Letters to the Editor (July 28): District 1 primary, Catholicism, Naftzger Park
Stevens is choice for District 1
John Stevens is the clear choice for election to the Wichita City Council for District 1 in the Aug. 1 primary.
John will bring a much-needed voice of reason to the City Council that has been missing in recent years, based on his many years’ experience of problem solving as a small business owner and active neighborhood proponent.
John understands that for too many years, our City Council has been spending millions of dollars of taxpayer money on downtown development projects; essentially robbing the funds needed in our neighborhoods for street repairs, clean parks, community policing, and swimming pools for our children.
He will work diligently to preserve Century II through needed renovation and advocate for a vote of the people before considering the expensive alternative of demolishing and rebuilding our iconic convention center.
John has the experience to be your voice at City Hall. He will listen to your concerns and work to resolve the issues that bring about community uplift.
I urge the voters of District 1 to vote for John Stevens for City Council on Aug. 1.
John Todd, Wichita
The value of church weddings
Catholicism appears to be the only religion requiring weddings to be held within a church, because Catholicism appears to be the only religion maintaining the supernatural elements of marriage. Catholics profess marriage to be a sacrament given to humanity by God. If marriage is more than a piece of paper, then it deserves to be received in a dignified place; and a church properly conveys the splendor of the sacraments.
A church is the most fitting location for a Catholic wedding, as it marks the continued growth in the sacramental life. It was in the church that Catholic couples first received baptism, followed by first communion, both of which made it possible for the couple to receive their vocation to sacramental marriage. Hopefully the physical location, that of the church, represents and expresses God’s grace and love for them.
The love of a married couple ought to participate in, and point to, God’s unconditional and enduring love. It is not exactly conveyed by a pond that can dry up, a garden that will wither and die, or an old barn that looks as if it is ready to come tumbling down at the first sign of a Kansas storm.
A.J. Bergkamp, Wichita
Naftzger Park’s homeless
Leave it up to the uncreative thinkers of our City Council to come up with their plan for ridding Naftzger Park of the homeless. Wanting to tear out all the lovely natural foliage and pond and replace it with what looks like a ugly football field is ridiculous.
Instead of spending $1.5 million on this eyesore, why not build a tiny home village for the homeless such as cities like Seattle and others are doing? The cost for building each home is $10,000 or lower, with most communities donating building supplies. About 150 tiny houses could be built for the $1.5 million that the city plans on spending.
If the city can allow the construction of ugly apartments on our river instead of nice restaurants and perhaps an aquarium, I don’t know why a tiny home village for the homeless couldn’t be done. It would actually solve a problem instead of building a synthetic space and pretending like we don’t have a problem.
Victoria David, Wichita
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This story was originally published July 28, 2017 at 4:52 AM with the headline "Letters to the Editor (July 28): District 1 primary, Catholicism, Naftzger Park."