The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, National Organization for Women, American Civil Liberties Union, League of Women Voters and the gay rights group Kansas Equality Coalition undoubtedly have many things in common, but a couple are these:
They gathered as a group to protest in front of the Kansas Statehouse in Topeka Saturday.
And they are all, presumably, made up of individuals who believe they pay too many taxes.
OK, that second one is, perhaps, a presumption.
It could well be that these groups are made up of people who are eager to pay higher taxes, but let’s face it. That is doubtful.
Instead, they are all likely to be part of the many groups in Kansas, and across the nation, who want to see changes in how taxes are allocated.
These groups were protesting Saturday because they are concerned that their causes get center stage.
According to the Associate Press report on the Saturday event, which drew about 150 people, it had been planned before Gov. Sam Brownback had stepped back from a proposal that was unpopular with them.
“Their protests initially were inspired by Brownback’s proposal to move the Kansas Human Rights Commission, an independent agency, under the attorney general’s office. But the governor dropped the plan earlier this week, and speakers at the rally touched on a wide range of issues, including immigration, abortion rights and protection from employment discrimination for gays and lesbians.”
Just as the world’s smallest club is made up of people who believe they get paid too much, the second smallest club must be made up of activists who believe their key organizations get too much in taxpayer support.
Whether you agree with this coalition’s politics or not.
Whether you support any action groups in this state that receive taxpayer funds or not.
No matter where your interests lie, if they are centered upon events, facilities or movements that are tax-funded, something is going to have to change — something that you may well not find pleasing.
Perhaps what we need to do is have someone from the Statehouse circulate a form at every protest. It could simply list the public issues that receive tax funding. And those people protesting could check off the ones they DON’T mind getting funding cuts.
We could compare all the lists and see if there isn’t something we could reduce spending on.
It doesn’t matter if you are part of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, National Organization for Women, American Civil Liberties Union, League of Women Voters and the gay rights group Kansas Equality Coalition, or what.
We need to make cuts somewhere.
Putting cheaper paper towels in the washrooms of the state capitol just isn’t going to get the job done.
— Chuck Smith