Letters to the editor (Oct. 18, 2018)

Political art

Wichita City Council members concerned about whether a public mural is “too political” need to gut up … or better, pay a visit the city’s own Wichita Art Museum. Within its walls, it’s virtually impossible to calculate how many pieces during its 103-year-old history were produced to express a political point of view.

If you’re uncertain, this explanation by Ajay Heble may help: art “plays a formative role in the constitution of social life, in the ways in which people take responsibility for creating their own histories, for participating in the management of their own social and political realities.” Best advice: let it go, guys.

Havoc

Liberals and the guilt-ridden seem to be operating alike these days. The latter have always found a way to accuse others of what they are doing themselves. The former have a platform that has no goals except to blame Donald Trump for everything. It has come to roost in Kansas when H. Edward Flentje, a former WSU professor, took aim at the president before his visit to Topeka.

Flentje accused Trump of:

Blaming Democrats for his shortcomings. Actually Hillary Clinton has captured this market.

Mocking claims of sexual assault. Democrats attacked Brett Kavanaugh viciously while Christine Ford made claims that could not be proved.

Condemning the press as fake news. This has been proven repeatedly and is not a claim.

Inflaming racial resentments. Trump has done more to ease racial tensions by economic growth, jobs and low unemployment.

Demeaning officials in the Department of Justice. Some DOJ officials have not done their jobs. Trump is their boss by the way.

Calling the Russia investigation a hoax. Almost two years with no charges and millions of tax payer dollars wasted.

Inflating credit for economic growth. Employment setting records, stock market booming, the economy is cause for celebration.

Disparaging Obama and Clinton. Clinton campaigned against Trump and Obama has been publicly critical of Trump.

Denying chaos in the White House. Trump has had to correct some hiring mistakes and eliminate some disloyal staff personnel.

It appears to me that the “havoc” Flentje described in his opinion piece reflects the leadership of the Kansas Democratic Party. An objective observer would determine, as I did, that Flentje’s criticisms of Trump and Republicans describe the Democrats much more. This is probably a pep talk for Kansas Democrats much more than a factual analysis of Trump and Republicans.

Thomas on abortion

Rather than weakening support for legal abortion, Cal Thomas in his column on Dr. Kermit Gosnell (“‘Gosnell’ forces viewers to confront horrors of abortion,” Oct. 24 Eagle) gives strong reasons for keeping abortion legal. Gosnell was not practicing medicine in a legal manner. No doctor who performs abortions legally would do what Gosnell did. Doctors who perform legal abortions make sure women are treated with the best medical care possible.

Those who want abortion to be criminalized seem to think they have morality on their side. How can it be moral to force women to seek abortions from those who aren’t qualified to perform any kind of medical procedure?

Cal Thomas may think he’s convinced those of us who are pro-choice to change our way of thinking about abortion. He would be disappointed to know that his column has made us more determined to keep abortion legal and safe for women who want to have control over their bodies.

Kansas delegation

On Oct. 2, the president of the United States mocked a sexual assault victim. A couple days later I emailed Sen. Pat Roberts, Sen. Jerry Moran, Rep. Ron Estes and Rep. Lynn Jenkins. I asked each person “how will you represent the people of Kansas” in this matter.

Roberts responded by encouraging me to “contact the White House directly to submit my comments directly to the president.” Jenkins reminded me that she was “not my representative in Congress” and would forward my email to Estes’ office to handle. Estes answered by “appreciating my taking time to express my thoughts” and “grateful for the privilege of representing me.” So far, Moran still has not responded.

Any of them could have stood up, but each chose to sit down instead.