Letters on public health, Islamophobia, Christian extremists

Prevention is key to public health system

On three Sunday afternoons in 1963, Sedgwick County physicians and 2,000 volunteers immunized nearly 250,000 residents with the polio vaccine. It was one of our community’s greatest public health achievements.

Today, many diseases and conditions – both old and new – require the diligent attention of our public health, medical and civic leaders on behalf of the public at large: Zika, West Nile virus, Ebola, HIV, influenza, pertussis, sexually transmitted diseases, infant mortality, tuberculosis.

Just as important to everyone living in Sedgwick County is public health’s focus on preventable illnesses such as diabetes, obesity and heart disease that inflict misery on patients and result in billions in spending. Residents and health care professionals are learning more each day that we cannot treat our way out of these chronic health problems. We have to prevent them.

Prevention is key, and an effective public health system is crucial in this effort. April 4-10 is National Public Health Week and an ideal time to consider the pivotal role the Sedgwick County Health Department and other private and public agencies and workers play in making our community a healthier place to live and work. As engaged community members, we all must understand the importance of a strong public health system and work with our elected leaders to ensure that they allocate critical resources to support it.

This is public health

Were you to ask any group of doctors for an off-the-cuff list of the top medical advancements of the 20th and 21st centuries, most would include immunizations, infectious disease control, food and water supply safety, fluoridation of drinking water, tobacco control, family planning, and the decline of deaths from heart disease and stroke alongside their more glamorous counterparts such as advances in radiology and anesthesia. What these advances have in common, other than the prevention of millions of deaths and billions of dollars in medical expenditures, is that most of them have been implemented outside the doctor’s office.

This is public health. But public health is not a historical asterisk. Locally, multiple organizations are advancing the next wave of public health initiatives, including projects to improve pedestrian-cycling infrastructure, to improve access to healthy and nutritious foods, and to promote breast-feeding.

So as we celebrate National Public Health Week, we should tip our hats to the health workers, educators, nurses and physicians making these projects go. In another century, their contributions may be listed on that generation’s list of top medical achievements.

ISIS is a cult

The Islamic Society of Wichita took the high road, canceling its recent fundraising event (“How controversy over speaker at Wichita mosque played out,” April 2 Insight). It is sad that right-wing morons would carry or even threaten to carry assault rifles to a “peaceful protest.”

I have read several sources trying to understand ISIS and Islam. One source labels ISIS as a “cult” that wants to transform Islam at gunpoint. Islam has dealt with these “cults” over the past 14 centuries. Most have been catastrophic to the “peaceful” development of Islam.

Al-Qaida and ISIS kill more Muslims than others. They do not represent Islam today any more than the pre-Reformation Crusades represent Christianity. Islam has a problem that only Muslims can solve. Islam needs a “reformation.”

Islamophobia is also a cult feeding on ignorance-based fear. Islamophobia is a problem within the Judeo-Christian population, which largely has a biased concept of Islam. Islamophobia is also problematic within Islam, because Muslims do understand ISIS but do not act. With each ISIS event we see a few Muslims claiming that their religion is “hijacked” by a few extremists. The problem is larger than a few extremists, requiring much more Muslim action.

Condemn extremists?

Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Wichita, called for the Islamic Society of Wichita to cancel an event because of the featured speaker (“How controversy over speaker at Wichita mosque played out,” April 2 Insight). But after the police and a news station informed the Islamic Society that protesters would be showing up and possibly heavily armed, Pompeo didn’t issue a statement condemning the protesters who threatened the society.

If we expect and demand Muslims to condemn and apologize for extremist terrorists, should we not expect Christians to condemn and apologize for the extremist groups that are targeting American Muslims out of fear, hate and ignorance?

I also have to wonder, given that Pompeo is a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, whether there is any evidence that the speaker, Monzer Taleb, is guilty of supporting Hamas. Taleb is a U.S. citizen who has been in this country 30 years. Why has he not been arrested and charged with supporting a terrorist organization?

While Hamas’ position may be the destruction of Israel, Taleb has been supportive of a Palestinian state. Just because he is supportive of a Palestinian state does not mean he supports Hamas’ desired destruction of Israel. From what I have seen and read, he is only advocating for the freedom of the Palestinian people, not the destruction of Israel.

This story was originally published April 5, 2016 at 7:03 PM with the headline "Letters on public health, Islamophobia, Christian extremists."