Letters to the Editor: Unneeded development. Concerns about guns, prayer at Capitol.
Unneeded space
The Southern Heights neighborhood asked the Urban County Planning Commission to turn down a request to rezone a historic house from residential to professional. (See Herald-Leader article by Beth Musgrave on Jan. 31, “Vote on controversial Nicholasville Road zone change ends in tie.”)
The owner wants to tear down the house and build a two-story law office with 55 parking spaces. The neighborhood says this historic home forms a cornerstone of the neighborhood and should be kept residential.
This much is known: 1. Professional office spaces are already 15 percent over capacity. 2. Lexington needs more places for people to live, especially within New Circle. Then why would half of the planning commission vote to approve even more office space? I wonder why the property owner doesn’t turn the vacant lot on the property into another housing spot and sell the historic house. That way the owner can get money out of the property and not chip away at a beautiful, intact neighborhood that borders Nicholasville Road.
The planning commission will meet again on Feb. 27 to resolve the tie vote. I urge them to vote “no” to the zone change.
Lexington needs more residential property, not more office space.
Jeanette Coufal, Lexington
Capitol security
When I read the recent Herald-Leader article, “After Gun Rallies, Beshear Says He’ll Look Into Relaxing Capitol Security Further,” I was struck by the line in the third paragraph, which reads, “Under current rules, umbrellas are not allowed in the Capitol but anyone can openly carry a gun so long as they legally possess the firearm…”
It begs the question, how does the Capitol police officer at the door ascertain whether the individual is legally allowed to possess a firearm?
Kentucky doesn’t require background checks for private firearm sales on Armslist or at gun shows or from strangers in parking lots, but only requires them for sales by federally licensed gun dealers. Kentucky doesn’t even require background checks or permits to open carry or to conceal carry a firearm in public spaces.
So, when an individual presents at the security door carrying a semi-automatic weapon, ready to enter the Rotunda or the Annex, how does the Capitol police officer ascertain whether the individual is legally allowed to possess a firearm?
Laura Johnsrude, Prospect
Prayer ‘disturbing’
I don’t know about anyone else, but I was disturbed by the prayer offered before Gov. Andy Beshear’s State of the Commonwealth address. The gentleman condemned cultural diversity in Kentucky, supported the right to life movement, and praised the appointment of conservative judges to the U.S. Supreme Court — pages right out of the playbook of conservative Christians. He also quoted from the preamble of the Kentucky Constitution to make the claim that Kentucky was formed as a Christian state, although I found no reference to Jesus in the preamble. The prayer was an endorsement of the conservative right wing agenda, except for a gun in every pocket, cloaked in religion.
Whatever happened to separation of church and state? The legislature should be leading us into the 21st century, not pushing us back to the 19th.
Richard Kuehl, Harrodsburg
Op-ed misleading
A recent Herald-Leader op-ed by Ronald J. Vissing criticizes people for not understanding state Senate Bill 1. Vissing fails to understand how this bill relates to the rest of U.S. laws and society at large, and is therefore spreading false information.
He infers that private institutions which don’t cooperate with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) won’t be punished under SB 1. That’s true: they will be punished under the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, as well as other federal immigration laws. That’s Vissing’s mistake: he assumes that non-public individuals and organizations are exempt from federal laws when they aren’t. Only local governments can legally disagree with the federal government. If local governments can’t enact and enforce their own laws, then why have them?
By outlawing state governments or public organizations from creating sanctuaries, the bill is de facto banning all sanctuaries. Vissing’s argument to the contrary is plain wrong.
After this glaring flaw, the rest falls apart. Yes, SB 1 does allow DACA recipients to be deported. Yes, SB 1 does allow ICE agents to pull people from their homes. Yes, it will prevent victims from reporting crimes. Basically, everything Vissing says is incorrect or misrepresentative of the facts.
Bronson O’Quinn, Lexington
It’s an opinion
Letters to the editor continue to amaze and disappoint me. Such was the case when I read the letter about Linda Blackford’s “nasty” column regarding our two Republican senators and our president.
Blackford claimed in the column that the three aforementioned elected officials were an embarrassment to the commonwealth. Then she proceeded to list several examples to support her claim. That was her opinion, thus it appeared on the editorial page.
