Letters on solar energy, Confederate flag, Donald Trump, ‘Amazing Grace’

Deny Westar’s solar-killing plan

If the sun is shining in Kansas, shining all over Kansas most days, then why not harness its immense power for electricity?

Why, instead, do we burn fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas? Digging them out of the ground, transporting them long distances and, worst of all, burning them cost us all big time, pollute our air and water, and reward the big energy companies with even more massive profits.

Westar Energy wants folks who convert the sun to electricity to pay extra (July 12 Eagle).

Solar cells have become feasible in price, and the solar industry is growing in Kansas. However, if Westar has its way, after its customers install rooftop solar, those customers will pay more for the electricity from the sun. The higher fixed cost that Westar wants from all of us will especially affect solar customers as well as those folks who’ve already invested in energy efficiency.

Please ask the Kansas Corporation Commission to deny Westar’s solar-killing plan. It is bad for job and business growth in Kansas, and it is unpopular with Westar customers.

And here’s an extra: Pope Francis would like this. The pope is on the side of renewable energy, halting pollution, saving the planet that we all cherish.

Flag of enemy

The cornerstone of the Confederacy was slavery. The Confederates plotted to kill the president, vice president and key members of the Cabinet and destroy our government. They succeeded in assassinating Abraham Lincoln, regarded today as our greatest president.

Just one example of the intelligence and immense greatness of Lincoln was his refusal to consider revenge against the South once the war finally concluded. Yet Southern “supporters” have never apologized for any of these criminal and treasonous acts, even though their cause was evil. Based on these facts, why would anyone be proud of their cause and the Confederate flag?

I had many relatives who fought for the South, but it would never occur to me to fly their flag. After more than 150 years, even South Carolina finally decided to move into modern times and remove this flag of our country’s vowed enemy, the Confederacy.

Is all of this history, and should it be closely studied? Absolutely. But no country, and no one, flies enemy flags.

Show respect

I am African-American. I once conducted a two-session interview with a white family that – during the first session – had a Confederate flag on the living room wall. When I returned the second time, the flag was gone.

One could present numerous possible explanations as to why the flag was gone that second time. The one I choose is that it was removed because of a wonderful, loving empathy – “Let us put ourselves in that lady’s shoes and think about how that might have felt to her, regardless of what that flag means to us and how we feel about it.”

On that day, that family gave me a gift I appreciate. They displayed the willingness to not only be sensitive to another, but to put the other first.

Am I saying people have no right to act in ways consistent with their beliefs? Some will say I am. But I believe that on this issue and others, the world would be a better place if individuals had enough respect for even those they disagree with to try to think empathetically and – at least for certain contexts – let their behaviors be governed accordingly. This goes both ways.

Right questions

Donald Trump is asking all the right questions but giving all the wrong answers.

His answer to dealing with the Islamic State is to send in troops, take over the oil fields, and take away the real power from the terrorists. It is true that oil revenues are the only real power they have over the West. But the better answer would be to develop energy independence and not send any troops.

Trump also said that our trading partners are taking advantage of us in the global market by taking our jobs. His answer is to put tariffs on the products that come to America. The better answer is to deal with the currency manipulation that makes American products overpriced.

At least this candidate is asking the right questions, even though he’s getting the wrong answers. What’s frustrating is that none of the many other presidential candidates is asking the right questions. Therefore, they have no chance of getting the right answers.

For those of you who think Trump is a clown and has no business being president: I put him with all of the other candidates who have no business running for president.

The two major problems are lack of global competitiveness and our dependence on foreign oil, and any good candidate should address them.

Column a keeper

I would like to thank The Eagle for publishing Leonard Pitts Jr.’s column about President Obama’s eulogy for the Charleston, S.C., pastor who was murdered (“Obama delivered speech for history,” July 6 Opinion). I, along with our president, appreciate the hymn “Amazing Grace” and its origin. The column was definitely a “keeper” (and will go inside my hymnbook).

This story was originally published July 14, 2015 at 7:04 PM with the headline "Letters on solar energy, Confederate flag, Donald Trump, ‘Amazing Grace’."