Letters to the Editor: No to downtown soccer, Supreme Court fights, not so free speech

Nix soccer field

Lexington can be proud of its progress in turning the downtown into a place where its citizens want to walk, bike, eat, take their kids and dogs, go to art and music shows, attend a concert or a sports event. Why then would we even consider the gigantic mess that a soccer field/hotel/apartments/etc. would create in a lovely part of the city — a part where Victorian houses, a fantastic new park, and restaurants/music venues are currently flourishing? What traffic congestion and noise this would create. The only people who appear to be in favor of this are the ones who will benefit financially. I think that people who live nearby should begin to show up at the planning meetings and let their voices be heard.

Cindy Frase, Lexington

New standard

The Constitution is silent on the qualifications that our presidents should consider when they initiate their search for Supreme Court Justices. To that end, when President Joe Biden announced his intent to base his selection on race and gender, he set a new precedent for the selection process. Consequently, his nominee will be selected for reasons other than eminent qualifications. After Senate approval, the candidate selected is to serve the rest of their life, if they so choose, in a supremely important position and with a current salary of $255,300.

Far too many of our elected leaders are self-serving. Many will do or say anything to hold their elected seats as shown when they pander to the special interest lobbyists. This includes both Democrat and Republican parties who are themselves “lobbyists”.

Judy Yount Lyons, Lexington

Mitch strikes again

So, Sen. Mitch McConnell “warned President Joe Biden against selecting a new Supreme Court justice nominee based on the demands of the progressive left.” Well, I may be getting old, but I do remember that former President Donald Trump nominated three Supreme Court justices based on the demands of the radical right. Senator, quit being a hypocrite. Again.

Jerry Thiedich, Nicholasville

Not-so-free speech

It’s very obvious now. The Democrats want the America we’ve known to totally die out so they can rebuild it to their image. That would be socialism. Freedom of speech is long gone. A university used to be a place where many different thoughts and ideas were brought together , discussed, studied, and maybe debated. Then students could decide which of the ideas they believed. Now a university is a place where students are quickly told what they dare not say. If they have a conservative thought they are told to take it outside. There is a special spot on the lawn somewhere around campus where people may tell what they believe to anyone who will listen. Dems are happy to have hundreds of thousands of folks swarm over our southern border. They will all vote Democratic because those are the people who have invited them to come and who promised them everything free. That will put Dems in control again, maybe forever. There is something wrong with this picture. Please help us fix it.

Helen Martin, Richmond

Modeling behavior

On reading the stories about the school board fights over masks and curriculum content, allegedly fueled by angry parents who believe — with or without any formal education in any field — ”their rights” are being violated, it struck me that they are teaching their children to disrespect authority. These are the same people who are angry over crime rates in urban areas, angry over protesters (other than the Jan. 6 protesters of course), angry over attempts to reform police conduct, angry over the lack of discipline in public schools, angry over athletes who refuse to stand for the national anthem. Yet they are teaching their own children by example that shouting, name calling, threats of personal violence are quite appropriate when one disagrees with people in authority, including but not limited to the local school board, health experts, and anyone else perceived to be taking their freedom. Are American values being destroyed? Yes, but it’s by the people who think they and only they know what those values are and that they can forcefully get their way, the larger society be damned.

Sally Wasielewski, Lexington