Those who disagree with that opinion should write letters to refute her arguments by expounding on the positive attributes of Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul and President Donald Trump. In fact, I would find it fascinating to hear any valid arguments that could balance the wealth of outrageous and inappropriate decisions by these three Republicans. Unless your head has been stuck in the sand or some other place where the sun doesn’t shine, I find it hard to believe that anyone could fail to come to the same conclusion. Senator McConnell is, by the way, the second most disliked senator in Washington.
From my perspective, Linda Blackford got it right.
William Farnau, Lexington
Column off base
I just finished reading one of the first post-acquittal impeachment columns in the Herald-Leader. The paper’s already liberal harangues have only been expanded and enhanced with opinions columnist Linda Blackford’s writings this past year.
One, if the House had done their job properly they wouldn’t have had to cry/plead for more investigation by the Senate.
Two, Sen. Mitch McConnell did his job. Fairly. Correctly. Masterfully. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Adam Schiff did their jobs. Poorly. Pitifully. Ineptly.
Three, Blackford’s comment about the whistleblower “who first started this ‘whole mess.’” I could have sworn this “whole mess” started on inauguration day three years ago, and not one year ago, post Mueller, when this so-called whistleblower came to the fore.
Rather than concentrate on investigations of someone exercising their constitutional power in public view, I would suggest that we concentrate on those exercising their unconstitutional power in the darkness. We have so very much to fear from those with the power to spy on us, indict us, file improper legal charges against us.
I may or may not vote for President Donald Trump, but I’ll definitely vote for McConnell and Sen. Rand Paul. I have too much to fear from unchecked bureaucratic power.
Joe Mercer, Lexington
Double standard
A recent letter in the Herald-Leader said: “My hope is that your paper will stop promoting anger and divisiveness among your readers.”
I wonder if that also includes the right-wing Trump-trash who regularly post their idiot screeds. No? Didn’t think so — we all know that right wing doctrine demands that “civility” is something that should only be required of others. The former Republican Party and their accomplices among faux “independents” and “libertarians” have shown us all, beyond any question or doubt, what kind of country they really want: no laws (for them), no accountability (for them), and no restraints (for them). Their vote to acquit the president has ensured it, the Constitution and the United States be damned. We are now officially a bona fide banana republic.
Charlie Adams, Harlan
Respect for all
God bless state Sen. Alice Forgy Kerr for her wisdom that gay children do not need to be repaired. We are all different and must learn to respect and learn from our differences. I hope our Kentucky legislators rally around Senate Bill 85, the Mental Health Protection Act.
Janet Steele Holloway, Lexington
Despicable duo
I couldn’t agree more with Ann McFeatters’ op-ed piece in the Feb. 8 digital Herald-Leader (“Time to cast off respect for Trump, Senate Republicans”). She hit numerous nails on the head. To me, the president’s most egregious sin is the near-mortal wounding of the office of the presidency. He has sought (and successfully so) to take every advantage, every source of power, and every means at his disposal to change us from a democracy to a Trumpocracy. And his “partner in grime” Sen. Mitch McConnell, who so skillfully engineered (not really) an impeachment acquittal, who continues to sit on bunches of House-passed bipartisan bills because he does not want the Democrats to get even a smidgen of credit for doing something good for the country, has managed a starring role in this travesty/tragedy. I sincerely hope that my fellow Kentuckians will grasp this intolerable weed and uproot this “senator” who is not Kentucky-born (shades of Sen. Rand Paul), who found his way to a seat of power, and clings to it, seeking to stay there by tossing chunks of money to us occasionally, and making promises of foreign investment. And yet Kentucky is not doing all that well — look at some of our national ratings.
Tim Swanston, Prestonsburg
Specifics, please
I read a recent letter to the Lexington Herald-Leader critical of President Donald Trump and Republicans and had to read it again looking for evidence of the writer’s accusations. I wonder just what did “over time” reveal to the writer about whom and what Trump really is. Why didn’t the writer enumerate? And just what are Trump’s “own actions and words” that make the writer want him out of office. I wonder if it could be the unemployment rate at a 50 year low, the protection of our Second Amendment right to bear arms, or the support and rebuilding of all branches of military. Or perhaps it is the lower tax rate that benefits the writer and all Democrats.
Ruby J. Wickersham, London