Letters on tortured girl, Confederate flag, Kobach, voting, bike lanes

DCF shares blame for tortured girl

The Kansas Department for Children and Families was not doing its job when an adopted child was reported as being abused eight prior times over five years yet the abuse continued (“‘Girl in the Basement’ parents sentenced,” Nov. 11 Eagle). The department is just as responsible for that child being continually abused as the hands of the parents who did it. Was the house investigated for signs of torture after the first call, and every call thereafter?

We are supposed to be a leader of nations for equality and rights and civil protection. Yet this child was tortured. So when does it stop? How many children have died in Kansas because of abuse? Having a staff of educated people with college degrees isn’t enough to stop it. Why? Let the real truth be told.

I ask each and every person affiliated with DCF to come forward and speak of the issues that are keeping our children from being protected. Five years of abuse and torture with adequate warnings and concerns should not happen in this country, and not in this state. Let’s get something done.

Legacy of shame

Bravo for the removal of the Confederate battle flag in Wichita (“Confederate flag out of veterans park for good,” Nov. 10 Eagle). It belongs on Civil War memorials, in history books and museums, but not flying from a pole that clearly indicates pride. Kansas wasn’t even a member of the Confederacy.

I had quite a number of relatives who served for the South, and I’m fascinated by the details of this war, including the amazing fact that our country actually survived a civil war. When the Confederate flag is displayed on a car tag or shirt, I can’t imagine what exactly the person is proud of.

After the war, many Northerners wanted Confederate leaders tried as war criminals. President Lincoln said “no,” that it was time for our country to heal.

The South couldn’t have been any more wrong. Southerners not only enslaved human beings, it was based on the color of their skin. The South also completely failed to recognize Lincoln for what he was – the greatest man of their time, and now the most written about person in American history. Instead, they killed him.

The legacy of the Confederacy is one of racism and shame.

False history

I was sad to read that Wichita has permanently taken down the Confederate flag from the Veterans Memorial Park (Nov. 10 Eagle). I thought the park was to honor all veterans, and that included the Confederate veterans, both white and black. The flag at the park was the Confederate battle flag that the soldiers used in combat.

Since the tragic and horrible shooting in Charleston. S.C., at the historical black church, there has been a hysteria of anything Confederate. History is being erased, and many falsehoods about the history of the war between the states have been unceasing.

Sadly, education – and especially our education regarding history – is more about feelings than fact. There is not enough room here to discuss all the issues. The slavery issue was just part of the issue. However, correct history needs to be told.

To quote Samuel Johnson: “To deliver examples to posterity, and to regulate the opinion of future times, is no slight or trivial undertaking; nor is it easy to commit more atrocious treason against the great republic of humanity, than by falsifying its records and misguiding its decrees.”

Proud of Kobach

I was somewhat amused by a letter complaining about Secretary of State Kris Kobach (“Crossed the line,” Nov. 10 Letters to the Editor). It was long on vitriol but short on substance.

I am very proud of Kobach. He has done much to protect our voting rights in Kansas and in the nation as a whole. His invitation to speak at an event hosted by the Social Contract Press is just another feather in his cap. It is a group that strives to protect the sovereignty of the United States. Nothing about it is hateful.

The letter writer described the contributors to its little quarterly magazine as “nationalists,” implying that is somehow hateful or some personal deficiency. But look up the definition of a “nationalist.” Any politician who has taken the oath to defend and uphold the Constitution is by definition a nationalist.

The writer opined on Kobach’s anti-immigration activism. As can be expected of a critic of Kobach, she left out the word “illegal.” When you enter the country illegally, you are not an immigrant. You are an alien criminal.

The writer talked about his policies that would separate families – another mischaracterization. Nothing in his policies would prevent illegal aliens from taking their families with them when they leave the country.

What hiding?

What is Secretary of State Kris Kobach hiding? How can he say there is so much voter fraud and then not take Wichita State University statistician Beth Clarkson up on her wanting to investigate possible fraud?

The upcoming elections will be watched nationwide, but we are really going to watch here in Kansas.

Help registering

If you have never registered to vote, you will need one of these proofs of citizenship: birth certificate, passport, military record of service that shows U.S. birth, naturalization document (or the number of the naturalization document). You will also need a photo ID, whether driver’s license, U.S. passport, state ID card, student ID card, or U.S. military ID document.

You can register online, but must provide proof of citizenship within 90 days of applying. If you can upload a clear photo of your citizenship proof, you can complete your voter registration at https://kdor.org/voterregistration/Default.aspx. You can also use this link if you need to change your voter affiliation. You should receive your voter registration card in the mail within two weeks.

If you don’t know how to upload a photo or photocopy, let us help you. Volunteers will help people register from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday and Nov. 22 at R Coffeehouse, 1144 N. Bitting.

Enjoy bike lanes

I have been surprised and saddened to hear all the negativity from those in Wichita who complain about the bike paths and lanes.

When I retired a few years ago, I decided it was time to explore those intriguing paths I was seeing along K-96 and other places around the city. I bought a bike and nagged my daughter to do the same. We’ve pedaled the paths along the river, the Sedgwick County Zoo and the parks, and wound our way through Riverside, College Hill and Delano. We’ve noticed a wealth of statuary, picturesque neighborhoods, and lovely landscaping we’d never appreciated while driving those same areas.

Just the other day we finally tackled K-96. We ended up riding a total of 25 miles and never once felt threatened by traffic. To cap off a perfect day, we went to Sim Park and took advantage of the free bike lights and bells the police were handing out. While there, we saw whole families bicycling in to get their own.

We in Wichita are lucky to have all these bike lanes, shared-use paths and handicapped-accessible sidewalks. Before you criticize them, why not give them a try? You might be surprised how much you enjoy the exercise, fresh air and seeing our city from a whole new viewpoint.

This story was originally published November 14, 2015 at 6:02 PM with the headline "Letters on tortured girl, Confederate flag, Kobach, voting, bike lanes."