Letters: KC readers discuss Defense Department drama, COVID precautions and science fact

Standing true

Recent headlines speak of turnover at the Department of Defense. Defense Secretary Mark Esper was fired this week. Other senior officials have resigned, and questions about national security during this transition period abound.

My 20-year Army career included assignment to a battalion in Germany at the height of the Cold War, two tours of duty in Vietnam, two years in Korea (during which time the Korean president was assassinated) and three years in the 1st Cavalry Division. The focus of everyone, from the commanding general down to Private Smith, was our mission and our readiness to accomplish it.

Turnover and chaos at the Defense Department was not an issue for us in the trenches. We knew what we had to do, and we did it.

Americans should disregard the fear mongering, and have faith in our armed forces. They are on duty 24/7 and are there for us.

- David B. Smiley, Shawnee

Who we are

The world watched. As America dimmed. As alliances were damaged. As pandemic leadership went missing. As humanitarian causes were abandoned. As climate crisis was ignored.

Lady Liberty watched. As immigrants were demonized and rejected. As children were taken from the parent. As asylum was denied.

The military watched. As prisoners of war were said not to be heroes because they were captured. As Gold Star families were attacked. As bounties on our armed forces went unchallenged.

The church watched. As truth, character and compassion were surrendered. As “love thy neighbor” applied only to those who believe as you do.

The country watched. As armed militants and white nationalists were given acceptance. As young Black men were dying at the hands of those sworn to protect and serve. As 70 million citizens voted for democracy’s darkening.

America, as with everything President Donald Trump touches, is dying.

Again the world watches. To see if we can heal this broken nation. To see if we can get past the damage done. To see if we can remember.

We are more than political parties. We are more than individual religions and ethnicities. We are the grandest experiment in history.

We are America.

- Nancy Morris, Kansas City

Take it seriously

My family has tried to support local restaurants and other businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially those whose management tries to adhere to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines — social distancing and mask wearing.

Although the website of the gym chain we are members of specifically says, “Don’t forget your mask! We’re requiring all members to wear masks while in-club so you can gym safely and confidently,” I have seen no attempt being made to enforce this mandate at the location I go to.

With the rapid increase of coronavirus infections in Johnson County, we as members who do wear masks and attempt to social distance are less and less comfortable using these facilities. So, although we see the many benefits of exercising, we will opt out of our membership. We hope the gym’s management will realize the importance of the mask mandate. At that time, we can reevaluate.

- R. Arlene Moore, Overland Park

Science matters

220,000, and counting. All gone — more than all wars combined since World War II.

We could have prevented many of deaths by following, instead of ignoring, science. Quite a bit has been learned about pandemics in the last 50 years. Surveillance of diseases, especially potential pandemics, has been a necessary tool. The scientific knowledge underlying what to do has been in public practice for a good while, and, in fact, was included in the manual of steps the Obama administration prepared for the government to fulfill its responsibility to prepare for and deal with a pandemic. These standard steps include surveillance, needs and logistics of protective equipment, and data collection, analysis and interpretation.

Each pandemic may be different, but by comparison to this one, the SARS pandemic of 2002-2004 caused zero known U.S. deaths.

Incorporating science into government and other decision-making would be helpful, instead of the arrogant ignorance that seems to dominate our current society.

- Q. B. Welch, Lee’s Summit

This story was originally published November 13, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Letters: KC readers discuss Defense Department drama, COVID precautions and science fact."