Letters: These JoCo vaccine-seekers didn’t find an ‘epic fail’ in Shawnee Tuesday
Grateful result
My 94-year-old husband and my 93-year-old self also stood outside in the 20-degree freezing cold Tuesday morning at the sports complex in Shawnee. (Jan. 28, 10A, “Epic fail: JoCo left seniors in the cold waiting for vaccine”) But was it terrible? No, it wasn’t pleasant, but we were so grateful that we had to stand only that long outside.
We thought the officials tried their best to get the people in the building as fast as possible. Once inside, we waited in line for close to an hour but were greeted by helpful attendants along the way.
The bottom line, I think, is to be grateful to actually receive the vaccine that day and quit complaining.
- Teresa Peck, Prairie Village
They got it done
I took my 87-year-old mother to the Okun Fieldhouse in Shawnee on Tuesday for her COVID-19 vaccine shot. She is in Tier 1 of Phase 2. Ten days earlier, she filled out a survey, and five days later she was emailed with an appointment for 10 a.m. Tuesday.
When we arrived, there was a very long line with hundreds of people, all the way to the back of the parking lot. But it moved — and fast. It was just eight minutes until Mom was inside. I stood with her during those eight minutes. Seniors were bundled up, talkative and positive.
Members of this generation went to Europe, the Pacific, Korea and beyond to defeat enemies tougher than this lousy virus. They are sensible and don’t complain. Being with them made me proud to be an American and a Johnson Countian. Unity was on full display. Mom told me she went out of her way to thank the health officials and volunteers who kept things moving.
All told, it took 42 minutes, and there was nary a complaint from what I saw. Just members of our greatest generation beating back this latest foe.
Thank you to all those behind the scenes making it happen.
- Philip Rauen, Overland Park
Roll off the tongue
Shawnee Mission North High School is looking for a new team name. (Jan. 27, 1A, Shawnee Mission school district to drop all Native American mascots) May I suggest two possibilities? They could become the Shawnee Mission North Magnificent Flying Pug Dogs or the Shawnee Mission North Tapping Snurtles.
- John R.W. Taylor, Kansas City
No longer needed?
I was taught that the Supreme Court’s job was to decide what’s constitutional in our country. Apparently I was taught wrong, because now the senators themselves can decide what’s unconstitutional. (Jan. 27, 2A, “Senate trial will test Trump’s hold over his party”)
- Mike Cunningham, Kansas City
Quite a feat
Many Americans still believe that the recent election was “stolen” by the Democrats — but just for President Joe Biden, not the Republican victors — and apparently nothing can change their minds.
As we all know, the elections were challenged in numerous states, or at least in the ones won by Democrats, and despite no proof whatsoever of organized election fraud, the belief that the Democrats pulled this off remains unshaken. As my grandfather used to say, “Don’t confuse me with the facts.”
But there remains another thing that seemingly challenges the idea of a vast conspiracy to deliver the election to Biden and the Democrats: Given the evidence of the ineptness of the Democrats in running Hillary Clinton for president, how within a short four-year span did they manage to organize and coordinate a massive, nationwide and totally secret “steal” of the election? And who in the Democratic Party is capable of pulling this off?
- Terry Rodenberg, Greenwood
This story was originally published January 29, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Letters: These JoCo vaccine-seekers didn’t find an ‘epic fail’ in Shawnee Tuesday."