Because the gunman died, the full story of Monday’s shocking rampage at a dorm and an engineering classroom at Virginia Tech may never be known. The timeline raises tough questions for officials at the school in Blacksburg, Va. As the massacre rattles college students and their parents nationally, the incident will spur new debates about campus security. Such horrific crimes probably will always happen in a free society, even in a time of terrorism. But count on many international observers especially to see Monday’s violence the same way they saw Columbine — as the price of America’s gun rights. Is that fair?
Posted by Rhonda Holman
In a commentary in the Washington Post, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales (in photo) variously states five times that “nothing improper” occurred in the U.S. attorney firings. His only apology is for his “role in allowing this matter to spin into an undignified Washington spectacle.” That spectacle continues in a Thursday hearing (postponed because of the Virginia Tech massacre), with a cast including Gonzales and some steamed senators on the Judiciary Committee. Meanwhile, nearly 6 in 10 Americans polled by Washington Post-ABC News dislike how Gonzales has handled the issue.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
The Wichita City Council’s Tuesday agenda includes the issue of whether to allow Sunday liquor sales. Two years after the Kansas Legislature and governor approved such sales, and with 63 percent of Wichitans favoring them, the council should just do it, our editorial argues.
“It’ s about government not dictating what days of the week that private businesses can operate. There’s no compelling reason to keep this outdated restriction. People already have a right to consume alcohol on Sundays. Why should government refuse to let them buy it on that day?”
Posted by Rhonda Holman
An AP-Ipsos nationwide poll indicates that approval of Congress is at 40 percent — the highest in a year — with disapproval at 57 percent. The same percentages apply to the job the newly Democratic-controlled Congress is doing on Iraq. Meanwhile, President Bush’s approval rating remains in the mid-30 percent range, with 39 percent strongly disapproving of his foreign policy and the war on terror. Still, how long will the public favor a Congress where bills get through the House but stop cold in the Senate?
Posted by Rhonda Holman
It’s not a popular idea with either party, but Chicago Tribune columnist Steve Chapman offers a compelling argument that the most straightforward and cost-effective way to address climate change is a carbon tax.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
If the state lawmakers want to do something useful to promote the English language in Kansas, they should forget about symbolic gestures such as the “English only” bill.
Instead, they should follow through on earlier talk about adding $500,000 to fund additional English language classes in the state.
There’s a backlog of hundreds of immigrants waiting to take English language classes in the state — current programs are “maxed out,” according to Sheila Frahm, executive director of the Kansas Association of Community College Trustees.
Most immigrants understand the importance of learning English. So why aren’t we helping them?
An extra $500,000 would open slots for an additional 1,000 students in English classes.
Kansas is near the bottom in state support for English language programs.
State Rep. Delia Garcia (in photo), D-Wichita, hopes to see the money put into the final budget during the wrap-up session later this month. “I think if our state is serious about pushing for more English language learners, that’s the best approach. It prepares all Kansans to work and put money back into the state’s economy. And it puts our money where our mouth is.”
Posted by Randy Scholfield
The following satirical headlines come from borowitzreport.com:
IMUS MOVES TO AL-QAIDA NETWORK; Shock Jock to Anchor Three-hour Hate Block
BUSH FIRES SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE; Critics Question Timing of Decision
BUSH: AHMADINEJAD MUST DISMANTLE LAST NAME; Threatens Sanctions Against Polysyllabic Leader
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
