Sendup of Kentuckians Is Put Down by a Native

Mike Downey, in his May 20 column, took advantage of the NCAA probe into the University of Kentucky’s basketball program to perpetuate stereotypes that should offend all of us.

The insinuations made by Downey about Kentuckians are inexcusable. He represents Kentuckians as uneducated moonshine runners who, no doubt, have only 4x4 trucks in their driveways. He says that the “Kentuckians done got busted Friday by the revenuers.”

As a native of Kentucky (Louisville, not Lexington), I can easily say that (as far as my bourbon-damaged memory serves me) I have never used the phrase done got --this is one virtue of which Mike Downey cannot boast.

Downey also says that Lexington “is awash in Jack Daniels today,” but he must have confused UK with Memphis State, for Jack Daniels is made in Tennessee.

In the midst of this display of cultural insensitivity, Downey even goes as far as to call Kentuckians “stupid people.” The six of us Kentuckians who can read are deeply insulted.

While it is true that the University of Kentucky deserves to pay for the mistakes it has made, it is not Mike Downey’s job to pass value judgments, or to take advantage of such an unfortunate situation as a chance to insult the population of an entire state.

MATT D. FRAZIER

Los Angeles