GOP’s ideas, actions could be why reader thinks MU, KU faculty support Democrats | Opinion

Campus facts

Columnist David Mastio worries about faculty and administrators donating more to Democrats than Republicans, citing Jennifer Kabbany’s screed that younger faculty members are out to “convince young people that Republicans are evil and America is irredeemably racist.” (Dec. 5, 9A, “Lopsided KU, MU faculty, administrator donations”)

Perhaps if Mastio is so worried that his children will be “indoctrinated instead of educated” he should investigate: talk to students on the KU and MU campuses, attend lectures by these “radical scholars,” drop in on campus organizations meetings. He might then be able to give us facts and not opinions based on “a couple of smart people.”

Did it not occur to Matisto that these faculty members and administrators might be concerned about the Republicans’ propensity to try to take things away from us — abortion, books, voting rights — and make life harder for some of us — LGBTQI, minorities, people needing Medicaid. Perhaps they, like many who donate to the Democratic Party, hope their donations might be used to keep Republican ideas and actions in abeyance.

One wonders: If there had been more donations to Republicans than Democrats, would we have heard a peep out of Mr. Mastio?

- Barbara Bowman, Mission

Record homicides

Regarding The Star’s story on Kansas City’s homicide pace (Dec. 5, 1A, “Kansas City on pace for homicide record”), could someone explain why former police chief Rick Smith shut down the Kansas City No Violence Alliance program when he took office in 2017? Especially because it was so successful. Homicides skyrocketed soon after its demise. Very perplexing.

And now that Stacey Graves has been chief of police for almost a year and says she is dedicated to reducing violent crime, why has she not brought KC NoVA back?

What am I missing here?

- Mark Prellberg, Kansas City

Worst call ever

I have been an NFL fan, especially a Chiefs fan, for 60 years. I was around when we lost to Green Bay in Super Bowl I and when we beat the Vikings in Super Bowl IV.

I was around to see the tough times after coach Hank Stram and before Marty Schottenheimer. I was around for Marv Levy and Dick Vermeil and Todd Haley and now Andy Reid, but I have never seen such poor officiating.

I remember last season when referee Carl Cheffers decided Chris Jones roughed Raiders quarterback Derek Carr after stripping him of the ball and landing on him with his full body weight, well except for the hand on the ground and the other hand on the ball.

And I’m sure there have been other blatantly bad calls. But the non-call on Green Bay against Marquez Valdes-Scantling late in the Monday night game has to be among the worst ever. (Dec. 5, 1B, “Chiefs react to no pass interference flag vs. Packers”)

In my opinion, if the NFL doesn’t address its problem with officiating, I won’t be the only longtime fan to stop watching.

- Jim Ehrenreich, Chicago

Democracy rules

I am very confused and dismayed that while many U.S. citizens support the Ukrainians’ battle for freedom and right to their country’s democracy, they appear unconcerned about the U.S. democracy being threatened and eroded by their choice of the next president.

- Andrea Hickerson, Leawood

Growing desperation

I have been a news hound for as long as I can remember. Every day without fail, I start with the morning’s Kansas City Star during breakfast, And then later, I tune in to the 5 o’clock evening news on TV.

I just turned 80, and I am looking forward to a pleasant old age. One recent evening, having read again about the still-growing desperation around the world in The Star, as I reached for the TV remote, I hesitated.

- Tom Kramer, Independence