Letters to the Editor: My transgender daughter just wants you to leave her alone

Recently a number of publications, including the Free Press, have published stories documenting efforts by Republican-led state Legislatures to make discrimination against transgender people legal. As the parent of a transgender child, I find these actions reprehensible, baffling and more than a little hypocritical.

But hypocrisy is nothing new to the GOP. Let's remember that traditionally, Republicans criticized Democrats for attempting to control the personal lives of citizens, while painting themselves as the party that wants people to be "free" with minimal interference from the government. And now, that supposed laissez faire party is attempting to control gender choices, what a woman can do with her body, what books people can read, what teachers can teach, etc. And remember when the Republicans, in arguing to overturn Roe v Wade, claimed that the federal government should stay out of abortion and "leave it to the states"? Guess what? Now they are talking about a federal abortion ban. So much for states' rights.

As for my daughter, she just wants to be left alone to live her life the way she has chosen. That doesn't seem like too much to ask.

Lawrence D. Rosenstock Farmington Hills

If Congress doesn't act, your Medicare will be cut

At the start of 2024, pathologists and laboratories will be hit with deep Medicare cuts unless the U.S. Congress acts. I recently met with staff members of Michigan's Congressional delegation to discuss these cuts and discuss specific actions lawmakers can take to preserve patient access to these vital services. Without additional relief, pathologists will receive a Medicare cut of 6.5% in 2024, and some Medicare fees for laboratory tests will be slashed by 15%.

Congress needs to act with short- and long-term measures to stabilize Medicare’s payment systems to protect access to services by physicians and laboratories in rural and urban settings. As a member of the College of American Pathologists, we are working with all stakeholders to eliminate these cuts and continue to provide the best care for seniors.

Our specialty touches every aspect of the health care continuum as we are the ones who diagnose the disease. Laboratory access to all patients is critical as 70% of medical decisions are based on laboratory test results. With severe cuts just months away, protecting pathology services is of paramount importance today because treating diseases of tomorrow can’t begin without the right diagnosis.

Vaishali Pansare, MD, FCAPThe writer is chief of pathology at Corewell Health Beaumont in Grosse Pointe and Troy

Oppose abortion? Get ready to adopt

Any person opposed to abortion in Michigan should be compelled to adopt unwanted infants and support them until adulthood. Any organization that opposes a woman’s right to control her own medical decisions should be required to arrange adoptions of all unwanted infants.

Take the contact information from anti-abortion advocates and make it available to all adoption and foster care agencies. Let us see how many zealots are willing to bear the financial and emotional expense of raising an unwanted child.

Should we look with anticipation at the expected decline in foster care needs across Michigan?

John F. Frenzel Saginaw

What's the problem with red flag laws?

What is the downside of implementing a red flag law that restricts the ownership of guns by potentially dangerous people? People who are a danger to themselves or others. The worst that can happen if the law is passed, is a person who is not a danger to himself or others is mistakenly deprived of owning a gun.

On the other hand, the worst that can happen if it is not passed is a person who is a danger to himself or others legally purchases a gun and kills himself or someone else, like you hear everyday on the news. Which is worse? Ask someone who has unnecessarily lost a friend or family member by gunfire.

Brenda Kaplan Bloomfield Hills

Utilities should invest in clean energy

Read the article, "DTE, Consumers say they need to raise rates," (Detroit Free Press, April 24) with interest. My takeaway is that our utilities' acknowledge climate change as the threat, but invest in fossil fuel natural gas infrastructure, costing their customers dearly.

The push by politicians like U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg to build export pipelines and LNG export terminals resulting in increased world demand for our natural gas has cost utilities like DTE and Consumers. The building of an expensive St. Clair natural gas fired generator instead of cheaper solar or wind shows the foolish decisions that drove the need for higher bills. Man made climate change is not going away and our for-sale politicians need to start working for us.

Paul WohlfarthOttawa Lake, Mich.

We have to help the global poor

While there’s truth to the notion that support for local economies begins at home, there’s also truth to the notion that support for local and regional economies happens by helping the world’s poorest people. That is why it’s important that we urge our congressional leaders to support increasing the International Affairs Budget.

The international community is doing a good job of reducing the percentage of the world’s population living in extreme poverty, but we can do better. Think of it not as charity, but investment. Over 50% of U.S. exports go to emerging markets. When we use international aid to improve conditions in extremely poor areas, we help develop those economies, which increases demand for U.S. exports, which creates more revenue and more jobs for U.S. firms.

Do you want to support Michigan’s economy? Urge Senator Stabenow, Senator Peters, and your House representatives to support the International Affairs Budget.

Joshua Ludy Ann Arbor

We're proud of Macomb County's support for our kids

The 21 school districts in Macomb County are humbled by the continued support of Macomb County voters and business leaders for their commitment to students with disabilities. Michigan is the only state in the country who serves children with disabilities from birth to age 26.

Last year, both Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and former House Appropriation Chairman Thomas Albert made significant investments in their own budget recommendations increasing Michigan’s support for reimbursing special education costs. Michigan can complete that commitment this year and fund the remaining 25% promised by the Michigan Legislature.

Michigan taxpayers and schools need the U.S. Congress to fully fund their portion of the costs for educating special education students. In 2025, we will celebrate 50 years since the passage of the landmark legislation entitled Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). Unfortunately, Congress has never fully funded the 40% promised to our students. If fully funded, it would help offset the need for additional state and local tax dollars to support special education costs. Businesses, home owners and hardworking tax payers deserve this relief, but, most importantly, our children depend on it.

Macomb County School Boards Association is calling on Michigan’s Legislature to prioritize the following:• Complete funding for the 25 percent of special education reimbursement• Reduce legacy retirement costs for local districts• Increase funding for vocational and STEAM Learning• Increase support for preschool providing a pathway to universal preschool.

Kevin SwitanowskiThe writer is the legislative chair of the Macomb County School Board Association

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Letters: My transgender daughter just wants you to leave her alone