SB 150 is not about protecting children, it’s about GOP extremism and party loyalty | Opinion

Let’s be clear

Let’s be clear about SB 150. It is certainly not about protecting children, and it is mostly not about fear and loathing of the LGBTQ+ community, though some members of the Republican Party seem motivated by those unfortunate, uninformed feelings.

SB 150 is best understood as a marker laid down by the far-right members of the Republican Party. That marker draws a line and dares their more moderate fellow Republicans to cross it, regardless of their true beliefs and regardless of their serious reservations about the bill. This vote was about discipline. This vote was about loyalty. This vote was about careerism.

I could not be more disappointed in the good people of the Republican Party who voted for SB 150. Not only will the passage of SB 150 cause great harm, but it signals exactly what the far-right wants: capitulation to an extreme agenda that threatens the well-being of all of us.

I call on the good and reasonable legislators in the Republican Party to search their consciences and support Gov. Andy Beshear’s likely veto. At this moment in history, only you have the power to stop this shameful and damaging abuse of power and authority.

Steve Kay, Lexington

Targeted children

The name of Kentucky House Bill 470 is comical regarding its actual contents - “An act relating to the protection of children...”

As a child who would be directly targeted under this bill, I can say without a doubt this law only exists as a furtherance of the rampant homophobia and transphobia that lawmakers are allowing to fester in the state of Kentucky.

I agree with the statements made by state Reps. Kim Moser (R-Taylor Mill) and Pam Stevenson (D-Louisville) regarding the matter of parental rights. State lawmakers should not get to decide for parents what happens to their children in regard to gender identity or medical treatment that would not actively cause the recipient bodily harm. The claims of those in favor are so fallacious that I’m surprised that they were able to come to these conclusions at all.

I came out as genderqueer at 11-years-old and am now undergoing hormone replacement therapy at 17. It was not an easy process nor a solo decision that a “naïve” teenager made on his own. Supporting my decision is a whole panel of doctors, psychologists, endocrinologists, and, most importantly, my parents. I spent months traveling hours away to be able to visit specialists, get diagnoses, undergo lab work, and received paragraph upon paragraph of information regarding the specific effects and risks of treatment. Furthermore, I am the only person I know, minor or adult, who is actively medically transitioning in the state of Kentucky.

Delaying the appropriate treatment for gender dysphoria is not protecting children. It will actively cause irreversible harm and devastation to transgender youth across the state. And to those on the fence, take haste to remember that if you do not fight for trans liberation today, we will not be here to fight for your liberation tomorrow.

Casper Hackney, Paducah

Legislative harms

SB 150, the Anti-Trans Bill, goes too far and was pushed through in an unfair manner. Did the people who voted “yes” even have time to read all of what’s included?

Here’s what concerns me most in SB 150: 1) Doctors would be required to “de-transition” patients in their care who have already begun the transition process. 2) Schools would not be allowed to discuss sexual orientation and gender identity with students of any age.

If SB 150 becomes law, I believe many trans students will become suicidal; many doctors and educators will choose not to practice in Kentucky in the future; and other kids will be harmed by all of this.

Nearly every young person I know has already faced severe mental health challenges during the pandemic years. They certainly do not need another blow to their sense of security and stability, another threat to their future and their freedom, or another impediment to their education. This bill delivers all of that.

I trust that Gov. Andy Beshear will do the right thing and veto it. Legislators need to let the veto stand. Voters—please urge Gov. Beshear to veto SB 150 and legislators to not override the veto.

Rachel Dorroh, Berea

GOP overreach

Fear and hatred in the name of Jesus have infested the Republican Party. Anger and a deep sadness are ready to consume me if I should allow. But I believe what surprises me most is the government overreach, the antithesis of the Republican Party as I knew it. Their legislation is inside our wombs and our homes, usurping the rights of parents to provide needed care for their LGBTQ children as well as care for women who are carrying morbidly defective or dead fetuses.

There are so many real problems facing Kentuckians such as killer guns, affordable housing, food insecurity, underpaid and under-appreciated teachers, to name a few, but Republicans ignore these issues and instead pander to their hate-filled base. The Bible-thumpers need to actually read the words of the Prince of Peace, lover of all God’s children and who are made in His image.

Saundra Toussaint, Lexington

Craft and Coal

Kentucky gubernatorial candidate Kelly Craft has nothing bad to say about coal because she gets lots of campaign contributions from the industry. She does not mention any of the environmental damage that coal causes:

▪ Coal slag is a toxic substance with very high concentrations of heavy metals. The EPA designates these slag ponds as a high hazard in many states (especially Kentucky) and these ponds fail and pollute the surrounding areas on a regular basis.

▪ Coal burning releases SO2 causing acid rain which in turn kills trees.

▪ Coal releases more CO2 compared to natural gas which causes climate change (especially as seen recently in eastern and western Kentucky).

▪ Coal causes air pollution and asthma in children, a big problem in Kentucky.

▪ Mountain top coal removal has devastated parts of eastern Kentucky especially pollution of the ground water.

