We watch Chiefs games to see football (and Taylor Swift). Stay home, Jackson Mahomes | Opinion

Fame unearned

How terribly disappointing to see Jackson Mahomes, who has pending criminal charges, appearing as a backdrop to Taylor Swift on national television during the Chiefs-Chargers game. (Oct. 24, 5B, “Taylor Swift and Brittany Mahomes celebrate Chiefs touchdown”)

Mahomes’ misconduct over the years reflects poorly on the NFL, the Hunt family, the Chiefs organization, Ms. Swift and his brother, Patrick. Why hasn’t anyone stepped up to deny him a spotlight he has done nothing to deserve?

- Jim Dunn, North Kansas City

Wrong tactics

I wonder if anyone has pointed out to the Israelis that the United States tried for 20 years to defeat the Taliban in Afghanistan and could not do it.

The only way to defeat that kind of opponent is by undermining its reason to exist.

- Susan Kysela, Kansas City

Out of line

Hamas’ attacks on Israel were wrong. The overwhelming response by Israel on Gaza was wrong. Two wrongs do not make a right. The United States’ response was also wrong. The U.S. must not take sides in this conflict but should for once act as an honest broker in the Israel-Palestine problem by demanding an immediate cease-fire.

So far, the U.S. has abrogated its responsibilities on the world stage by siding with Israel and promising Israel more weapons and military support, threatening to add fuel to the conflagration. As a taxpayer, I object to spending my money to support more bombings of Gaza.

The U.S. and its political allies have the responsibility to earnestly broker a solution that honors both Israel and Palestine and enforces the cessation of illegal Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories and end what is essentially the imprisonment of more than 2 million Palestinians in Gaza.

Deuteronomy 32:35 in the Christian Bible and the fifth book of the Torah clearly state that vengeance is strictly the domain of God. I think that should give us all pause to reconsider the enormity of the errors of Hamas and Israel.

- Susan F. Herold, Kansas City

Whose price?

As far as I know, the Royals have still not decided where to put their new, public-financed stadium. (Oct. 10, 1A, “Stadium talks focused on keeping sales tax another 40 years”) Will it be in the East Village downtown? In North Kansas City? Or will another location be floated? The Royals’ timeline to announce the eventual location passed. It seems they cannot get out of their own way.

Wherever new stadium is built, the residents of the surrounding area should not be the only ones footing the bill. Why not have the whole of Kansas City help Jackson or Clay county? They are, in fact, the Kansas City Royals, not the Jackson County Royals or Clay County Royals. Kansas City residents in Jackson, Clay and Platte counties should be asked to pay their share, much like they do for the zoo. This is true for the existing stadiums as well. The pie-in-the-sky request would be for the entire metropolitan area to pay their share — but, alas, Johnson County residents would never approve paying for anything in Missouri, even though they would use the facility as much as any other area residents.

All of this belies the notion of why a new stadium — that one person wants most — is needed in the first place.

- Tony Michaels, Kansas City

Yes to order

Erwin Chemerinsky challenges the constitutionality of the gag order that U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan imposed on Donald Trump. (Oct. 22, 17A, “Federal judge’s gag order against Trump isn’t constitutional”) I disagree. Just as one cannot yell, “Fire!” in a theater, Trump’s comments can be taken as inciting criminal violence, which is a real danger to people whose lives have been threatened. There is ample recent history of violent actions taken by his followers.

Chemerinsky believes that the judge imposed the gag order because Trump’s language is “often unpleasant and offensive.” If that were the only factor, Trump would have a long clothesline of gag orders.

- Jack Mayer, Mission