Kansas City loves Taylor Swift so much fans pay to sit behind the stage? Tell me why | Opinion

Not for a view

We all love certain types of music and performers. I have gone to a few concerts to view and listen to a legend perform. I have paid a high price to do both — but never to just listen.

People are paying for seats at Arrowhead Stadium behind the stage for Taylor Swift’s upcoming shows. (June 15, 5A, “Taylor Swift concert resale tickets start at $1,000”) They will not be able to see her perform — only listen.

I don’t get it, but it is not my money.

- Rick Schultz, Independence

Hunger as control

Speaking as one whose family relied on government commodity food back in the day for our survival, I take issue with right-wing Republicans who insist on maintaining their “I’ve got mine — you get your own” mentality.

For these Republicans, solving the deficit problem is more about supposedly saving money than helping to lift the poor out of desperation. Not everyone has bootstraps to pull themselves up with.

Those of us who have suffered the pain, anguish and frustration of poverty cannot relate to those who insist they can solve the problem even though many have never experienced even one day of hunger themselves.

To my mind, literally taking food from the mouths of the needy by kicking them off the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as a means of political control is disgusting.

- Eddie L. Clay, Grandview

Always Sen. Moran

The Star’s editorial board said that Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran’s silence regarding Donald Trump’s criminal indictment in the Mar-a-Lago documents case is courageous in this iteration of the Republican Party. (June 14, 8A, “In today’s GOP, Moran’s silence passes for bravery”) But speaking up would be even better.

Let me remind you, The Star endorsed Moran in his 2022 reelection bid, and his behavior was identical then to what it is now. He has always been a compliant, quiet, keep-your-head-down senator. He does two things: the farm bill and support for veterans, and he makes sure to publicize his efforts. His supporters make sure to thank him in the paper. But he doesn’t speak up about controversial things. He never has.

One reason is that he believes in Republican policy. He opposes the Marriage Equality Act, saying it would infringe on Christians’ ability to practice their religion. He supported the Kansas abortion amendment last year and praised the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

He is the same man now as he was in 2022, and you should have known it. Don’t expect him to become what he has never been: a compassionate man of integrity who will speak up for the truth. I’m glad, though, that the board may be wising up after supporting him in 2022.

- Dawn Olney, Prairie Village

Eyes up, please

One thing left out of The Star’s June 28 editorial “Why do so many drivers put pedestrians at risk?”: (10A) It is also the pedestrian’s responsibility to avoid being hurt or killed.

I’ve walked for a number of years, and I have observed pedestrians with their faces in their phones or talking to a companion and not looking left, right or behind them when they come to an intersection. They should also be aware of drivers turning left or right before stepping off the curb. They step off the curb assuming drivers see them. I always make eye contact with drivers so I know, for a fact, they see me.

One other thing: Drivers should not stop in crosswalks, forcing pedestrians and cyclists to walk or bike into traffic when they cross the street. It takes awareness by drivers, pedestrians and cyclists to avoid accidents.

- Karen Oellig, Kansas City

Look eastward

We just used the wonderful new terminal at Kansas City International Airport last week, but the line of cars and wait time at the curbside arrival area made for a terrible, slow mess. At 1 a.m., the line of cars waiting to enter was long.

Once I got to the rightmost of the lanes to pick up my passengers, traffic was gridlocked. Of the four lanes for passenger pickup, the inner two had cars just sitting there. The other two lanes at least moved — but very slowly. For an airport that cost $1.5 billion, this is unacceptable.

We moved here from Maryland in 2015 after 40 years there. We usually used Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. Its setup is similar to KCI, but you can stop your car at the arrival area only briefly to pick up passengers. There are police and security officers to move you along if you try to stop and wait. No parking is allowed.

Officials from KCI need to spend an hour at the Baltimore/Washington airport observing how to do it right. This would end the standstills at a reasonable cost.

- Harry Wyre, Overland Park

Two-part plan

I am in favor of moving the Royals to a new stadium downtown. They have shown they cannot win consistently in this stadium, so if we build a new one, we should hope they can win in it.

Also, with the team gone, Kauffman Stadium could be torn down and a new domed football stadium could be built there to keep the Chiefs in Kansas City, where they belong. I suspect this has been the plan all along, but nobody is saying it publicly.

This new setup would require direct light rail access, or people in the suburbs would not support it.

- Tom Gibbens, Raytown