Letters on sales-tax initiative, diversity in fraternities and sororities, Kobach tantrum, Hamas, Iran letter

What now, after sales tax defeat?

After the defeat of the 1-cent sales tax last year, the question became: What now? Well, it has now been four months, so what is the new road map? Is there going to be another vote? Or would another vote only be defeated because of the anti-tax atmosphere created by the first defeat?

The Coalition for a Better Wichita had referred to the tax as sneaky politics, though Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer described it as a two-year engagement process. So what is happening today?

Trying to find answers is proving difficult. The coalition has closed its office. Even my councilman didn’t answer my query, and now the debate is whether mayoral candidate Sam Williams did or did not vote for the tax. What difference does that make?

We all know the tax failed because Koch Companies Public Sector funded all but $3,165 of the $1,075,891 that the coalition collected to defeat City Hall.

To those who are still in the “no” camp: What are your solutions to the water supply, streets, transportation and economic development? Or do you have any? And if you don’t have any, why aren’t you saying so?

Prove equality

I was a member of a sorority at the University of Kansas in the 1960s. I recall my sorority’s Southern roots, particularly as articulated in a song: “We’re Southern born, and our founding fathers knew the Southern ways.”

Last summer, in response to a fundraising request, I contacted my national organization and asked about its membership policies and how they are reflected in actual members. The response, passed on to me from the president of the organization, maintained that the organization did not discriminate in any of its policies. However, regarding my question about actual membership, the president responded that the organization did not keep records on racial, ethnic or religious background because that would be discriminatory.

For me, the grandmother of two biracial teenage girls, that answer was less than satisfactory. However, I dropped the matter at the time and simply declined to contribute.

In light of recent events at the University of Oklahoma and in Ferguson, Mo., and memories of Selma, my response seems inadequate. It is time to speak up and assure that organizations I am affiliated with not only say that they don’t discriminate but also demonstrate their commitment to equality in their memberships. I encourage others to do the same.

It’s past time to put into effect the great American values of liberty, equality and justice for all, and to bring about the American dream.

Kobach tantrum

Secretary of State Kris Kobach is acting like a spoiled child about his radio show (“Kobach blasts ‘nut jobs’ for criticizing radio show,” March 17 Now Consider This). If he cannot take criticism, he should not be a politician.

On his radio show, Kobach implied that President Obama had the ability to forbid prosecution of African-Americans who commit crimes. And now he is blaming a “sickness in the American left” for the criticism he received. His claim that “left-wing nut jobs” want him to denounce callers in a way “closely akin” to the public humiliation campaigns that used to occur in China is inexcusable. This country and Kansas are already divided enough without him adding fuel to the fire.

Every politician receives criticism. There will always be those who agree with a politician and those who do not. He should be able to take criticism without berating and name-calling those who do not agree with him.

I can’t respect a person who throws a temper tantrum whenever he receives criticism. Kobach is not acting as an adult should. It is time he grows up, or gets out of politics.

Hamas to blame

I can’t let “Threatening words not mere rhetoric” (March 14 Letters to the Editor) go unchallenged.

The letter writer stated that there was a “seven-week slaughter last summer of the Palestinians of Gaza.” Hamas is behind all the violence last summer. It hid behind the terrorized Palestinian people and launched rockets into Israel aimed at residential areas and schools.

Hamas used the money given to it to help the people to build terror tunnels to infiltrate Israel. And when Israel responded by destroying the tunnels and the rocket launchers, Israel had to fight around the Palestinian people that Hamas used as human shields. For this, Israel is accused of slaughter.

There are several video programs online produced by the Christian Broadcasting Network that document modern-day Israel and its advances in technology, medicine, agriculture, water and more. I urge the letter writer and others to watch them. Perhaps we can all learn something.

Action deplorable

I am disappointed that our Kansas U.S. senators joined with other Republican members of Congress in signing and sending a letter to Iran contradicting our president (“Kansas senators defend their signing letter to Iran,” March 11 Eagle). I find that meddling in sensitive international transactions unacceptable.

I can and do understand disagreement with our president, but the senators’ action in going around the president and his staff is deplorable.

A nation divided against itself will not stand.

This story was originally published March 18, 2015 at 7:03 PM with the headline "Letters on sales-tax initiative, diversity in fraternities and sororities, Kobach tantrum, Hamas, Iran letter."