I had an illegal abortion in 1967 when I was coughing up blood. Was I ‘selfish’ then?

Had no choice

Was I “selfish” — to use an adjective from the author of a Nov. 4 letter to the editor — to have an abortion when I had two small children and was coughing up blood? My doctor didn’t know what was causing it. My husband was supportive, as were my parents, but the doctor in 1967 could not help.

I had an illegal D&C procedure without anesthetic in an unfamiliar city, paid for with the cash in my pocket. Fortunately, the doctor was professional and I had no ill effects.

I have never regretted my abortion.

- Roena Haynie, Kansas City

Farm smarter

The Star’s Oct. 9 editorial “Drought is not just a California problem; ask a Kansas farmer” (21A) focused on drought’s impact on our region’s farmers. There is rising worldwide awareness that droughts and spreading deserts threaten the world food stocks. Widespread food scarcity looms, and it won’t spare our nation.

It’s still possible to avert decades of famine if Americans will act effectively on two fronts. In transportation and agriculture, we must step away from the fossil fuel use that is heating our planet. And in agriculture and in our lawns and parklands, we must regenerate our soil so it can hold more moisture for a water cycle that provides more moderate rainfalls and less wasteful runoff.

The federal government must subsidize farmers who reduce soil-disturbing tillage, use cover crops that nourish the soil and reduce use of nitrogen fertilizer.

We need government that’s responsive to the interests of all sectors of our economy and that can work cooperatively with our producers of food, goods and services. Passage of the Inflation Reduction Act shows that a Democratic-led Congress working with President Joe Biden is best suited to meet 2023’s foremost challenge: a farm bill that regenerates our soil and sees to wise use of our water.

- James R. Turner, Kansas City

Ugly threats

I sure enjoyed my breakfast at a wonderful restaurant in Holden, Missouri, Tuesday morning after voting. The gentlemen next to us were talking about the horrible Democrats, particularly Ike Skelton and Mel Carnahan, and then proceeded to predict that if the Republicans didn’t win, “There will be blood in the streets.”

I think the threat of violence is horrible. I just wanted to eat my pancakes, but I left with a bad taste in my mouth and fear in my heart for my beloved country. Words matter more than pancakes.

- Stacy D. Berry, Odessa

Don’t overturn

Gaylene Crouser’s words in Jenna Thompson’s Nov. 7 story, “‘We’re still here’: Local event highlights Native American issues and perspectives,” apply to most U.S.-Native American relations: Genocide. Broken treaties. Mission boarding schools. Forced removal of land, language, children and religion. These were (and are) premeditated.

As the Kansas City Indian Center’s executive director, Crouser honors Indigenous resilience when she says, “It’s a miracle any of us still have our language, our songs. A lot of people gave their lives for this.” As a mother, she highlights the Indian Child Welfare Act, which thousands of Native Americans marched from California to Washington, D.C., to secure in 1978. Before ICWA, states removed more than 25% of Native children from their families, often without proving parents were unfit. Today, child advocacy organizations call ICWA a “gold standard” policy.

But this week, a team of business leaders, Christian groups and white parents (claiming reverse racism) aim to overturn ICWA at the Supreme Court. Chippewa citizen Robyn Bradshaw (a boarding school survivor) and her 11-year-old granddaughter are central to their Brackeen v. Haaland case.

Defenders of ICWA include the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, 497 tribes and 24 states. Kansas and Missouri are not among them, which is no accident. I urge the Kansas and Missouri attorneys general to oppose overturning this important legislation.

- Kimberly Hunter, Kansas City, Kansas

Final honor

This year, the theme of Veterans Day is “honor.” It’s an opportunity to celebrate the men and women who served with honor — and to honor the lives of these heroes who walk among us.

Military veterans have sacrificed so much by putting their lives on the line to protect our country and the freedoms we enjoy. And when they come to the end of their lives, with that same fierce courage in their hearts, our veterans deserve compassion, empathy and gratitude.

That’s why, at Crossroads, we have always made sure there is specialized care for veterans. Not only does our staff receive extensive training in understanding and addressing those needs, but we also welcome veteran volunteers who offer companionship to their fellow service members. And we are honored to partner with We Honor Veterans, a program of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.

Crossroads is proud to provide hospice care for these brave men and women. We can never thank our veterans enough for their service, but we can find ways to honor them — and make sure their special needs are addressed when they approach their final days.

- Perry Farmer, CEO, Crossroads Hospice and Palliative Care, Kansas City