▪ Renewable energy (wind and solar) has fallen in price by 90 percent in the past decade and is now competitive with fossil fuels.

Is Craft a governor suitable for Kentucky? I doubt it.

Kieran O’Hara, Lexington

Thiessen conservatism

Please, no more of Marc Thiessen’s condescending conservatism. His recent op-ed claimed “the government” is responsible for the bank failure in California. He’s half right. It’s the Trump Republican portion of the government that decided to override part of the Dodd-Frank Act safeguards put in place after the Republican Bush recession, allowing the failed bank to invest most of their assets in risky long-term bonds.

Thiessen’s invoking of Ronald Reagan’s warning to not trust the government is also disturbing. Reagan making “Trickle-Down Economics” a core value of the republican party has led to a $30 trillion increase in the National Debt since his 1980 inauguration. A massive debt caused 100 percent by the Reagan, Bush, and Trump tax cuts never trickling down. Cutting taxes for the richest Americans didn’t create a trickle-down of wealth to the average American. Instead it unleashed a torrent of bribes from the richest Americans to the Republican politicians who voted for trickle-down. They knew the cost would be charged to the national debt for future generations to repay. They knew they were selling out the future for their own children.

The most terrifying 13 words for future generations will be, “I was Ronald Reagan and I was here to cut your parent’s taxes.”

Kevin Kline, Lexington

Conservative antidote

You really need to give readers an antidote to Marc Thiessen’s anti-government propaganda. He says the Federal Reserve held interest rates down (because it was one of the few tools “the government” has to stimulate economic growth), so “the government” tempted managers at Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) into disaster. He said U.S. health agencies recommended and partially required strict non-contact practices to stop the spread of Covid-19, so “the government” put people out of work. He said Biden and Congress created a financial rescue plan to try to get the economy growing again, so “the government” caused inflation. He said the FDIC (an independent agency) extended insurance coverage to wealthy, uninsured investors, so “the government” is giving goodies to the rich.

Where did he get that last one? I can’t find it anywhere but in his editorial.

If financing rescues for failed banks is such a bad idea, why are 11 major banks committing $30 billion of their own capital to uninsured deposits in First Republic Bank to save it?

Marc, we are not living in 1787 anymore! Find a more sophisticated scapegoat. Think complex thoughts. If “government” doesn’t curb greedy bungling in the finance industry, who will?

Glenn Rainey, Richmond

Republican debt

The U.S. national debt stands at $31.6 trillion and growing. Ronald Reagan ran for office decrying “a spendthrift, irresponsible bureaucracy,” and “waste, fraud and abuse”. Adjusted for inflation: Reagan added $3.87 trillion to the national debt; George H.W. Bush added $2.22 trillion; Bill Clinton added $973.8 billion; George W. Bush added $4.86 trillion; Obama added $8.78 trillion; Trump added $8.7 trillion, and Biden thru the end of this year will have added $2.58 trillion for a total from these Presidents of $32 trillion in adjusted dollars.

During these Presidential terms Republicans have held majorities in the House, the Senate or the Presidency 61.45 percent of the time and controlled the budget process. Yet it’s the Republicans who blame the Democrats for the national debt. In Ronald Reagan’s 1982 State of the Union Address he stated, “I will seek no tax increases this year, and I have no intention of retreating from our basic program of tax relief…I will stand by my word.” Seven months later he advocated $100 billion (now $308 billion) tax increase to cover his spending plan. Ronald Reagan believed in trying to pay for his debt, current Republicans should too.

Joe Crouch, Lexington

Social work stigma

In light of March, Social Work month, let’s lift social workers and their talents.

First, the stigmas - the baby snatcher, the family destroyer, the one to fix everything for everyone. All negative views, but social workers work to reunite families. They can’t fix everything, but work tirelessly trying, often with little pay. Social workers may be subject to violence, threats, and verbal abuse and may experience burnout, compassion and empathy fatigue, high stress, and often with a shortage of workers. However, they impact individuals, the community, and the world daily.

Social workers are educated and enter the profession for a reason. They are compassionate, empathetic, and care for others. They are case managers, community health workers, directors, educators, and therapists and cover many fields such as healthcare, substance abuse, public welfare, policy, research, military, and various positions. Social workers connect individuals with food, housing, resources, therapy, and everything up to working globally for the betterment of societies. They are rock stars.

Thank a social worker. It will make their day.

Jennifer Mosley, MSW, CSW, Lexington

Party of Hate

The GOP has become the party of “I hate everyone that is not in my mirror and doesn’t look like me or the few submissives I tolerate and keep only for procreation” party. And the “Anyone that doesn’t look like me in my mirror or doesn’t submit to my dominance, needs to not exist” Party.

Even their God is that image in the mirror (that really frankly, no matter how self-admired... Hate incarnate is about as ugly as anything gets).

Hate is diabolic, not divine no matter what Holy Books they attempt to pummel people with.

The GOP is the Party of Narcissism. The GOP looks like Putin and acts like Trump.

As Madeline Albright said, “Fascism is narcissism writ large”.

Robert Moreland, Lexington

Compiled by Liz Carey