bible courses, whose version of religion rules?”)

- Nancy Fox, Overland Park

We remembered

When I was a little girl living in a small town in northern Minnesota, aunts, uncles and cousins from nearby farms joined us on a special holiday at the local town park. We shared a huge picnic lunch. This special day was called Decoration Day.

In my teens, I lived in Minneapolis. Decoration Day was spent with family members. We had a picnic, played Ante I Over (throwing a ball over our house, saying “Ante I Over!” and running to the other side of the house before being tagged.)

Later in the day, we went to a graveyard nearby. It was called Fort Snelling National Cemetery. The grave markers, tall and white, could be seen for miles. We read family names of those who died in our nation’s service. James Allen. Gerald Emil. Frank. We spoke their names.

We placed flowers on their graves.

- Betty Swisher, Kansas City

Bad advice

I appreciate The Star’s reporting on Johnson County Sheriff Calvin Hayden’s antics since being voted into office in 2016 and again in 2020. (May 26, 6A, “Sheriff wasted Johnson County’s time and money”) Basically, he is a disgrace to our county and the 600-plus wonderful employees of the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office.

However, not once have you admitted that you, The Kansas City Star’s editorial board, endorsed this man in his initial 2016 run for sheriff. It would be good for us to hear you say you made a grave mistake in doing this.

- Elizabeth Resman, Olathe

Our real needs

During the current troubled times of the national debt limit dispute, each side pitted against the other, one can’t help but wonder what our country’s political leaders are thinking. Are we playing games with America’s future economic strength just so political extremists have a voice that loudly resonates over the will of the people? Is there genuine fear America will default on its debt?

The men and women who represent us were elected to solve problems, not create them.

These words of wisdom we read many places online aptly describe our current political failure: “Where there’s chaos, there’s ambiguity. Where there’s ambiguity, there’s fear, and fear gets manipulated.” Seems as though whoever originally said this may have a point.

Most of us, I am sure, hope our government leaders would abandon manipulating our fear and reach for the common good for the citizens of our country. Solve the problem, and let’s move on to find solutions to other challenges facing us for the welfare and common good of the people.

- Robert V. Blaine, Blue Springs

Misused guns

Activists around the country will observe the eighth annual National Gun Violence Awareness Day on June 2.

You’d have to be a 21st century Rip Van Winkle to be unaware of the nation’s foremost public health epidemic. In 2021, gun violence claimed nearly 49,000 lives from homicides, suicides and preventable accidents. It’s a moral outrage that gun violence is now the No. 1 cause of death of children in America.

On June 2, as in previous years, many people will wear orange, the color of the gun violence prevention movement. (It’s the same color hunters wear to avoid being shot.) Others will demonstrate in public parks and on street corners.

Clearly something much stronger is needed. Again this legislative season, lawmakers in Kansas and Missouri refused to strengthen gun laws that could keep people safer. Reforms such as expanded background checks, requirements for safe storage of firearms and red flag laws are supported even by gun owners.

When you can’t change the minds of closed-minded legislators, the only recourse is to change the legislators. Let’s all remember that on another special day: Election Day.

- Judie Becker, Missouri-Kansas Grandparents Against Gun Violence, Leawood

No to tax hike

I received my notice in the mail recently about a June special election (via mail-in ballot) in Overland Park to implement a 3/8-cent sales tax for infrastructure. Apparently, the current 1/8-cent sales tax for infrastructure expires in March of next year. Rather than holding an election to renew the 1/8-cent tax, city leaders decided that an increase of three times the current rate is required.

I probably would have been receptive to supporting the current tax since there would be no new money out of pocket. However, increasing the rate by three times is unacceptable.

Bear in mind that the city receives funding from your property taxes and will receive a windfall because of the recent increases in reappraisals. Couldn’t some of that be used for infrastructure?

I urge all Overland Park residents to join me in voting against this proposal. Gov. Laura Kelly just approved removing sales tax on groceries, and now we are being hit with a local tax increase. The sad thing is that if this fails, could the city go to the county and raise its property tax mill rate next year to get the money one way or another?

- John Ware, Overland Park