Jackson is part of the Mahomes family. I’m proud of Patrick and glad they’re all in KC | Opinion

The first stone

I was disappointed to see the Oct. 26 letter to the editor criticizing TV networks showing Jackson Mahomes with Taylor Swift and Brittany Mahomes. (11A) I wonder if those who bring up Jackson’s bad decisions have never done anything wrong. Perhaps their bad choice wasn’t equal (in their eyes) to his, but I’m guessing each and every one of us has some skeleton in the closet we’d prefer not having the world know.

I value family above all, and from what I’ve seen of our quarterback, he does as well. He is not going to forbid his brother from setting foot in Kansas City again, and the press will continue to take photos of his family. I’m proud of Patrick for his family values, and love that he and his family are a part of Kansas City.

- Elaine Patterson, Blue Springs

The ERA’s time

The Kansas City Repertory Theatre‘s production of Heidi Schreck’s “What the Constitution Means to Me” reminds us how far we’ve come, and how much further we have to go. With laughter and tears, it looks at how our founding document was not meant to include all of us.

But that could soon change. Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment in 1972 and approved by the necessary number of states. Your pocket Constitution should include this amendment. Why doesn’t it?

In January 2020, Virginia became the final of the three-fourths of states constitutionally needed to ratify the ERA. But before Virginia’s historic vote, other states rescinded their approval or sued to stop the process. The Department of Justice under Donald Trump supported blocking the ERA, a position that continues to this day.

Our hope is that the White House or Congress will direct the U.S. archivist to certify the ERA, or that it will be certified under its own statutory authority.

One of the best things about America is our aspiration for an equal future. After you see the KCRep’s play, we need to ask our representatives to support legislation now in Congress to pass the ERA.

- Alice Kitchen, ERA Coalition member, Kansas City

Get to work

Listen up: It is time for Congress to get its house in order. The moment to act on principle, disdaining petty bickering like a pack of prepubescent boys and girls, has come.

To whom am I speaking? I am addressing any and all elected officials who have the sanctimonious gall to think they are discharging the duties of their office by putting the interests of their party and their own advancement above the work of the people. This is the United States of America, folks, and we who figuratively stand before you are Americans. No, I will go one step further and say, “We are America.” This large swath of real estate we live on is merely that.

We who hold to the spirit and principles that this nation was founded on say simply, “Do your jobs.” Important legislation must be worked through then enacted. The defense of a country united in purpose must be established, and the rule of law must once more become our standard.

- Michael G. Brennan, Merriam

What it takes

Congratulations to the 118th Congress. It appears that someone has responded to the ad on the steps of the people’s house: “Help wanted: Anybody can do it. It requires no brains at all. It merely requires no character.”

- Clyde Waltermate, Raytown

Different world

Missouri Treasurer Vivek Malek does not know about discrimination in the U.S. He didn’t grow up in Missouri. He grew up in India. He came to America as a young adult to attend Southeast Missouri State University.

His Oct. 23 guest commentary, “Missouri Treasurer: Reps. Cleaver and Bush wrong on race,” however, praises the Supreme Court’s ruling to end college diversity programs, which aid foreign as well as low-income Black and brown students to pursue a college education. (7A)

He calls these programs “discriminatory,” which shows his lack of knowledge about how minorities have been treated poorly in this country for centuries.

According to his biography, as a young college graduate in India, he was accepted to attend Southwest Missouri State. I wonder: Could that have had anything to do with diversity initiatives?

The fact he refers to diversity policies as “woke” demonstrates how he has been lured into the ultra-conservative (white supremacist) movement that’s attempting to take over our state and country.

No, Malek has never truly experienced racial discrimination in this country. Gov. Mike Parson appointed him to his position. I wonder: Could an Indian American get elected to the office in this state?

So he’s happily spouting the propaganda fed to him by his party. He evidently enjoys the good ol’ (white) boys’ club.

- Sue Holmberg Meinders, Lake Lotawana

Immune to reality?

Nicole Russell’s commentary questioning when Donald Trump’s followers would see the truth about his lies expressed a common belief that Trumpers follow him blindly. (Oct. 25, 11A, “When will MAGA voters see truth about 2020 election?”)

That brings me to my friends’ neighbor. His Trump sign went up before the election. It stayed there even when Trump advised people to take drugs not approved by the FDA for COVID-19 and wondered if we could just inject disinfectant instead. It stayed there when Trump used his black marker to “correct” a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration map of an approaching hurricane.

But, this is the good part, my friends noticed that the Trump sign was removed on Jan. 7, 2021. That story gives me hope.

- Rae Ann Nixon, Kansas City