Letters: Readers discuss Boy Scouts, Albert Pujols and Free Hot Soup Kansas City

Scout questions

As someone familiar with the blended origins of Girl and Boy Scouting, I have a few comments and questions about Toriano Porter’s May 5 column concerning the Mic-O-Say program. (13A, “Adam Hamilton should speak out on Mic-O-Say”)

My first question: Do any Native American tribes sponsor Boy Scout troops? And if not, why not?

Many religious organizations sponsor troops, and I wonder how they would feel if Boy Scouts performed a Passion play or portrayed the Haj pilgrimage to Mecca or the siege of Masada in the First Jewish-Roman War to commemorate nobility, courage and reverence?

Why are there objections to using Native American rituals, and what are they specifically?

I am aware of all the problems and scandals that youth organizations have. I also know Boy Scout volunteers who are decent, dedicated men who devote much of their time to providing wholesome, useful, character-building activities to youngsters and give positive, structured direction to their lives.

We in Girl Scouting try to advance our organizational programs according to the times, but we honor our origins and our history. If there is an element of denigration of our earliest and indigenous peoples in Mic-O-Say, perhaps it needs reconciliation and adjustment, but I would hope that the spirit it hopes to convey is inclusive and diverse.

- Barbara Gatschet, Kansas City

Pujols’ farewell

A walk to first base in a baseball game is easy. Advancing 90 feet from home plate is equivalent to a single. Considerably more difficult is taking another, longer walk away from the game for a final time. Stepping away from a dream-come-true game that we all love to play leaves many great players unable to move in the right direction. As with Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays, history is on the verge of repeating itself with Albert Pujols. (May 7, 3B, “Pujols designated for assignment by the Angels”)

After very possibly the best 10 years ever to begin a career with the St. Louis Cardinals, his batting average has been much more average — almost like “A Tale of Two Different Players” — with the Los Angeles Angels. Even those numbers are no longer reachable this season.

The end is no longer near. The end is here for a great person and future Hall of Fame player. We should celebrate Pujols with a last hurrah, with the Cardinals signing him to a one-game contract for a final at-bat during the last regular-season game.

One more swing for the good times — but only one more.

- Mike George, Springfield

You can help

If you are a Kansas Citian and you have ever wanted to help the homeless population, now is a good chance. The pandemic has touched everyone’s life, and many are still reeling. Unemployment and homelessness are rampant.

Recently, the city has begun a project aimed at transitioning people from homelessness. The beginning stage of the project involves housing a number of them with a plan to connect people with needed services and also transition them into stable housing and jobs, where possible. The city has fulfilled its promise of 90-day housing, but so far the people being housed are being fed by a dedicated but small and fatiguing group of volunteers who could use some assistance.

Are you a Midwesterner who enjoys making way too much food?

Are you looking for a meaningful project to do with the kids?

Is your church looking for a specific avenue for outreach work?

Does helping others ease you existential ennui?

You can use your power for good. People at the Facebook group Free Hot Soup (Kansas City) can get you information on how to help.

- Gloria Young, Kansas City

Earned it

As long as Donald Trump is claiming the election was stolen and he’s the legitimate president, he should be considered a threat to our country and the Facebook ban should stay it effect. (May 6, 2A, “Facebook board upholds Trump suspension for now”)

- Michael Cunningham, Kansas City

Valued service

We are grateful for the dedication and outstanding leadership that Dr. Rex Archer has provided Kansas City for the past 23 years as health director. (May 7, 8A, “Giving thanks to Dr. Rex Archer for his leadership”) His guidance made Kansas City a healthier and safer place to live.

- Allen J. Parmet, Kansas City

Thumb on scale

Would a game of chess be fair if one player gets to choose the shape of the board? Chris Croft, the GOP Kansas state representative from Overland Park, is trying to find out. (May 4, 1A, “Republicans might draw Davids out of Congress”)

Croft has expressed interest in the race for Kansas’ 3rd Congressional District seat, and at the same time he will control the redrawing of that district as chairman of the Kansas House redistricting committee. How can we expect fairness when one player controls the board?

The GOP-led Legislature seems determined to redraw the state’s congressional map in an effort to oust Rep. Sharice Davids. Having her potential opponent in charge of this process is brazenly unfair.

As Croft’s constituent, I must respectfully request that he either recuse himself from the redistricting process or refrain from running in Kansas’ 3rd District. Anything less is a blatant conflict of interest and a corruption of our free and fair democracy.

I encourage Rep. Croft to direct his energies to the establishment of an independent redistricting committee to avoid any appearance of impropriety.

- Juliet Kaihui Sinclair, Overland Park