Stay out
Re “LGBTQ Americans need public support against efforts to erase them” (Our Views, Nov. 26): The people out there who use their voices to hurt people of the LGBTQ community or any group of people born “different” in their eyes are just about the most despicable group on earth.
People who believe there is something wrong with LGBTQ communities love to quote the Bible, man shall not lie with man, etc. Well how about all the other Bible quotes: gluttony, avarice, adultery and on and on? Why don’t we line up all the fat people and take away their rights? After all, gluttony is one reason for obesity and a sin. These sanctimonious Bible beaters don’t have any problem with obesity, but they just can’t stand for people to love whom they want. What possible difference does it make to anyone what consenting adults do in the privacy of their home?
The hate and fear these people generate is where the real trouble lies. They teach their children to espouse such drivel in school and church and then wonder where it came from. In the same vein, our governor wants teachers to call and enlighten the parents of schoolchildren as to their gender preference or sexual orientation. Does he not understand he could be serving a death sentence or a terrible tirade on the child by the parents who may not know these facts and are just as ignorant as the governor as to the possible consequences? Whatever happened to live and let live, love thy neighbor — mind your own business? It’s people like the governor and the Cal Thomases of the world who make everything worse with their do-gooder thinking.
Susie Rixey, Virginia Beach
Let’s discuss it
Re “LGBTQ Americans need public support against efforts to erase them” (Our Views, Nov. 26): Your editorial argues that there is a coordinated campaign of hate being waged against people who identify as LGBTQ, but your arguments are weak. What you call attempts to scrub public schools of any reference to nonconforming sexual and gender lifestyles seems to be about recent policies in Virginia, Florida and other states that are aimed at preventing schools from introducing LGBTQ issues to elementary school kids.
But you fail to acknowledge that many parents feel they have a moral right to introduce this controversial topic to their children when they consider it appropriate. Your condemnation of Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s proposed rules fails to mention the important motivation behind the guidelines: to give parents the right to make these kind of decisions with respect to their children.
As for Del. Karen Greenhalgh’s proposed legislation that would limit participation in sports programs based on a person’s biological sex, I see nothing evil or hateful about wanting to make sure that transgender women don’t take over female sports because of their superior strength and speed.
We can all agree that discriminating against members of the LGBTQ community is wrong. Where arguments start is when one side of the debate wants to dismiss any arguments from the other side as hateful and mean-spirited. This prevents us from coming up with a compromise that respects each side’s concerns and wishes. I would expect the editorial board to recognize the diversity of its readers and provide a modicum of balance in writing about such a complex issue.
Viewpoints
John E. Gullett, Newport News
All for show
Re “What has AG Miyares’ newly formed Election Integrity Unit found so far? Virginia NAACP says not much” (Nov. 29): If Attorney General Jason Miyares formed the Election Integrity Unit due to voter fraud or cheating, shouldn’t there already be cases to investigate? Is this not already part of his job as attorney general? My belief is that forming this unit is another form of wasting taxpayers’ money on “the big lie” of voter fraud in Virginia just to please those voters who put him in office. Proverbs 1:17 states: “How useless to spread a net where every bird can see it.” It is obvious what this attorney general is doing.
Valerie Burden, Newport News
School zones
I travel Kempsville Road daily where there are three school zones. When the 25 mph zone is in effect, hardly anyone pays attention. A large amount of cars not only go much faster than 25 mph, but a lot of them seem to be going even faster than 45 mph, which is the posted speed limit other than in a school zone with the lights flashing.
I know our police are shorthanded and speed limits are not high on their lists. I find it ironic that there is a 35 mph speed limit just before a Kempsville school that is right in front of a police station. You would think that they would enforce the speed limit here but after seeing a police car enter Kempsville Road from the police station and accelerate to at least 45 mph, the speed limit is a joke.
Plus, you take your life in your hands on Interstate 264. The speed limit is 55 mph and cars routinely pass at speeds estimated to be 90 mph or more. There is a state patrol car parked at the old toll booth area, but no one in it and no one slowing down as they go by it.
C. Avery Godwin, Chesapeake