Unfettered Letters

Preserve KC’s historic buildings

I’m a photographer, and I’ve been in the vacant Imperial brewery near Cambridge Circle dozens of times over the past seven years, so Mike Hendricks’ column (12/24, Local, “Plans drafted for old brewery”) jumped out at me immediately. I just wanted to pose the other side of this argument.

Kansas City is great because it has old buildings. Union Station, the New York Life Building, Mainstreet Theater, Fidelity National Bank Building, the TWA Building and the Freight House Building, among others, were vacant for years, even decades, before they were rehabilitated. I would encourage those who rush to condemn these places as a “five-story heap of bricks” to curb the harsh language.

This city has the character it does because we chose to save the buildings that have shaped our history. We need to err on the side of preservation instead of demolition, eyesore or not.

Ted Caster
Kansas City

Surge in Iraq wasn’t courageous

The ongoing revisionist attempts by President Bush and his administration are laughable. Most absurd of all is the attempt to color the surge as a courageous and bold decision. I would say, “Let’s be honest about this,” but with this group, why start now?

Whether you agree with the premise of or the need for this war or not (I don’t), the surge was not a courageous decision, and it was not a bold decision. It was really the only thing a cornered president could have done.

The choices were to stay the course (at that time a disaster, to say the least), to withdraw (never an option for this egomaniacal administration) or to “surge.” What’s bold? What’s courageous? It was the only choice a lame-duck, inept president in a disastrous time, in the last gasps of an incompetent presidency, could have done. Give me a break on the courage.

Stop the revisionism. Nothing they say will change the facts.

Jeffrey L. Roitman
Overland Park

Stop the Bush-bashing

Linda Staten’s Bush-bashing “Midwest Voices” column (12/27, Opinion, “A Dubya Christmas Carol: Visions of legacy danced in his head”) showed a dearth of decency. Maybe she thought it was satirical and funny, but to me it was vicious, mean, poorly constructed and inaccurate.

As a child I learned that when the battle is over, one should treat a former opponent with civility and grace. Athletes do it, warriors do it, and even some politicians do it.

Soundly and decisively vanquished Republicans, led by President Bush, have been gracious in their defeat. President-elect Obama has been gracious in victory. Ms. Staten could learn a lesson from their example

Fritz Young
Lake Winnebago

RNC leadership

I hear that the Republican National Committee is looking for new leadership. Well, after hearing “Barack the Magic Negro” (12/28, A-5, “Obama parody prompts a rebuke”) I’d have to wonder what kind of leadership they’re looking for. They’ve rejected David Duke, and Strom Thurmond and Jesse Helms are dead.

Former Tennessee GOP leader Chip Saltsman, another sore Republican loser, probably feels that former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele’s apology on his behalf is going to be enough damage control for him. If that’s enough for the Republican Party, then the GOP will never be a “big tent” party.

Once again, my Democratic Party affiliation is safe.

Barry Jackson
Kansas City

U.S. a melting pot of kindness

Picture this: a 70-year-old, retired TWA pilot, two heart attacks, six stents, a couple of prostate procedures and a repaired hernia, taking a walk the day after Christmas.

After about a mile and a half, the old man is faced with climbing a pretty steep hill. A thought: Why not rest on this old tree stump before tackling the hill?

While resting, the old guy notices a blue Honda van pass, do a U-turn and return to his position. The Hispanic lady and her two children went out of their way to check on the old guy and also offer him a ride home.

Ah! This good ol’ U.S. of A. Only in America. Enough said.

Thank you again, ma’am.

John Crone
Shawnee

Paying idled autoworkers

Don Brown (12/27, Letters) worries that auto companies will use the bridge loan to pay autoworkers during the upcoming layoffs. This is yet another letter writer spewing negative ideas about the local and national auto industry, thus keeping the black eyes coming for the industry.

Relax, Mr. Brown. Unemployment insurance, which the auto companies pay into year round, will pick up most of the cost of paying laid-off workers. The supplemental unemployment benefits system, which the auto companies also fund, will kick in a little more.

I seriously doubt any of the loan will ever be used for payroll purposes, as making payroll is not at the top of the auto industry’s woes.

Mike Thomas
Lawson, Mo.

Kassebaum lacked experience, too

Those who criticize Caroline Kennedy for her desire to ascend to the U.S. Senate, and her perceived lack of experience, need to back up in history a bit and remember former Sen. Nancy Landon Kassebaum of Kansas.

Sen. Kassebaum, who served three terms starting in 1978, had one political election behind her before that. She had served on the school board in Maize, Kan., a small suburb of Wichita.

She turned out to be one of the best senators in recent history and was probably one of the last of the Republican Party who showed more than an ounce of sense in fulfilling that office.

William L. Farrar
Kansas City

KC snow removal falls short

Let me start off by saying there is not one current City Council person in Kansas City who I would even elect as dog catcher. But what this is really about is the city’s poor road clearing and salting during an ice or snow event. This year I called to get my road cleared after a snow. The 311 call taker was pleasant but did not know if crews could come by and treat my road in a timely manner.

I live on a hill that gets really treacherous if it’s snowy or icy. The call taker suggested that I call my City Council person to see if it could be expedited.

It seems that living on a side street is not even a secondary thought to the city. A “one pass and it’s good” policy is what they follow. Last year I contacted my City Council person at least four times in reference to road conditions and got nowhere.

So, to the City Council: This is Kansas City. We have winters with bad roads. Budget for it!

Mike Partain
Kansas City

Freedom of speech includes Spanish

Pam Hettinger (12/28, Letters) criticizes Hilda Solis, Barack Obama’s pick for labor secretary, for speaking Spanish, calling it un-American.

We are a free nation with freedom of speech, not just the freedom to speak English. Also, Ms. Hettinger somehow thinks English is a native language of the U.S.

Spanish and French were spoken here before English, and still neither of those are native languages.

Maybe Ms. Hettinger should research the word “Olathe” or “Kansas,” not to mention “Montana,” “Arizona,” “Colorado,” “Florida,” “rodeo,” “patio” and “tornado,” to name a few.

Malcolm Edwards
Kansas City

Missing Swope Park’s poinsettia display

Several weeks ago I read in The Star that the poinsettia display that traditionally had been at Swope Park would be at Powell Gardens this year. I had mixed emotions about this.

If you have never been to the Swope Park greenhouse to see this fabulous display of poinsettias, then you have been missing something truly beautiful. I started going to see it several years ago, and it became a tradition each year. I did not know that there were so many different kinds of poinsettias, and the park people displayed them throughout the building with waterfalls, Christmas decorations, Christmas scenery and so much more.

What has upset me with having the display at Powell Gardens is that it is a longer drive for many people, plus it costs $7. It was free at the Swope Park greenhouse. Oh, did I mention, there was also free coffee and hot cider?

It was such a wonderful place for all ages to see something so beautiful and magical. I hope they rebuild the Swope Park greenhouse and bring it back to where it was.

Linda Coon
Kansas City