Kansas Lowers Concealed Carry Age to 18??

Couldn't believe what I read. And it took place at the beginning of the month. I don't know how I missed it. Yes, the Kansas statehouse overrode Governor Kelly's veto and lowered the concealed carry age to 18 years. Insane.

And they're not--repeat NOT--putting any exceptions on college campuses or universities. That's going to be a really good mixture right there, isn't it? No permit required and it can't be open carry--big deal--and the students don't have to be registered with the school. Brilliant. Let's have the administration fly blind as to who may or may not have a weapon. Can you imagine if you had a student who clearly didn't seem to care for you and who also might not have a good, stable emotional base but you don't and can't know if maybe he's carrying a weapon? That's brilliant right there. If they do conceal carry on campus, they do have to be 21 but other than that, Katy bar the door. And if they don't have to register anyway, who's to say an 18 to 20 year old isn't going to carry? Legislators? Republicans? Do you ever really think these things out?

They're fighting citizens being able to vote over there, they're that unpopular, but hey, more guns! is always an answer, right? Not be outdone, Missouri Senate approves a bill seeking to nullify federal gun laws. It's that terrific? God help us all. We have GOT to vote out Republicans, state to state, all across the nation. Let's do this.

A Way The Star Could Sell More Newspapers

Yes, herewith, a way our own Kansas City Star could sell more newspapers.

In the paper Friday, there was an entire two page section of the paper called "Uplift." It had, on those two pages, four articles. Two each, obviously. So they were large articles. One was from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, another from The Washington Post, the 3rd and 4th simply from the AP. That was it. So here's the radical idea to get more readers. Hire one-- or at most, two--more reporters to do just that. Report. And for this and other sections of the paper, have this reporter or these reporters write--wait for it--LOCAL STORIES. Imagine that. Have this person or these persons send out a letter from them and the Star, to every church and local non-profit and charity organization, asking them for good suggested stories on local people, doing good to great, local work. Everyone from churches to the City Union Mission, the Nelson, art galleries, universities, everywhere. You can't tell me people wouldn't respond. And then you know what would happen? Local people would read and want to read those stories. Heartwarming story from Pittsburgh on sisters doing good work in their neighborhood? Sure, okay. But get stories on locals doing great work here? Watch your readership increase. It's a natural.

Republicans in Jefferson City Have Done it Again

Have you heard this latest obscenity from Republican legislators in Jefferson City? Missourians voted for the state to accept federal Medicaid dollars from Washington so more Missourians would have health insurance--and so, health care--but the Republicans wanted nothing of it. So in spite of our voice and vote, they voted down accepting this money and funding Medicaid for more Missourians, more lower income Missourians.

Once again, like on the people voting down the "Right to Work" law some time ago, we, the people, vote on something, let our will be known but the GOP, the Republicans do away with it. We all, Missourians, voted to end the Right to Work legislation and we voted to expand Medicaid but the Republicans upended both our votes. Not done there, our own Kansas City Star reports that one representative, Justin Hill of Lake St. Louis, is quoted as having said “I am proud to stand against the will of the people.” What unmitigated gall. Clearly he and his fellow Republicans know not at all how our election system and government is supposed to work. And check this out--from the same Star article: "Business people, social workers and others stood on the floor repeating the facts: Missouri has more than enough money to extend health insurance coverage to the working poor. Expanding Medicaid will actually bring more money into the state."

This is insane. This is obscene. This is heartless and immoral. The way these Republicans would have it, it's all only for them and their own political party and their donors. This is wrong. So wrong. We must stand up, Missourians. And we must vote these people, these Republicans, out of office. They must be made to pay for not just ignoring but denying the will of we, the people.

KCPT's "Week In Review", Keeping it White, Keeping it Male

Unbelievable. It's supposed to be "Kansas City Public Talevision" but their one weekly local news program is once again, mostly just white. And what isn't just white is very mostly just male.

