Letters to the editor (Oct. 4, 2018)

Make a change

The writer of “Serious Business” (Sept. 29 Eagle) is correct about the ugliness of the Judge Brett Kavanaugh hearings. But in no manner can you give equal weight to testimony by Judge Kavanaugh who has already had six FBI investigations and a woman who has not been vetted and making a slanderous allegation. The system to select a Supreme Court justice is a good one, it is the integrity of those making the decision that is questionable.

I recommend a change to those making allegations regardless of the position being considered by any government committee. The allegation must first be made to the police department of the location where the action occurred. The correct department would be the first to investigate and determine the facts. The accuser would also be liable for making a false police report. Before any committee would hear from the accuser there must be two or three witnesses (forensics will do) to establish the facts. Discoveries must be made to the committee in a timely manner or a committee person would be party to interfering with the committee making the decision and subject to discipline.

Slander and gossip must be removed from making important government decisions. It is a shame what has been done in the past to justice candidates and presently to Judge Kavanaugh.

Respect

It’s like we have gone tone deaf to all the lies coming from people in positions that should command respect. Upstanding citizens just bury their heads when faced with another onslaught of easily disprovable tweets and other statements. What a sad state our country has come to when our its lawmakers find it more important to defend obvious lies from a member of their political party than to do the right thing for this great country and the people they represent. Has Integrity truly gone the way of the horse and buggy?

And we MUST believe a man’s version over a woman’s, right? After all, women are there to be exploited, not believed. All they want is money and fame for digging up very emotionally painful nightmares from their pasts. When has this country honestly believed that a woman is telling the truth because it is the right thing to do, no matter the consequences she faces?

If a person has done something wrong, I will have at least some respect for them if they immediately admit to it when confronted. I have no respect for those caught up in lies.

Embarrassing protest

I read with alarm and shame the Oct. 1 Eagle article that a childish protest during President Trump’s Rally in Topeka on Oct. 6 is planned. This promises to be an embarrassment to our entire state. How often are we privileged to have a sitting president visit Kansas? It is for sure that he is coming to our state in support of gubernatorial candidate Kris Kobach, but it is also true that he is visiting to show his respect for the state.

He will be informing us of other events as well as showing his support for Republican candidates. How do we answer his efforts to visit and his respect? A relatively small group is planning a very immature display to embarrass our president. Let’s hope these people find another way to protest and that they leave this grand event alone!

Patriotism

Patriotism is not blindly supporting your country right or wrong. It includes identifying what doesn’t work and trying to correct it.

If we were more outraged by men and women of color being gunned down in our streets; if we were more shocked by the lack of justice in police shootings; if we cared more about black lives than about a flag or song, perhaps taking a knee would not be necessary.

It’s not the flag or the national anthem that brave American’s fight for. They fight for the American people and the ideal of freedom. If black Americans can be mistreated and abused by our justice system with virtual impunity, if our black brothers and sisters live in fear of the authorities called upon to protect them, what are our soldiers fighting for?

Our flag and anthem are only meaningful if they stand for something. If we can’t live up to the ideals of liberty and justice for ALL, then there’s nothing to fight for or stand for.

Players are trying to tell us this when they take a knee, and until we start listening, they will continue kneeling and I will continue standing behind them.