RANDOM THOUGHTS
FROM THE HEARTLAND

Forgotten faces, forgotten places and the people and communities of the mountains. In the words of Benjamin Disraeli, "Nobody is forgotten, when it convenient to remember him."

It is time for the Kentucky Department of Parks Commissioner to take the time to listen to the concerns of those who dock their boats at the Jenny Wiley Marina in order to reach a solution as to where the boats will be stored during the upgrades to the marina.

Public corruption is a cancer on our communities. Corruption "eats away at a citizen's faith in democracy." The only way to end corruption is for everyone to report every act of corruption to federal and state law enforcement in order to topple those corrupt officials willing to line their pockets with taxpayer money.

As the election draws near, it is time for all of us to go to the polls and cast our votes. Regardless of party affiliation, without citizen participation in the election, Americans are left without a voice for the future of America, our state, our counties, and our local communities.

As with most recent elections, many politicians have resorted to name-calling which does nothing to contribute to what these politicians are doing for the next generation!

It is time to end the lack of civility or mob rule, it is time to chart a new course, a course which will return the angry bull to the barn, and end the destruction which looms on the horizon.

There is an outcry from the public demanding that the prosecution of Amber Spradlin's murderer move forward. Unfortunately, as a result of the underfunding and understaffing of the Kentucky State Police crime lab, the family and public still do not have answers.

The investigation and prosecution of corrupt public officials should be the highest priority for Attorney General Russell Coleman. When corruption is allowed to exist, honest government rots from the inside out and Kentuckians lose the faith they once had that public officials had their best interests at heart.

After more than 230 years, the Supreme Court issued one of the most important First Amendment speech cases in its history. Yet, even before the ink was dry, lawmakers in Michigan passed legislation to make some forms of speech punishable as crimes.

Clarence Thomas, The People's Justice, written by Judge Amul Thapar, pulls back the curtain and allows the reader to see Supreme Court cases through the eyes of Justice Thomas. Regardless of your opinion of Justice Thomas, this book will allow you to understand Justice Thomas's legal philosophy and the reasons for his opinions. Since 1991, Justice Thomas has written over 700 opinions, opinions which reflect his judicial philosophy. This book is not only a true page turner, it is one of those books which is a must read for anyone concerned about the country’s future.

Justice delayed and justice denied best describes the decade long journey from investigation, to indictment, to final vindication for Dr. James "Dusty" Chaney. Dusty's story evidences what happens when the government releases a runaway train and an investigation against an ordinary citizen.