Lawmakers should step away from meth legislation

I read state Sen. Tom Jensen's indignation at handing off his so-called meth legislation due to a perceived conflict of interest.

While I am unaware of any conflict, Jensen must understand that, from the outside, it looks like the only reason anyone would support such an ill-conceived bill would be that they were receiving some benefit. He should be flattered to be thought compromised and scheming, rather than simply to be thought a fool.

The legislation means anyone suffering a cold must visit a doctor to get the same relief they already have to show ID to get. Instead of treating my own cold, I have to contact my doctor, miss work, pay a co-pay and then wait for my prescription. Anyone without health insurance almost certainly cannot afford to treat their cold.

And it imposes the phenomenal obstacle on methamphetamine makers of asking the same doctors who write bogus oxycodone prescriptions to write a scrip for cold meds. This legislation will not stop meth, but will make miserable the lives of the law-abiding.

House Speaker Greg Stumbo, defending Jensen, was quoted, "Obviously, methamphetamine is a scourge to our communities and needs to be addressed."

I agree, but I would add, "Let's not do something stupid."

Sharon Jones

Lexington

Braving creationism

It amazes me how upset people get over the Creation Museum in Petersburg. It's like they are afraid that if they go there, they will be converted or bitten in the butt by a dinosaur. The museum has an excellent planetarium that graphically demonstrates the magnitude of the universe. It is breathtaking. The planetarium is well worth the cost of the museum.

Yes, my wife and I had the "courage" to visit the museum, saw the planetarium show and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.Be brave, non-Christians. Go see for yourselves what it is all about. Nobody is going to hurt you.

Ted Smith

Park Hills

A step back ...

Regarding Tonya Knight's humiliating experience at the Hyatt: I believe Mr. "Arm-grabber," "You People," "N-word" should start working on his résumé for his next job. Knight deserves whatever compensation she's asking for.

These are not the 1940s, when boxing champion Joe Louis was regarded as a "credit to his race."

William (Mick) Sagraves

Ashland

... definitely not forward

Between the creepily named Lady Antebellum country music group and Hyatt employee Jeff Westin's alleged flinging of the n-word (the obscenity so readily available to his lips, as if he says it often), we are fooling ourselves if we think we live in a "post-racial" world.

Racism, both institutional and personal, is alive and well in American society.

Molly VanZant

Lexington

Don't deny history

In response to the letter writer who seems to think it is offensive and politically incorrect to name a bar Jefferson Davis Inn, would you want to take down the J.H. Morgan statue at the old courthouse, too?

Heck, why not just have the entire Civil War removed from the history books and replace it with liberal revisionist history?

Many families in this area have ancestors who fought in the Civil War, for both the Union and the Confederacy. There is nothing wrong with remembering them, and doing so certainly doesn't make you a racist, as the letter seems to imply.

There was a Jefferson Davis Inn for decades downtown at Limestone and High Street that was a popular watering hole and live-music venue in the '70s and '80s. It was called that because Davis lived in this building for the three years he attended Transylvania in the 1820s.

By the way, the letter writer's hero, Gen. W. T. Sherman, conducted the most destructive military campaign against a civilian population in U.S. history during his "march to the sea."

Mike Weir

Lexington

Time for play

Research into the benefits of play, breaks, exercise and recess has been done for more than 10 years, but still, Kentucky's House and Senate education committees are not making recess a priority.

Recess would cost little but add much to improve the school experience as well as reduce the dropout rate and drug use (research shows the brain's executive function, which governs impulses, etc., improves during play).

Still, we hear excuses from decision makers why they can't or won't make Kentucky's kids' needs the focus of school.

I am disappointed because the interests being served are not those of children in this debate, but, rather those of powerful education lobbies who are putting their groups' desires above the needs of Kentucky's kids.

Unfortunately, our legislators are listening to them instead of parents, teachers, administrators and other citizens who care about kids first. Maybe they have forgotten what it's like to be a child who needs to move and play instead of sitting all day.

Jodie Leidecker

Berea