Letters to the editor

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Mar 1, 2008

Unbelievable treatment

Here we are living in a capital city. It amazes me that in 2008, we still discriminate against a group of indivduals.

In Topeka, the going rate for a taxi cab ride is $2.50 plus $2 a mile. That is a little outrageous, but what is more appalling is that if you are handicapped, you will have a hard time even finding a cab to pick you up, and you may regret it once you do.

I know a person who uses a wheelchair and needed to pick up some presciptions. So my friend called a cab. When the cab got there, the driver was rude and made it seem like it was a problem for him to put the wheelchair in the trunk. She was charged $25 just for handling the wheelchair.

When she got home, the driver charged another $23 for the fare to go about three miles.

The TMTA isn't much better. During the first big snowstorm we had, I saw a city bus pull up in a store parking lot and kick everyone off because of the weather. On that bus was a woman who had a power wheelchair (which doesn't do well in the snow). My father went into the middle of the street and stopped traffic for her so she could get into the store, where it was at least warm. It was five hours before she finally made it home.

I am only 24 years old and I am sickened by the way people treat each other nowadays.

The people of Topeka need to talk to their city council members about this unfairness and segregation of a group of human beings.

JEREMIAH O'DELL,Topeka

Get back to real work

The country is heading rapidly toward a recession. The American banking industry just did in the American public again. The stock market doesn't know what to do now that it's lost more value than the U.S. debt. It's an election year. There's a war (several, actually) overseas. There's a credit crunch; nobody can buy a home. Crime runs rampant. Poverty is everywhere. Immigration is a major question.

So what is Congress doing messing around with baseball? Doesn't it have anything better to do? Anybody in beginning civics can tell you Congress is the legislative branch. It makes laws (pretty poorly by all measurements I know of, but that is its purpose).

Are members of Congress so desperate to do something to get their names in the paper, so imperialistic as to trespass on the judicial branch, so bored with ways to spend our money that they spend money trying to find out if baseball players have used or do use performance enhancing drugs?

Any idiot knows they do. Don't the idiots in Congress know it, too?

What is happening in this country? Put Congress back in session and get it off TV. We have things we need addressed seriously, like global warming, the budget, international trade. Leave law enforcement to the correct branch.

Second question: Are we going to have to build a new prison for all those lying, drug-using, millionaire ball players? (Yes, I know, Congress isn't going to send anyone to prison). This is all just a dog and pony show.

LARRY D. RENBARGER,Topeka

Lines that divide us

When we draw lines in the sand, we divide ourselves. The same applies to lines on a map. Those of us who live in Shawnee County occupy 555 square miles. Within this area we have five incorporated cities, 12 townships, nine school districts, 53 taxing authorities and 228,000 people. That's a lot of lines.

It's no revelation that we have problems with consensus within Shawnee County. We have built structure that promotes division - and there aren't just lines, we've built walls and are threatening to build more.

The Legislature is considering HB 2747, which proposes to limit the ability of Kansas cities to grow through unilateral annexation. This initiative is counterproductive because it pours concrete into those lines and discards a tool used to work toward their elimination.

Some may argue that we aren't one community, but at a minimum we are one market. We live and work together yet jurisdictionally have been divided, perhaps not with malice, but with an unwillingness to address governance issues that occurred with previous growth. Let's begin now to repair past mistakes.

We will soon embark on the visioning initiative for the future of Topeka and Shawnee County. If we can't get past the lines, we face more years of infighting rather than truly improving our quality of life and becoming a community that captures the attention and admiration of people and companies around the country and, perhaps, the world.

RICHARD K. KNOLL,Topeka

Judge not too quickly

Ben Irvin (letters, Feb. 17) is right - only time will tell of the ability of the next USD 501 superintendent. However, Kevin Singer is a native of Topeka and not completely unfamiliar with our school and education system.

Kevin was a friend of my family in years past, and I have heard that he feels strongly about the work in the educational arena. I have two toddlers who will be entering school soon, and I'm sure I'd feel comfortable expressing my concerns to Kevin if needed. It's important that we speak up to local officials to make a difference.

Mr. Singer may not have lived in our city as of recent years, but let's not rush to discount his ability nor think that someone else can do a better job. People have a tendency to fall prey to assumptions that can keep us from moving forward for the sake of our children, family and entire community.