Shame, blame, gratitude

For shame, lobbyists

A recent Herald-Leader headline made my heart sink. In big letters, it said, “Lobbyists work to restrict nursing home inspections.” What kind of human being would want to do such a thing? A human being who has no soul. Just like our president.

These kinds of people seem to be coming out of the woodwork since President Donald Trump was elected. People are starting to feel that it’s OK not to give a damn about anyone or anything but themselves.

I wonder how the lobbyists who are trying to keep nursing home maltreatment a secret from the public would feel if their elderly mothers or fathers were being left to lay in soiled diapers for hours on end, to the point to where their skin was covered by big, raw, painful sores. How would those lobbyists feel if their mothers or fathers were thirsty and in desperate need of water, only to be told they have to wait until an aide is available to get them some, resulting in those poor patients having to wait for hours?

There is a special place in hell for lobbyists like these.

Yolanda Averette, Lexington

Gun fantasies

Many people in our society see guns as a type of savior. That gun and their amazing draw and aim are going to preserve God and home. Of course, they’ve never had to do it under pressure. Imagination shoots back but it always misses.

But what do they really want to do?

I’ve got a couple of guns that I inherited. I’ve never bought one and I don’t carry the ones I have.

Why not carry? There are three reasons. One is I don’t want to kill anyone. Pro-gun types protest that they don’t really want to kill anyone. Really? What scenario involves using their gun but not killing someone?

Two is that I have a temper. I’ve never hit someone in anger but I’ve been close. What if I had a gun at hand instead?

Three is that I’ve actually had guns aimed at me. Every time this happened it was a surprise. I really didn’t think I could draw and fire before that person squeezed the trigger.

I wonder how many people are out there who would claim that killing someone really improved their lives.

This is an example of “even if you win, you lose”.

H. Stephen Midkiff, Mount Sterling

Coal a step back

Is Sen. Mitch McConnell serious about a return to coal?

Why not return to kerosene lamps?

How about covered wagons?

And for those who think fracking natural gas is the solution, it’s not. Fracking pollution is damaging just like mountaintop removal, particularly in regards to water pollution and earthquakes.

Don Pratt, Lexington

‘Investigation’ not bias-free

I have read the entire result of the “independent investigation” into the activities of the Covington Catholic group in Washington D.C. released by the Diocese of Covington through Bishop Roger Foys this month. To save your busy readers’ time, I have summarized the content of the “investigation” below.

Our firm was retained indirectly by our client Covington Catholic (CC) to investigate our client’s employees and students who are accused of inappropriate behavior on multiple levels during a school-sponsored trip to a political protest in Washington D.C.

We interviewed some of our employer’s employees and students who universally claim that they did nothing wrong. We did not interview anyone who might have a different viewpoint including the videographers recording our students engaging in what appears to be egregious activities or other eyewitnesses to their behavior who were not directly associated with CC. Some of the videos purporting to show our students engaging in catcalling is so poor that we are unable to confirm or deny the identity of anyone in the video. Therefore, we have determined that they could not have been CC students.

Based on the results of our investigation, we conclude that our client’s employees and students were not responsible for the behaviors they were filmed engaging in.

Case closed.

Ron Hargroves, Georgetown

A father’s response

Serious deficiencies in Kentucky’s Occupational Safety and Health Program have been ignored for years. “Fatal Flaws” by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting, the Ohio Valley ReSource and The Center for Public Integrity (Herald-Leader, Nov. 12), seems to have taken some by surprise, the OSH agency included.

We are victims of Kentucky OSH’s unprofessional, non-caring compliance officers and supervisors. This agency’s credibility has been destroyed for me by their handling of my son Grant Oakley’s case. Their idea of an investigation added insult to the tremendous loss we deal with every day. Grant deserved so much more! As do all the victims in this state and country. Why did it have to be on Grant’s young shoulders to bring to light the shortcomings of Kentucky OSH? And yes, that’s how we feel. The very least these people should do is apologize to the families that have been affected by their mishandling of these cases.

I am responding to the op-eds by Ron Hayes and David Dickerson, acting secretary of the state Labor Cabinet, to let Kentuckians know that they have someone who will do everything in his power to help them through a workplace tragedy.

Our loved ones are not numbers and do not deserve to be treated as such.

Mike Oakley, Grant’s FIGHT (Families In Grief Hold Together), Lancaster

Inconsequential or amusing?

I think God is very busy, too busy looking after His universe to be concerned about the inhabitants of Earth, this tiny blue speck in an insignificant solar system within an insignificant galaxy. His universe is too vast for us to comprehend. You wouldn’t expect a dung beetle to comprehend a 747 jet flying overhead -- the task at hand is all its little brain can handle.

But wait, maybe God is observing us for amusement, just like we like to watch ants and monkeys. After all, we are a funny bunch.

Joseph E. Long, Lexington

Grateful for law enforcement

I have seen several examples of outstanding community policing by the law enforcement community of Fayette County. I witnessed two officers assisting a physically challenged homeless man across Loudon Avenue, preventing motor vehicle and personal injury at a highly congested and dangerous intersection. This is just one example of the excellent work these officers do. I witness professionalism and genuine human compassion on a daily basis in our community, whether it’s the sheriff’s office, the library officers, the metro officers or the Kentucky State Police.

I think I speak for the majority of us in Lexington when I say we are honored and privileged to be under a system of honest, ethical and proficient officers. On behalf of all of us, I say thank you and extend my gratitude for actions seen and unseen.

Jeffrey Scott Back, Lexington

This story was originally published February 28, 2019 at 4:55 PM.