Advertisement

Letters: KC readers discuss coping with heat, Dr. Bob Meneilly’s lessons and ICU beds

Cool it down

Years ago, I served my term with VISTA (now AmeriCorps) in south Texas near the Mexican border, a very, very hot place. Air conditioning my cabin wasn’t an option.

Here’s what the locals taught me: Spread a thick towel on your bed. Place a small fan at the foot of the bed pointed toward the towel. Put on your swimming togs and soak yourself in the shower. Start the fan. While wet, lie on the towels. The evaporation very soon will cool you. Repeat as necessary.

It’s easy and affordable — and it works.

- Jayme Vasconcellos, Prairie Village

Personal choice

Why should I have to drive the speed limit? I am a very experienced driver with a well-built and well-maintained car. I understand that obeying speed limits protects me, my passengers and others on the road.

But it’s my choice, right?

- Tom Witwer, Overland Park

More than you

I encourage everyone to get vaccinated, but not for the usual reasons. I am a resident of Lenexa, and I recently spent more than two weeks in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where my brother has been confined to an intensive-care-unit bed for six weeks. He has been on a ventilator and in critical condition for most of that time.

He does not have COVID-19, but he’s been close to death because of a serious infection. He has had both vaccination shots. I am so thankful that he was taken to the hospital before all its beds were full.

If you spread the coronavirus, you could endanger the lives of people who will die without intensive care. Please think of others.

- Rita Sue Breedlove, Lenexa

In this together

Dr. Bob Meneilly was a true leader, and his death is a huge loss to the Kansas City community. (July 23, 1A, “Meneilly, Johnson County pastor who took on racism, extremism, dies”) He always stood up, spoke up and told the truth.

We need other local clergy to do the same during this time of deep divisions caused by falsehoods. I hope they have observed that his church grew from 282 members to more than 7,700.

Truth and justice will always win out over falsehoods and fiction. Together we stand. Divided we fall.

- Susanne Shutz, Leawood

Learn from this

Today I see that we can, once again, expect another shortage — this time for back-to-school supplies and children’s clothing and shoes. Really? Are the captains of industry so singularly focused on last quarter’s profits that they can’t anticipate needs and rise to meet them?

If we learn nothing more from the COVID-19 experience, perhaps we should demand more forward-thinking leadership to guide us toward a future not plagued by shortages and inferior performance.

- Burt Walker, Raymore

It’s just the truth

Learning about an honest assessment of the role of slavery in American history — what critics are now trying to dismiss by falsely labeling it “critical race theory” — is understanding what institutionalized racism is about.

Many things such as housing segregation, zoning issues and criminal justice practices that have adversely and unfairly affected African Americans through the years remain issues today.

This is part of our American history. However, most of us are not even aware of it because if we are part of the dominant culture, we never have to think about it.

Learning the facts can only make us better people — and a better country.

- Connie R. Spies, Gladstone