Unfettered Letters

It’s a baby

I was pleased to see the “Off the Easel” cartoon by Lisa Benson (2/3, Opinion) showing the two babies in the wombs. Finally, we pro-lifers have something we can thank The Star for publishing.

It is a baby, not a blob of tissue.

G.M. Kirkpatrick
De Soto

Prophetic cartoon

John Sherffius’ “Off the Easel” political illustration (1/26, Opinion) is more profound than is immediately evident. It shows the sun, half-eclipsed by the horizon, representing the letter “O” in the word “hope.”

It is impossible to discern whether the sun is rising or setting. Intentional or not, it is ambiguously prophetic.

Chuck Scott
Leavenworth

Appalled by ‘Doonesbury’

I am writing regarding the “Doonesbury” comic strip by Garry Trudeau in the Jan. 18 Comics section. I am appalled that someone was allowed to write this and print this, especially in the part of the newspaper targeted towards children. I have an 8- and a 10-year-old, and even though we do not speak like this, my daughters are intelligent enough to know what the asterisks are for. I really feel that someone needs to be held responsible for printing such filth.

I understand that everyone is entitled to their own opinion and some people have very strong opinions toward President Bush. However I feel it is very immature and irresponsible to express it in the comic section that so many kids read.

Carrie Willmon
Kansas City

‘Bozo’ cartoon

Enough already! Lisa Benson has gone over the right-wing ideological and racist edge with her “Bozo” political cartoon (1/12, Opinion).

The blow-dry governor who appointed Roland Burris to Illinois’ U.S. Senate seat may be a fruitcake, but that has nothing to do with the potential senator. Burris may love the attention, but what politician doesn’t?

Bob Burns
Leavenworth

Follow McCain’s classy example

Lee Judge’s cartoon (11/6, Opinion) showing the White House with the caption “How many houses does John McCain own? One less than he thought” is just one more jab at an American hero.

No, John McCain will not be “owning” the White House, but neither will Barack Obama. The presidents are guests there during their time of service. In his concession speech, McCain was very gracious. It was an inspiring and well-written speech — the best concession speech ever, at least for the last three elections.

McCain was respectful in his loss. Unfortunately, The Star has decided to not do so in its victory. Yes, the media won. Their candidate was elected. To be so gloating is tasteless. To be a sore loser is one thing, but a sore winner is worse.

Let us respect the candidates, win or lose, for their service to democracy. May we all move forward to do our best for America.

Suzy Hartley
Edwardsville

Obama cabinet cartoon offends

The Star has reached bottom with the Glenn McCoy cartoon that depicts the Obama cabinet with Jeremiah Wright, Tony Rezko, William Ayers, and even Karl Marx as key advisers (10/23, Opinion). Does this really meet your standards in selecting which editorial cartoons to appear in your newspaper?

It feeds the continuing misperception that Barack Obama has been seriously influenced by these individuals and further stokes the paranoia that he is a flaming radical.

If The Star is trying to balance its endorsement of Obama with a responsible conservative viewpoint, this is not the way to do it.

Leigh Branham
Overland Park

I found Glenn McCoy’s 10/23 cartoon very offensive. I am disturbed that The Star chooses to publish such erratic and misleading material to further stir the pot of the radicals.

Do we have a country so divided that we pit American against American as a political strategy? We have a person running for vice president who insists that some parts of the country are more “American” than others, who says she is one of us while wearing a $150,000 wardrobe and who travels with her children on other people’s dime.

Some leaders of the Republican Party, such as David Brooks, Peggy Noonan, George Will and Colin Powell, have all said Sarah Palin is not qualified, and this speaks to McCain’s judgment. They also have criticized the negative tone of McCain’s campaign.

I do not expect Republicans to love Barack Obama, just to climb out of the gutter and show a little respect. We are all in this together.

Camille Buccero
Independence

Who’s inexperienced?

I enjoyed Lee Judge’s political cartoon Monday (9/8, Opinion). The purpose of the cartoon is to mock and belittle the experience of Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska. The GOP elephant is saying, “Why worry about Sarah Palin? She’s got executive experience!” The GOP elephant is standing in front of a Taco Bell fast food counter, and the manager behind the counter is saying, “So do I.”

I guess we are supposed to compare the experience of managing a fast food restaurant with managing a state and believe that the experiences are equivalent. Well, the joke is on Judge. Because while Palin has managed a state and city, candidate Barack Obama does not even have the experience of having managed a Taco Bell.

Mike Hilboldt
Kansas City

I try hard to understand my Republican brothers and sisters. I really do. But are these Republicans who are fawning all over Vice President Barbie really the same ones who derided Barack Obama as an inexperienced “celebrity?” Are any of them seriously comfortable having her a heartbeat away from the presidency behind a 72-year-old former cancer patient?

Do they really want us to believe that their party, after digging us into an ever deepening and widening hole for the past eight years, is the right choice to get us out?

Dan Regan
Kansas City

Clinton not all about herself

In his Aug. 26 cartoon, Lee Judge predicted the content of Hillary Clinton’s address to the Democratic Convention with the caption, “It’s time to make my feelings clear.” Hillary is at the podium and behind her is a sign with her name in big, bold letters followed by “supports Barack Obama” in tiny print.

Hillary’s speech was not one of self aggrandizement. Rather, she asked those women who voted for her if they were voting for her or for the causes she espoused. She pointed out that Obama would be more concerned about women’s issues than McCain. She listed the failures of the Bush administration and strongly urged her disappointed supporters to vote for Obama.

The speech was not selfish. Judge prejudged it and his judgment was wrong.

Byron A. Stewart Jr.
Independence

History lesson for Bush-haters

Cartoonist Pat Oliphant (8/9, Opinion) and The Star’s strident legion of Bush haters who have imperiously declared President Bush to be the “worst president ever” would do well to learn a lesson from history.

Harry Truman, that wonderful icon of the Democratic Party, left the White House in 1953 with poll numbers that were almost as dismal as President Bush’s. Today no reputable historian — Republican or Democrat —- would seriously argue that Truman was the “worst president ever”.

Ultimately, history will be George W. Bush’s judge, as it has been with every president who has preceded him. And I firmly believe that history will judge President Bush much more equitably — and much more favorably — than you people have.

James F. Meyer
Overland Park

New Yorker’s Obama cover

The New Yorker’s July 21 issue features Barack Obama on the cover as a Muslim and his wife as a terrorist. The American Flag burns in the background, and there is a picture of bin Laden on the wall.

Jesse Jackson wants to neuter Obama and even makes a gesture with his right arm in the video indicating how he would do it.

It’s all so confusing. I’m taking no chances and voting for the old guy.

Larry Gilmer
Kansas City

The New Yorker’s Obama cover is an attempt to walk the fine line between satire and political rhetoric. It fails. The humor, what there is of it, is overwhelmed by the Muslim dress, the bin Laden portrait on the wall and the flag burning in the fireplace. (Where did the flag burning come from?)

If the characterization of Michelle with the AK-47 is meant to characterize that she will not be “pushed around” by the media, I think they got that right. She will stand up and defend herself. That’s the way women are acting these days. And a lot of the blame for that belongs to Hillary Clinton.

Sen. Obama, in his rather muted response to The New Yorker, characterized the cover as “tasteless and offensive.” Indeed, Obama, you can do better than that. Many think the cover was just plain nasty in a nasty business.

I think we can agree that this was not the magazine’s finest hour.

The good thing about it all is we can only go up from here.

Robert W. Johnson
Olathe