Letters on Masterson, self-serving legislators, Caitlyn Jenner, elder abuse, recycling

Time for new bodies in the Legislature

Sen. Ty Masterson, R-Andover, claimed that Democratic state lawmakers were engaging in class warfare and obstructionism (June 13 Eagle). He also contended that nothing prevented wage earners, such as secretaries, from going out and starting their own businesses.

“The adults are finally coming in the room,” he scolded Democrats. “We’re going to get something done.”

This was a very juvenile thing to say, coming from one of the so-called adults. Masterson is a Republican, and the GOP holds majorities in both the House and Senate. So whose fault is it that the budget shortfall was not fixed in a timely manner?

And as far as advising people to start their own businesses: This is a joke coming from someone with Masterson’s business background, including having filed for bankruptcy a few years ago related to his business. Masterson sounds like an arrogant individual, confident that no matter what he says or does he is sure to be re-elected.

This senator was absent from work three days while in Texas, participating in some “vacationy” things while Kansas was bleeding. Masterson may think it was OK to be gone because he did not take money for his days absent, but I do not think anyone should have received pay for the extra days it took to get the job done.

It is time for new bodies in Topeka, with term limits.

Send them packing

The $1 million overtime greedfest is over, and the Kansas House and Senate passed a terrible tax plan (June 13 Eagle). The Eagle published the voting record of only south-central Kansas lawmakers. It should have included all 165 legislators. That way south-central citizens might know whom not to vote for in case any of these politicians have designs on a governorship or other statewide office.

As it is, our Kansas electorate will continue to send the self-serving spineless back to Topeka to “govern” poorly. That is unless the apathetic citizens who never go to the polls wake up to the pain and send these lemmings back where they belong – to “real work” jobs.

Gender rights

Well, at last Caitlyn Jenner has announced to the world her secret struggle and pain. Hopefully this will be the game-changer in human rights for individuals with gender identity issues.

There is good research that identifies a “disconnect,” for lack of a better word, in the brain. If people would place themselves in that circumstance for even five minutes, there might be more compassion and understanding.

We all are human beings, gifted by the creator with capacity for love, joy, empathy, compassion and understanding. Unfortunately, we also can demonstrate the opposite behaviors.

I applaud the great courage and conviction that it took for Jenner to face the daily onslaught that is the paparazzi – yelling at her about her transition, screaming taunts at her. That kind of composure comes from within a very strong person.

This is 2015. It really is time to take a stand for gender human rights.

Be what we want?

Former NAACP chapter president Rachel Dolezal’s attempt to “identify as black” wasn’t accepted quite as well as Caitlyn Jenner’s attempt to “identify as female.” What’s the problem? Can’t we all just be what we want?

Elder abuse is real

June 15 was World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. There were no big stories to mark the day.

Elder abuse is real, and yet we don’t hear about. There are 79,000 people older than 65 in Sedgwick County. If we follow the national trends, it would mean there are 4,000 to 5,000 incidents of elder abuse each year in our county, but only 1 in 14 cases is reported.

Why don’t we hear more about it? As in other types of abuse, the perpetrator is most often a family member. Elder victims may feel the need to protect their abuser. They may also experience embarrassment, shame or fear. Many elderly fear being removed from their homes if abuse is discovered.

There are ways we can help. Learn more about this hidden crime by attending the 10th-annual Elder Abuse Awareness Day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at Botanica. Admission is free and lunch will be provided. There will be a noon panel by Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter, Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett, Wichita community police Officer Lori Kimrey and Denise Groene from the Better Business Bureau. For more information, contact TRIAD at the Mental Health Association of South Central Kansas, 316-685-1821, ext. 297.

Require recycling

We should have mandatory trash recycling in this city, instead of making people pay extra to recycle. Our landfills are being filled up way too fast. Mandatory recycling would make life easier for us and help the environment.

This story was originally published June 19, 2015 at 7:04 PM with the headline "Letters on Masterson, self-serving legislators, Caitlyn Jenner, elder abuse, recycling."