Once again, tonight, our local PBS station, the one asking us to send them our money and who says they represent us all, had--count them--three white people and one token Black person, a Black man, Eric Wesson, God bless him, on their weekly news program. Two white men a white woman and Eric Wesson. That was it. No Hispanic. No two women. Nothing. That was it.Thank goodness Eric Wesson can and will show up every week. When the program was over, Kliff Kuehl, who runs KCPT, thanked us for sending in money and swore it's about representing us all. Hey, send in your money, folks. We represent you. Right.Our local paper, the Kansas City Star, apologizes for not representing all of us over the years. Then KCPT gives us this. Wow.

The Kansas Legislature is Broken

What you don't and won't hear from more mainstream media in the area like the Kansas City Star, KCUR, KCPT or certainly not from the local TV news stations. This is from Davis Hammet @Davis_Hammet of the organization Loud Light today including the headline above:

--Legislators are hiding who actually wrote bills. --Public hearings are being scheduled with less than 24 hrs notice or entirely skipped. --The day waiting period between debate and the final vote is constantly being suspended. #ksleg

Protest Against Chiefs Name Goes National Today

I just saw this on Facebook. Seems the protest against our Chiefs name is, in fact, not just going public but actually going national. From CBS News.

Protest calling for Chiefs to change name and stop using tomahawk chop planned ahead of Super Bowl

A bit of the article:

A Native American rights group is planning a protest on Sunday urging the Kansas City Chiefs to retire the team's name and stop fans from using an in-game tomahawk chop ahead of Super Bowl LV in Tampa.

Alicia Norris, co-founder of the Florida Indigenous Rights and Environmental Equality (FIREE), is one of the people leading the demonstration set to take place near Raymond James Stadium, where the Chiefs will play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the championship. Norris told CBS News that the use of the name and chop are "dishonorable and disrespectful."

"The Indigenous people of this land have already had a mass genocide approach with regard to their culture and way of living," she said. "And when you further dehumanize them and objectify them, it just kind of falls in line with that extinction of who they are."

It goes on:

It's not just Native American rights groups calling for the change. The Kansas City Star posted an editorial this week urging the Chiefs to abandon the Native American imagery. With millions set to tune in to the big game, the newspaper's editorial board had a message for people unaware of the Chiefs' traditions.

"For those fans, a message: Many Kansas Citians will cringe along with you when spectators do the chop," they wrote. "We embrace the team's on-field success, but don't think a corrosive chant has much to do with it. It isn't fair to ask groups offended by these symbols to wait even longer for change."

With this, ladies and gentlemen, Kansas Citians--including Chiefs fans, of course--I can tell you, it will only be a matter of time now. Wait for it. The only question is how long it will take but it will be sooner than later. Count on it. Like it, agree with it, understand it or not, the Chiefs will be renamed and soon. It's all but done. You can take that to the bank.

The Kansas City Chiefs are going the way of the Washington Redskins, at least in name.

As our Dad used to say, it's all over but the crying.

Kansas City Seems To Be Having a Year of Racism Awareness

I just keep getting more surprised about racism in Kansas City. Certainly not that it's here but that we keep getting revelations about it all here in town. For a first example, there was, of course, this.

Kansas City Star apologizes for decades of racist coverage

That was a nearly earth shaking evaluation right there, totally unforeseen.

Then, after that, our own Nelson-Atkins Museum announced, because of the Star's public self-evaluation, they might well do the same thing. That is, they were certainly self-evaluating but might--GASP--CHANGE THEIR NAME??

Might a name change be in store for Nelson-Atkins museum

The Nelson-Atkins Museum to consider removing Nelson's name

Keeping in mind, of course, the city of Kansas City, Missouri took the name of very famous and very racist JC Nichols off the fountain on the Country Club Plaza he created, in Mill Creek Park. That was surprising and refreshing enough, eh?

And now, today, there is this from our Kansas City Star.

