Is there a way for Andrew Lester to make some good from the awful Ralph Yarl shooting?
Hopeful result
Both Ralph Yarl and Andrew Lester are amazingly fortunate that Yarl is recovering so well from a bullet to his head. I hope the final outcome to this almost-tragedy will be this: Yarl makes a full recovery, continuing to college and playing his music, and the elderly shooter redeems himself by apologizing to Yarl.
If at his age Lester still has the stamina, he could become an advocate for requiring safety training as a requirement to own a gun.
We require training and licenses to drive a car. Anyone with a tool as dangerous as a gun should also be required to have training on how to judge when there is a reasonable threat and what nonviolent actions to take before discharging lethal fire.
Putting an old man whose wife requires care in prison to end his days would accomplish little. Turning over a new leaf is a much better outcome than punishment that only spreads sadness.
- Nancy Kiang, La Crescenta, California
No, not ‘world’
During the Chiefs’ 2023 Super Bowl parade, the sides of the buses carrying the team were painted with signs that said “world champions.” And when Union Station hosted the celebration, it also had large signs that advertised “Chiefs: world champions.”
This is a lie, and it is both disrespectful and an insult to those of us who actually are world champions in our chosen professions. At no time did the Chiefs play any football team outside the borders of the United States to earn their Super Bowl victory. The correct attaboy would be “national champions” or “U.S. football champions.” Or simply and accurately, “Super Bowl champions.”
The Chiefs and Union Station owe the public an apology. And in the future, they need to not allow their enthusiasm and excitement to overpower their honesty, responsibility and truthfulness.
- Rodney Rom, Butler
In a name
Propaganda is defined by my dictionary as “information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view.” Based on its recent settlement with Dominion Voting Systems, should Fox News change its name to Fox Propaganda? (April 20, 1A, “Settling Dominion suit doesn’t end troubles for Fox Corp.”)
- Richard Robison, Overland Park
Before next time
When the pandemic hit in 2019, the world was not ready. Despite warnings such as the 1918 Spanish flu and more recent contagions, the misinformation, half-steps, false steps and lack of safety and medical equipment were all clear indicators that we humans were caught flat-footed.
The results were millions of people suffering serious illness and death and a paralyzing freeze on world economic activity. Unless an international effort is made to provide a more robust response next time, this will be repeated.
A standing “World Pandemic Response and Recovery Team” is both feasible and required.
In an emergency, it could be deployed to an infected site to prevent egress from the area, develop testing materials, provide contact tracing, deliver safety and medical supplies, and work with worldwide labs to produce vaccines and therapeutic drugs.
With no emergency, it could monitor hospital and clinic reports for early warning signs of pandemic, survey environments for potential pathogens in animal species, work with labs to develop effective pan-viral drugs and vaccines, and maintain supplies of safety and medical equipment.
We have the knowledge, expertise and resources to build such a team. We need only the political will to do it.
- Graham Marcott, Fairway
Road hazards
I live north of the river, so I do not go to the Country Club Plaza often. Last week, my husband and I had to go there and were quite shocked by how bad the streets are there are other places around the city.
There are no proper signs to alert drivers that the road is going from two lanes to one on our main thoroughfares.
How embarrassing this is for Kansas City to host the NFL Draft with the confusing construction and terrible roads.
Let’s see: We have known for how long that the draft was coming, and yet our streets are such a mess?
I thought Kansas City would be more prepared than this.
- Cyndee Groves, Kansas City
Royals cleanup
I love the Royals, and I feel so sad for their start this season. I wish all the best to team owner John J. Sherman and the leadership group investing in the club and city.
The Royals have not drafted or developed young players well for years. It wasn’t easy letting Dayton Moore go after the team went to the World Series in 2014 and 2015 under his leadership, but it needed to be done. However, Sherman didn’t complete the job.
The person who for years had been responsible for finding, drafting and developing players was J.J. Picollo, so Sherman promoted him to general manager.
I’m just an armchair fan, but you would have to be blind not to see we have problems finding top talent in college and particularly Latin America. I think Sherman should convene a focus group of fans who love the Royals, and not only white season-ticket owners. The fact that you’re an owner or general manager doesn’t mean you’re not wearing blinders.
We love the Royals, but a house cleaning means the whole house.
- John Koehler, Raytown
