Cameron’s claims about Beshear and transgender children are ‘viciously misleading | Opinion

Cameron’s claims

Kentucky gubernatorial candidate Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s claims that Gov. Andy Beshear favors “genital mutilation” of children and that he lies about it are not only false but viciously misleading. What Beshear favors is that PARENTS and children--not Frankfort--decide what to do about gender issues, and then only within conditions that fall far short of “genital mutilation.”

As Beshear said, sex change surgeries for minors don’t happen in Kentucky. In a March letter, that Republicans sat on until this August, University of Kentucky Healthcare Chief Physician Jay Grider wrote that UK’s Transform Health clinic had performed “a small number of non-genital surgeries, such as mastectomies, and hormone therapy for older adolescents —14 and up — but only with parents’ or guardians’ informed consent.” Who on earth considers mastectomies, which are largely reversable, sex-changing “genital mutilation”? Dr. Grider makes the point plain: “Transform Health does not perform gender reassignment surgery on minors.”

As with other Republican distraction scams, Cameron’s gender fright charges are pure smokescreen, no fire. Apparently, that’s all he has to set against Beshear’s record of solid accomplishments.

Joe Glaser, Bowling Green

Hate speech

The University of Kentucky advertises itself as a safe place for students of all identities; however, multiple times since the beginning of the fall semester groups identifying as free speech protesters have been loudly directing anti-LGBTQ and misogynistic hate speech at all passersby. These groups are not comprised of students or employees and as such no actions have been taken since hate speech is protected by the First Amendment.

As of Sept. 25, this speech has crossed into proclamations of violence by protesters with one man proclaiming he would, “ kill someone for being gay” and others stating, “the government should be killing all gay people.”

Students are terrified, employees are furious, and the University has done nothing to even acknowledge that these protestors exist, let alone acknowledge that actions must be taken to protect its most vulnerable students.

Patrick Maloney, Lexington

Parkway name change

Hey Gov. Andy Beshear and U.S. Rep. Harold Rogers (R-Ky.) - Let’s do the right thing and change the Hal Rogers Parkway back to the Daniel Boone Parkway. Getting rid of the toll booths along the then DBPW is not enough to warrant changing the name to Hal’s Parkway. Don’t you all really want Daniel Boone to be the one remembered 50 or 100 years from now?

Brooks Webb, Lexington

Healthcare challenges

I am a retired government employee and get my Medicare through the Kentucky Retirement System. I have no choice on insurance if I want to take advantage of my retirement benefits. This week I was informed that my Humana Medicare will no longer work with the Baptist Health Medical Group I have been a part of for more than 20 years. I do not wish to establish a new relationship with a primary care doctor and do not know whether it will be difficult to find one that will work with Humana. My assumption is that the two mega health powers are putting their own financial benefit ahead of their patients -as usual. I see this as symptomatic of the unwillingness to compromise that is leading to labor strikes and Congressional inaction currently afflicting our country. Greed and lust for power is not leading us to a good place.

Nancy Leonard, Stamping Ground

Clay’s Ferry Bridge

When I reached the Clay’s Ferry bridge going north recently, the lanes were reduced from three to two until I reached Man O’ War Boulevard. Same thing going south. The paving and striping had been done, but the cones had not been removed. My daughter, who travels to Lexington every weekday, indicated the work had been done for at least a week.

But it is no surprise. I traveled throughout Kentucky for more than 25 years while a state employee. The presence of cones very often had no correlation to the status of road construction on the interstate highways. They could have been in place a few days or a few weeks before construction began. They could also be in place because construction was in progress or after construction was completed only the angels know how long ago.

If the removal of the cones and signs is a Transportation Cabinet employee’s responsibility, it is not a good look to squeeze three lanes of traffic into two lanes longer than absolutely necessary – emphasis on the absolutely necessary. If it is a contractor’s responsibility, allowing more than the absolutely needed time is also a bad look.

When the anonymous drivers get the short end of the stick, it is just another day in Kentucky.

Bennie G. Paton

Ukraine spending

A recent BBC news article, “How Norway outstrips US on Ukraine spending,” put funding of Ukraine’s war effort into perspective as a percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Using data from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, the report showed the U.S. comes in at Number 16 or 0.33 percent of GDP in aid to Ukraine, while Norway comes in at Number 1 at 1.71 percent of GDP.

