Letters: KC readers discuss Kansas Sen. Mike Thompson, animal cruelty and Earth Day
Who’s listening
Accountability — that’s what I expect from my elected officials at any level. I don’t expect them always to agree with me, but I do expect them to listen to me and dignify my concerns with a response. Most do. They know my taxes pay their salaries.
Most also understand they are elected to serve their constituents by listening to them and broadening their understanding of what’s important to Kansans. They can listen to opposing opinions and dignify them with reasoned responses. They value their fellow Kansans.
Two of my elected officials in Topeka keep me informed about their actions through detailed newsletters. I appreciate them. One, state Rep. Cindy Neighbor, has responded to my concerns by organizing a Zoom meeting to listen to my concerns as well as those of several other constituents.
However, state Sen. Mike Thompson has responded through his office assistant that he does not have time to engage in dialogue with me through emails, phone chats, videoconferences or one-to-ones in Topeka or Shawnee. I can’t help but wonder why. I question whether he has the stamina and commitment to serve Kansans in Senate District 10. His constituents deserve accountability.
- Diane Kuhn, Shawnee
Unhappy leader
Should I be worried that the future of my country may be decided by someone — Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, a state near the bottom of all too many markers of civilization? Despite the sentiments of John Denver, West Virginia does not demonstrate the qualities of life I want for my country.
West Virginia eclipses most other states in the percentage of people affected by diabetes, heart disease and obesity. It has had the nation’s highest rate of drug overdose deaths for years running. Adding to those woes is the highest suicide rate among states east of the Mississippi River.
But wait, there's more: The least-happy state this year in MoneyWise’s ratings is West Virginia, with an overall score of 30.58 and low rankings in the emotional and physical well-being category, as well as work environment. Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Kentucky were also in the bottom five.
With apologies to all the people who call West Virginia home, I hope this is simply an irony, not the destiny, of democracy.
- Linda Neal, Kansas City
Animal welfare
Missouri is one of the most unsympathetic states for the welfare of animals, both in the wild and in confinement. With the most documented puppy mills of any state, Missouri has 30 dealers on the Humane Society’s “Horrible Hundred” list.
According to the most recent newsletter from the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation, at the University of Missouri-Columbia, live beagles are used for medical research and five died when a hot-water pressure hose was left on in the room where they were held. And live pigs are still cut into for medical training at the MU School of Medicine — one of only eight schools continuing this practice.
Deer hunting and now black bear hunting are allowed, including by archery — a hideous way to die, indeed. Contraceptive methods should be explored if overpopulation is a problem. For example, the St. Louis Zoo has effectively used the PZP vaccine to sterilize black bears.
If you happen to be a domesticated chicken, pig, steer, lamb or turkey, your fate is to be raised in cramped, filthy conditions, then inhumanely slaughtered. If legislation currently in the General Assembly passes, there would be even fewer obstacles for more than 500 corporate-owned slaughterhouses, which also foul our air and water.
We can all speak out against this abuse.
- William Ash, St. Louis
Unequal weight
We drive gun laws based on the belief that the right to bear arms should never be restricted. Our laws err on the side of the law-abiding citizen. We allow no law that might step on legitimate ownership, regardless of the law’s intent. No collateral damage is allowed. We are absolute in our determination to protect gun ownership and to make it as easy as possible.
Not so with voting. Even though every American would probably agree that voting is as fundamental a right as gun ownership — probably even more so — we’re oh so quick to prevent unproven perceived voting fraud, without regard for how many legitimate votes we step on. We even admit that limiting polling locations, restricting voting hours and forcing people to wait in lines for four or more hours directly affects legitimate, legal, constitutionally protected votes. We’re somehow OK with collateral damage from voting laws.
So why doesn’t voting get the same priority and approach as gun ownership? Why don’t we show the same unfettered determination in making sure every citizen has every opportunity to exercise the fundamental right to vote?
Maybe it depends on whose gun rights and whose voting rights we’re talking about.
- Marc Taylor, Kansas City
For the Earth
As this 51st Earth Day approaches Thursday, it is important to remember the stress on the planet’s natural resources as our population grows. It is critical we protect and preserve these resources with recycling, energy conservation, waste cleanup and educating our communities on the impact of our choices. “Restore Our Earth,” this year’s theme, highlights innovative natural processes with green technologies to help combat the human impact on the environment.
I am a registered nurse and member of the holistic health care community, and we recognize the totality of the human being, the interconnectedness of body, mind, emotion, spirit, society, culture and environment. We encourage you to get outdoors, enjoy nature and feel one with the Earth.
Support the Restore Our Earth campaign through the Canopy Project by donating or planting trees. Move to sustainable food practices. Join the Great Global Cleanup to reduce waste and plastic pollution, improve habitats and prevent harm to wildlife. Ensure we are informed environmental stewards and take part in the Global Earth Challenge, the world’s largest-ever coordinated citizen science campaign.
We are all in this together. A healthy planet is a necessity for our health, survival and happiness.
- Rhonda Cain, Kansas City
No voices
Missourians no longer need to bother with voting, because lawmakers will just do what they want no matter what the people have said with their votes. Puppy mills, Clean Missouri and now expanded Medicaid were all passed by people who made the effort to have their voices heard, but the legislature said, “Never mind.”
- Gayle Peper, Gladstone
Serious attempt
A column by a self-identified conservative Republican makes fun of attempts to create an equitable health care system by Democrats, urging us instead to do piecemeal changes the author views as doable, bite-size, incremental updates. (April 14, 10A, “Kansas conservatives, let’s show the nation how to fix health care”)
The writer then discusses getting a handle on prescription drug prices as one of those areas ripe for improvement.
I vaguely recall a U.S. Senate candidate in Kansas who made that exact issue a campaign priority. That candidate was Democrat Barbara Bollier.
- Douglas Hitchcock, Kansas City
This story was originally published April 18, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Letters: KC readers discuss Kansas Sen. Mike Thompson, animal cruelty and Earth Day."