Unfettered Letters

Simple ways to breathe easier

The article “Cleaner air worth five more months” (A-1, 1/22) revealing the correlation between cleaner air and increased life expectancy makes an important connection between our actions and our quality of life.

Although air quality regulations are an important piece of reducing air pollution, individuals can take simple, everyday steps to make our air cleaner. Habits that are seemingly small — stopping at the click when refueling, carpooling, refueling in the evening and not idling — can cumulatively have a positive impact on our region’s air. You can find more tips that help make our air cleaner at www.marc.org/airQ

Amanda Graor
Senior Air Quality Planner, Mid-America Regional Council
Kansas City

Fatal racing ‘accident’

I first heard of the death of local museum operator and historian Greg Hawley on the evening news. I was surprised to read later that Hawley died “in a Saturday accident.” The article describes how an 18-year old was charged with involuntary manslaughter, having lost control of his vehicle while racing another car and crashing into Hawley’s pickup.

This was not an “accident,” and I wish the media would stop referring to these events as such. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched a campaign in 1997 called “Crashes aren’t accidents.” We need to change this “accident” mentality and, as the Jackson County Prosecutor’s office has done in this case, hold individuals accountable for their actions.

Sadly, the article further reports that Greg Hawley was not wearing a seat belt and was killed after being ejected from his vehicle, which overturned. In rollovers, vehicles’ doors fly open, and their windshields break. Unbelted occupants are more than 10 times more likely to be ejected. Ejection results in far more deaths and serious injuries.

The Kansas City community has lost a unique, fascinating individual, and it was not an accident.

Patty Logan
Leawood

Saturday evening we received a disturbing phone call from our daughter as she sadly described an “accident” she had just witnessed on I-70 at Lee’s Summit Road.

She told of seeing it all unfold, with the teens racing down the highway and swerving in and out of traffic behind her, and then barely passing her only to lose control and run into and flip a pickup truck driven by a man — a father, a grandfather — returning home from work. She told of holding the man’s hand as he lay there bleeding, tears running down her cheeks as she noted this man was about the same age as her father.

Crying, she asked us, “Why? What were they thinking?” This incident will traumatize her for God only knows how long.

Fearing not for her own safety, she ran to this man. She held his hand and whispered to him that help was coming.

I have to believe that this man was comforted by her soft touch and the outpouring of love and comfort from a young girl he never knew or, as it turned out, he would never know. I am very proud of the fine young lady that we have raised.

Mark S. Wilson
Raytown

Steamboat visitors appreciated Hawley

We were among the last people to see Greg Hawley on Saturday before his untimely death (1/12, Local, “Steamboat museum leader killed in wreck; Police say Greg Hawley’s vehicle was struck by a teen racing in a BMW”).

We decided to visit the Steamboat Arabia Museum on Jan. 10. This was the first time we had visited. During our visit we listened to Greg Hawley as he shared with such pride and passion the adventure his family had finding and excavating the Arabia. He spoke of the future for the museum.

It is with a heavy heart we say thank you to the Hawley family for the opportunity to have met Greg Hawley.

Tony and Deborah Goodson
Olathe

Only 17 troop deaths in December?

The subhead under the article “Casualty figures met with caution” (1/3, A-1) read “U.S. had only 17 deaths in December.” Why only 17 deaths? Don’t those 17 matter?

That abstract figure, 17, stands for 17 men and, possibly, women who will never walk again or see the blue sky or feel the soft breezes of the spring of 2009. Those 17 left behind 17 families that will grieve and never be fully comforted.

Each of those 17 people’s lives was priceless. The media’s take on these dead soldiers leaves those 17 lives without importance.

Patricia Keens
Kansas City

Missing Lauren Chapin

I’ve enjoyed Lauren Chapin’s reviews and delighted vicariously with her in her delight of good food, service and ambience. And now, after reading the tributes to her in the newspaper (12/20, FYI, “Taste for adventure” and 12/13, FYI, “Here’s to a genuine, fearless woman”), I’m filled with respect for her as a person.

Lauren was obviously a most beloved member of The Star’s staff and gave those who knew her much more than her love of wonderful cuisine and her talent for writing about it.

In the past, only photos of the back of Lauren’s head could be published to keep her identity secret when she visited a restaurant. Now that we’re able to see her face, we can say, “Yep, that’s a lady I know I would like.”

Keep on keepin’ on, Lauren. I’m sure that, where you are now, there are chefs who are waiting to hear your reviews on their finest.

Jan Graves
Kansas City

Thumbing through the Preview section from back to front recently, I could not locate the restaurant reviews. So I thumbed again, then concluded Lauren Chapin must be taking a holiday vacation. The news of her death the next day hit hard.

I enjoyed Lauren’s column for all the years she wrote it and followed up on a good many of her recommendations. I feel her life was cut short, and yet she contributed so much enjoyment to me and many others who like good food and good writing.

The loss of Lauren to The Star is a loss to the community as well.

Judith L. Zillner
Shawnee

Family appreciates Hospice House

Our family was fortunate to spend the final days with my father at the Hospice House in south Kansas City. The staff was so caring and supportive, the surroundings were beautiful, and the concern for both families and patients was quite evident.

We would highly recommend it to anyone in such a situation, and we want to thank Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care for providing this blessing to our community.

Rhonda Carter
Spring Hill

Listings of military deaths

The Star has long carried the latest reported deaths from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in the front section of the Sunday edition. The names have not been placed prominently, but they have always appeared.

On Oct. 19 the usual listing was there, but in type so small as to be nearly unreadable by anyone of any age. This is a disgraceful show of disrespect.

Surely the one thing about which we can all agree is that it is a tragedy when service members die in an American war. The Star should immediately restore the former manner of listing the deaths.

Jim Abel
Leawood

George Carlin cartoon

Regarding Lee Judge’s memorial to George Carlin (6/27, Opinion): People, before you start getting bent out of shape and start expounding about Judge’s lack of respect for our dearly departed, remember that cartoons equal humor.

Carlin would love it!

Paul Rola
Kansas City

Matters of life and death

The astounding contradictions of human nature could not have been more graphically illustrated than on the front page of The Star’s Local section on May 25. The joyful dance of Kerry Magana and her brother, Nelson Ponce, contrasted dolefully with a heinous story announcing that an anesthesiologist has joined Missouri’s death row inmate execution squad.

Even the most skilled philosophers have never satisfactorily explained why joy and evil both rest in our hearts. As for me, I will remember the dance of Kerry and Nelson.

Robert Marrin
Kansas City

Deaths by friendly fire

My heart goes out to those parents who are finding out that their brave soldier son or daughter has been killed by friendly fire. It is tragedy enough to lose a loved one under any circumstance, but to be told that your child was killed unnecessarily is more than one should have to accept.

I was a machine gunner in World War II when, one dark night on the banks of the Rhine River, my best buddy decided to repair a warning system made of a string of cans stretched a couple of hundred feet in front of him. It had been hit by an enemy shell. He notified the line of riflemen in both directions and then went out to repair it. While there, he made some noise, and someone who didn’t get the message killed him.

His parents were notified only that he was killed in action, period.

I know of several who were killed by friendly fire. War is killing, sometimes by friendly fire. Loved ones need not know.

Robert H. Mabes
Lenexa