I was a Black fire captain for KCFD. Racism there is real, and it risks public safety

The man, the now former Captain makes what are to me stunning claims. It's not just that there's racism in the organization, the Kansas City Fire Department. It goes far worse than that. He says Black firefighters don’t get training on the equipment needed to keep Kansas City safe. It's a fascinating, even, I would say, important article to read as it gives some history in the city of the systemic racism there. What concerns me is that not enough citizens of the city, especially white people, will read--and absorb--the entire article.

Again, it's just stunning to the point of outrageous. These men and women are there to protect us all from fire and fires and he's saying they aren't as fully, completely trained as the white firefighters? In the same jobs? That's nearly unbelievable, at least to those of us on the outside of the organization. It's unforgivable.

So we're still learning about ourselves, Kansas City.

Can we handle it?

More to the point, can we change?

And soon as possible?

Additional links:

I was surprised but pleased of fellow citizen Steve Kraske for so singularly and publicly taking on a big load of the racism in the city a few years ago, when he lead the charge, nearly singlehandedly, to get the JC Nichols Fountain renamed.

Steve Kraske: Kansas City should confront racist past

Steve Kraske: I’m still talking about J.C. Nichols, racism

So Proud of Our Kansas City Star

Wow.

What can you say but "Wow"?

Our own local paper, the Kansas City Star stunned me and I feel, probably lots of us this week. Their report, their reporting, their confession was just that, stunning. You likely know of what I'm writing. It's this.

The truth in Black and white: An apology from The Kansas City Star

Today we are telling the story of a powerful local business that has done wrong.

In it, rather famously now, the paper confessed and admitted to racism, horrible racism from them over the years when reporting on minorities in the area--specifically, Black Americans.

I'll only post the beginning of the editorial.

Today we are telling the story of a powerful local business that has done wrong.

For 140 years, it has been one of the most influential forces in shaping Kansas City and the region. And yet for much of its early history — through sins of both commission and omission — it disenfranchised, ignored and scorned generations of Black Kansas Citians. It reinforced Jim Crow laws and redlining. Decade after early decade it robbed an entire community of opportunity, dignity, justice and recognition.

That business is The Kansas City Star.

To repeat, there's no word that describes this any better than stunning.

This took guts. This took courage. Just freaking wow.

They could have recognized their past faults internally and vowed to never repeat such things, sure. But this? Confessing to the supporting of Jim Crow laws and redlining and segregation and other obscenities, however legal?

Stunning. Nothing short of stunning.

It went national, too, it was that big a story. This was from the New York Times.

Kansas City Star Apologizes for Racism

NBC News.

Kansas City Star apologizes for decades of racist coverage

Daily Kos.

'We don’t need stories about these people': Kansas City newspaper confesses to tradition of racism

You get the idea. It was covered nationally from virtually every media outlet.

I think there are two huge things to take from this, too, besides the fact that, as I said above, they didn't have to do this cleansing so publicly like this. 

The first is that this was an important move for them, the Star, the newspaper, to own up to but it's much more than that. We all need to own up to what and how we've gotten to where we are. We all, as a people and as a nation, need to know how we got here, where we are today. We need to know our nation's history, our full national history. We need to really know all the details about slavery and our Civil War, sure. But that's for starters.

We all need to also know about our Reconstruction and the failure of it, our failure and how that impacted African-Americans then.

We all need to know, really know about Jim Crow laws, what they were, what they did, the fact that they were legal and the deep, deep damage that they did to those same Americans, African-Americans. That's a great deal to know there alone.

Then there's the "redlining" the Star's story mentions and its corresponding segregation, legalized, thank you very much.

If, as a people, you are kept away, legally, from the best housing and jobs, good education and so, consequently and understandably, also kept away from better paying jobs and careers?  Is it any wonder the wealth of Black Americans today is, still, to this moment, a fraction of white America?

