LETTERS 05/10/08

Yes, Rev. Wright will be soon coming home to roost in some pretty nice digs. From where I sit, America has treated this America-hater pretty darn nice.

Gary Pederson

Kansas City

Cruelty of horse racing

The Kentucky Derby upsets me deeply. I fully agree with PETA (5/5, Sports, “Horse’s death upsets PETA”). I just think it’s so sad how they could all go whipping and racing young horses just for money.

I think racing a horse too hard would fall under animal cruelty. Racehorses don’t know whether they’re in danger. It’s up to the owners to make sure they are OK. How many racehorses are put down due to injury? Their bodies are not mature enough to handle all the strain during a race.

Trainers are pushing young horses too hard. Horses aren’t physically mature until they are 4 or 5, and race training begins around 18 months of age or sooner.

Horse racing is a brutal sport and needs to be stopped. Many sweet horses could have gone to loving families instead of being forced to race and face deadly injuries.

Willow Onken

Lee’s Summit

Kent State and Vietnam

Kent State University was glorified in The Star as the symbol and apogee of anti-Vietnam War sacrifice and protest (5/4, Sports, “Football coaches carry memories of Kent State”). Students buried the Constitution, shouting, “No, no, we won’t go” and lost their lives while threatening outnumbered young American soldiers trying to maintain law and order.

I remember Kent State well every time I visit the cemetery and place a flower on the grave of my son who died in the Vietnam they reviled to maintain their right to cheer his death.

Ben Nicks

Shawnee

McCain: A true statesman

If you are like me and proud to be an American and cherish the freedoms that so many have fought, still are fighting, and have died for, please vote for John McCain in the upcoming election.

McCain, a pilot and decorated war veteran, has fought for freedom and survived after being shot down and held as a POW in the Vietnam War.

The United States needs a statesman as a leader, not a politician, and John McCain has the character and integrity to pull America through troubling times.

A vote for Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton would ensure a troublesome future for an already-struggling United States.

The decision should be as clear as the record of the man deserving the position: John McCain.

Austin J. Hunt

Kansas City

Ethanol energy

Steve Everly’s article “Does Ethanol Measure Up?” (4/27, A-1) neglected to account for the fact that everyone would be paying 45 cents more per gallon of gasoline today if we did not use ethanol-blended fuel, according to the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition.

I have used E-85 the last four years in my Ford Taurus, and I have always been aware of ethanol’s energy content. I use ethanol not because of environmental issues but because of our foreign dependence on oil, better crop prices for farmers and job-creation for American workers in new alternative fuel-manufacturing industry.

Ethanol is a step we have to take for now. It’s a homeland security issue. Oil companies, car companies and politicians killed the electric car in California. I am all for the hydrogen fuel cell car, but how’s that coming along, Mr. Bush?

So if you condemn ethanol, be prepared to offer the alternative solution or zip it.

Jim Fulbright

Platte City

Regarding the difference in the energy content between gasoline and ethanol fuel blends: Beyond these two fuels we have diesel and propane as current vehicle fuel sources. In the near future, hydrogen and plug-in electric vehicles will become more common.

 

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