Letters to the editor (Oct. 16, 2018)

Midwestern values

It’s deeply troubling to hear fellow Wichitans suddenly making casual, public jokes about rape and sexual assault. This past week I heard grandmothers snicker at the idea of sexual assault victims coming forward “thirty years later,” and I listened to fathers tell wink-wink jokes about how “liking beer” must make them rapists too. All in the presence of perfect strangers, even children.

Making light of rape and sexual assault is morally repugnant. Deep in our souls, each of us knows this. None of us joked about the more than 1,000 young men and women assaulted by Catholic Priests in Pennsylvania, many of them coming forward after decades of silence. None of us would have stooped so low three weeks ago, before the bitter and deeply polarizing Supreme Court confirmation hearings. It was wrong then, and it still is.

Ours is a city that takes pride in Midwestern family values. We hold to “old fashioned” ideals like courage, honesty and humility, and we understand the power of setting a good example for our children. Well this isn’t it. This is beneath us. And if it isn’t, then shame on us all.

Kansas is not all Trump country

I was one of 500 protesters at Trump’s Topeka rally. We stood bundled against the cold, holding a variety of signs – all homemade – on Trump, his policies, Kavanaugh and local politicians. “Dump Trump” was a prevalent theme. “Cage-free Kids,” “Mind Your Own Uterus” and “No Brownback 2.0” were creative and heartfelt.

We were a jovial crowd. We chanted, cheered supportive passersby, dismissed the detractors who flipped us off and flashed back peace signs. There were a few agitators who taunted Trump supporters or shouted at police. One man was itching for trouble but when he announced, “I didn’t drive three hours to be civil,” he got no encouragement.

Trump supporters on the street were loud and obnoxious, spoiling for a fight but kept in check by police. Pro-Trump drivers waved “MAGA” hats and American flags, circling the block repeatedly. One detractor in a pickup kept slowing to a near stop and then gunning his engine, belching smoke and racing away. He was eventually chased down by police, to our relief.

Thousands of people came to support their President, but protesters lining the street and drivers who honked and waved approval showed that Kansas is not all Trump country.

Kavanaugh may surprise you

There is a point that has been missing during the chaos with the latest court nominee. Forget that one justice bemoaned that there may not be a “swing” justice anymore; which in itself is an indictment of what the court has become to at least some of the members of it, indicating that there are teams and they need one to be the tie breaker. If that’s true, why don’t we just tell the other 8 to stay home and just have one all powerful Supreme Justice?

So let’s play along. Even though justices are not supposed to approach to the application of the Constitution and law interpretation with political motivations, they are appointed by politicians and are the 3rd branch of government, although unanswerable to anyone.

In my lifetime, those nominated by Democratic presidents have been unanimously consistent in their expected rulings, especially in high profile cases, nearly always voting in unison. Souter and Stevens, both Republican placements, moved solidly left after ascending. Kennedy, a Reagan guy, became “fluid” the longer he was there. Roberts, by Bush, clearly has done things unfathomed by conservatives. The track record of Republican nominees is inconsistent, so maybe we should wait and see.