Editorials

By Lata Nott
Freedom Forum Institute
    On Friday, Aug. 28, Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana introduced a bill called the “Support Peaceful Protest Act.” Despite the cheery title, its very purpose appears to be to make individuals think twice before attending any sort of protest. If the bill were to pass, it would make it so that an individual “convicted of a federal offense related to their conduct at and during the course of a protest” policed by federal law enforcement officers would be required to pay the cost of that policing, and would be deemed ineligible for COVID-19 unemployment benefits. This would be on top of the penalty imposed on the protester for committing that federal offense in the first place.

    We hope you will take time this week to check out our annual salute to area first responders, which can be found inside this week’s newspapers. And if you get a chance this week, thank one of your local first responders for all the work they do to keep our community safe.

    If you follow the weekly updates provided by the Crawford and Phelps counties health departments that regularly appear in our three newspapers, or keep track of cases on the Missouri COVID Dashboard, then one thing is for certain—we are headed in the wrong direction in our local efforts to combat the virus.

    At least two area high schools have announced major changes in how they will be handling crowds at sporting events this fall due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The bottom line is: if you don’t have a kid participating, you might just want to plan to stay at home and read about your favorite team in your favorite newspaper.

    As we continue to see COVID-19 cases grow in our area—not just total cases, but cases reported over the past two weeks—we are increasing the likelihood the disease is going to impact some of our most vulnerable residents—those living in nursing homes.

    No matter where you stand on schools reopening and mask wearing, there is one thing you have to acknowledge right now—our area school districts have done some outstanding planning for the 2020-21 school year. Will it work? We’re about to find out.