Gun violence and civic responsibility in Kansas City: Readers signal concern | Opinion

Editor’s note: The shooting at the Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory rally elicited a huge amount of reader feedback, both in submissions to the letters and authors wanting to contribute guest commentaries. But we also heard from people overjoyed at the team’s victory, and from others who wanted to discuss the proposed new Royals stadium downtown. Today, we share some of the most thoughtful letters we received.

Be responsible

With all the celebration and joy, our societal issues stand starkly revealed. Rather than citywide solemnity and public mourning at gun deaths, accompanied by horrified public shame alongside repentance, we accept tragedy as proportional to our quotient of revelry, and marginalize in our consciousness the victims and their families. “This is simply the way it is,” we rationalize to ourselves.

Meanwhile, the public drunkenness of some of our heroes is ignored or excused after schools canceled classes so that our children could stand in awe of their heroes. We again witness that athletes ought not be societal role models simply for their athleticism. Character deserves adulation, not physical coordination and bluster.

Every religious organization in greater Kansas City should hold mourning worship and services of introspection for our willingness to conveniently accept violence and death amid civic pride at our athletic team’s accomplishments. We have accepted guns and murder as part of our way of life. Is not the injury or death of the few more important than triumph in sport? Replacing civic celebration, we witness in full display the sickness of our society.

Perhaps the Chiefs’ greatest contribution to Kansas City would be a call to civic accountability and evaluation of the ultimate value of life.

- Rabbi Mark H. Levin, Prairie Village

Wrong response

They are probably going to ban parades in the United States before they ban assault weapons.

Do the right thing, America.

- Chris Hagelin, Raymore

The real power

I have heard many Kansas Citians say they will never attend another large gathering because of the events of Feb. 14. We should press for some good to come from this tragedy.

I hope and pray Mayor Quinton Lucas would spearhead an attempt to get the heads of local sports families behind a movement to encourage the NFL and MLB to press Congress to enact meaningful legislation to outlaw high-power weapon ownership except for the military. There should also be a tightening of gun-registration requirements.

I think our leaders have lost sight of the fact that they represent the people.

If anyone can overcome the gun lobby, it is the NFL.

- Steve Ortmeyer, Lenexa

That’s civilized?

My two granddaughters, ages 12 and 13, slept with their parents last night because of their fear and sadness about the violence at the Chiefs’ Super Bowl celebration.

More than 800 “good guys with guns” were on duty at the site of the mass shooting.

Do either of these make sense in a civilized society?

- Jeff Roitman, Overland Park

Kicking the can

It occurs to me that gun violence is a lot like climate change. Everyone knows it is a problem, and everyone knows how to solve it. Unfortunately, whether the answer is “stop burning fossil fuels” or “get rid of the guns,” a large portion of us will simply opt to cross our fingers and hope the worst of it happens to someone else.

Thoughts and prayers!

- Matt Grise, Overland Park

The good part

Super Bowl? I was watching for a friend. Here’s what I have to report back.

49ers: My folks went to the 1981 NFC Championship Game, Cowboys versus 49ers at Candlestick Park. They wore Dallas gear. San Francisco fans from the level above poured beers on them.

Legacy: The 49ers’ head coach is the son of former Denver coach Mike Shanahan. I like Mike. So, I guess I like Kyle, too.

Kansas City: My kid went to college in Kansas City and still lives there. KC is a great town to be when the Chiefs are winning — which is always, apparently.

Legacy: Patrick Mahomes looks young and fit enough to play another 30 years.

Fans: Beyonce and Jay-Z were there. They didn’t look happy. And “Swifties”? Is this the NFL?

Halftime: Usher was fantastic. I had to Google his age. He’s only 45. #Talent H.E.R. gave me Prince vibes during her guitar solo.

Rah-rah: I saw the cheerleaders only once. Too risqué these days?

Commentators: Spatial awareness. If you know, you know. And, did you know that Tracy Wolfson is in the 5-foot-2 club?

OT: The tension. The stress. The glory. Go, football!

- Barbara Holliday, Denver

No to stadium

Absolutely not!

John Sherman proposes to shoehorn a 34,000-seat stadium for the Royals into a site just south of the T-Mobile Center — claiming that somehow the existing parking will be sufficient. Seriously?

In addition, his plan would block off Oak Street, eliminating a major north-south route.

All this for a business that would be in operation less than 50% of the year.

What an insult to those of us who live downtown.

I will vote no on the 3/8-cent sales-tax extension on April 2. I urge my fellow residents of downtown to do likewise.

- Elizabeth Darr, Kansas City

Package deal

With the Royals and the Chiefs located together in the same complex, it made sense for Jackson County to have a sales-tax vote that applied to both.

However, if the teams are going to be physically separated, I see no logical reason for the April tax to include both, as if they somehow had to be a package.

The only remaining shared characteristic, if you can call it that, is that both are sports teams.

I support the Chiefs’ request, but I am loath to being blackmailed into simultaneously supporting the opportunistic, greedy Royals.

- Richard B. Barger, Kansas City