Letters: Readers discuss restarting KS high school sports, MO Medicaid and KC murders
‘Smart enough’?
The Kansas State High School Activities Association Executive Board voted against postponement or schedule changes to 2020 high school sports. (July 28, KansasCity.com, “Kansas high school sports will play as scheduled this fall as postponement vote fails”)
Jason Herman, Olathe North principal, seems to believe that preventing student athletes from defecting to club teams is paramount over the community’s health. Monty Marlin, Sublette High School principal, says he’s “not smart enough to make this decision.” If Marlin isn’t smart enough, why is he on a board charged with making decisions that affect not only student athletes, but entire communities? It’s worth noting that Haskell County, home of Marlin’s school, is considered the place of origin of the 1918 influenza pandemic.
Perhaps if these leaders supported their votes by saying high school football has electrolytes, they would have more credibility. If five or more daily COVID-19 deaths of Kansans are acceptable, we should continue this idiocracy. If not, we must make changes. Now.
- Tom Witwer, Overland Park
Bad examples
Every time I watch certain candidates’ television ads, I cringe. I hear name-calling and words such as “hate.” These commercials run all day, and I am sure children are watching them.
As a parent and former teacher, I fear the negative effect these words have on our children. Educators and parents work tirelessly to curb bullying and name-calling among children. These candidates should be ashamed of their lack of care for children.
- Ellen McAndrews, Lenexa
We had no say
I believe the Andrew Jackson statue at the Jackson County Courthouse and all other statues that glorify present and former racists in Kansas City and around the country should be removed without putting the issue before voters. We were not asked to decide on putting up these racist tributes, so why shouldn’t they come down?
As I recall, Republican leaders installed a bust of their “hero” Rush Limbaugh in Jefferson City’s capitol during a closed-door induction ceremony without asking voters’ approval.
In my opinion, voters who likely support removal — especially those of color — would be disproportionately outnumbered by right-leaning conservatives in Missouri if the issue is put to a vote.
- Eddie L. Clay, Grandview
Help for women
Medicaid expansion is on Missouri’s Aug. 4 ballot. If approved, 230,000 Missourians would gain access to health care. Missouri ranks near the bottom among states for income eligibility for Medicaid, at a limit of $373 per month for a family of three.
As an organization that promotes family health, we at the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Nurture KC are often asked why we support Medicaid expansion when women are eligible for Medicaid under expanded income guidelines during their pregnancies. The answer is simple: The health of mothers is important throughout their lives, not just while they’re pregnant. It’s time to view health care through a lens of wellness rather than sickness.
The experience of other expansion states proves:
▪ States that expanded Medicaid have a 50% greater decline in infant mortality (greatest for Black babies) than states without expansion.
▪ Women without health insurance are three to four times more likely to die of pregnancy complications than those who are insured.
Support for Medicaid expansion is broad, bringing together rural and urban, business and nonprofit, young and old, underserved and establishment. While there are economic benefits to expansion (adding jobs and securing federal tax dollars), our support stems from the unprecedented impact expansion would have on the lives of the families we serve.
- Tracy Russell, Executive director, Nurture KC, Kansas City
Get out ahead
I watched Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas’ appearance on “Fox News Sunday” and thought he handled himself very well. But one aspect of his dialogue puzzled me. He said federal assistance (from U.S. marshals; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Department of Homeland Security) could be useful in solving active homicide cases, and certainly that is correct. But he failed to say that federal assistance could be even more useful in preventing murders.
Lucas campaigned in part on the assertion that he would reduce Kansas City’s murder rate. Many major cities have large backlogs of unsolved murder cases — and there are reasons for that, many of which have little to do with the degree or source of expertise applied to case solutions.
- Rick Chalker, Leawood