A few weeks ago, I got a rather frantic phone call from an older gentleman I know who had just opened the most recent issue of his NRA magazine “the Rifleman” to find a full page add regarding question #1 on the upcoming Kansas ballot.

Officially known as House Concurrent Resolution 5008, question #1 proposes adding an amendment to the Kansas Constitution protecting our right to hunt, fish and trap. It reads on the ballot exactly as follows:

“The people have the right to hunt, fish and trap, including by the use of traditional methods, subject to reasonable laws and regulations that promote wildlife conservation and management and that preserve the future of hunting and fishing. Public hunting and fishing shall be a preferred means of managing and controlling wildlife. This section shall not be construed to modify any provision of law relating to trespass, property rights or water resources.”

Nineteen states already guarantee these rights in their constitutions and Kansas is one of several more moving that direction. The general thinking is that by guaranteeing these rights with written constitutional amendments, it will become much harder and more expensive for “Anti groups” to cause trouble in those states.
I hadn’t planned to write any more about this before the election, but my friend seemed quite upset and confused about the meaning and need for this proposal, so I decided to address the questions and concerns he had, hoping these answers will help others also.

His first concern was that this proposal was put on the ballot by some “Anti-Group.” No anti-group is directly responsible for the presence of question #1 on the ballot. When this proposal first surfaced in 2015, I questioned the need for it, but in speaking with one of the congressman who sponsored the bill and with a representative of the Kansas Rifle Association, it became clear that they were thinking ahead and being proactive in trying to prevent anti-groups from getting footholds in Kansas. Even though all Kansans already enjoy the right to hunt, fish and trap, (which I see more as privileges instead of rights) having those given to us as “rights” by a written constitutional amendment will be very powerful.

His next concern was whether to vote “yes” or “no.” Evidently the written language of the proposed amendment confused him, but voting yes passes the proposal and it becomes an amendment; voting no fails the proposal and it does not become a constitutional amendment. Please vote “YES.”

His final concern seemed to upset him the most, and that was what happens if it fails? The possibility of this proposed amendment failing here in Kansas is about as slim as me winning the lottery. However, should this proposal fail November 8, NOTHING will change. We will all wake up the next morning with the same hunting, fishing and trapping rights we had when we went to bed. By not having those rights given to us by our state constitution, we won’t have that leverage against anti-group’s shenanigans here in our state we would’ve had with its passage.

There you have my spiel about HCR 5008, otherwise known as question #1 on the upcoming ballot. I first questioned its worth, but after seeing how many other states are passing these sorts of constitutional amendments, I’m onboard. You will find this as the very last question on the back of your ballot. I see no downside to its passage, so please vote YES to question #1 on November 8. This is Steve Gilliland, author of Exploring Kansas Outdoors, and I approve this message!

Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at [email protected].

Gov. Brownback’s experiment has failed. It will take another generation (if we’re are lucky) before the sun is shining in KS. I’m a Republican, but I don’t vote party lines, and you don’t have too either. Brownback is on his way out. The most recent poll shows him the least popular governor in the country. 65% of those polled disapprove of Brownback’s job performance. His most recent quarterly report of the state’s economy didn’t match predictions of his “real life” experiment, hence he covered it up by canceling the report.

However, there is still work to do. Kansas voters need to vote out all of Brownback’s legislative fence sitters. That would be all his Republican cronies who vote the way he expects them to vote. Their head is elsewhere, where they can’t see the sun shining if it were shining. Vote Alex Herman for State Senate, District 40 and Eber Phelps, House of Representatives, 111th District. Kansas needs change and quickly.

And our Supreme Court Justices need to be retained. By not retaining them is part of Brownback’s agenda along with his legislators to consolidate the three branches of state government into a monarchy in which the governor reigns supreme and in which he and his policies are never questioned or challenged. Vote yes to retain these judges.

Tim Miller, Hays

I was born in Kansas, lived there for 25 years, went to college and graduated there, hunted and fished there and more. I have proud relatives everywhere in Kansas. I know Kansans are good honest people and this young man was bullied by the Animal Legal Defense League (deep pockets to sue whomever they want) and the phony little part-time animal no-kill shelter the Western Plains Animal Refuge. They deal with cats and dogs and not a huge volume of injured wildlife as the suit suggests. All of that is a lie. There was NO GAMBLING in any way in this event…that was a lie. The Kansas law is clear and easy to look up. It says;

The Kansas statute governing gambling in Kansas; 21-6403. Gambling; definitions. As used in K.S.A. 2012 Supp. 21-6403 through 21-6409, and amendments thereto:

“A bet does not include: offers of purses, prizes or premiums to the actual contestants in any bona fide contest for the determination of skill, speed, strength or endurance or to the bona fide owners of animals or vehicles entered in such a contest;”

The ALDF and the Western Plains Animal Refuge (WPAR) duped this unfortunate young man and are now bragging about it worldwide! It is all over the internet! They are trying to show how stupid Kansas is and are laughing at Kansas!

Come on, Kansas be proud! Fight back! Tell these misguided activists that THEY are NOT welcome to interfere with legal activities in Kansas and to be held responsible for lying to everyone. This small part time shelter needs to be shut down for lying to everyone too. DO NOT donate to them for any reason! Donate to this unfortunate young man to help him get his money back from the terrible settlement. It was not fair to him in any way! He did NOTHING wrong!

Please know that these activists groups want ALL HUNTING in America stopped and they are focusing on coyotes! You are being scammed by the Animal Legal Defense Fund and the little part time no kill shelter the Western Plains Animal Refuge. Someone needs to shut them down for lying! This is a serious matter for all of Kansas!