And that's how we got now, here to where we are. It's why still, to this day, so many Black Americans do not and even, for a lot of them, cannot still live wherever they wish. It only makes sense. It's a natural outgrowth of all that then-legalized racism and hate and ugliness. It's why do many cities in the United States--including, of course, our own Kansas City on both sides of the state line--are still so very, very segregated even though that legal segregation was made illegal decades ago now.

So, again, wow. Kudos to the Star.

In their article, they made a great and important point of saying that their paper, over the years, highlighted white people's accomplishments but virtually never Black people's.

In the pages of The Star, when Black people were written about, they were cast primarily as the perpetrators or victims of crime, advancing a toxic narrative. Other violence, meantime, was tuned out. The Star and The Times wrote about military action in Europe but not about Black families whose homes were being bombed just down the street.

Even the Black cultural icons that Kansas City would one day claim with pride were largely overlooked. Native son Charlie “Bird” Parker didn’t get a significant headline in The Star until he died, and even then, his name was misspelled and his age was wrong.

It reminded me of a KCPT PBS broadcast on Kansas City's own Charlie "Bird" Parker. Lonnie McFadden made the very fair and important point that Winston Churchill, of all people, is on our Country Club Plaza.

But not Bird.

How else can we heal? How else can we repair centuries long wrongs and racism if we don't examine ourselves, see where we are, see what we did, see what those ramifications are and then apologize for them and look to rectify them? We must do this as a society. We're long, long overdue.

Anyone, any American who thinks we don't owe Black Americans reparations should, again, study our national history.

And read this article, too.

Kansas City COViD Roundup

 Here you go, Kansas City! A COVID roundup. First up, Torey Southwick advises us!

With KC beds sparse, rural hospitals in Kansas, Missouri face new COVID ‘tidal wave’

Negro Leagues Baseball Museum temporarily closes after staff test positive for COVID-19

A lost generation? Educators and students worry online classes leave too many behind

KC metro sees dip in new coronavirus cases as testing slows over Thanksgiving holiday

Meanwhile, this, nationally.

16 States Log Record-High Average COVID-19 Cases Since Thanksgiving

Insane.

Here's a statewide assessment.

Examining COVID-19 Cases In Hard-Hit Wisconsin, Missouri 

The region.

‘We’re drowning’: COVID cases flood hospitals in America’s heartland

And then, hope.

Covid: First Americans 'could get vaccine in December

Be careful out there, folks. Stay safe. Mask up, for sure.

Now the Trumpster Takes a Local Hit

 I'm loving this rather local hit and criticism this Republican Party Trump is taking today. From our Kansas City Star:

Trump attack on presidential debate commission ‘paves the way to violence,’ Danforth says

The Star writes:

Danforth said Trump’s attacks undermine "public confidence in the most basic treasure of democracy, the conduct of fair elections."

Former Missouri Republican Sen. John Danforth pushed back at President Donald Trump Tuesday for charging that the Commission on Presidential Debates is partisan and corrupt, warning that such an accusation “paves the way to violence in the streets.”

“It is not the honor of the commission that is at stake here. What is at stake is Americans’ belief in the fairness of our presidential debates and, in turn, the presidential election,” Danforth wrote in a Washington Post op-ed. “When that faith is undermined, the damage to our country is incalculable.”

It doesn't get much better than this coming, as it does, from a, staunch, well-known and lifelong Republican and the fact that it's in the nationally distributed Washington Post.

Let's do this, folks.

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BYEDON

The original Washington Post article:

Trump’s attack on the debate commission is an attack on the election itself

Donald Trump IS the Swamp

Read the front page story of the NYT today, folks, the photos alone tell the story.

The Swamp That Trump Built

A businessman-president transplanted favor-seeking in Washington to his family’s hotels and resorts — and earned millions as a gatekeeper to his own administration.

Donald Trump can no way "drain the swamp." Donald Trump IS the swamp. And he's shattering the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution. We've never had a President that was so much for sale. Our government has never been so much for sale as under this Republican Party President Donald J Trump.

