Letters to the Editor: Is Gov. Beshear protecting Ky or has he gone too far?

State overstepping

I cringed when I read that an appellate court panel stayed the district court order which stopped the implementation of Gov. Andy Beshear’s order to close K-12 religious schools to in-person instruction. We are seeing the continuing erosion of the constitutional principles that are intended to protect the inalienable rights that predate and supersede government. I do not accuse the governor of bad motives — COVID-19 is a serious crisis — but I do accuse him and his advisors of not adhering to the constitutional limits on the state’s role and not lawfully using the state government as part of an overall strategy to battle COVID-19, a strategy that should be primarily guided by individuals making their own decisions (most people consider the impact of their decisions on others), the medical/mental health community, the federal government, and the limits set out in the Constitution. The state cannot expand its role to the point that it usurps the role of others or violates the fundamental and guaranteed rights of the people. The state’s role is important, but it should not be overstated, be allowed to limit rights that are not the state’s to limit, nor impose restrictions that are arbitrary and inconsistent.

Nicholas Glancy, Versailles

‘Not pro-life’

Four “Christian” schools in Lexington are pursuing court cases demanding they be allowed to open during a highly active phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. I have one thing to say in response: This is one more piece of evidence that these folks are “pro-birth,” but they are most decidedly not pro-life.

Betsy Packard, Lexington

Halting COVID-19

OK, so a Kentucky district court ruled that Gov. Andy Beshear does not have the power to close in-person learning at religious schools here in Kentucky (a decision just overturned by an appellate court). That doesn’t mean he, the governor, is anti-religious, or is trying to tell people of faith how to conduct their lives, it just means he felt he had the power and the obligation to try to stem the spread of the virus. After all, he feels his No. 1 job is to protect the lives of our citizens the best way he can. The court has ruled otherwise and we can expect he will obey this ruling once the appeals have been exhausted. That’s how our system works.

It should be obvious to anyone paying attention that Governor Beshear has done a pretty good job (need I say excellent) at doing what he thinks he can and should be doing to protect his citizens.

And by the way, I think it’s clear that Kentucky erred when it outlawed the handling of poisonous snakes during religious ceremonies. What were we thinking.

John Clark, Keene

Religion personal

Remembering that religion is an “act of faith”, it is important to many people. Many people, perhaps many more than are religious, see religion as a human response to uncertainty and environment. The myths surrounding religions offer hope and love. But they also offer horrific stories describing a God of vengeance and egoism. All the characteristics of God are written by mankind, not God herself.

To subject the people of Kentucky to disease spread is tantamount to parents preferring prayer over appendectomy for their child. It is wrong, it is dangerous to the rest of us, and imposes on our non-theist beliefs (also protected by the First Amendment). The decision of a court to declare closing schools anti-religious is folly. The governor made the correct decision to minimize contagion.

The framers kept the state from establishing religion, not to establish secularism, but to protect the sanctity of personal choice. They were deists, not Christians.

Believe whatever you want. Keep it to yourselves... lest we all start taking advantage with the claims of religiosity. It is a personal matter.

Lincoln Christensen, Richmond

Ignoring the truth

A recent Herald-Leader article reported on four Christian schools in Lexington supporting a lawsuit to stop Gov. Andy Beshear’s order shutting down in-person school instruction.

I do believe the personal contact of kids with kids is extremely valuable.

In this case however and sadly, the ignorance and arrogance to truth goes on in the name of religion.

My immediate thought and comparison was snake handling.The coronavirus is far more dangerous than poisonous snakes and certainly widespread.

The religious indoctrination of too many needs to be controlled.

Don Pratt, Lexington

This story was originally published November 30, 2020 at 10:37 AM.