Letters: Readers discuss AG Schmitt’s suit, homeless Kansas Citians, cancer research
A big waste
If you believe in local government control, it is difficult to understand Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s lawsuit against the Columbia School Board. (Aug. 24, KansasCity.com, “Missouri attorney general sues to block mask mandates issued by public school districts”) As a democratically elected board, its members are charged with making educational decisions for their community, which includes the health and safety of children and adults.
Of all the issues facing Missouri, I find this lawsuit a waste of our state’s time and resources. Columbia Public Schools will have to defend against it. All of this is being funded by taxpayers. It is poor judgment, in my opinion.
- Robert M. Taylor, Kansas City
Let’s house them
Tens of millions of Americans lost their jobs because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This dramatic employment reduction resulted in an estimated $3.7 trillion of lost income worldwide. Over the past year and a half, many Americans have experienced housing insecurity from job loss or an inability to work during the pandemic.
Access to housing is crucial for mental and physical health, yet the Department of Housing and Urban Development reported 580,466 people in America were homeless on a single night in January 2020.
In July, a homeless camp was removed from Westport and moved to Penn Valley Park. The camp was established in Westport only because of the expiration of a 90-day program that allowed the homeless to live in hotels.
Talks had begun at City Hall to spend about $2.7 million for 64-square-foot, air-conditioned “tiny houses” for up to 200 homeless people but were delayed by the council in July.
I am urging members of the Kansas City community to make their voices heard and push for a vote on this ordinance.
- Emrys Adair, Kansas City
Give no breaks
I am adamantly against any unconstitutional amnesty agenda. We elected officials who have sworn to protect and defend the Constitution and to work on behalf of Americans, not on behalf of people who broke U.S. immigration laws.
- Larry Johnson, Overland Park
Future investment
As a cancer survivor and volunteer with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, I know the value of medical research. This is why I want Sen. Jerry Moran to know how important it is to support an increase in funding of the National Cancer Institute.
Federal funding for cancer research is the bedrock of medical discoveries and has played a role in every major breakthrough in prevention, detection and treatment of the disease for more than 50 years. Researchers are on the cusp of even greater discoveries. Requests for promising new research at the institute have increased more than 50% in the last few years. Now is the time to invest in cancer research and prepare to save lives in years to come.
Of all the competing priorities before Congress, increasing funding for cancer research seems like the one that everyone should agree on. I call on Sen. Moran to support a $1 billion increase in National Cancer Institute funding. We can take advantage of this scientific momentum and accelerate progress to the point where eventually no one has to hear the words, “You have cancer,” ever again.
- Jim Miksch, Prairie Village
Heavy treads
Because people decided not to get vaccinated, they contract COVID-19 and take up hospital beds. Then hospitals do not have the resources to care for critically ill patients suffering from illnesses other than COVID.
Does the “Don’t tread on me” crowd truly not see this as treading on the socially responsible person’s rights?
I suppose as hospitals continue to turn away patients, the defiant will blame the hospitals for being ill-prepared. They never accept responsibility for their irrational actions. They don’t support the police, scientists, health care workers and more. It’s all about them.
So they shouldn’t complain when a loved one, even a child, has a critical need for medical care and gets turned away because their brethren have filled the hospitals. And don’t play the victim to the health care worker when you or a loved one is dying by saying, “I should have gotten the shot.” Don’t tread on me, too.
- Don Bendetti, Kansas City
This story was originally published August 25, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Letters: Readers discuss AG Schmitt’s suit, homeless Kansas Citians, cancer research."