Letters to the Editor (Aug. 16): Charlottesville, Naftzger Park, Intrust Bank Arena
Conflict a reminder that hatred is alive
An ugly truth was presented to all of us last weekend. The truth that hatred is still much alive in our society, ready at any time to rear its ugly head. That white nationalists, neo-Nazis, and the KKK are still active and growing like a plague upon us.
We have a responsibility to respond to this message of hate with a message of intolerance for the evil that spews out of the mouths of these hate groups. When the message from our highest elective officials is a luke-warm response at best, we must take on the mantle of responsibility to assure that the message of hate is forever extinguished.
Galen Shriner, Wichita
Charlottesville shouldn’t have become violent
Watching coverage of the white supremacists march against the removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, Va., it struck me that protesters, either pro- or anti-anything, who weaponize their protests immediately lose credibility because they yield to anger and emotion rather than be open to reasoned and passionate discourse.
As repugnant as that white supremacists bunch is, if the people of Charlottesville, of all races, had lined the streets as a silent witness against them and their twisted beliefs, it would have made a more powerful statement than responding in kind.
We should not remove any statue or symbol of historical significance anywhere in our country. When I see a Confederate flag, it reminds me that our country shed a river of blood of its sons and daughters to utterly repudiate and defeat the hideous practice of enslaving other human beings. We should never remove these reminders that righteousness won out. We as a nation said not only that the practice of slavery was depraved, inhuman and immoral but that we would not continue to abide it. These symbols and statues should remain to continually declare, “Never again.”
Nancy Crabtree, Wichita
Intrust events should discount county residents
Intrust Bank Arena has been in Wichita for seven years and I refuse to go to this venue for several reasons. The biggest is I live in Sedgwick County, so you and I paid for that building with our tax dollars.
The county allows a private corporation to run the venue and they expect me to pay the same entry fee as people from other counties. County residents should be allowed to get some of our money back in a discount on ticket prices.
The building cost $205 million, collected from a half-cent sales tax so everyone who bought anything in the county paid during the 30-month life of that tax. Give some back.
Chris Winton, Valley Center
Naftzger Park is for everyone
Only a busybody with nothing else to do would complain about the gentlemen of Naftzger Park.
I have done several weddings there. They are always courteous to vacate the gazebo so the wedding party can use it. They are kind and gentle people. They honor the park and do not disturb it.
Keith Sanborn, Wichita
Letters to the Editor
Include your full name, home address and phone number for verification purposes. All letters are edited for clarity and length; 200 words or fewer are best. Letters may be published in any format and become the property of The Eagle.
Mail: Letters to the Editor, The Wichita Eagle, 330 N. Mead, Wichita, KS 67202
E-mail: letters@wichitaeagle.com
Fax: 316-269-6799
This story was originally published August 16, 2017 at 4:44 AM with the headline "Letters to the Editor (Aug. 16): Charlottesville, Naftzger Park, Intrust Bank Arena."