As a nurse living in a retirement community, I am puzzled and disheartened by the overt ageism recently reported in the news media. I’m hearing political pundits who know little about the science of longevity and healthy aging. We all know there’s a great variation of both physical and cognitive functioning among individuals, yet we are hearing only about numbers and years of age, not actual ability. It seems much of this agism is politically motivated.
Certainly, we all know seniors who by the age of 50 are showing signs of significant physical and mental decline and we also know of 80 and even 90-year-olds who have aged healthfully whose bodies including brains retain functioning that so with their years of experience and judgement are quite capable of contributing more than those considerably younger.
It seems the press is hovering over President Biden focused on his age, ready to pounce on any misstep, whether a stumble or a poor recall of a date during a speech as a glaring evidence of inability to lead. I’d look at what the man has and is doing for evidence of ability. He’s got a long list of
recent accomplishments which should put minor slips in perspective, not be a rallying cry for age restriction.
When I consider the risks our country is now facing from environmental disaster, gun violence, crazy conspiracy theories and politicians so determined to win they’ve lost all integrity, I’ll trust proven leaders with experience who’ve demonstrated good judgment over those who are proven liars, have attempted insurrections and have no less than 91 criminal indictments. There are remedial steps one can take if an individual needs more rest, or steadier footing but there’s no cure for hate and lack of conscience.
Joan Davis
Sun City resident
Illinois Democratic lawmakers have passed a bill mandating inclusivity for all. This bill will ensure transgender students can use the washrooms and showers of their choice: it ensures children in first through third grade be taught sex education generally reserved for adults. The law also changes motherhood to ‘person who gives birth.’
The language used in achieving this law is interesting. Here are some of the hyperboles used; “creates a more welcoming and inclusive Illinois,” “in the face of rising violence and bigotry toward the trans, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming community”, “…making a sport of targeting my community”, “so many people fought so hard … to exist” “several states are going lightyears back on LGBTQ and civil rights”, “everything is going backward”.
Less than ½ of one percent of the U S population is trans. Seven percent of the U S population identifies as gay, lesbian, and or trans.
That leaves 93 percent of the entire population of the United States that have to change their pronouns, girls have to shower with boys and women will compete with men for college sports scholarships. Eight- and ten-years-olds will be allowed to change their birth sex without the consent or knowledge of their parents.
This law is coupled with a law (HB2789) that legalizes books that teach first, second, and third graders about anal and oral sex. Outside the school setting, these books would otherwise be considered pornographic In response to this far-left progressive assault on humanity, I say loudly, no one cares whether you are gay or straight. No one cares if you consider yourself a boy, a girl, or anything else. We don’t care about your personal choices. You have the right to think and do whatever you want, just leave me alone. Don’t change the laws to kowtow to seven percent of the population while harming the majority of the 93 percent of us. Don’t force us to accept terms and conditions that we consider inappropriate. Leave us alone!
Schools are meant to teach reading, writing, and arithmetic, not sexual intimacies historically reserved for the bedroom of
adults. Men want to be called men and women deserve to be called women. Mothers who survived birth earned the title of motherhood, not a birthing person. Teenage girls deserve privacy while showering at school and while using the washrooms. Females who trained arduously for years deserve to compete against equal competition.
How far do we allow our elected officials to destroy society in order to win over a few votes? Remember, the silent majority doesn’t care what gender you choose or what pronouns you use. We just want to be left alone. Life is hard enough. Leave us alone!
Larry Casey
Huntley resident
