Print edition: 
Pressure Boeing to ‘onshore’ jobs
Boeing said in a statement: “Because of defense budget pressures, we are conducting a number of market studies to determine how to best preserve and grow our business, and continue to provide quality and cost-efficient services for our customers” (“Boeing studying future of Wichita site,” Nov. 22 Eagle). Translation: Boeing is getting ready to stick it to American taxpayers and workers again.
What has been missing from the news about Boeing winning the tanker contract is how much of the work is going to be outsourced to foreign countries and what countries those are. Is it a secret where our billions in tax dollars will be spent?
The only thing I have heard from Boeing is that the majority of work will be done in the United States. That could be 51 percent. In the interests of transparency, we have the right to know what those exact figures are.
Unless we’ve been lied to, there isn’t any part of the KC-46A (767) that can’t be made in the United States by our skilled aerospace workers.
Our government officials may not be able to cancel the contract, but they can turn off the money tap until Boeing executives come around and try “onshoring” jobs for a change.
KEITH THOMAS
Park City
Use words wisely
The flap over the anti-Brownback tweet raised an important issue about free speech. But along with a right to speak your mind, you also have a responsibility to use your words wisely. Your words should be constructive and help to bring about positive change, not be used to humiliate, insult or destroy someone. It is possible to disagree with someone’s beliefs without being vicious and ugly about it — a lesson many people today, both young and old, would do well to learn.
Sadly, politeness and civility are vanishing concepts in many of today’s social-networking places. As an avid Internet surfer, I have come across countless comments and forum posts in which people regularly hurl cuss words, racial insults and unbelievably hostile phrases at those with whom they disagree. The ability to use anonymous user names increases this tendency. Some people seem to enjoy using hateful language toward others and prefer to pick fights and hurl insults, rather than engage in honest, tactful debates.
What happened to the days when kindness, decency and tactfulness were in vogue?
If people could only learn to think before they speak, there would be a lot less anguish and heartache in this world.
JODY MOSIER
Towanda
Newt’s folly
Newt Gingrich’s latest folly is suggesting that the children of poor families are lazy. I find this to be one of the worst political insults I’ve heard.
Gingrich has no idea how hard poor people work to support their families, when they can find work. And when they do find work, it’s usually low-paying, no-benefit work.
Gingrich has made his living off the backs of taxpayers and quit in disgrace as a speaker of the House in 1999. He bashed President Clinton for his indiscretions while carrying on an extramarital affair of his own. He dumped his cancer-stricken wife for a younger model. And now he bashes the children of families struggling to stay afloat.
If that qualifies him as a major candidate for president of this country, something’s seriously wrong with this country.
JOHN D. EKSTROMER
Wichita
Remember attack
Seventy years ago today, an event occurred that changed history and the world and shook the United States to its core: the day of infamy. There are few Pearl Harbor survivors now, those men and women who in their youth were stationed in and around Hawaii in December 1941. Those who are able will gather today at Pearl Harbor.
Wichita will mark the anniversary by having our remembrance ceremony at the Robert J. Dole Department of Veterans Affairs Medical and Regional Office Center at 10:55 a.m. today. The program will include patriotic speakers, music, honor guards, historical displays and plenty of fellowship. Memories will be shared by many veterans.
The Pearl Harbor Survivors Association was congressionally chartered in 1958 as a nonprofit organization. It will officially end Dec. 31. But America still needs to remember the day of infamy and its importance to history. The Sept. 11 attacks were a perfect example of why this is needed. The motto of the association has and always will be, “Remember Pearl Harbor — Keep America Alert.”
JAMES DENISON
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Wichita
Free Rhodes
I don’t know if Ronnie Rhodes is guilty, but his treatment should be of concern to every citizen (“KDOC moves Rhodes back to prison where he was mistreated,” Dec. 3 Kansas.com). I can’t believe that DNA evidence apparently has been lost. They should free this man now. It is the responsibility of those who have this power of police to maintain evidence. This is not the behavior of a free people and a free society.
DIANNA BOURKE PRIVETTE
Jacksonville, Fla.
