Letters: Heartsick over death of child and the impact on student driver

Alcohol abuse accepted

As a mother and grandmother, I am heartsick for the family who lost their four-year-old son to an allegedly drunk driver last week. But I am also heartsick as I look at the haunted eyes of that 18-year-old driver.

What has caused such devastation? What kind of a society sees to it that the evils of tobacco are known and tries to eliminate its use while the use of alcohol is not only accepted but encouraged — at least until something like this happens?

In recent days with allegations of drunken sexual assault among teenagers, how many adults have commented, “Didn’t we all do things under the influence when we were partying as teenagers?” Can we say hypocrisy? How many lives must be lost, how much heartache must we suffer? Please don’t tell me of the evils of Prohibition. Simply tell me how our society has been blessed and uplifted since its repeal.

Loss is shared

Concerning the fatal DUI allegation at the University of Kentucky: The pain of the death of close friends can’t be shared by the community but the responsibility to make sure this doesn’t happen again is ours.

When arresting someone under the influence, police should seize vehicles, as they seize guns used in crimes. Repeat offenders’ cars should be permanently seized. Add to that, driving without insurance or excessive speeding. People should not have anger toward this perpetrator, but adamantly condemn his acts, and the fraternity’s.

My father (who was UK purchasing director) was a murder victim. I cried all the way from Michigan to Lexington after I found out he had been killed. But thankfully, I never had hate for the teen who killed him. The loss of my dad is still deeply a part of my being. I now cry for our loss of a child.

No search for truth

Who does she think she is accusing Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault? Simple — the victim. Christine Blasey Ford has come forward to describe behavior that occurred when both were in high school.

Another woman who went to college with him also has alleged sexual misbehavior. Will more women come forward? We don’t know, but neither do any of the senators on the Judiciary Committee. However, Republicans who control the committee must suspect there are more and do not want to open the floodgates by allowing the FBI to investigate or allow other witnesses to testify.

Sen. Mitch McConnell provided an answer by stating “Republicans will plow right through and confirm Brett Kavanaugh.” So much for a search for the truth.

Apparently, in McConnell’s world, there is one standard of behavior for men and another for women. Too bad he wasn’t listening when Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about judging a man by his character. Maybe McConnell will listen after Nov. 6 when women speak and he becomes minority leader.

Conn-tempt of Court?

I think Donald Trump could nominate convicted fraud Eric C. Conn for the Supreme Court, and the Republican senators would not have the guts to oppose it.

What goes around

Is it unreasonable that Democrats hold up President Donald Trump’s nomination to the Supreme Court for 10 days? After all, Republicans held up President Barack Obama’s nomination using unconstitutional means for 10 days as well. Oh, wait. Maybe that was for 10 weeks. No, thinking again, it was a 10-month holdup. Hypocrites.

Petition was doomed

For better or worse, the petition drive for signatures on the school tax raise was doomed from the start. Seldom do 50 percent or more of registered voters exercise that right, and few citizens would take the trouble to go online or find a place where they could go to sign the petition. I can guess who will gripe the loudest when the tax bills come out in November.

This story was originally published September 25, 2018 at 8:27 PM with the headline "Letters: Heartsick over death of child and the impact on student driver."