Letters to the Editor: Defending ‘Hillbilly Elegy.’ Shame on legislators for mask refusal.
Op-ed unhelpful
I find Will Hurst’s recent op-ed to be provoking but not factual.
He suggests we study the history of Appalachia (I have, and by living here 40-plus years and raising our children here).
J.D, Vance’s story in “Hillbilly Elegy” is his own, not Hurst’s.
I began as a visitor, then moved here. To suggest that myself or Vance had no idea what was here or going on is to sell us short, in my opinion.
There’s been no shortage of “save hillbillies from themselves” — the truth is, more than a few need something short of a miracle. My kids all left my area, next door to Hurst’s, because of jobs.
It’s simple, but also complex.
I do hope he provides better information to his students than this angry mess.
Honestly, I’m also tired of Ivy Leaguers, etc., as the true answer to running our country, state, schools, or always knowing what’s best for Appalachia.
My personal answer was to pull up stakes from where I had a loving family and relatives and move here to make far less money and make a life helping people. It’s been tough but rewarding, to say the least. I’m still here, and I still see much need, but ill informed rhetoric is not helpful. Try again, try better.
Michael A. Tyree, Frenchburg
‘Elegy’ personal story
I wonder if the many critics of J.D. Vance’s “Hillbilly Elegy” have actually read the book, or at least the introduction. I am growing weary of the constant fault finding. In the introduction, J.D. states “This is not an academic study”. It is rather a memoir of a Rust Belt family in southern Ohio with roots in Eastern Kentucky. The point is when a family relocates out of Appalachia, they very often take their dysfunction with them. Quit trying to find fault with someone’s personal history. It is his story, not Appalachia’s story.
Dominic Martina, Lexington
Shame, GOP frosh
I read the recent Herald-Leader article about the Republican freshman legislators not wearing masks. They were exerting their freedom of expression. They also have the freedom to die if they so choose. However, they do not have the freedom to make other people sick and possibly die. Not following approved precautions shows a total lack of compassion for other people, especially their constituents.
James Ware, Lexington
The real bad guys
In the old days of cowboy movies the bad guys always wore masks when they robbed the stage coach or the local bank. Alas, nowadays many of the “bad guys”, including several newly elected to the Kentucky legislature have chosen to not wear masks to a recent orientation meeting. Thanks to your newspaper, we now know from which side of the law, or at least the law of common decency, these dudes from the Republican ranch will be shouting or shooting.
Dr. John V. Payne, Berea
Post names
I must admit a bit of disappointment in the Herald-Leader’s story about the new legislators refusing to wear masks. While the story quoted Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers giving lip service to masks before attacking Gov. Andy Beshear for balance, the Herald-Leader should have published the names and towns of the violators. Now some may say it serves no purpose to shame them, and I quite agree. They have clearly shown they lack any capacity to feel shame. Rather it should have been done as a public service so that anybody encountering them would have the opportunity to socially distance and protect themselves from the selfish, self-centered actions of people who arrogantly believe the rules do not apply to them. I do have a question for our unmasked friends. When they drove to Frankfort, were they obeying the law and wearing a seat belt or did they refuse because it infringed upon your personal freedom?
Jay Hopkins, Frankfort
Come on, legislators
I was saddened to read there are new Republican legislators going without masks at the state Capitol. What a slap in the face to Gov. Andy Beshear and to the people of Kentucky who are trying to stem the tide of this coronavirus by measures like wearing masks in public. We are so very fortunate in Kentucky that we have a common sense governor with integrity that leaders in Washington D.C. do not possess. This kind of bad behavior against the strongly recommended advice of scientists and doctors about wearing masks to protect one another and the rude, irresponsible behavior of some of the legislators makes me feel like switching my party affiliation from Republican to Democrat. After all, isn’t our state’s motto “United We Stand, Divided We Fall”.
Marty Bryant, Lexington
Step up, banks
Shutting businesses and forbidding evictions without having banks delay rent or mortgage payments or government money helping make the payments is unjust. It is also unjust to require homeowners who are jobless due to the virus to pay mortgages without help. Would foreclosures help anyone? Why are banks silent on this? Why are they not delaying payments during COVID-19?
Suzanne Zivari, Lexington
It’s about issues
I was intrigued by the letter in the Herald-Leader last month titled ‘Heal, not heel’. It criticized Leonard Pitts Jr.’s column regarding the outgoing Trump administration. As a Republican, the writer needs to take a look at issues and not “feelings”.
