Opinion

Few of the world’s most liveable cities are in U.S.

GUEST COLUMN, John Richard Schrock, Education Frontlines

The Economist Intelligence Unit, a research and analysis section of The Economist Group based in the U.K., just released its 2024 Global Liveability Index on The World’s Most Liveable Cities. Few U.S. cities made the analysis of 173 cities across the globe.

Ratings are calculated based on five categories: Stability (25 percent), Healthcare (20 percent), Culture and Environment (25 percent), Education (10 percent) and Infrastructure (20 percent). Stability includes violent crime, military conflict and civil unrest. Healthcare includes availability of care and drugs, and healthcare outcomes. Culture and Environment includes a range of factors from humidity and temperature to corruption, censorship, and food. Education evaluates both availability and quality of education. And infrastructure includes quality of roads, housing, energy, water and telecommunications.

Independence Day helps us pass patriotism down through generations

SAINTS PERSPECTIVE, SCCC President Brad Bennett

July 4 is upon us, and it’s a great time to encourage students of all ages to dust off those thinking caps and learn one of the most important things they’ll need as they move through life: patriotism.

For people of my generation and older, patriotism was a standard part of every school day. It was normal to frequently recite the Pledge of Allegiance, everyone standing to participate. Lessons in February often included stories about former presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, because President’s Day was observed with sincerity.

Let’s remember the sacrifices made to secure our freedoms

GUEST COLUMN, Janeth Vazquez, Liberal City Commissioner

As we celebrate the Fourth of July, I am reminded of how honored I am to serve as a city commissioner in Liberal, Kansas.

This is a time to reflect on the freedoms we enjoy and the greatness of our nation. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to our veterans and troops for their sacrifices, which allow us to live in liberty and pursue our dreams.

The upward way

MY PERSPECTIVE, Gary Damron

We just finished a summary of the Revelation of Jesus Christ - the last book in the Bible written by the apostle John - which we also studied in 2020. During Covid, many people were asking, Are we in the last days? Where are we in relation to the timeline? Following Jesus' example, I might answer those questions with a couple of questions: Where are we in relationship to God? And what is our trajectory?

In relation to God, on this 4th of July, where are we as a country? We dread the news and the next election. Devastation continues in Ukraine, in Gaza, in our major cities, and even in our small towns. Drug deaths, abortions and suicides are common, as family and churches are abandoned. We lose faith in our government, medicine, and science, even in ourselves.

New citizens

THE POSTSCRIPT, Carrie Classon

I’d never been to a U.S. citizenship ceremony before. I’d never even thought about it much. I knew the process took a long time but, beyond that, I knew nothing about it, until I was invited to one.

My dear friend, Betty, was coming in from out of town to attend the citizenship ceremony of her son-in-law, Raul. Raul is a quiet and soft-spoken man who works in corporate catering. He has been waiting to become an American citizen for many years and finally, last Thursday, he became one.