Print edition: 
What's wrong with requiring insurance?
Why are a lot of people upset that the government may make you buy health insurance? States make people buy auto insurance; where is the outrage against that? You cannot drive a car without insurance. If you do, you could go to jail and be fined. If you have a wreck with no insurance, who do you think pays for it? Everybody else with higher insurance costs. If we all had health insurance, it would lower the costs for everybody.
I do not want to pay for your medical bills. I am sure you do not want to pay for mine. If there is not some health care reform, costs are not going to go down.
ALEX RAY Jr.
Wichita
Selfless service
The less-than-respectful manner in which the executive committee of Inter-Faith Ministries ushered longtime executive director Sam Muyskens out the door will never overshadow the 17 years of selfless service Muyskens gave to the organization and to the Wichita community. Muyskens was the embodiment of Inter-Faith's mission of building interreligious understanding, promoting justice, relieving misery and reconciling the estranged.
Muyskens was tireless in his visionary, innovative work of directing the efforts of Inter-Faith, which served more than 35,000 people last year. It effectively addresses long-standing concerns of the community through its programs — including Operation Holiday; the Campaign to End Childhood Hunger; GoZones for after-school activities for youths; and Inter-Faith Inn, Ti Wiconi and Inter-Faith Villas, providing various levels of services to Wichita's homeless families and individuals.
Muyskens had retired and offered to work part time in the transition to his replacement. He deserved a departure that expressed the deep gratitude of the faith community and of the citizens of Wichita for his many years of dedicated service to all of us.
KATHY and PHIL MILLER
Matfield Green
Evolution facts
Regarding "Evolution fairy tale" (Oct. 10 Letters to the Editor): Nothing in evolution theory contradicts science. The theory of evolution explains all the scientific evidence — facts, if you will, that have been discovered from Darwin forward. It is true that in all science, as new discoveries are made, theories may be modified. This is a strength of science.
The fossil find reported recently — Ardi — does not raise the questions the letter writer suggested, but it does answer one question: What intermediate species lived between the dates of the split of chimpanzees and humans (6 million years ago) and Lucy Australopithecus afarensis (4 million years ago)?
Every fossil ever found and every species now living is a transitional form that connects its ancestors with its descendants. The argument that "there are fewer 'transitional fossils' now than there were when Darwin was making up his theory" just doesn't hold up.
Finally, it is ridiculous to argue that evolution means we should be able to breed Chihuahuas and get a wolf or cat. Only after many thousands of generations would we be able to recognize descendants with different characteristics of the ancestors. The common ancestor of dogs and cats lived more than 55 million years ago, at which time the split began. Since that time, all the living species of dogs and cats split off the two branches.
HARRY GREGORY
Board member
Kansas Citizens for Science
Wichita
Bait and switch
The picture dominating "Pantry pride" (Oct. 7 WichiTalk) was a bait and switch. Most of the foods in the photo were not for quick meals but for quick snacks.
The quicker snacks are, the more we eat them and the less interested we are in meals. Snacks like those in the picture of the pantry give us quick, highly processed, calorie-dense nutrients that we just don't need.
Thanks for the article, which pointed out that meals can be quick and convenient. In fact, meals are likely to contain fruits and veggies that we do need.
Hooray for meals.
JANE BYRNES
Wichita
Historic cabin
Thank you for the article on the Heller Cabin at Old Cowtown Museum (Oct. 11 Local & State). I have toured the cabin, and I can see why it is ranked as one of the top structures of that era. Dondlinger Construction and the people who coordinated the project are to be highly commended for such a sensitive restoration. I am very thankful for the donation of the cabin by Donna Heller.
For those who love local history: I urge you to visit the museum to see the cabin and hear about its history.
DAN FITZGERALD
Wichita
Thanks for help
A friend and I were in Derby recently when suddenly my car just stopped in the middle of the street. A very nice young lady and three gentlemen pushed my car on a side road and tried many times to get my "old Olds" started. Nothing worked.
The kind lady was on the phone for quite some time getting help for us. Finally, the tow truck arrived and we were on our way home.
We want to say "thank you" again for helping us, and God bless our Derby neighbors.
GRACE WEBB
Clearwater
