Letters on Brownback’s executive order, reusing water, Medicaid expansion, free birth control, Confederate flag, liberal threats, solar energy

Executive order is discriminatory

I find Gov. Sam Brownback’s executive action not only discriminatory and an offense to my faith, but unnecessary, fear-based, and an unconstitutional order.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruling was not a religious ruling; it was a civil rights ruling. It has not changed the religious landscape of our nation at all, and those who are trying to make it religious are simply promoting fear and oppression. No clergy members will be required to perform same-gender weddings should they choose not to do so.

The remaining portions of the order are once again an attempt by our governor to ignore the Constitution and the ruling of the court, and allow state taxpayer-funded religious institutions to discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, as well as any other faith tradition in disagreement with those institutions.

To discriminate against anyone based on religious belief is unconstitutional, including LGBT persons. If a religious institution receives federal or state funds, it will be held to the standard of separation of church and state as set forth in our Constitution.

Reuse water

It was encouraging to read that Wichita is seriously studying reuse of water (July 7 Eagle). Water is an economic development consideration. Right now our water pricing is comparatively attractive to commercial users in price and availability, and we need to keep it that way.

My hope is that a more comprehensive approach be taken. In addition to analyzing individual companies using effluent, we should consider two other approaches. One would be to have effluent supply distribution zones. South West Street has many manufacturers that collectively could be a cluster. Coleman, Johnson Controls, the USD 259 School Service Center, Koch Industries and Universal Lubricants are clustered on the north end. Golf courses and athletic fields generally are prospects.

A second and even more comprehensive and long-term consideration would be whether to pump all 40 million gallons of treated wastewater per day to the Equus Beds. This would require one larger pipe from any or all wastewater supplies to the Aquifer Storage and Recovery site. That would eliminate the need for a separate effluent distribution system to individual or cluster locations and simplify pricing. One disadvantage of serving individual customers with effluent is that they could move or quit, or their requirements could dramatically change. If all water comes from the normal distribution system, those potential problems are eliminated.

But it is great that the conversation has begun. Many other communities are far ahead of Wichita in their development of reusable water.

Real-life harm

It pleases me greatly that Rep. Pete DeGraaf, R-Mulvane, has insurance that allows him to successfully deal with his Parkinson’s disease (July 5 Local & State).

But others have no insurance and can only go to an emergency room. There they are seen by a medical professional, given short-term treatment, and sent out the door with a recommendation that they see their family doctor for referral to a specialist.

Naturally, they have no money to see a family doctor, specialist or physical therapist, nor to get prescription medication, because the governor and Legislature value their lives much less than ideology or cutting taxes for those who can actually afford to pay them. It would be nearly cost-free to increase Medicaid eligibility to 138 percent of the poverty level and cover 131,000 or so Kansans who happen not to live such a fortunate lifestyle.

Perhaps DeGraaf could counsel them, biblically, to get with their neighbors and have a bake sale to cover their medical expenses.

Ideology has real-life consequences for so many children and adults who are being ravaged by the decisions made in Topeka.

Free birth control

After reading about nine children taken into protective custody (July 7 Local & State), I can no longer sit quietly. Action must be taken to prevent unwanted pregnancies and reduce the number of women and children living in poverty.

Over the past six years, Colorado conducted an experiment that offered intrauterine devices and implants free to teens and poor women (July 7 Eagle). From 2009 to 2013, unwanted pregnancies dropped by 40 percent while abortions fell 42 percent.

The initial cost of this service would be recouped, as Colorado has shown, through savings in other social programs. If a grant or a program becomes available to provide long-acting birth control for women, please support the program, especially if, as a woman, you have used long-acting birth control or, as a man, you have loved a woman who used long-acting birth control.

If you are outraged that poor women keep having kids, remember that women don’t have kids by themselves. Until men are willing to snip it, wrap it or be a one-man band, the burden of limiting pregnancy and childbearing will fall on women. Support free long-acting birth control for any woman who chooses to delay childbirth, or ask men to stop having sex.

Unmasking flag

The Confederate flag champions a differential outlook predicated on racial hatred and catastrophic brutality. It romanticizes an abominable system of injustice that thrives on campaigns of relentless terrorism, unconscionable violence and incessant bloodshed.

Abolishing the Confederate flag from the American landscape is long overdue. But let’s be real – there is something infinitely more important.

Society’s structures demand change. Systemic racism opposes America’s cherished ideals of life, liberty and justice for all. It opposes religion’s highest aspirations – moral integrity, compassion for others, and universal love for all beings in the interdependent web of all existences.

Infinitely more important than discrediting the bankrupt shibboleths of systemic racism is abolishing once and for all systemic racism and its encrypted structures, assumptions and societal norms. Spiritual sickness must be transformed into spiritual wellness, ere we all go down in flames.

The Confederate flag has been and is emblematic of catastrophic brutality and injustice. Let’s take it down. But let’s go the whole distance and take down the monstrosity the flag cloaks – race hatred and profound spiritual ignorance.

Sleight of hand

When a magician creates a show trick, he does so by keeping you watching one hand while hiding the other. That is what our liberal media and socialist politicians are doing to us, with worrying about Confederate flags, what woman to put on the $10 bill, changing the names of airports.

The hidden hand is bent on destroying our freedom, and they are about to succeed.

President Obama is out of control with executive orders and usurped power, and must be held accountable. Let us quit worrying about things that don’t matter and face the real threats.

Support solar

I am very concerned about the Westar Energy rate proposal now before the Kansas Corporation Commission for several reasons. First, Westar is punishing any customers who want to add energy efficiency to their home by raising the monthly flat fee from $12 to $27 by 2019.

It is asking for an onerous tax on new solar users in its franchise territory, claiming that solar is not paying its fair share. However, several independent studies show that solar is a net benefit. The KCC should undertake an independent analysis on solar and come up with its own numbers, rather than let the fox tell the farmer what the chickens are doing.

Kansans want more choice with regard to energy, not less. Solar is adding more jobs to Kansas, and a tax on it would be anti-jobs and anti-business. This tax will greatly inhibit our ability to choose a portion of our energy demand.

This story was originally published July 11, 2015 at 7:04 PM with the headline "Letters on Brownback’s executive order, reusing water, Medicaid expansion, free birth control, Confederate flag, liberal threats, solar energy."