Letters: Readers discuss osteopathy’s Missouri history, Kevin Strickland and voting
Missouri roots
This week, we celebrate the 129th anniversary of the founding of the first osteopathic medical school. When Dr. A.T. Still opened the American School of Osteopathy in Kirksville, Missouri, he was following his dream to introduce a new philosophy of healing, treating the whole patient — body, mind and spirit. Fast forward to 2021, and that philosophy is resonating with people more than ever.
Today, DOs play a critical role in our nation’s health care system. More than 131,000 practicing DOs treat patients across the spectrum of health care. One-quarter of all medical students are trained in osteopathic medical schools. DOs serve as primary care practitioners, emergency room doctors, heart surgeons and pediatricians and throughout all medical specialty areas across towns large and small — even the White House.
Furthermore, osteopathic medical education continues to grow. Applications to osteopathic medical schools hit record levels this year. Last month, we saw the largest DO graduating class in history.
Our country has changed a lot since Dr. Still opened his school. But the founding principles that he taught in that small Missouri classroom have remained the same and continue to attract the best and brightest minds, leaders who are called to cure and serve their communities.
- Robert Cain, President and CEO, American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland
Free Strickland
This past weekend, we celebrated Juneteenth as a national holiday for the first time while a Black inmate, Kevin Strickland, continued to wait for his freedom after 43 years in a Missouri prison for a crime he didn’t commit. The original prosecutor’s office has declared Strickland innocent, and many officials have publicly called for Gov. Mike Parson to release him. But Parson can’t seem to make righting this injustice a priority.
What’s Parson’s excuse? Strickland’s case is in a pile of clemency applications. The governor might eventually get to it as he works through the papers on his desk, starting with whatever’s on top. Sure, Strickland shouldn’t be in prison, but does that mean the governor should have to prioritize?
Parson’s behavior isn’t unlike that of Texas, which for 2 1/2 years allowed slaves, legally freed by the Emancipation Proclamation, to continue to be robbed of their freedom. Texans did finally get around to sharing the news and freed the slaves, but those additional 2 1/2 years were an unconscionable injustice on top of an injustice.
On Juneteenth, we celebrate the end of slavery and commemorate the day that an injustice was finally righted. Gov. Parson, give Kevin Strickland his Juneteenth.
- Christine Gouger, Kansas City
Make it easier
Remember when the only way to put money in the bank was to go inside and make a deposit with a teller? Now there are multiple, secure avenues to deposit your money. The same goes with voting.
Today there are so many easy and secure ways to vote. Wouldn’t it be nice to have national standards for voting, so we’d be able to move to another state and have the same secure voting procedures?
I bet you agree that no matter what ZIP code we live in or what party we belong to, it’s important to be able to vote and to protect our freedom to vote. In fact, the more citizens who vote, the more our country represents us. That’s why the Senate must pass SB1.
Go to senate.gov and use the drop-down menu by the flag at the top to find the contact info for your senators, and ask him or her to vote yes on SB1. Tell them you want to make it easy and secure for everyone in the U.S. to vote.
- Ellen Wentz, Kirkwood, Missouri
This story was originally published June 22, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Letters: Readers discuss osteopathy’s Missouri history, Kevin Strickland and voting."