Through August 2023, the U.S. has provided roughly $100 billion in aid to Ukraine. If Ukraine falls, then the other former Soviet Republics will be in Putin’s sights. And China will feel emboldened to invade Taiwan.

If the difference between what the U.S. budget was prior to WW II and during WW II is a guide, we’d have to spend at a minimum 13.26 times what we’ve already spent, or $1.326 trillion, in each of the three years (1943-1945) during WW II to try to save the free world again from run amok dictators in Russia and China.

The $100 billion to date is a bargain investment and it’s in our best interest to continue funding Ukraine!

Joe Crouch, Lexington

Funding inadequacies

Missing from Linda Blackford’s recent diatribe parroting the education establishment’s favorite pastime of claiming inadequate funding and attacking school choice is acknowledgement that the legislature in recent years has allocated millions of additional dollars to local school districts on top of modest per-pupil funding increases.

Blackford gives voice to Rockcastle County Superintendent Carrie Ballinger’s complaints about “funding inadequacy” impacting her district’s ability to recruit and retain teachers.

However, the legislature allocated those additional funds without dictating how districts spend them. They gave local leaders the flexibility to determine how to best use those resources in meeting their districts’ unique needs. Thus, Ballinger and her board should use those dollars for additional funding for teachers if that’s their greatest need. But please, quit misleading citizens with distorted claims about funding declines in education.

Also missing from both Blackford’s rant is that inflation-adjusted per-pupil spending dramatically increased since KERA’s passage in 1990, while the return on investment is miserly. Federal testing shows barely one in three white fourth-grade students and just 15 percent of Black fourth graders in Kentucky’s public schools could read proficiently in 2022.

It’s disingenuous to ignore these facts, inconvenient though they may be to Blackford’s ideological narrative.

Jim Waters, President and CEO, Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions, Lexington

Climate care

Pope Francis said recently, “We need a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all.... We require a new and universal solidarity.” In that spirit, over 25 denominations and faith organizations have come together to create One Home One Future, a multi-faith campaign to support creation care and climate action in congregations and communities across the US.

Our holy scriptures teach us that the earth is sacred. “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.” Colossians 1:16

Through One Home One Future, people of faith and spiritual people are answering the call to care for creation and ensure our common home is thriving for our children and future generations. Let us all answer the Pope’s call to act on climate change while there is still time. Join me in taking visible action in our homes, congregations, workplaces, and communities, and in helping others to do the same.

Carol Devine, Lexington

Trump attacks

In the aftermath of the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021, Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made a phone call to reassure China, a call explicitly authorized by officials in former President Donald Trump’s administration.

On September 22, in response to an article in The Atlantic noting Gen. Milley’s call, Trump characterized that call as “an act so egregious that, in times gone by, the punishment would have been DEATH! A war between China and the United States could have been the result of this treasonous act.”

The news media of today are so jaded by the stream of venom issuing from this candidate for president that scant attention has been drawn to such astonishing remarks. Trump’s statements and actions clearly inspired the assault on democracy surrounding January 6 as admitted by some of its perpetrators. Now, he provides a new excuse for violence, this time against a uniformed patriot.

Can Trump be trusted to restrain his warped sense of loyalty if reelected? He himself is much more the threat to world peace than the honorable Gen. Milley whose loyalty was to the Constitution of the United States and not to Donald Trump.

Arthur T LaBar, Richmond

Musculoskeletal Center

The overall impact of musculoskeletal diseases in the U.S. is multifaceted. According to a report by the U.S. Bone and Joint Initiative, musculoskeletal diseases affect more than half of the US adult population, and nearly three out of four people aged 65 and over. These diseases cause pain, disability, reduced quality of life, and increased health care costs for millions of Americans.

Musculoskeletal diseases cost the US economy $980 billion in 2014, which is equivalent to 5.76 percent of the gross domestic product. Different forms of Arthritis are the most common musculoskeletal disorder, affecting 54.4 million adults in 2015. Half of the people with arthritis are younger than 65.

Developing a musculoskeletal center is a valuable resource for improving the health and well-being of people with musculoskeletal problems. By developing a musculoskeletal center that provides comprehensive and coordinated care for patients with various musculoskeletal conditions and uses a multidisciplinary team of specialists and advanced technologies, the center can help patients achieve optimal function and independence in their daily lives. A musculoskeletal center aims to offer comprehensive and coordinated care for patients with various musculoskeletal problems.

Mansoor Ahmed, MD, Lexington

Compiled by Liz Carey