Letters to the editor: When it comes to wearing masks for COVID, what would Jesus do?

Let’s grow it

As coronavirus cases surge to levels not seen since last winter, Sens. Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall, who represent one of America’s most important farm states, should get serious about preventing the next pandemic — specifically by funding cultured-meat research.

For readers unfamiliar with the term, cultured meat is grown from animal cells, without slaughter. It offers important benefits to public health. Because livestock are removed from the process of making cultured meat, the danger of zoonotic viruses making the jump to humans is drastically reduced.

While the origins of COVID-19 are debated, the fact remains that animal agriculture greatly increases our pandemic risk. Legislators concerned with public health should support federal funding for cultured-meat research.

- Jon Hochschartner, Granby, Connecticut

Not so sweet

It used to be that if you signed up for restaurants’ mailing lists, they offered you nice meals for your birthday. However, these days, they are only offering desserts. Some are even no longer acknowledging your birthday.

My inbox used to be crowded with meals from Red Robin, Denny’s, Hooters and more. This year, one of these chains offered a “sweet treat” instead of the customary hamburger, but as a diabetic, I can’t enjoy that. So what’s going on? Was it the pandemic, hard economic times? Offering something substantial for one’s birthday is great and inexpensive advertising, plus bringing the entire family to join you increased sales.

So a word to those who have gone from meals to desserts: Make it worthwhile for me to have my birthday with you once again.

- Tomas Ferraro, Sugar Creek

It’s our business

With the extension of the Jackson County mask mandate, the businesses of Blue Springs and other cities in the county will pay the price. Simply driving to another county that allows customers the right to wear a mask or not as they shop.

I hope the day will come when governments realize they are not responsible for our health. Or maybe they’ll establish rules concerning citizens smoking, eating too much, eating junk food — the list could go on and on. Meanwhile, Blue Springs businesses suffer.

- Elaine Patterson, Blue Springs

Backward Texas

The very wise Texas Legislature has again proved that there is always room to step back 50 years into the past and erase all the progress made in women’s rights with the Roe v. Wade ruling. (Sept. 3, 1A, “Biden blasts court’s failure to block Texas abortion law”)

These narrow-minded and sanctimonious lawmakers have provided their fellow Texans with archaic laws outlawing abortions after six weeks, even in cases of rape or incest. And the legislation offers a $10,000 bounty for anyone who turns in someone who aided a pregnant woman seeking an abortion.

As a longtime social worker, I learned that these same Christian souls are never willing to provide education, support or financial assistance to those compromised women and their infants. They will be eager to label these women as unfit parents when necessary and place their children in one unfamiliar home after another. They are generally unwilling to adopt or care for these children, who often grow up in unstable homes with little hope for having quality lives.

Here’s to the highly moral and mighty Texans who have set the humanity and sanctity of women and their bodies back to a very dark period in our nation.

- Andrea Hickerson, Leawood

Elevation is fine

As a former resident of the Crescent City, New Orleans, I would like to reply to the Thursday letter to the editor suggesting that the city be relocated to higher ground. (8A) Because of the great work by engineers after Hurricane Katrina, the city’s levee system is vastly improved — so much so that there was no major flooding from Hurricane Ida.

The current problem for New Orleans residents is not flood waters, but that a huge power grid was destroyed, leaving the area and surrounding parishes without electricity. As a result, residents suffer from a lack of power for their homes and gas pumps to help evacuation efforts as well as other persistent sanitary concerns.

The letter writer did not address or criticize the terrible conditions in the East: flooding in New York, Philadelphia and New Jersey and so on. Will he suggest those residents evacuate or move, too?

- William Wheat, Knob Noster

Jesus’ mandate

As a Lutheran pastor, I was saddened to read the story on the front page of Tuesday’s Star, “As public districts mandate masks, families flock to private schools.” The story outlines decisions parochial schools have made about mandating masks for students. All of the schools where restrictions are relaxed or nonexistent are Christian schools, with one administrator noting that their choice to allow children to opt out of mask-wearing has “been very popular.”

The thing is, popularity has never been a Christian value. In fact, Christians (along with other people of faith) are often called to make difficult decisions out of love for God and our neighbors. I can’t imagine a scenario in which Jesus would instruct his followers to put the well-being of their neighbors in jeopardy, especially when loving their neighbors is as simple as putting on a mask.

Kudos to Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy for listening to the epidemiologists at the Johnson County Health Department and requiring that students and staff wear masks. It is heartening to see a faith-based school community follow the command to choose love first. I pray that others will follow.

- Rev. Donna J. Simon, St. Mark Hope and Peace Lutheran Church, Kansas City

This story was originally published September 5, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Letters to the editor: When it comes to wearing masks for COVID, what would Jesus do?."