144. Letters to the Editor, Visits to the Library

I've been accused now and then of not being as appropriately anti-McConnell as some think I should. They cite, correctly, that I am supportive of the Senior Senator on a few matters. These matters typically have to do with the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, an amendment which covers a lot of territory in a short space. It reads:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

The senator and I agree that any abridgments of speech should be very much frowned upon and only in certain "clear and present danger" type situations should such an abridgment take place. By extension, freedom of speech covers the ability to have one's personal message heard, even if it means spending money to do so. By extension of that, the senator and I agree that people who wish to give money to campaigns should be allowed to do so, at whatever rate they are willing to part with the greenbacks in their pockets. Most of my leftie friends disagree with me and the senator on this aspect of campaign financing.

There are probably a few other areas where McConnell and I agree. But they are few and they do not warrant any support for him in next year's election. There are too many negatives, starting and ending with his support of the President's War in Iraq, with more than a Hummer full of things in between. My history of opposing McConnell is on record as far back as March, 1978 when I was still a senior at Durrett High School.

The year before, McConnell had begun the successful part of his political journey - he was unsuccessful in a race for State Representative earlier - and I was then a junior and vice-editor of my high school newspaper, the DemonNews. Can you imagine a school paper today having the name DemonNews? It had originally been the Dileneator but the name was changed somewhere along the line. Durrett's athletic teams were known as the Demons. In my role as vice-editor I was invited to a meeting McConnell had with other so-called student leaders to inform them of his plans to run for Jefferson County Judge against the two-term incumbent Todd Hollenbach, III. I honestly do not remember much of the meeting but he gave us all a little packet of information and occassionally sent follow-up messages through the mail - this in the days before emails, cellphones, texting, and instant messaging.

McConnell won that race and immediately came at odds with the Democrats who controlled the Jefferson County Fiscal Court, the governing body of county government at the time, of which he was a member. I cannot say what the issue was that prompted me to write a letter to the editor, nor does the letter I wrote reveal what it was. But it does reveal the McConnell we've all come to know during his thirty years on the public payroll.

Here is the short "Letter to the Editor" I wrote, printed on March 31, 1978:

"McConnell: Only one vote."For some unknown reason, Judge McConnell thinks his election conferred on him full, complete, and unrestrained power and control over Jefferson County government. However, as any high school civics student could tell him, under the Kentucky Constitution and laws, the governing legislative and executive body of county government is the majority judgment of Fiscal Court, and not the individual pronouncements of the county judge. Under the law, McConnell is the titular hear of county government, having only one vote out of four on Fiscal Court. Is McConnell trying to lead county government, or is he trying to dominate Fiscal Court for his own political ends?"

That letter appeared in the old Louisville Times, Louisville's erstwhile afternoon paper. I was 17 at the time. Other letters appearing that day were from a Markus Sherman of Wallace Avenue writing about the Russian author Alexander Solzhenitsyn; Bette Kennedy of Willow Avenue on truancy in the public schools; Mrs. N. Gibson of Silverwood writes to thank the paper for restoring the old comic strip The Girls and to thank her mailman and paper boy for service through the winter. [You may recall we had record snowfalls that winter; some of you younger readers may not recall paper boys]; William LaFollette, of Georgetown, Indiana wrote about the public school teachers contract in New Albany and Floyd County; and William Welsh, of Alger Avenue, wrote in opposition to funding abortions for the poor, suggesting it is not compatable with "our Judeo-Christian heritage." But then, importantly, he goes on to say that "our primary efforts should be providing quality education that will enable [the poor] to lead more independent, responsible lives and to provide job opportunities that will help them maintain a sense of pride and self-respect." Well put Mr. Welsh.

All of these letters can be found in the microfishe records of the Louisville Free Public Library, downtown on York Street. At one time the newspapers films were kept on the first floor, toward Third Street. Now they are on the second floor, on the north side of the building. They have microfilms dating back over 100 years of the newspapers which have served (or are serving) Louisville. The truth is they have all sorts of old research material there including old maps of Louisville and Kentucky, census records, city directories and telephone directories, and any number of other things. If you have any interest in local history or family history, the Library is a must visit site.

As for writing "Letters to the Editor," it is something I have done since I was about 12 years old, usually getting published two or three a year, with many of my letters going unpublished, although the Courier now has a "web-only" page of letters so fewer letters go unpublished - albeit they are not in print. And even 29 1/2 years ago, it seems writing about Constitutions was something which was of interest to me. That and exposing the political motives of the Senior Senator of Kentucky, of whom it is my intent to help in whatever manner I can to see him defeated in next year's election.

I can almost hear Greg Stumbo in the other room telling a story about the blind puppies for sale along one of Kentucky's backroads. They are Republicans puppies for the first few weeks of their lives. Then they open their eyes - and subsequently join the Democratic Party.

He must be running for something.