Allowing guns on Ky campuses will certainly make basketball games more interesting | Opinion

Guns on campus

You think you have seen the worst when Kentucky’s legislature is in session and then comes a horrible bill that tops them all.

A Republican legislator from Northern Kentucky is proposing to amend an existing bill in the hopper that would keep Kentucky’s universities from banning firearms on campus. In short, an 18-year-old could “pack heat.” The woman proposing this legislation apparently never had a teenage son. Machoism runs rampant through this masculine college-age group. Yet, their judgment and brains are not yet fully developed, scientists tell us.

If this insane legislation were to pass, I assure you as someone who spent three decades in higher education, it would be an omen of a futuristic gun death on campus. It could be the murder of a fellow student, a faculty member or administrator. One can only hope the Republican leadership in the General Assembly will send this ghastly bill to the place where crazy legislation goes to die.

Jack Blanton, Lexington

More guns

I can think of no better way to potentially resolve disputes at the collegiate level than Ky. Rep. Savannah Maddox’s (R-Dry Ridge) proposal to allow firearms on college campuses. The real value will not be as a deterrent to “woke” faculty, but rather to provide justice for athletic events in which the team that should have won was robbed. A potential gunfight or mass shooter would only add adrenaline to the excitement of the contest for the crowd and undoubtedly help to ensure fairness and good officiating. Fortunately, UK does have a world-class rifle team which could throw the odds in favor of the Cats especially until other states recognize this advantage and also adopt this policy, which will give sportsmanship a new meaning.

If it works out at the college level, there’s would be absolutely no reason to not incorporate it into high school sports. Thanks Rep. Maddox for thinking of yet another way to illustrate “Kentucky Proud” to the world.

Charles Myers, Lexington

Utility reimbursements

Hundreds of thousands of people across Kentucky contended with days long electrical outages recently. Certainly, no utility company could prevent fallen trees wreaking such havoc, but how about some improvement on restoration time?

KU will assuredly plead their case for rate increases to cover grid repairs along with incurred financial losses with 150,000 meters not running, overtime pay, and contract labor costs. First though, reimbursements should be made to households and restaurants for spoiled food, hotel room charges for those who must use in home medical equipment daily, businesses for lost revenue and their employees lost wages. Parents childcare costs as well, with school closures should qualify as well.

Thanks to Gov. Andy Beshear and Mayor Linda Gorton for their calm steadfast leadership through another community crisis. Instead of being in Kentucky reassuring their constituents, U.S. Reps. Andy Barr (R- ), James Comer (R- ), Thomas Massie (R-), and U.S. Sens. Mike McConnell (R-Ky.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) remained in Washington delving deeper into Hunter Biden’s computer and railing against “woke-ism.” Those two agendas will certainly keep us safer rather than focusing on infrastructure improvements.

Heaven help us - our federally elected officials certainly will not.

Cindy Sutton-Hargett, Lexington

Massie misunderstanding

Imagine my surprise, thinking I read quote by U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie (R- Ky.) to say it will be difficult to defeat incumbent Gov. Andy Beshear because, “Fortunately, it’s going to be a fair fight.” I was thankful for the gracious insight. However, reading further down to contrary, I sadly realized I had mis-read what Massie actually said, which was “Unfortunately”.

Indeed, as bizarre as it sounded, the actual gist of Massie’s opinion was that Beshear was just plain lucky that the triple crises of pandemic, tornadoes and floods had catapulted him to the top of public opinion throughout his term. Never did Massie concede a job well done. This despite a majority Kentuckians’ pride at our governor ranked “Most Popular” in our state by The Hill — one of only 2 Democrats in top 10 as of January, 2023.

Whenever I became upset as a child at unjustified accusations, my parents would retort with “Consider the source.” My disappointment at Massie falls into perspective, but I still wonder... what if we really were blessed with such a “lion laying down with the lamb” miracle? It is possible to have fair and honest debate of issues without malice or snark?

MAY THE BEST CANDIDATE WIN ON THE MERITS!

Sandra Schofer, Versailles

Unfit for office

What is the Number One reason Gov. Andy Beshear should not hold office you ask?

Could it be he was a staunch advocate, demanding for the first time in history the healthy be quarantined, and forced to take an experimental drug?

Remember? “Wash your hands.” “Get the shot and you won’t get sick.” “Get the shot and you can’t spread it.” “Get multiple shots.” “C’mon, do it for grandma!” “The unvaccinated are the problem!” “Wear a mask!” All provably wrong.

Or maybe it was the unemployment debacle? Put people out of work then don’t give them what’s theirs.

Up to half the people reading this will say “He was trying to do his best,” or “This is all we knew at the time.” Not true. Private schools successfully stayed open. Open societies like Sweden actually fared better than the United States. Early on, everyone knew it was the elderly and those with a minimum of 4 underlying conditions that were most at risk.

Despite all of the mandates, Kentucky’s COVID-19 rate was 17 percent higher than the national average and its death rate ranked 26th in the nation.

