Color Guard

Star bright,Star lite: Kudos to all Pitch staff members who received awards at the KC Press Club 2006 Heart of America awards. Well-deserved and overdue credit, for sure.

Regarding the Backwash column "Not So Bright" (June 15) and your snarky commentary about The Kansas City Star's new printing toys: I read the Starbut am not enamored of it, but I detected just a whiff of "press envy" in your reporting. Admit it, you would all love to be able to play with those new German tools.

Keep up the good work. I like your attitude.

Jim Hansen
Topeka

Attack Dogs
Offensive linemen: In regard to Justin Kendall's "The Spotlight's Red Glare" (June 29): I think it's interesting that the Kansas version of Jessica's Law was attacked by two people who have no business attacking it: Phill Kline and Bill O'Reilly.

If God exists, then trying to play up the "Christian" visage is not going to help Mr. Kline in November. He cares less about his constituents than he does about promoting irresponsible and dangerous political ideas, supposedly in the name of God.

As for Mr. O'Reilly, anyone who knows his way around loofahs and falafels has no business talking about sex offenders of any kind.

Shame on both of these men for trying to slander Gov. Sebelius, who is one of the few people in Topeka who islooking out for the average Kansan.

Mike Czerniewski
Overland Park

Straight Talk
Venus NV: Regarding Nadia Pflaum's story "Money Shot" (June 22): Nice to see a young guy making a business out of — surprise! — more drunken make-out sessions between "straight" girls.

NV was prominently featured as the new hotspot for the hetero crowd. So they're trying to shake free of their former gay club rep, eh? Too bad we spent so much time and money there. Kinda like a slap in the face to the KC gay community, don't cha think? Just when we thought we had a decent club for GAY people (read: no lookin' fer a third crowd, thank you), we find out that yet another of our venues is being groomed as a "straight people gone wild" production spot. Geez.

I'm sorry I'm such a butt about it, but there's a reason why gay people don't hang out with straight people. We would prefer they stick to their own clubs and not infiltrate ours. For years, they've chased us down the street; beaten on us; denied us jobs, housing, the right to marry; mugged us; raped us; murdered us; and otherwise harassed us. I just want one club where we can go and be and not have to think about why there are so many macho guys and girls with purses stomping around, looking at us like we're circus freaks, or playing games with the very thing that you've harassed us for years about. Why do we not have one true GAY bar in KC besides the Dixie Belle?

Jewell St. Clair
Kansas City, Missouri Size matters: Maybe if Travis Swanson is used to "big cities and doing big things" he should move. I think NV is established enough to do without Reveal claiming that Eva Longoria is coming there to party. I wonder what kind of girls he had giving him lap dances before he paid them and gave them booze.

Korben Konrady
Kansas City, Missouri

Banner Year Fire escape: Regarding C.J. Janovy's "Burn the Flag" (June 29): This has been the subject of heated discussion around my home. I told my husband that if they voted for a constitutional amendment to ban flag desecration, I am burning it, baby ... right on my front lawn. Thank goodness for my kids it failed by one vote in the Senate.

The fact that they are using the flag for votes and to cover their shameful administration is much more offensive than burning it in protest of the fact that they are using the flag this way! U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver brilliantly cuts to the chase. This is a nonissue. Where are all of these flag burners we are spending taxpayers' money protecting America from? The fact that the GOP has titled its agenda the "American Values Agenda" is obnoxious, at least; divisive and threatening, at worst. This American has values, but not the kind that hide behind my flag (or my God, for that matter).

Heather M. Mellott
Leavenworth

Children of the Porn
Reading railroaded: I applaud Heidi Harper for having the courage to stand in front of the Blue Valley School Board and read excerpts from some of these books Most adults would be too embarrassed to speak these words in public. These excerpts, regardless of content, are filthy, damaging and totally inappropriate for our young people to have to read. The board is not even considering the emotional and moral health of our children (not theirs) when it comes to this issue. This issue isn't going to go away, and there is a solution, but the majority of the BV board members are being obstinate, like unhappy little children who want it all their way. BV board members, whose interest are you really looking out for? Lisa Noordhoek
Stilwell Smoke Screen
Pot shot: Regarding Eric Barton's "High Above the Law" (June 8):The fact that Jacqueline Patterson needs to go ask for permission to do what she feels helps her is so anti-American as to make me feel ill. In her own home, no less.

As much of a cliché as the Nazis have become, no country has done such harm to people since them, as America does now.

Mark Godfrey
St. Louis