Letters: Beshear shows ‘what it is to lead.’ Readers discuss coronavirus pandemic.
Beshear leads way
It is with the utmost appreciation that I thank Gov. Andy Beshear for showing the state and country exactly what it is to lead. His proactive approach to the potential crisis involving COVID-19 has and is preventing our beautiful Bluegrass State from being victimized by fear and denials coming out of our nation’s capital. This is not just another flu. His leadership has prompted our colleges, sports organizations, businesses, and citizens to also be proactive (no, I’m not speaking of the run on Costco and Sam’s Club). The rise, peak, and fall of this potentially lethal coronavirus may come, go and soon be forgotten, but much wisdom has come from it. The spirit of cooperation — led by our governor — has shown us what it is to come together as a people, a state, and yes, a country. The divisiveness that has infiltrated this nation over the past few years has peaked and leaders like Beshear will bring us back to one nation, under God, with our liberties restored, and justice for all.
Carolyn Payne, Lexington
Get some sleep
With no available vaccine nor known effective medicine for treatment of COVID-19, great emphasis is appropriately being given toward prevention measures. Hand sanitization, covering one’s cough, avoidance of crowds, cruise ships and airplanes, and even touching one’s face are now topics of news and conversations. However, too often absent from these conversations is the importance of sleep and its relationship to overall health.
Multiple research studies over the last decade have shown that sleep deprivation is a primary cause of impaired immune system functioning. One study at the University of California San Francisco found that people who sleep less than six hours a night are four times more likely to catch a common cold when exposed to the virus. Less than five hours of sleep increased the risk to 4.5 times. Importantly, this risk was demonstrated to be irrespective of age, race, education, or income. It seems hardly a stretch to imagine that susceptibility to the novel coronavirus might be similarly affected.
As we encourage all of the other sage recommendations, we should also prioritize sleep in our arsenal of prevention measures. It just might be that a good night’s sleep each and every night is the best prevention measure of all.
Dr. Phillip W. Bale, Glasgow
Help those in need
As health leaders try to help communities prepare for the changes that will take place in the structure of everyday life due to the inevitable spread of COVID-19, we are faced with the reality of the need to protect and provide for the weakest among us — the elderly and the poor. One area that must be a focus is the elderly who depend on delivered meals and the poor and homeless students whose only nutritious meals are those they receive in schools. How will they eat if our schools close and our communities are under quarantine?
One thing that we can do to get out ahead of these probable disruptions is to get a stock of nonperishable foodstuffs into hands of the elderly and needy students now, such as canned fruits, cereals, shelf-stable milk and beverages, shelf-stable microwavable meals,etc. Vouchers that would allow for purchasing or having hot meals delivered from food vendors could also be considered.
Our PTAs and faith communities — mosques, churches, and synagogues — could be asked to organize volunteers to help package and deliver those foodstuffs ahead of the time when these disruptions may occur.
We will be judged by how we treat the most vulnerable amongst us.
Waheedah Muhammad, Kentucky chapter chair of Council on American-Islamic Relations, Lexington
Science is real
Like it or not, the modern technology and medicine that rules our lives is governed by science, not by politics or human theories. Science (physics, chemistry, and biology) is not controlled by human beliefs, love, hate, or party politics. A coronavirus, that can’t even reproduce itself without a host, is a product of biology and evolution and cannot be controlled by politicians. COVID-19 will run its biological course and will return again like MERS, SARS, and influenza. A lack of concern and funding for best-science vigilance to protect against global pandemics, wishing for impossibly quick vaccine development, or saying COVID-19 was killed by border closing hasn’t stopped the coronavirus from infecting the United States. Similarly, climate change is based on science/physics, regardless of denial and distraction by willfully ignorant politicians and oligarchs. Experts estimate economic losses in the United States in the coming decade from weird weather will spiral to at least $360 billion annually. Hurricane Dorian could not be moved into Alabama by a stroke of a politician’s Sharpie in order to manipulate an election. Hysteria based on deception and fear-mongering concocted by greedy politicians is no match for science. Vote for reality and learned expertise, not for political alternate realities and willful ignorance.