Here is what is NOT up for debate. Beshear oversaw the state police taking down license plate numbers while people attended church… and he implemented and promoted a toll-free number so neighbors could report on neighbors - 1-833-KY-SAFER. Think about that for a moment.

Anyone with such a mindset, to even contemplate much less implement such a policy should never be allowed in any position of power.

Dallen Wendt, Lexington

Dropping Dilbert

I am disappointed by your decision to drop the “Dilbert” comic strip because of comments by its creator.

You have expressed concern about book banning recently, arguing that individuals rather than institutions should decide what books they do and don’t read. Yet, you are canceling this comic strip rather than letting individual readers decide whether to read it. You also say that you “will not allow (y)our platform to be used by those who espouse hatred and bigotry,” but I wonder if you have ever considered that Joel Pett’s cartoons and “Doonesbury” frequently express hatred and bigotry toward Donald Trump and many other conservative figures and their supporters.

As a reader, I often skip over these particular comics rather than expressing outrage that their creators might have views that differ from mine and insisting that I shouldn’t be exposed to them. I urge you to reconsider your decision in the name of the freedom of speech and ideas that you claim to value. You may find what Scott Adams said abhorrent, but that doesn’t negate the value of his comic strip as a commentary on office work that many of your readers likely relate to and find humorous.

Stephanie Mason, Danville

Comic space

Since there is some open space in the comics section, how about bringing back “Non Sequitur”?

Robert Pratt, Lexington

Woke Republicans

Too many of our GOP Representatives seem to think that the only good constituent is a dead constituent. Now it seems that includes children, even though they aren’t constituents yet. We’ve got bills that scream parents’ rights and then there are bills taking parents’ rights away.

So you can give kids guns and forego lifesaving vaccines, share all the parents’ vices with their kids, but heaven forbid you get them psychiatric help because they are depressed about who they think they are. If the kids or anybody else doesn’t think the way the establishment wants them to think, well, apparently, it’s okay for them to just die and get out of the way. Doesn’t sound like it’s about protecting kids to me.

These “conservative” adults seem to have a sex hang up. It appears to be on their minds all the time. They’re against anything that makes them feel uncomfortable. Sounds like the conservatives are becoming more “woke” all the time, just a different kind of woke - also known as meanness, close mindedness and hatred of the so called “them.”

What are these people really afraid of? Are they looking in the mirror too much?

Glenna Brouse, Lexington

God’s punishment

Has anyone else wondered if our recent storms are God’s answer to the Kentucky legislature bashing our LGBTQ+ community and its youth?

Linda Angelo, Lexington

Progressive’s policies

American progressives love to play this game where they stake out a position that no one ever in history has supported; pretend they have held that position forever; and then shame you for not agreeing with it. Well, of course 8-year-old boys should be eligible for permanent, life-altering sex change surgery! Why would anyone ever think otherwise?

Doug Reed, Lexington

Binary choices

Having a binary choice certainly facilitates and narrows our task to understand and deal with current events and issues? Apparently one is either “woke” or “asleep,” and it takes only minimal effort to determine which one best describes your philosophy - better results than flipping a coin.

Charles Myers, Lexington

Patient’s choice

I was so thankful to see Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles state in his recent op-ed that “this is about a medical decision between a patient and a doctor. I will work to get government out of the way when it comes to how doctors best believe a patient needs to be treated.”

Of course, he was talking about access to medical marijuana. But I have to assume he has the same opinion about access to abortion, a procedure that also follows a “medical decision between a patient and a doctor.”

Women of child-bearing age across this Commonwealth must be greatly relieved to know that if Quarles is elected governor he will work tirelessly to ensure they have full access to all the medical care they need when managing their pregnancies.

Sallie Showalter, Georgetown

Evolving language

I realize that language is ever-evolving, fluid, and influenced by popular culture, slang, the digital world and more, but aren’t professional journalists still expected to write with clarity and accuracy? When I first read Christopher Leach’s story on a Lexington murder in which the victim is a “younger boy,” I assumed that the accused was an older boy, that is, a juvenile older than the victim.

Further reading indicated that the accused is a 35-year-old female. So which male is the victim younger than? I think Leach meant that the coroner is unable to assign a specific age to the corpse, in which case “a male of undetermined age likely not an adult” would be more accurate, and keep journalism out of the world of game playing.

Sally Wasielewski, Lexington

Adjust pensions

I hope every member of the Kentucky Public Pension Authority who receives a pension has been keeping up with the progress of House Bill 90. Apparently the members of the Kentucky House and Senate do not want to “Open the budget” and will let this bill die in committee. This bill would have been a long overdue Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for the retirees who have worked long hours in underpaid city, county, and state jobs for 20+ years a measly 1.5% cost of living adjustment to their monthly pension. The COLAs have not been given for the last 12-14 years.

I am urging all KPPA retirees to stand up and call your respective officials in Frankfort know how you feel on HB 90 and that you will vote for the officials that vote for you.

James Jeffrey Coleman, Lexington

Compiled and edited by Liz Carey.