Paul’s paranoia

leaves out facts

Sen. Rand Paul’s April 5 column’s “facts” and insinuations melt away the moment you test them. He must rate our intelligence pretty low if he thinks anyone will swallow them.

The senator hopes that church going continues to be legal. Why? Because three years ago Gov. Andy Beshear temporarily disallowed in-person church services under the threat of COVID 19. In Paul’s paranoid universe this is proof that Big Government (at least the Democratic sort) hates religion and longs to blot it out.

Consider these circumstances the senator purposely leaves out. The order came March 19, 2020, less than two months after the first American case was recorded. There was no vaccine then, deaths were mounting, and no one knew what to do. Just days earlier, 28 COVID infections leading to two deaths had resulted from a revival at a church in Dawson Springs, Beshear’s hometown. Hymn singing and crowded pews had been implicated in other spreading incidents.

Paul knows the governor’s reaction had nothing to do with religion, pro or con. Beshear’s grandfather was a Baptist minister. Today, he and his wife are both deacons in Louisville’s Beargrass Christian Church. Hardly the profile of a religion hater.

I haven’t got room to go into Paul’s sources, but they are as predictably bogus as his religious paranoia. For instance, the “prestigious Johns Hopkins” study he mentions was thoroughly debunked over a year ago. It came from a rogue economics professor paid by the libertarian Cato Institute and working out of his field. It was never peer reviewed or endorsed by Johns Hopkins in any way.

Sadly, this sort of thing seems the best the modern breed of Republican politicians can do – gin up one false anxiety after another to avoid grappling with real issues.

Joe Glaser

Bowling Green

Who’s in charge

of rural internet?

Who is overseeing the grant and fulfillment of the contracts on rural internet?

I was very excited when the expansion of high-speed rural internet was announced. Now I’m frustrated and angry. I have contacted WRECC, NCTC and Spectrum. WRECC referred me to NCTC. NCTC said Spectrum has the contract for my area. Spectrum has no idea when it will get here. NCTC has a substation 5.8 miles from me. The substation is at approximately 450 Hammett Hill Road. I live on Blue Level Road. I feel like we would be getting it if NCTC had our road. Spectrum is doing nothing for us. I feel like our area has been forgotten. We are a rural area and I wonder what happened to our area. No one could tell me who to contact. I have sent emails to the governor, Rand Paul, Mike Wilson and Brett Guthrie. So far, I have not received any replies. I’m angry that no one seems to know who to contact for answers.

Dorothy Anders

Rockfield