And check out this little beauty, too, that broke this weekend.

Taliban Endorses Trump Re-Election Campaign

The Taliban announced they support this Republican Party President Donald J Trump for reelection.  Fantastic. I love it! And why wouldn't we? Thanks, fellas! Perfect timing, too. And thanks, Republicans. As I keep saying out here, that's quite the guy you got there and quite the guy you foisted on us all, on the nation.

This is what he did earlier this week, too.

Taking Page From Authoritarians, Trump Turns Power of State Against Political Rivals

President Trump took a step even Richard M. Nixon avoided in his most desperate days: openly ordering direct, immediate government action against specific opponents, timed to serve his re-election campaign.

The thing is, too, first, he doesn't even know he's doing it and second, he doesn't know how or whythis is even wrong.

Meanwhile, here we are nationally.

US reports more than 50K COVID-19 cases for third straight day; 9 states set record

And here is where we are locally.

Kansas City metro breaks daily record for new coronavirus cases with more than 800

Thanks, Mr. President.

Thanks, Republicans.

Let's do this.

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BYEDON

Missouri's Senator Blunt Tries to Clean Up Another of This President's Messes--Again

Did you see this? Missouri's Senator Blunt had to speak in Congress about our election this Fall after his political party's President put it all into question.

As Trump questions U.S. election system, Blunt says it’s ‘secure as it’s ever been’

How pathetic is it that we have to have our Senators come out to speak in Congress, publicly, officially, to reassure the American people, we, the taxpaying citizens, that our President, this President, this very Republican Party President won't threaten our very own election and our vote, our votes?

What's additionally insane is that this is no way, not even remotely this same Senator or other Republican Party Senators have had to go behind this President and clean up after his verbal messes. Here's another. This one took place in October, 2019.

Top Senate Republican: 'I doubt the China comment was serious'

Like Senators Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham and far too many others, they all prove they're extremely faithful lapdogs to this lying, cheating, conniving, self-serving conman. McConnell came out to "reassure us" this week.

McConnell Vows Orderly Transition of Power After Election

They're all far more interested in keeping and maintaining power--and their own money--than they are for doing what's right and good for the nation, for the people, even for Democracy.

Thanks, Republicans. Thanks again. Thanks again so very much.

Vote, folks.

And vote blue.

#BlueWave2020

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BYEDON

What Is It With Kansas City, Missouri and Purchasing Contracts?

Kansas City, for pity's sake.  You and contracts.  Now, this time, again, it's the new airport.

Delay at KCI? Council’s bungled contract could slow progress on new airport terminal

Construction firm asks feds to investigate why it was denied $75 million KCI contract

The city of Kansas City, Missouri was founded in 1853.

Will we ever, ever get letting purchasing contracts right?

Ever?

An Open Letter to Missouri's Senator Josh Hawley

A note, a request, to our Missouri Senator Josh Hawley--

Make yourself useful, Senator Hawley. Please. Work on this. 

Fear of post office cuts grows in rural Kansas, Missouri towns. ‘It will hurt people’

Instead of TikTok or the NBA, which isn't remotely in MIssouri and which you've railed on for weeks, work on fixing funding for the USPS. 

See to it mail boxes are put back. 

Make certain all the mail sorting machines are back in place and functioning. 

We're not a Third World backwater. We're the United States of America. We shouldn't need to remind you. We're supposed to be the wealthiest nation in the world. Our Postal Service should work and it should be functioning for all of us, all the time. We're not some leader's banana republic for his reelection.

Do your work.

Do this work.

Please.

Then, after that, there's this thing called a pandemic?  You may have heard of it...

MASK UP!!

 Proof it works.  Proof it's important, if anyone still needs it.

KC health director says evidence is unquestionable that masks slow coronavirus spread

66,000 lives could be saved if more people wear masks

So yes! Mask up, everyone! Stay home, if/when/as possible! Stay safe! Be well!

And have a great weekend!

