We must be kind, and be vigilant, about monkeypox
The World Health Organization on Saturday declared the current monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. This designation calls for a heightened global effort to prevent further disease transmission, but what even is monkeypox, and what does it have to do with us here in Kansas?
Monkeypox is a viral disease similar to smallpox. Monkeypox, however, is much less severe. Like smallpox, monkeypox can spread in many ways, including skin-to-skin contact, bodily fluids, respiratory droplets, and contact with contaminated materials—often fabrics such as bedding. The most common symptoms include fever, aches, and swollen lymph nodes that then give way to a rash. This rash eventually progresses into a lesion resembling a pimple and can be very painful. After 2-4 weeks, the lesion scabs over, and the individual is no longer considered infectious. Until recently, monkeypox has mostly circulated in central and west Africa apart from a few small outbreaks in the West.
While it is true that a majority of cases linked to the current outbreak are among men who have sex with men, it is important to note that we will see transmission in other groups. Monkeypox has many routes of transmission, and you do not have to have sex to become infected. The stigmatization of gay and bisexual men during the HIV pandemic led to untold levels of pain and loss in many communities, and most not be repeated. We all must remain vigilant, wash our hands, wear a mask, and be kind.
Christopher Carter,
521 Westview Drive
The following are paid political letters.
Keep abortion decision in hands of women
I don’t buy the argument that all the Value them Both amendment would do is to return the abortion issue to the legislature. What it actually would do is to confirm that reproductive rights are not inherent universal civil/human rights, but that they reside in the political decisions of legislative bodies. This amendment would say that women’s bodies don’t fall under the category of universal protection, but that the legislative body in power at the time can give or take away that protection.
Why would Kansans allow legislators to usurp the moral agency of women by determining how their bodies should be used and by trampling on their rights to exercise their conscience?
Personal medical decisions should not belong to legislative bodies.
Jane Pelletier
829 Dehoff Drive
Right to abortion a critical issue
Regarding the upcoming amendment on abortion; I would not allow a group of people who would make such an inane decision as to allow biological males to compete in female athletics control such an important issue as a woman’s right to an abortion. Vote No.
Don McCullough
1604 Denholm
Vote Tony Mattivi
In the next few weeks, we will be voting in the primary to select the Republican candidate for the next Kansas Attorney General. This is an important position, which is why I decided to support Tony Mattivi.
The Kansas Attorney General is the state’s chief legal officer and top law enforcement official, who oversees the criminal division and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, and prosecutes capital murder, rape, human trafficking and major drug offenses in the smaller counties across the State of Kansas. The Kansas Attorney General is responsible for every criminal appeal and all cases argued before the United States Supreme Court. The Kansas Attorney General works with the County and District Attorneys of every county on legislation that will make Kansans safer. The Attorney General ensures that the other governmental agencies comply with the law. On the Republican ballot in August you will see three choices; however in terms of competence and experience there is only one choice, Tony Mattivi.
Tony Mattivi began his career as a prosecutor in the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office in the early 1990’s. Starting out in the traffic division he soon moved up to prosecuting violent crimes. Tony was hired by the Kansas Attorney Generals Office where, as an Assistant Attorney General, he prosecuted violent crimes and major drug cases. While at the Kansas Attorney Generals Office he was appointed under a federal grant to prosecute major drug cases in Federal Court as a Special Assistant United States Attorney. Tony’s suecess prosecuting major crimes led to a position with the United States Attorney’s Office.
As an Assistant United States Attorney, Tony prosecuted significant cases including violent drug gangs and international terrorists. Tony was given the task of lead prosecutor of the terrorist who attacked the USS Cole.
Unlike the other candidates, Tony Mattivi has been a career prosecutor. He was approached by other career prosecutors, District Attorneys and County Attorneys to run for the office of Kansas Attorney General. The list of County and District Attorneys who endorse Tony Mattivi for Kansas Attorney General are the who’s who of experienced trial prosecutors in the State of Kansas. Tony Mattivi has also. been endorsed by a long list of Kansas law enforcement officers. No one understands better than these career prosecutors and law enforcement officers how crime affects the everyday lives of Kansans, or the qualities we need in an Attorney General.
Murder, rape, human trafficking of children, and drug trafficking are all occurring in Kansas and are serious problems. We need an Attorney General who is a proven professional, a proven prosecutor and crime-fighter.
As of this August I will have been prosecuting criminals in Kansas for 32 years. During that time I have worked with six ( 6) different persons who held the position of Kansas Attorney General. In. my opinion there is only one choice on the primary ballot this August who is qualified to hold that position- Tony Mattivi.
I urge you to vote for Tony Mattivi for Kansas Attorney General.
Barry Wilkerson
Riley County Attorney
Why we must vote “Yes” August 2nd on Value Them Both
Kansans for Constitutional Freedom is an organization incorporated in Kansas with the same address as Planned Parenthood of Overland Park. They are only interested in a huge increase for their business of killing unborn babies. Their main financial support, millions of dollars, is coming from outside Kansas. Their support includes the political arm of the Biden Administration, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and many other pro-abortion entities outside Kansas.
Kansans for Constitutional Freedom have sent large postcards to the people of the entire state of Kansas. Their main aim is to created confusion concerning the Value Them Both issue. The main lie they spread is that a “Yes” vote will change our Kansas Constitution. Our Constitution was written by people who also passed laws opposed to abortion. Certainly, the Kansas Constitution never included a right to abortion. A “Yes” vote will restore our Kansas Constitution to its original meaning.
A “No” vote will continue to allow our liberal, progressive, Kansas Supreme Court to create any law they wish without any input from the Legislature or the citizen of Kansas. We must vote “Yes” to end the Kansas Supreme Court’s overreach of raw judicial power.
Rex Miller
3463 Scottie Lane
Manhattan, KS 66502
Choosing Life or Death:
Saint Teresa of Calcutta said it so well: “The greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion, which is war against the child. The mother doesn’t learn to love but kills to solve her own problems. Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want. We must not be surprised when we hear of murders, killings, of wars, or of hatred ... If a mother can kill her own child, what is left but for us to kill each other?”
Have we reached this point? Consider this when voting for the Value Them Both Amendment.
Richard and Tanya Bachamp
Riley County Attorney
