The latest idea from Governor Matt Bevin for dealing with urban violence in Kentucky: public prayer groups. Seems small groups of people are to take a few blocks and walk them and pray for the end of the violence in our more poverty stricken areas in Louisville. This would be an “organic” movement because locals would manage it. The state will not be involved.
This Bevin Buster of an idea brings up so many emotions.
Now, before anyone says, “Is this ALL you are going to do asshole?” to poor old Governor Bevin, be assured that he says he will do more.
4. Walks not meant to be a single solution
Bevin emphasized that his proposal will be just one component of Louisville's long-term battle against violence.
He said his administration is taking steps to combat crime. For example, job-training programs are being brought to Kentucky's prisons to help prevent people from reoffending.
"All that must continue," he said. "But the point of today was to talk about something that wasn't financial."
That is my emphasis on “wasn’t financial.”
While it is true that to solve the social problems with poverty and urban violence requires the input of the locals and even religious groups, I know Bevin is not the least bit serious on this issue. In fact, this is a cynical fucking ploy to look like he is doing something and appeal to the christian conservative voters that fill the state of Kentucky. How do I know this? Because Mr. Christian Bevin is all for taking away the health care coverage of 500,000 Kentuckians.
Bevin dismantled our state exchange, so now Kentuckians have to go to the national exchange to get health care coverage from the ACA. Bevin hates the ACA, and he supports the Republican plan to repeal it. And Bevin is actively trying to make it harder for people to sign up for Medicaid. In fact, he wants people on Medicaid to pay a premium and sign up for work. Newflash: you are too poor to pay for health care, but you have to pay a premium to get Mediciad? And most people on Medicaid have some type of job. The problem is that those jobs do not offer health insurance or pay enough to buy insurance.
So all of Bevin’s actions with regards to dealing with one of the major issues of poverty — lack of health care — is to take away health care for the poor. And if he cannot take health care coverage away from the poor, he will shame those who accept health care coverage from the government. And, sadly, a significant number of Kentuckians are too poor to afford health care coverage without subsidies from the ACA or Medicaid.
Lack of health care coverage is a contributing factor to poverty. People who have chronic health problems and lack health care cannot hold down jobs. No job equals no money. And last time I checked, lack of money was the definition of poverty. And poverty is one of the major underlying factors in urban violence.
So Mr. Holier Than Thou is trying to worsen poverty, which I can guarantee will worsen urban violence. But Bevin is holding out public prayer as a fixer. We will pray to God that he will fix the problem.
Now, for my emotional reactions. This enrages me to no end.
As I pointed out, Bevin is actively trying to hurt and kill people in his state. Taking away health insurance from the poor will kill people. I do not need a lecture about prayer from a man who is willing to kill others to save on his tax bill.
Next up, Bevin is the fucking governor. He is not Martin Luther King Jr. While King was a minister who organized for social justice as a private citizen, King was never an elected official with the power to do something about poverty and social justice. King used prayer along with his voice and words because it was the tools he had at his disposal. Bevin has the governmental power to do something positive to help those suffering from poverty and violence, if he so desires. Instead, he wants to hurt people and offers a political stunt as a cover for his immoral deeds.
And this public prayer proposal is a cynical public stunt. Both parties in Kentucky have used religion for their own cynical ends. Despite his excellent record on health care, former Govenor Beshear initially approved state tax credits to build a Noah’s Ark Theme Park. This was an obvious scheme to get the conservative fundamentalist vote in Kentucky. Beshear later realized that the Noah’s Ark Park would discriminate in its hiring, and he cancelled the credits. This was after his reelection. However, Bevin approved the tax credits once he got into power, and we now have a wonderful Noah’s Ark Theme Park, along with a Creationist Museum.
And from some initial reactions, some of the fundamentalist are falling for Bevin’s BS on public prayer as part of the cure for urban violence. And I am not the least bit surprised by that. Many of our fundamentalists are like the hypocrites of old that Jesus talked about. They will offer some public prayers for the poor, but not one damn penny will leave their pockets to help the poor.
This disgusts me.