George Wagner, Wilmore
Jail bill ‘travesty’
I was shocked and dismayed to read the article about David Allen Jones who, though charges were dropped, spent 14 months in the Clark County jail and when freed was billed $4,008 to cover his stay in jail. Everybody with any sense of right and wrong knows that it was wrong to present him with a bill after his false arrest.
Law enforcement and the judicial system ruined his life financially, emotionally, and socially. He lost his freedom, his job, his car, his home, and many friends and acquaintances. He is expected to pay twice for his non-existent crime. First in jail time, then $4,008 for the bungling by law enforcement and the judicial system. What a travesty.
While the law says it was OK to bill Mr. Jones, people in their right minds know it was wrong. In order to partially right this injustice, I suggest three things. First, repeal this asinine law. Second if such a law has to exist, hold entities who make false accusations accountable for the expense. Third, stop patronizing businesses in Clark County. Then the county will suffer financially for its misdeeds. So be it.
Geraldine Burchett, Grayson
Fan of Prather
Just a note that community columnist Paul Prather, who writes about religion, is one of the reasons I look forward to your Sunday edition of the Herald-Leader His column is always very timely and encouraging in our confused society. I don’t always agree 100 percent, but that would be a waste if it were the case. Prather also did a masterful job in being the master of ceremonies recently in a memorial service for James Whitlock Jr. Whitlock Jr. was a University of Kentucky grad originally from Campbellsville who was likely the longest surviving quadriplegic in Kentucky history. His mother, the former Barbara Hazard, will undoubtedly have many rewards awaiting her as she was his caregiver for 43 years. He was injured in an auto accident as a teenager, yet persevered to be a productive citizen in spite of his handicap.
Barry Bertram, Campbellsville
Where was McConnell?
I am greatly saddened about the bankruptcy of McClatchy, which owns the Herald-Leader and other newspapers. The paper will now likely be controlled by a hedge fund, a great uncertainty for the future of our Herald-Leader.
Apparently, McClatchy could have avoided declaring bankruptcy if it had received pension relief as part of the Secure Act passed into law in December 2019. There were legislative negotiations to give McClatchy more time to pay its pension debts, but at the last minute the newspaper company was not included in the Secure Act. However, other papers like the Minneapolis Star Tribune and Tampa Bay Times were given relief. The Herald-Leader reported that our Sen. Mitch McConnell “did not oppose” the efforts to include McClatchy. My question is, why didn’t the senator actively work to save our paper from bankruptcy? That makes me wonder if people are right when they say our senior senator does not stick up for Kentucky’s interests.
It’s bad enough for the newspaper’s owner to declare bankruptcy with the ensuing uncertainties. But on top of that, it’s disturbing that Senator McConnell didn’t do more to advocate for the paper’s future.
Jeanette Coufal, Lexington
Contorted op-ed
While I admire the mental and moral gymnastics of Kathleen Parker’s March 11 opinion piece, “These two old white guys aren’t really much alike,” I take exception at the prospect of being spoon-fed such illogical tripe for the next seven months (and change). If these old, white progressives were so different, we wouldn’t have to be convinced of it.
In the third paragraph from the end, Parker deftly performs a sleight of hand on the reader, switching out a low-contrast comparison of similar Bernie Sanders and similar Joe Biden to a comparison of Biden and President Donald Trump.
If you aren’t paying attention to the flow of her piece, you might miss the fact that she has entirely abandoned her argument for a new argument altogether.
Quick as a flash, she’s back to Sanders and Biden, but in a new context of reconciliation, when she says, “But the country isn’t yet ready for what Sanders is selling…” And this is the point of the piece, that there is no great difference between Sanders and Biden,but that while the country just isn’t ready for the true final goals both share, Biden will be able to fool enough voters to win.
K. Joshua Koch, Lexington