Letters on gun control, being like GOP, broken political system
New gun controls wouldn’t work
Again the media are filled with hyperbolic declarations calling for more gun control laws and background checks, neither of which would have deterred the man in Virginia who blamed his repeated failures on others, who took no responsibility for his own behavior and who subsequently murdered two former co-workers.
However, there is blame to go around. We can thank the culture of incessant victimhood and the political correctness that enabled this person to bully and threaten his co-workers in job after job, that created a climate in which management blew off or was powerless to address his outrageous behavior effectively, and that prevented employers from passing on honest assessments.
Yes, it’s sad that there was no one in this man’s life willing to help him deal with his personality disorder and anger issues, and even sadder that two young people didn’t come home safely from work that night. The frustration and helplessness we all feel about these kinds of incidents are understandable and justified, but no new gun law would have prevented this event, and Vester Flanagan had already passed a background check. Hostile people like that find a way.
NANCY CRABTREE
Wichita
Don’t be like GOP
I wish to thank Larry Meeker for his resignation as state chairman of the Kansas Democratic Party after only five months in office (Aug. 22 Eagle). Meeker had been promoting that Kansas Democrats should sound less like Democrats in some other states and more like Kansas Republicans. Ouch! Many Kansas Democrats could not make that change, for which I’m thankful.
Since 1957 Kansas has had 12 governors – six Republicans and six Democrats. Seven of them were re-elected; three were Republicans and four were Democrats. If the idea of the permanence of the red-state and blue-state labels is a lifetime stain, then we’re in trouble. Our two-party system offers and achieves balance, and the party that won the past two elections may not win the next one.
I believe this is vital for Kansas given the past two elections. Kansas Republicans and Democrats have gone down the same four-lane highway for many years – Democrats in the left lane and Republicans in the right lane. But then Republicans went to the right shoulder, and now into the ditch. God help us if Democrats can’t be elected unless they move over to the right lane.
JIM McKINNEY
Derby
Broken system
Anyone surprised by Donald Trump’s success? Class warfare has paralyzed our congressional political system to the point where success is defined by either party (socialist-leaning or free enterprise) as the ability to stop the opponent’s agenda. How long can a “great power” remain so governing this way?
This broken system is being “trumped” – hence, the Donald to the rescue. Incidentally, I’m a moderate conservative.
RAY MENGELKOCH
Wichita
Letters to the Editor
Include your full name, home address and phone number for verification purposes. All letters are edited for clarity and length; 200 words or fewer are best. Letters may be published in any format and become the property of The Eagle.
Mail: Letters to the Editor, The Wichita Eagle, 825 E. Douglas, Wichita, KS 67202
E-mail: letters@wichitaeagle.com
Fax: 316-269-6799
This story was originally published August 31, 2015 at 7:04 PM with the headline "Letters on gun control, being like GOP, broken political system."