the editorial | an open letter to governor beshear

Dear Gov. Beshear,



As far as I am aware, you have currently held your tongue on the issue of accepting or refusing Syrian refugees in light of this past Friday's attack on Paris.

Gov. Beshear, from the bottom of my heart, I implore you to continue to accept these refugees.

Giving into fear, prejudice, and hatred is exactly what those who commit these senseless acts of violence want us to do. Fear is a natural response, but only by responding with courage and kindness can we overcome those who would terrorize us.

The senseless acts of violence that we've seen in Paris are just like what these refugees are fleeing to begin with. Are we comfortable condemning an entire population of mostly innocent people—many of whom have lost loved ones and simply want to live their lives in peace—for the actions of a radicalized few? Isn't it more courageous—more, dare I say, American—to choose instead the path of courage and kindness?

I, for one, am not comfortable refusing aid to those who sorely need it. I cannot let fear overshadow hope; I cannot let cowardice triumph over courage.

You have the opportunity now to stand up and let the world know what Kentuckians are made of. I pray that you use it wisely.



Sincerely,



Ellen Findley



Edit: I have included here an article from BBC News that includes a video about a refugee family in our state. Enjoy.

the editorial | giving thanks

Today marks the first Thanksgiving I have been confined to my bed since I was very little. I'm surrounded by pillows and cough drop wrappers and can hear the comforting buzz of football from the den. While I lie here in fleece pajamas in between puffs of albuterol and throat lozenges, I can only think how very fortunate I am to be where I am today.

You see, if I weren't ill, I'd be helping Mom in the kitchen with the turkey and sides or watching football with my grandpa or playing video games with my little sister. Later today, I'd be setting up the Christmas tree.

I have a good life, and I am thankful for that. I am thankful for my sweet dad who brought me a plate of food and for my dogs that know when I need some puppy love. I'm thankful for my university. I'm thankful for my experiences, even within the last year. I'm thankful for Nashville, my home away from home. I'm thankful for those committed to justice and peace, even in the face of oppression. I'm thankful to live in a society that can change for the better. I'm thankful for a God who hears the cries of the downtrodden and who cares for us.

And you who read this—I am thankful for you, too. Let's spread some beauty throughout the world today.

the editorial | why i'm not participating in no makeup november

Ah, November. A month full of playing in autumn leaves, celebrating Thanksgiving, and shaming young Christian women for wearing makeup.

Wait, what?

For those of you who are unfamiliar with No Makeup November, it's an outreach program of sorts offered by RAVE Ministries, which caters to young women, particularly in the United States. I personally know people who either currently work or have worked with them, and the overwhelming impression that I have from them is a good one. Let me be clear: I believe that RAVE has made a positive impact in the lives of many young women, but No Makeup November, while well-intentioned, makes a moral issue where there is none.

Obviously, we live in a very façade-centered culture. We are bombarded day in and day out by advertisements calling us to spend more, look more, be more, and we often succumb. We women are told that our worth comes from our appearance and that our "flaws" are shameful. The Apostle Peter addresses this in his call to the women of the Church:

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.
—1 Peter 3:3-4 NIV

True beauty comes from within, an adage that we have heard again and again—but it is indeed true. If our worth comes from "outward adornments," then there is a problem, just as there would be one if we based our worth solely on acceptance from others.

The biggest problem that No Makeup November, then, is not its focus on true beauty, but that "say[ing] YES to God-given beauty" is synonymous with abstaining from makeup. It reminds me of how smug I felt this time two years ago, sensing a sort of solidarity with the other girls who showed up to class barefaced. I convinced myself that I was somehow morally superior for not applying mascara or concealer, when in reality I had made a moral issue of something superficial at its core and was mentally congratulating myself for a nonexistent ethical victory. I had removed artificial enhancements to my physical beauty but, in doing so, had inhibited my inner beauty. By November 3, I was back to wearing makeup, stepping away from judging my peers and toward cultivating a gracious spirit.

If you are excited to participate in No Makeup November, then I encourage you to do so. For some young women, it can be a time of remembrance. For me, though, it reminds me how much further we have to go to stop shaming women not only for our "flaws" but also for concealing them.

Regardless of where you stand on No Makeup November—if you even have an opinion on the subject at all—I wish you a month of joy and peace and thanksgiving. Let us all be gracious to each other, loving each other beyond the façade, whether literal or figurative.