Dear editor,

Stand your ground Mr. Erbert and Mr. Kobach, fight for your rights as citizens of the United States of America. Personally, political correctness makes me want to puke. I do not recall seeing anything printed, in advance, by the committee that stated they had the right to deny entry into the parade unless the entry was deemed unsafe, not because a person is showing his love for his country.

Are you going to have Mr. Erbert arrested if he decides to do the parade with his jeep as is? Have you talked to the police chief and the county attorney to find out what charges you can bring against him? I don’t think the committee has a leg to stand on and this decision just shows how petty we can become.

Mr. Erbert, I invite you to next year’s Kincaid Fair parade as we will be happy to have you. We just love anyone that will take the time to show us how much they love the good ole USA. It is a big parade with nine bands participating last weekend so come join us.

I do not know Mr. Erbert nor do I know who is on the committee but I suggest anyone in favor of Mr. Erbert find out who your committee members are then call and voice your opinion.

Ann Donaldson,

Kincaid, Kan.

To the editor:

My Republican parents taught me civility and conduct of decency with other citizens, with whom we have different views, is honorable. I believe mocking another citizen is evil and destructive to the welfare of our country.

One senator said that is is just wrong for the President mocking Christina Blasey Ford at the political rally last sunday.

Other Republican and Democrat senators were appalled. We can give thanks for parents who have taught us with nurturing respect. Such nurturing will strengthen the nation and we can give thanks. Let’s think of our children and our grandchildren.

Respectfully,

John Wesley Skillings,

Iola, Kan.

Dear editor,

Read, with interest, Mr. Don Erbert’s letter about being restricted by the Farm City Day committee as to his jeep, with its modified weapon, not being allowed to participate in this parade with gubernatorial candidate Kris Kobach in the same vehicle. Common sense would dictate that for a politician any public presentation is better than none but when principle is involved many skewed and misinterpreted actions are often the result.

My problem with this situation is not quite so simple to resolve as Mr. Erbert’s and Mr. Kobach’s — simply remove the item of controversy. My problem is the fact that this is a public event, hosted annually to support the area in which we live and the basis of a rural community is the farmer and their produce — be it by the truck load or arm load. The fact that there is not an active farm in the history of farming without a firearm available to all the family eludes our committee — if the issue is firearms.

However, the real problem is that this committee depends on support from not only local farmers but the taxpayers of Allen County and the City of Iola to the tune of over $5,000 in real money ($4,000 cash) and manpower to set and remove barricades and clean trash, etc.

The fact that the parade is a celebration of our community and the season is also important. Take into consideration of local merchants peddling their wares and the parade are all being conducted on public streets and in the case of the courthouse lawn — public land.

With this concept in mind, how can a committee determine what is and isn’t appropriate to be displayed? Understand that one committee person resigned due to this and the general public is not very happy with the reasoning or people who made this political decision rather than selective agenda decision.

Are we to become a town of dependents and welfare applicants because a few individuals have made it their golden opportunity to benefit personally from supporting the poor and indigent that are coming to Iola because of programs that support and encourage dependency rather than being employed and paying taxes, like the rest of us?

I don’t want to see LGBT groups being the symbol of our town or honor guard in parades that aren’t open to all groups, either.

Too late for this year, but I guarantee that next year, there will be strings attached to any money given to this organization who thinks they will dictate personal prejudices onto the public they are supposed to be serving and not controlling.

Respectfully,

Larry Walden,

Iola, Kan.

To the editor:

In reading about maybe switching Allen County Regional Hospital to a lease system with St. Luke’s in Kansas City, St. Luke’s is ranked no. 2 in the Kansas City market, with KU Med no. 1, according the the U.S. World Report.

When Anderson County built a new hospital, they signed a lease with St. Luke’s, and as I recall, they guaranteed a $10 million payment, paid at $1 million a year for 10 years, and would re-up if it remained profitable for them.

This was a godsend for Anderson County. I switched there when they built, and have been extremely satisfied in doing so. They have put good doctors in the clinics, and have specialists coming to Garnett on a regular basis.

I am having severe back problems. My doctor said he comes to Garnett once a week, but was booked for the next three weeks, so I chose to go to St. Luke’s South in Overland Park, an hour and 15 minutes away for the procedure. My doctor also set me up to go to Allen County Regional Hospital for physical therapy. He said they have just as good a staff as anywhere in Kansas City, and boy was he right. It’s a great bunch.

I have talked to a lot of people over the years, and what I heard was if you have something wrong with you, go somewhere else if you want to get better.

I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but I’m sure many of you have heard this or maybe said these very things.

I have read in this paper many times that we just need to stop people from leaving the county for their health care. If you sign a lease with St. Luke’s, they will solve that problem. They are a first-class organization.

I know this would be a disruption, but maybe that is what’s needed to stop these rumors and give the people a lot more faith in their health care needs.

David Comstock,

Colony, Kan.