Geographically? I know many claim Kansas is flat, but that’s not what Colonel Henry Leavenworth found when establishing the first settlement in this State.

After the Louisiana Purchase and the end of the Mexican Revolution, trade with Mexico became crucial for U.S. expansion. The U.S. established a trade route with the Great Osage tribe, known as the Santa Fe Trail. However, despite the trade agreement, traders faced dangers along the route. Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton (uncle of the famous artist of the same name), who wanted to protect Missourians, proposed a place along the route to safeguard them.

Although Benton aimed to protect Missourians, the fort was built on the west side of the river. Colonel Leavenworth, tasked with establishing a cantonment, knew the east side of the Missouri River was prone to flooding. He chose the elevated bluffs on the west bank to avoid this risk and gain a tactical advantage. As Sun Tzu said, a high position provides clear sightlines for observing enemy movement and securing better attacking positions.

This military tactic evolved into an idiom: “take the high road.” We use it when we stand firm on moral or political issues, while others act unjustly. As Kansans, we took the moral high road by knowing how immoral slavery was, and when we fought for school desegregation in Brown v. Board of Education. Whether you agree or not, Kansas took the moral high road on alcohol when we abolished alcohol in our Constitution.

Prosecutors, too, must take the moral and ethical high road in their work. We are often asked to discuss case details –whether by the media or the public — but we cannot. Legally and ethically, it is the jury’s role to determine the facts. If law enforcement or prosecutors publicly share their opinions, they risk jeopardizing the accused’s right to a fair trial. Every defendant is entitled to legal counsel and a trial by their peers, free from public influence. That is why prosecutors and law enforcement refrain from advocating, or even speaking about a case, even under pressure. We do not remain silent to be secretive or evasive, we do it because we must take the high road, even when it benefits someone we believe has done wrong.

In today’s world, too many people take the low road. Sadly, it has become easier and seems more commonplace. It has become far too easy for people to espouse negative and false opinions. We especially see this on social media. Anyone can spew uninformed opinions or attempt to upset others. Hearing these things can make it difficult to take the high road. I experience more than most in my roles as a prosecutor and an elected official. Yet, when I face these challenges, I remember I am a Leavenworthian, and I remember I am a Kansan. We take the high road because that is who we are, and that is what we do.

I hope the next time you face that fork in the road, you, too, remember who you are and who you want to be.

— Todd G. Thompson is Leavenworth County Attorney