Letters from the week of March 1

Letters, February 15Law Review
UMKC student Wesley Carrillo's letter, headlined "In Defense of Kris," made me chuckle, but it also was very scary. The writer — whom I assume is a promising young law student in awe of Mr. Kobach — seems dangerously unaware of the facts of this case. As stated in my previous letter, we are plaintiffs in the suit against Valley Park. I was at the hearing and watched while Mr. Kobach left while court was in session because he did not have the privilege to argue when the court session began.

Even if Mr. Kobach was allowed to argue because his "expertise surpassed that of all the other attorneys in the room," and not because he promised to file the necessary paperwork, he did lose the motion in question.

It is also important to note that I don't own any apartment buildings; nor am I suing Valley Park because I claim "the right to profit from illegal aliens who are breaking federal law." I can only hope the letter writer, whom I've never met, fabricated this information on his own and has not been fed this slanderous information in an immigration-law class. Florence Streeter, Manchester, MissouriLetters, January 25Global Warning
Regarding Tom Ciccateri's letter on an earlier interview with KC Hopps CEO Ed Nelson: Tom, here's the news: It's a bar. People have always smoked in bars. If you want to drink craft beers in smoke-free bars in Italy; Ireland; California; Washington, D.C.; and New York City, then, by all means, go to Italy, Ireland, California, Washington and New York. I won't miss you.

Or perhaps you could call the Psychic Friends Hotline and have them channel you a beer. Anyone who suggests that "a heavy hand from Big Brother" and "government can play a role to level the playing field for businesses" as viable solutions for their individual pettiness and gripes is a moron in a hurry on a bad day.

P.S. Hey! Tom! If you're worried about secondhand smoke, what does drinking alcohol around the world do to your liver? Name Withheld by RequestHey, You!, February 8Butt Out
To the person who wrote "Hey, Smokers," here is just a little suggestion for you. If you didn't want your precious new discounted coat to smell like smoke, knowing you were going to a place that people smoked at, then you should have worn something else! I am so sick of hearing the nonsmokers complain about freakin' everything. This is supposed to be a free country, right?

Geez, get over yourself and deal with it. Maybe you should just start smoking. Save all the bitchin' for something more important. Sandy Swanson, ShawneeMartin: "Power to Some People," February 15Citizens Arrest
As I was reading David Martin's column about the Citizens Association and Mark Forsythe, I couldn't help thinking, Tell me something I don't know for a change.

As an individual who worked for the city of Kansas City for more than 25 years, I often watched closely the performance of City Council members who had garnered the endorsement of the Citizens Association, and you could often tell how profoundly their votes on legislation were affected by their allegiance to that organization. This is not to say that the Citizens Association hasn't endorsed some excellent candidates, but I always take their endorsement with a grain of salt because I want to know much more about each candidate — their ideals, social and economic philosophies, whether I feel they will truly represent my position on matters of importance to me — and not just that some elitist group has issued an edict that they are the candidate for whom I should vote.

I will never vote for a candidate solely on the basis of endorsements but will always choose to do the necessary work to learn as much as possible about each candidate. I hope more people do the legwork of sincerely learning about candidates before casting their vote, and not just be led by shepherding organizations. If they do, we might actually move closer to being a world-class city. Charles Ballew, Kansas City, MissouriCafé, February 15Grade-A Beef
Thanks to Charles Ferruzza for taking the time to come to Lawrence to review Local Burger. I really appreciate you writing about Local Burger, which not only gives me some free press but gives me some insight into how this place is perceived by others — thank you.

Update: We officially have french fries now. They are cooked in organic expeller-pressed coconut oil, which I use because it is so safe at high heat — no trans fats. They are superdelicious!

Next time you make it to Lawrence and stop by, you must try the salads and smoothies — they are really good. Hilary Brown, Lawrence