Letters to the Editor (Jan. 28)

A simple thanks

“Thank you” are the two most powerful words we don’t use enough. I want to thank the local communities for their continued support. There is no doubt that the communities that support McConnell airmen and their families were long overdue for the 2017 Abilene Trophy, awarded to the nation’s best military-community partnership.

Through your support, Team McConnell earned the Air Force Meritorious Unit Award while completing 47 percent of air refueling missions with only 14 percent of the mobility assets. We executed 25,000 flying hours and delivered 36 million pounds of jet fuel, supporting 18,000 airstrikes against our enemies.

Your airmen make sacrifices daily, missing birthdays, anniversaries and special occasions to answer our nation’s call. Today, we have over 500 McConnell airmen deployed in the defense of our nation. From Turkey, Iraq, Afghanistan to Qatar, your airmen cover them all.

Speaking of homes, 2017 also marked a milestone as we completed construction projects totaling $267 million. The KC-46 now has a home, here in the community, built with Kansas concrete and steel. This year also brings much excitement with the arrival of the new weapon system and we look forward to opening our gates and sharing the base during the Frontiers in Flight Air Show.

Humane Society’s many partners

In 2017, Kansas Humane Society had a record-setting year. The numbers are impressive, but even more impressive is the number of people who made them possible.

Since moving to our new facility in 2009, our save rate has increased from 55 percent to 93 percent and live outcomes has increased from 7,996 to 11,092. Our euthanasia has dropped significantly from 7,392 to 805 animals.

However, our success would not be possible without the support of our community.

Our staff, volunteers, donors, rescue partners, adopters, supporters and the city of Wichita work tirelessly to provide better lives for animals. We work closely with over 100 rescue partners to give us the space to bring in more homeless pets while providing the rescues with access to low-cost medical services.

I want KHS to build on this success and remain a valuable community resource. Our goals are to save as many lives as possible, and provide the services our community needs. We are performing low cost, donor subsidized spay and neuter surgeries and we offer training classes to help people work with their pets to correct behavior problems to reduce owner surrenders.

Thank you for your support and for your work to improve the lives of companion animals.

Parenting and politics

That’s a touching story Cal Thomas tells of a sea-sick 3-year-old taken care of by a loving father (Jan. 3 Eagle). Any parent worth their salt who has heard “I’m sick” in the middle of the night will scoop that child up, strip the bed and return that child to a fresh bed with whispers of “It’s alright, honey, it’s not your fault, you’re just sick.”

But it’s difficult to translate this kind of “tenderness” to the political sphere when this country is being run by the equivalent of a 3-year-old who stays up at all hours tweeting nonsense. And rather than govern in a mature way, our particular toddler and chief is encouraged in his sleep-deprived behavior by overindulgent parents, i.e. the lawmakers who tell him, “It’s OK, kiddo, do whatever you like, we’ll clean it up.”

Problem is, cleaning up the mess he is leaving behind won’t be as easy as hosing off puked-up sheets outside before putting them in the washer. Not the debt that is sure to hit the stratosphere with his tax policy and the requisite programs for the needy that will be cut when “trickle down” doesn’t materialize, or the United States standing in the world that’s in shambles thanks to him.

Do I have tenderness for a sick 3-year-old? Absolutely. But tenderness for a grown man and his lackeys who should know better? Sorry, Cal, I can’t muster that up.

Make a way for Dreamers

DACA and its 800,000 green-card holders are anxiously waiting word about possible deportations. They have been successful, basically, in working at a career and paying taxes. They should be humanely vetted as well as have opportunities in working toward full U.S. citizenship.

It would beseen as cruel to send DACA members back to the nation of their parents. These DACA individuals have never lived and worked in another nation than that of the United States. Being deported to a nation of which they know nothing about would be extremely unusual and negative.

On the Statue of Liberty when entering New York Harbor, words of wisdom state, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free.… ”

We need to welcome the DACAs as ultimate citizens, just as our forefathers as they came to the shores of the United States years ago. Each person in the United States must contribute abilities and skills more optimally.

Faculty salaries in colleges

The Jan. 13 Sunflower article, “Wichita State’s provost will continue to receive $297,353 salary while on leave to focus on his professional goals” reminds me of the 1986 Eagle-Beacon headline, “(KU Chancellor) Budig Forced to Take Raise.”

What a contrast.

Complying and not complying

New York City mayor Bill DiBlasio is making a bold decision to not comply with federal laws regarding sanctuary cities.

I don’t remember any Republican mayors refusing to comply with federal law when Obamacare was passed. But I do remember Lyndon Johnson sending federal troops to Alabama when they wouldn’t recognize federal civil rights law.

I wonder how tough DiBlasio would act if a squadron of Marines were to march up the stairs and point their weapons at his office door.

This story was originally published January 28, 2018 at 4:06 AM with the headline "Letters to the Editor (Jan. 28)."