Somehow!

Congratulations, Missouri!! You Done Good!!

Yes sir and ma'am, Missouri won yesterday with our election and we won in at least a few ways. Here are some of those.

First, more and bigger than anything else, we won on Medicaid expansion.

Missouri voters OK Medicaid expansion 

over GOP objections

It was obscene and insane we didn't have this years ago. We were literally turning down and turning away federal dollars we could have otherwise gotten--and people would have been helped with health care at the same time.  Lunacy. Thank goodness we finally have this now.

For an overview of our statewide good news yesterday.

Here’s who Missouri Democrats pick to challenge incumbent Republicans in November

Some highlights from this Kansas City Star article:

...former Kansas City councilwoman and mayoral contender Alissia Canady, who cruised to victory over Gregory Upchurch to earn a shot at incumbent Republican Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe.

And then there's this from the same article:

The wins by Finneran and Canady solidify the Democratic ticket moving into the fall, where Democrats hope to win back statewide offices that are all currently held by Republicans.

State Auditor Nicole Galloway faced no serious opposition in Tuesday’s Democratic gubernatorial primary, making her the party’s flag bearer heading to November.

“Gov. Parson had his chance. He failed the test of leadership. It’s time for a change,” Galloway said during her victory speech Tuesday night.

And she's so right, so correct.

These next two were welcome news, too, if not surprising.

Democrats Greg Razer and Barbara Washington won their respective primaries for open seats representing Kansas City in the state Senate.

This one was a big, big surprise, at least to me.

Longtime St. Louis Rep. Lacy Clay unseated by Black Lives Matter activist Cori Bush

A bit from the article:

A major figure in Missouri Democratic politics fell Tuesday night as community activist Cori Bush upset 10-term incumbent William Lacy Clay, Jr. in the 1st Congressional District, unofficial election results show.

Bush, 44, pulled ahead with 48.6 percent of the vote to Clay Jr.’s 46.5 percent, according to the Associated Press.

Clay, 64, has represented Missouri’s 1st Congressional District, which includes St. Louis City and parts of St. Louis County, for 10 terms since 2001. He replaced his father, William Lacy Clay Sr., who served in the role for more than three decades starting in 1969.

That's pretty incredible by itself. It will be very interesting to see if this is part of a larger movement and trend.

It will be interesting, too, and hopefully nothing but wonderful, to see if we Missourians overturn the Republicans' attempt in Jefferson City to undo our Clean Missouri legislation this November. I believe it's going to sail through.  We absolutely need to keep them from gerrymandering the state worse than it already is.

On to November and let's win there!

VOTE!!

And VOTE BLUE!!

The Star Isn't as Bleak on Mission Gateway

Out local Star paper ran the following article today.

Future of Johnson County’s Mission Gateway 

in question

On their website, it had this headline:

‘We’ve waited so long’: Future of Johnson County project in question, funds in limbo

A bit from the article:

The property has the hallmarks of an active construction project: a yellow crane, orange cones and temporary chain link fencing. But there are no sounds of dirt moving or concrete being poured. And no workers in sight.

After 15 years of delays and tempered expectations, work has once again halted at the ill-fated $225 million Mission Gateway development in Johnson County. And it’s unclear if or when it might start back up.

And check out this ugliness.

Workers left the site after two major funding sources were put on hold during the coronavirus pandemic. Since then, at least a dozen liens have been filed on the property, claiming invoices have gone unpaid to contractors and suppliers.

“We have not been paid,” said Jerry Messick, one of the contractors and owner of Metro Interiors in Lee’s Summit. “I can tell you that without any guilt because it really pisses me off.”
Keeping in mind, as the article states, too, this has been going on for 15 years. Wow.

So true. So very true. I wrote and posted this July 16, last week.

