Royals refusing a COVID vaccine is like abortion rights? What a ridiculous comparison

Specious link

The author of a July 20 letter to the editor thinks that the personal choice of whether to have a child is akin to choosing to remain unvaccinated against a virus that has killed millions. (12A)

Pregnancy is not contagious. The coronavirus is. The choice of anyone who refuses to be vaccinated affects others. And in the case of the 10 Royals players, the choice not to get the shot could affect many others, as they are public figures who come into close contact with many people.

A woman’s choice about her reproductive health affects only her, her doctor, the sire and the possibility of a child. That is who should decide — nobody else. Certainly not a bunch of mostly male politicians.

- Kathryn Alexander, Olathe

Their rights

How many more articles are we going to see condemning 10 Royals players who exercised their right to not be vaccinated?

Whether they are vaccinated and why is nobody’s business except that of these men and their doctors. Why were the names and vaccination status, which is a private health matter, published in the first place?

The Royals give so much to this community, and these 10 men are part of that. Each one has brought so much joy to us all. Let’s stop this targeting, belittling, shaming and villifying them as our enemies.

These guys are the good guys, and their vaccination status is none of our business.

- Gay Hall, Bonner Springs

Tired kingmaker

I am continually appalled at these Republican candidates who fall over themselves trying to get the endorsement of the last president, who is being investigated for sedition and the attempt to overthrow the peaceful transition of power.

I would think that his endorsement would the last thing they would want to align themselves with. But it appears they still want to repeat the same old, worn-out claims that the past president has himself continued to repeat.

I can only hope that the congressional commission investigating the events that led up to Jan. 6, 2021, will present enough evidence to allow the Department of Justice to bring charges against the ex-president and many of his supporters and send guilty parties to prison for their involvement.

- David Goettel, Independence

Dehumanizing

In the July 19 online Xtra Opinion section of The Star, a cartoon from Clay Bennett of the Chattanooga Times Free Press showed a dozen cockroaches. The cartoon’s title described them as “A jury of Steve Bannon’s peers.”

It was an appalling and unnecessary dehumanization of a human being, one with whom I disagree about almost everything.

But it reminded me that in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, a radio station incited Hutus against the Tutsi minority, regularly describing the latter as “inyenzi,” or “cockroaches.” The result was some 800,000 murdered people. That’s what that kind of abhorrent language can lead to.

Had I still been a member of The Star’s editorial board and this cartoon had been offered for publication, I would have insisted it not run. Current editors overseeing the Xtra section — and the Chattanooga paper itself — should have done the same.

- Bill Tammeus, Kansas City

Not his own lane

I was shocked to read about the Johnson County sheriff and his outlandish attitude toward what he thinks is the extent of his power. (July 19, 1A, “JoCo sheriff’s ideas raise concerns of election interference”) As someone who does not accept the legitimate election of our current president, he is in way over his head.

He has no business meddling in our election process, and I hope the election commissioner sees that he does not. His only responsibility, like that of any of us, is to get himself to the polls and vote — period.

- Susan Fischer, Prairie Village

Municipal memory

The July 17 story about the history of Municipal Stadium missed a landmark event in the history of the stadium and of Kansas City. (4A, “Did you know Kansas City used to have a downtown ballpark?”) The Beatles played there on Sept. 17, 1964.

My father bought tickets for the family. My recollection (I was 7 at the time) was that we tried to listen to half of the brief show from our lower level seats but couldn’t hear anything because of the girls who were screaming nonstop. We then retreated to the concourse area to listen to the last few songs over the stadium PA system. Amps and speakers weren’t very powerful back then.

- Chris Wu, Arlington, Virginia