Letters to the Editor: It’s the McConnell Court. And it is damaging our democracy.

Well-regulated militia

Bobby Crimo, Highland Park shooter; Adam Lanza, Sandy Hook shooter; Nikolas Cruz, Parkland shooter; and Seung-Hui Cho, Virginia Tech shooter must have been members of what the second amendment refers to as “a well-regulated Militia”, right?

I wonder where these mass shooters receive the training and discipline which would define them as members of a well-regulated Militia? Or is every citizen over 18 in America automatically a member of a well-regulated Militia? I don’t remember receiving weapons training at the age of 18 to become part of my state’s well-regulated Militia, do you?

What seems to have happened is that the firearms industry hired some high-powered lobbyists who, with the help of lots of money, convinced our elected “representatives” that any American citizen is automatically a militia member without desire, training or consent, so the firearms manufactures can sell their product to anyone without regard to any qualification, intent or mental fitness. The manufactures, and their pals at the NRA, get rich and place the horror of so many deaths on the “mentally ill” individuals they sold to, but do not face accountability for their total lack of responsibility.

So, where is this “well-regulated” militia?

Barbara Rave Plymale, Lexington

Abortion questions

Now that the Supreme Court has eliminated a federal right to abortion, our society faces serious questions that demand answers: (1) What services will be provided for the physical and mental health needs of women forced to continue a pregnancy? (2) The CDC estimates that approximately 700 women die annually from pregnancy complications. How many more deaths will we see because of additional pregnant patients? (3) Will there be support for relatives who are able to provide homes for children when they are unable to live with their biological parents? (4) Are there adoptive parents available to provide a home to these additional children who are unable to live with their biological parents or relatives? (5) If the above options are unavailable, will there be adequate foster care homes? (6) When the additional children reach 18 years and “age-out” of foster care, will funding to support their integration into the community be available?

All are inescapable questions, and answers to most of them currently are negative! It is incumbent upon everyone, especially those who support the Supreme Court decision, to ensure that the answers are unequivocally in favor of the women and children.

Larry W. Whorley, Lexington

Religious freedom

Agnostic. Atheist. Areligious. I never quite know which word describes me best.

What I do know is that I am a 47-year-old, college-educated professional with a secure job. I also know that when our local school board meeting begins with a prayer, I feel uncomfortable. I don’t bow my head, but I don’t raise it up either. In the conservative Christian community of Anderson County, I’d rather not stand out as a disruptive force. I don’t want to stand out because I care about my community, our schools, and our students.

If this is how I feel, imagine the effects on a child. Group prayer can be a profoundly uniting force, but it also can be a dividing force. Consider being a Muslim high school football player, standing with your team in the locker room as the coach leads a Christian prayer. Imagine standing on the sidelines as your coach and other players head to the 50-yard line to kneel in prayer. This happens every day in public life in America. Despite what Christian conservatives may argue, it’s not what the founders intended and it’s not ok.

Laura Kennedy, Lawrenceburg

Douglass engraving

Although I grew up on Georgetown Street, within sight of Douglass Park, it wasn’t until 2002 that I noticed the words carved in the stone pillars at the park’s entrance. Yes, I knew the park was named in honor of Frederick Douglass, the Black abolitionist, orator, writer and statesman. No, never have I seen or heard of Frederick Douglass referred to as “Fred Douglass”, as is carved in the stone pillar.

I imagine that whoever carved those words knew full well that they were pulling off a literal sleight of hand in substituting a shortened name on the monument to a great African American. It clearly was meant to demean Douglass.

The 2017 removal of Confederate statues from the old Fayette County courthouse on Main Street demonstrated an awareness of the need (and ability) to correct past wrongs where possible. Now, I urge Lexington’s leaders to have the full name of Frederick Douglass carved into the stone pillar to correct another. To leave as is, would be sad indeed.

The other sad thing is that it’s taken me 20 years to comment on this subject publicly.

Arnette Travis, Redondo Beach, California (former Lexington resident)

Pro-life laws

In her column, Teri Carter states Roe v Wade “became law” in 1973. The Supreme Court is not authorized under the constitution to “make law”. Therefore what they did was correct an error & sent the legality of abortion back to the States. To blame the Supreme Court for making American women subject to Taliban-type control has no validity.

Teri seems more concerned about aborting the child of a ten year old than prosecuting the criminal that caused the pregnancy! She said, “is this the dream that parents have for their daughters?” referring to getting abortion on demand. Which incident crushed the parents dreams: a grown man violating their young daughter or a state making abortion illegal? Making abortion illegal in Kentucky may actually cut down on incest and child sex trafficking.

Teri talks about her mother and grandmother. The insinuation is, I suppose, that had they killed some of their children before they were born, their lives would have been better. This issue is not about “healthcare” or “privacy” or “women’s rights”. It is about whether one human being has the right to decide if another human being has value & should live or die.

Pat Bullock, Salvisa

McConnell’s Court

Plenty has been written regarding recent decisions by the latest version of the Supreme Court. Perhaps it should be called the McConnell Court, as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has been instrumental in its structure. The court appears to have adopted the tactics of his party to become a political force and policy driver.

McConnell refused to take up confirmation hearings for President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court pick more than a year, claiming a need to wait for the next presidential election cycle, before subsequently jamming through President Donald Trump’s nominations with only weeks left in his term. Such hypocrisy appears laudable in the Republican Party where the means (any means) justify the end.

Certainly, McConnell’s embrace of Trump, for whom it seems he has a visceral and palpable dislike, to place Republican in federal judgeships is another example of the minority’s willingness to play bedfellow with whoever will achieve the party’s desires.

The conservatives of the court, emboldened by their numbers, are also members of Camp Hypocrisy. Have they forgotten the confirmation hearings when they averred Roe v. Wade was settled precedent?

Democracy is under attack on multiple fronts, and the assault by the high court may prove the deadliest.

Mark Hubley, Lexington

Solar energy

It is absurd that the utilities would be planning for increasing generating capacity instead of energy efficiency programs. The cheapest electricity is electricity we never need to generate. Energy efficiency should be considered a means to meet future demand by lowering our future needs.

Utilities are a public good. LG&E and KU have explicitly stated that they have not studied ways to ensure equity in their 15-year plan. Utilities should study the benefits of incorporating equity-driven policies such as quantitative energy equity metrics, income-based rates, and expanding other programs that help people lower their bills. If we don’t demand it, they have no incentive to do better.

Studies show that solar is the cheapest form of new electricity. However, LG&E and KU’s plan completely disregards distributed solar in its 15-year plan and makes no meaningful investment in the energy transition. Left to their own devices our utilities will continue to *not plan* for the future because it maximizes shareholder profits in the short-term. We shouldn’t be held responsible for paying for utilities’ refusal to acknowledge the writing on the wall. Our lives and our children’s lives literally depend on it.

Cara Cooper, Lexington