Jim Schmidt, Dragoon, Ariz.

In as much as America has become the greatest democracy in the history of mankind to date, you would think there would be some sanctity in our national election process. Nothing could be further from the truth as we are a few days away from electing the most powerful political figure in the world.

Our presidential election has turned into a cesspool. Our press, media, journalism, whatever you want to call it, has become the armpit of this presidential election. What is happening is beyond the pale and despicable. I refer to it as mainstream media or MSM.

It’s worse than dirty politics.

The first thing I will probably do following my submission of this writing to the editor is take a shower and stay there for an hour. That’s how bad politics has become as I see it. I feel like I’m down in the mud, maybe a sewer, writing about what is taking place right before our eyes.

Whose side is mainstream media on? Don’t vote if you don’t know the answer because chances are, you are totally uninformed or misinformed. You are not getting the straight scoop unless you tune in to alternative media. You are being sold a bill of goods by MSM. Call it propaganda and indoctrination.

MSM is in the tank for Hillary. Correction. It is always in the tank for a Democrat no matter who it is, and obsessed in taking out a Republican no matter who it is. Why? Media is liberal, progressive, secular, big government, socialist, etc. They are ideological, maybe we should say illogical when it comes to their blatant biased news reporting. Media plans to pick our next president, not you and me as voters.

Who do journalists give their campaign donations to? 95% goes to Democrats, that in itself should prove bias.

The playbook for lamestream media every election cycle is to dig up dirt on Republicans and ignore any misgivings by their chosen Democrat candidate. Forget the real issues. They always get down in the gutter, demonize, and destroy the Republican.

News reporting has become nothing but a tabloid totally obsessed with sexual innuendos, except when it comes to Bill Clinton. Mums the word when it comes to the most popular political Democrat figure in American history who is a sexual predator.

Bill gets a pass and Trump is crucified, even for something he said many moons ago.

Media Research Center found that the TV network evening newscasts were 91% negative when mentioning Trump.

National media is so very immoral and corrupt they would support Lucifer and try to destroy Jesus Christ, as America’s top radio host said the other day.

May I suggest readers do some research on Saul Alinsky. His book “Rules for Radicals” is dedicated to Lucifer and it’s used as a playbook by Obama, Hillary, and others.

It’s a known fact both Obama and Hillary thought Alinsky was the greatest. Those two were and still are disciples of Alinsky.

No, Trump is not a saint, nor is he the Devil, but the Devil’s work is sure taking place in our politics as we speak.

Would you believe! When Trump uttered some horrible lewd sexual remarks eleven years ago media spent over four hours on what he said. The bombshell WikiLeaks leaked emails got 30 minutes.

Those leaked emails are massive and are one bombshell after another. There are thousands upon thousands of emails (and thousands more to come) ignored by MSM that completely and totally exposes the corruption in the Democrat Party and collaboration with media to get Hillary in the White House. MSM is part of the Hillary campaign.

The emails are like a medical procedure where the doctors open up a patient and find a body totally consumed by cancer from side to side, and top to bottom – a nightmare.

The bombshells show schemes by Democrats to carry out voter fraud and even gimmick polls to show Trump is losing so voters stay home.

A Dem operative by the name of Creamer visited Obama at the White House over 40 times and his job is to pay thugs from Dem coffers to create chaos at Trump rallies and the emails show Hillary is part of the whole thing and obviously Obama is also part of the corruption.

One of the worst emails for Democrats exposes the scheme by Democrats, including Hillary, to change the Catholic Church by infiltrating it with far left radical groups with the word “Catholic” in the name of the organizations. In other words, let’s get the Church to change its stance on abortion, same sex marriage, and all of its other conservative beliefs. It’s a call to “revolutionize’ the Church.

It’s clear from the emails Hillary plans to infiltrate this country with Muslim refugees, a scheme to change the face of America, along with open borders by illegals who will get amnesty and vote Democrat. If that happens, the GOP might as well close up shop. We will forever be governed by one party.

It is clear from the emails that there was corruption galore in the Clinton Foundation and how the Clinton’s lined their pockets to the tune of $130 million when she was Secretary of State. Since when does a public servant get to become filthy rich as a public servant?

If Trump did one twentieth of the corruption occurring on the Democrat side, game over for Republican president and that’s no exaggeration. Media would take him out.

Hillary is for the little guy? That’s an insult to any informed voter. She gets a quarter of a million dollars to tell Wall Street in private what she will do for them as president but has a whole different agenda when she speaks publicly. The leaked emails prove it.

There is even more than the leaked emails that prove corruption. There are videos by Project Veritas, even FBI released documents. It is nothing short of insanity to put the most corrupt candidate to ever run for U.S. president back in the White House.

Let’s not forget, in spite of what media wants us to believe, most Americans believe we are headed in the wrong direction, that America is in decline, that Washington is broken, that most politicians are corrupt. That’s why Trump has millions of supporters and even many reputable and famous people that want him as our next president. Hillary wants the status quo.

If Hillary is rewarded by being our next president, after 40 years of a litany of scandals, corruption, criminal activity, and lies it is my opinion this country will never be the same when it comes to equality under the law. Common sense alone tells all of us it will only get worse since she knows she can get away with anything and everything.

I pray voters cast their ballots using their heads not the sensationalism of sex. We need to get back to the issues Americans care about. When you look at what Hillary wants for this country versus Trump it’s insanity to vote for her.

Mainstream media is tabloid and only belongs in the news stands of all grocery stores throughout the country where shoppers stand in line to be checked out.

Les Knoll lives in Victoria and Gilbert, Ariz.