Mission Gateway: 

The Construction Project From Hell

To say, however, that the project is "in question" when you have a huge slump in retail shopping anyway and then now, this pandemic which makes even construction difficult, let alone, again, weakens that same retail shopping and, for the foreseeable future, dining out, restaurant business and then movie-going, too. Yes, it makes the funding of this project highly suspect, if not out and out deeply in doubt to very unlikely. Funding is drying up all over but especially here, on this nightmare.

I say again,  what should happen is the developer finally, finally faces the ugly reality, declares bankruptcy on the entire project then donates the land, the entire site, to the city of Mission for a park.

It won't but that's what should happen.

At one point in the article, the Star asks if it wasn't "The right idea at the wrong time."

To which I'd answer no. It was never the right idea. The former site worked and was good-looking and well-placed. It should have been updated, at most.  And all this was, of course, at the worst possible time, for all the reasons I mention in my post above--the 2008 financial collapse, the collapse of retail and now this pandemic and all it brings down on everything here.

Good luck, Mission.

You're gonna' need it.

What's the Matter With Kansas?? Again

Since when do state government agencies not follow the direction of the sitting governor?

Since Kansas.  Since now.

Kansas Board of Education rejects Kelly order delaying schools opening to stem virus

And all she did, all Kansas Governor Kelly did was say schools should be backed up a few weeks, to September, to after Labor Day, to open. That was it.

Thanks, Republicans!

Meanwhile, this.

Kansas labeled a coronavirus ‘red zone’ as cases spike, White House document says

Tell us, Republicans, is that Kansas Board of Education or Bored of Education?

And what part of killing international pandemic do you all not get?

The state's business is more important than your children?

Really?

How Do You Not Love the Republican Party Senate Race Just Now in Kansas?

Seriously, how can anyone not but love, love, love the Republican Party Senate race in Kansas presently?

It pits racist Kris Kobach...

Group attacks Kobach over white nationalist ties 

Kris Kobach Tells CNN He Could Support Racist President

Kris Kobach and the problem of elite racism

Against law-breaking Marshall...

Roger Marshall was convicted of reckless driving in 2008. Here’s how it was erased

And then there's this---

Marshall struggles to unite GOP establishment in Kansas race

And this---

Roger Marshall prays for hope, 

campaigns on fear in Kansas

So the Democrats pull a Republican Party tactic and try to exploit it.

Democrats Are Spending Serious Cash 

To Aid Kris Kobach

As if all that weren't enough, we go this, too.

Kansas GOP responds to county chairman’s post comparing mask order to Holocaust

Fantastic. I'm loving it. We're loving it.

I say again...

What isn't to hate about Republicans, 

Is to love.

Onward to election day!

The Star Already Has White People Flipping Out

Oh, yeah. Our local Kansas City Star no doubt has people, white people flipping out today, what with this opinion article they just put out.

After decades of failure to close the wealth gap, Black Americans need reparations

A bit from the article:

One of the most telling and enduring vestiges of slavery and the period thereafter of horrific oppression of Black people is the wealth gap that currently exists between Black and white Americans. According to a study done in 2016, Black families have an average net worth of $11,000, compared to a white family’s average net worth of $141,900. This wealth gap exists at every income level.

First, are they right.  They are so correct. Given all we've done to African-Americans from the beginning of the nation to today?

• Slavery
• Reconstruction
• Jim Crow laws
• Lynchings
• Burning people out of their homes
• Legalized segregation
• Widespread incarceration and since the end of the Civil War

Oh, yeah.

But secondly?

White people will be flipping out.

They already are.

Just seeing responses to this article on the paper's Facebook page showed that. I'd never seen this response before today.

GTFOOHWTBS

The very recent decision to rename the JC Nichols fountain due to his racism and the legalized segregation of that era proves it by itself.

So should it happen? 

Yes.  Heck yes. Absolutely.

Will it happen anytime soon?

Not only will it not happen anytime soon, I think it will be some time until it does take place.

If it ever dose.

There's a blog written here in town and I can only imagine what the knuckle-dragging, racist commenters are going to be writing over there on this.