Letters: KC readers discuss generous Chiefs fans, Eric Schmitt, just obeying police

Giving Chiefs fans

What can I say? It was a great game and the Chiefs won. But kudos to the fans who donated to Buffalo’s children’s hospital. (Jan. 26, KansasCity.com, “13 seconds turned into $223,000 and counting for Buffalo children’s hospital”) What a true sportsmanlike and selfless gesture. It took a little of the sting out of the loss.

Lots of kids will benefit from this huge act of kindness. Thank you all so much, and go Chiefs!

- John Kwiatkowski, Cheektowaga, New York

Cold as …

I was born and reared in Kansas City, and had season tickets to the Chiefs’ first year in our town. Back then, we referred to Chiefs quarterback Lenny Dawson as “Lenny the Cool” for his unflappable grace under pressure. After watching Patrick Mahomes’ latest heroics, with his incredible effort against the Buffalo Bills, I think it’s time to apply an apt moniker to him: “The Iceman.”

When he begins one of his patented game-saving drives, we should say, “The Iceman Cometh,” and display it on the scoreboard and signs throughout the stadium. If that doesn’t strike fear in opponents’ hearts, besides this great player himself, nothing will.

- Greg Joseph, Sun City, Arizona

That’s class

Congratulations to the Chiefs and their fans. Both are class acts. Lamar Hunt and Hank Stram are smiling somewhere.

Here in Buffalo, the Bills Mafia is whining that the coin flip was rigged, the overtime rules are biased and the game should be replayed with new OT rules and impartial referees.

With my Super Bowl ticket in hand and wearing my Len Dawson jersey, I wish the Chiefs continued success with the Bengals and in California.

- Joe Cyran, Buffalo, New York

To the bench

My choice for replacement of Justice Stephen Breyer: Anita Hill.

- Patsy R. Keeler, Overland Park

Kids’ welfare

As a school principal (now retired), I knew that one of my most important responsibilities was to ensure the safety of my students, and, of course, by extension, all school staff. To ensure safety in emergency situations, we practiced a variety of drills: fire, tornado, intruder, active shooter and even earthquake.

It is through this lens of providing a safe environment within schools that I have concluded that Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s threat to bully and intimidate school boards and districts to overturn mask mandates does not promote a safe school, and in fact puts students and teachers at risk.

Schmitt should note that COVID-19 hospitalizations are up at Children’s Mercy Hospital and schools are closing because of a high number of infections. Doctors consistently espouse the value of masking.

Rather than basing his decisions on appealing to anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers, I wish Schmitt would put the safety and welfare of students first in his decision-making.

- Robert Russell, Kansas City

Just submit

Here are some simple rules to follow to avoid being shot by the police and to avoid being subjected to “use of force” techniques:

1. Don’t resist arrest.

2. Don’t fight with the police.

3. Don’t run from the police.

4. Don’t point your gun (or anything else) at a police officer.

Following these guidelines should significantly reduce the number of police shootings and the number of use-of-force incidents.

- Peter W. Connors, Lee’s Summit

The right light

I heartily second DeAnn Gregory’s guest commentary regarding new LED streetlights for Kansas City. (Jan. 26, 12A, “Kansas City, learn from other cities’ streetlight mistake”) She provided vital information the city must consider before any change is made.

I welcomed the installation of new streetlights near me some years ago, only to regret it. The yellow light from them makes our neighborhood look like a Walmart parking lot with houses. If you wish to have a bedroom window open at night for lovely spring air, you are flooded with stark, yellow light. With the combination of streetlights and some neighbors’ security lights, hardly a bit of darkness or starlight can be seen.

Please, please, please choose 2,700-degree Kelvin LEDs in residential areas. I’m all for safety and saving money, but I’d like some neighborhood comfort, too. Please don’t make our streetlights worse.

- Mary Weston, Kansas City