Letters: Readers discuss a caring police officer, China’s guilt and COVID-19 reality
A tragic loss
We are saddened to learn of the shooting death of officer Mike Mosher, a 14½-year veteran of the Overland Park Police Department. He was a passionate supporter of gun safety and worked with our organization’s Lock It For Love program by participating with us at community events where we distributed free gun locks.
His passion, positive demeanor and ability to immediately connect with others regarding the importance of gun safety made a lasting impression on our volunteers and the many people he touched through these events.
We are grateful for having had the privilege of knowing and working with Mike, and we send our sincere condolences to his wife and daughter and his fellow Overland Park officers. We owe them all a debt of gratitude for protecting us every day despite the danger to themselves.
- Judy Sherry, Grandparents Against Gun Violence, Kansas City
Honor earned
If anyone is deserving of the Medal of Freedom it would be chef and restaurateur José Andrés for his tireless effort to feed the hungry during past disasters, as he is currently doing in the COVID-19 pandemic.
He certainly is much more deserving of this honor than Rush Limbaugh, who hasn’t done much of anything to better the country.
- David Goettel, Independence
On China’s back
China is responsible for the more than 70,000 COVID-19 deaths. China is responsible for the shutdown of the world’s economy. Not House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer or President Donald Trump. China is responsible. Period.
Now let’s make the changes necessary to stop this from happening again — together.
- Ambrose Fontaine, Olathe
A different world
There has been a lot of talk about “reopening the economy” as social distancing has taken its toll on the country, especially the most financially vulnerable. It is perilous and irresponsible to frame this as a political issue.
On March 16, a day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued its first social-distancing recommendations, there were 755 new cases reported in the United States. Over the last three weeks, the number of new cases reported daily has fluctuated around 25,000. It stands to reason, then, that your chances of being exposed to COVID-19 in public are vastly greater today than when we first woke up to this threat.
In what universe, I’m wondering, does it make sense to relax or reverse the quarantine now? Perhaps in a universe where everything we’ve learned about biology in the last 100 years is suddenly no longer true if it results in economic consequences we don’t like?
Whatever your political leanings, that’s not the universe we live in.
- Peter Green, Farley, Missouri
Help needed
As a former caregiver for both my parents and my husband, I understand the impact Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia have on families across America.
The COVID-19 pandemic threatens the health of millions in this country and all over the world, and it presents additional challenges for more than 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s, their caregivers, the research community and the nonprofits serving these vulnerable populations.
During this crisis, nonprofits are providing tremendous support to the communities they serve, despite facing economic hardships. Congress must establish an exclusive fund to support nonprofits with 500 to 10,000 employees, including loan forgiveness to ensure that charities such as the Alzheimer’s Association can continue to effectively serve the communities that depend on them.
Please join me and the Alzheimer’s Association in encouraging Rep. Sharice Davids to include these bipartisan policies that would help the millions of families affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementia in the fourth COVID-19 pandemic relief package.
- Jan Johnson, Bucyrus, Kansas
Keeping track
I need a haircut. If I live in this county, I can get a haircut on this day. If I live in this state, I can get a haircut on that day in Phase 2. But if I live in this city, I can’t get a haircut until another day.
In my younger days, my current hair length would be considered hip and in style. Maybe I should just do as my elders said then: “Get a dog license.” But wait — when is the city/county/state planning to start to issue dog licenses again?
Some consistency, please?
- Jim Campbell, Raytown
This story was originally published May 6, 2020 at 5:00 AM.