Letters to the Editor (Jan. 23)

Unintended consequences

Mrs. Heimann, it is my understanding that you played a major role in causing Newman University to cancel an LGBTQ art show recently by encouraging a virtual mob of zealots to harangue Newman administration with protests. Although the show has been picked up elsewhere, the damage you’ve done remains.

I’m not going to try to convince you that your views are wrong because you seem too indoctrinated into abhorrence to consider the struggles of identity and self-acceptance that some students at Newman must go through. For someone who claims on her blog to love helping people, you sure have a funny way of showing it.

No, I simply want to point out that while you have every right to protest, kick and scream, you really are doing more harm than good. When you shut out these kids and try to silence their self-expression, you show that you have no love for them. These kids just want to learn to love themselves, and yet you are firm in your condemnation. The only outcome of all this will be to scare students away from the church, which I’m sure can’t be your intention.

Newman can do better

As a 2004 graduate of Newman University, I’m hurt and I’m ashamed. I can’t be proud to be an alumna of an institution that promotes a liberal arts education but can’t represent and celebrate the beauty of diversity.

As a scientist, I work every day to protect diversity in nature through my work in conservation — armed with the education I received at Newman. As educators, as an institution, the university should be rejoicing in the beautiful diversity of their students, no matter their gender expression or sexuality.

Not standing up for their LGBTQIA students as human beings, as part of our community, as alumni, as people who matter just as much as every other student on campus, and who deserve representation in the arts? It is a slap in the face to anyone who is, loves, or supports someone who identifies as LGBTQIA that the show “Rainbow in Reverse: Queer Kansas History” by Genevieve Waller was canceled.

I hope they look beyond the loud voices of a few hateful people. I am disappointed in an institution that chooses to bow to the hurtful and hateful opinions of the extreme.

Know radon’s effects

Our neighbor remarked how lucky we were not to experience forest fires, mud slides, snow storms, tropical storms, tornadoes and false nuclear alerts. We agreed. But there is another lethal danger that does not make the headlines and is hidden from ordinary detection.

It’s radon — the naturally occurring killer which can accumulate in your basement and is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. It stole our precious daughter Beth, a Wichita resident, and her loss continues to be painful. We don’t want that to happen to your family.

Please get the easy do-it-your-self detection kit from the Health Department or K-State Extension. If you score high, a pump can be installed which will clear it out forever. We have one and urge you to test your home.

Don’t regulate snowy owls

With the recent Arctic cold snap that has swept through the entire center of the nation, even down to the Mexican border with ice and snow, it not surprising that snowy white owls drifted off course and made their way to Kansas. Over five dozen white owls have been spotted in Kansas, with a report that about a dozen have died of starvation.

While I understand the policy of state wildlife officials urging the public to not feed the owls — to avoid dependence on humans and changing migratory patterns — I feel like an exception should be made in this case. It is only about eight weeks or so until spring, hopefully.

Various citizens “feed the backyard birds,” so what is the harm of feeding a starving white owl in temporary need? The birdseed cannot distinguished between species. I’d rather homeowners toss out bits of food and tide- over the snowy white owls until spring. Since they are airborne creatures, they will depart when nature is conducive.

Sometimes an exception to the rule is called for. I’d rather keep these beautiful birds alive. Feeding them temporarily could help a great deal and won’t change their habitat patterns at all. This has been a rugged winter. Let’s do what we can to help the owls survive until springtime.

This story was originally published January 23, 2018 at 4:29 AM with the headline "Letters to the Editor (Jan. 23)."