Our current political situation is not about Democrats insulting Republicans, it’s about the issues associated with the Trump presidency that Republicans have yet to address. Here are just a few. Do we wish to have a president who is a compulsive liar? Start with the wall that we were going to build and Mexico was going to pay for, to the pandemic that was like the flu and under control. How about a president who approves of separating children of asylum seekers from their parents at the border? Do we want to continue with this nationalistic notion of isolation when we live in a world where international cooperation is critical in dealing with trade and the economy, immigration and the environment, especially climate change?Do we want a president who doesn’t believe in science, who considers the free press an enemy of the people or wishes to take healthcare from millions?
These are but of the few documented issues that Republicans must come to grips with when they feel insulted by Democrats. I hope many of the 72 million people who voted for Donald Trump will understand the issues that must be addressed before healing is possible.
William Farnau, Lexington
Unfair policies
I would like to ask Gov. Andy Beshear a question.
Observing the local gas station, they have thousands of customers a day. Not one time have I seen an attendant clean or sanitize the pumps. I have never seen them sanitize the self-serve lottery machines, or even the counter pin pad or change dispenser cup that every single person has touched.
The local mom and pop restaurants and bars may have a thousand people in a month’s time and they are forced to follow all the mandates. However, every single customer is seated or served at a clean, sanitized table, booth or bar top. Every time they leave, the surface is cleaned and sanitized for the next customer.
They are the ones that spend thousands on cleaning and sanitizing products. They are the ones that are cleaning every area on a constant basis.
How are they the problem?
It seems that the big box stores and gas stations that have tens of thousands of people daily have more potential to spread the virus than a few people that are in an actively cleaned environment.
We the people would really like to hear this answer.
Doug Barr, Shepherdsville
Speak up, GOP
Former Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan said...”So, the election is over. The outcome is certain, and I really think the orderly transfer of power — that is one of the most uniquely fundamental American components of our political system.”
This is a very important step in unifying our country. The smooth, peaceful transfer of power is written into our own laws. Now that the General Services Administration has released a letter confirming Joe Biden’s victory, maybe now our federal elected officials will consider acknowledging that fact and offering a congratulatory statement to him, vice president-elect Kamala Harris and his top notch, qualified cabinet picks.
Everyday that passes, as President Donald Trump continues to spew lies and conspiracy theories, his followers are emboldened to stand against that transfer of power. They are aligning with the extreme falsehoods, putting our democracy in danger.
A statement to the public, their constituents, and the world would help quash those untruths and let our nation heal from the wounds of hatred and divisiveness.
Diane Cahill, Lexington
Eyes on the goal
I am a Christian. At one time such a statement would not have generated virulent hostility. That seems not to be the case now. In a recent edition of the Herald-Leader, four of the five letters published were clearly hostile to Christianity which, as one letter author stated with regard to non-theist beliefs, is a belief system protected by the First Amendment. Some were snarky (lamenting the outlawing of poisonous snake handling in religious services) and others were truly frightening (“the religious indoctrination of too many needs to be controlled”). Such shallow and mean-spirited expressions of ignorance and hatred against people of faith do not advance what should be our common goal, the protection of people from serious illness or death from COVID-19 and from the life and livelihood-threatening impacts on the physical, mental, educational, and economic health of so many which can result from the government’s knee-jerk, inconsistent, political and often unscientific reactions to the virus.
Emily Way Schwartz, Versailles
Two types
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought out the best and the worst Christians.
In the New Testament, James writes, “I show you my faith by my deeds.”
Christians show their faith in God as they obey His word. Jesus taught his followers to love one another and he demonstrated they are their brothers’ and sisters’ keeper. In the pandemic, Christians show their faith by wearing masks, practicing social distancing, and doing other things to protect their brothers and sisters from COVID-19. They worship God in ways other than being physically in a church building. By obeying Gov. Andy Beshear’s orders (based on information from top medical specialists), they show they accept Paul’s teaching that God appoints governments and they must obey the authorities.
Others say they are Christians but demonstrate by their actions that their faith is in the U.S. Constitution, a magnificent secular document written by humans that guides our country but is not the word of God. Their actions say they believe they have the freedom to put people at risk by having in person worship and in person attendance at Christian schools.
To which group will Jesus say, “Well done, my good and faithful servants” and to which will he say “I don’t know you?”
Robert Thurman, Wilmore