The letters on this page are written by the UUSDBA members and friends and were published in the News-Journal Letters to Editor. The most recent letter is at the top of the page. Scroll down for other letters printed this year. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily of the general membership of the UUSDBA or the UUA. Permission to reprint these articles has been obtained from the News-Journal and the authors

THE DAYTONA BEACH NEWS-JOURNAL LETTERS TO THE EDITOR and COMMUNITY VOICES

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FRAMING TRANSGENDER ISSUES ON NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH
By DAN KENNEDY , COMMUNITY VOICE
March 25, 2010 posted in Editorials

A March 14 lead article in The News-Journal discusses a genotypically (i.e. genetic inheritance) and phenotypically (i.e. internal and external genitalia) female child who basically feels that he is a boy. I use the terms "he" and "his" not only in respect for the wishes of the child and his family (as did the N-J), but also because there is neuroscience research in support of his gender identification as being valid.

The article refers to some "experts" believing that some parents "are just indulging bizarre behavior," while others hold that everyone is "hardwired" at birth with a male or female brain. The latter opinion appears to be well supported by research.

While cognitive psychology was one of my areas of interest during a university career that combined education and psychology, I am not a neuroscientist. However, it is my understanding that neuroscience research has provided clear and strong evidence that humans (and other animals) are born with sexually dimorphic brains. People are born with male or female brains that are clearly distinguishable by structural and organizational characteristics at gross, cellular and molecular levels. For the large majority of people, the brain type (i.e. female or male) is compatible at birth with their genotypic and phenotypic sex type. However, a male brain type is also physically compatible with a genotypical and phenotypical female, and vice versa, and that does sometimes happen.

There is a critical period in utero when human brains become sexually dimorphic (i.e. male or female) due to chemical/hormonal functioning, and this cannot be changed, at least not at the present state of medical science. A hormonal malfunctioning during the critical period can give a physically female infant a male brain, or a physically male infant a female brain. Current scientific research would certainly indicate that this is what accounts for transgender feelings. In a sense, Mother Nature is not always perfect. Kennedy, Ed.D, lives in Ormond Beach.

REALISTIC ROUTE TO SOLVENCY
March 1, 2010
By EDWARD FLANAGAN , Ormond Beach

In her Feb. 15 letter "Social Security solvency" Dorothy Guardagnino offers an interesting and useful challenge. Doing the math, her suggestion of deducting $1 a month from 56 million Social Security checks would collect about two-thirds of a billion dollars a year. Unfortunately, that wouldn't pay the interest on our current national debt for one day!

Over 15 years ago (when the national debt was one-third of its present size), The Concord Coalition was doing the math and sponsoring the Debt Clock to portray the speedy rise of our nation's expenditure of other people's money. It now seems clear that most of us have little concept of the place value of millions, billions and trillions.

Reality will kick in when taxes have to rise steeply (or more money has be raised from foreign sources) to replace trust fund surpluses being spent, year after year, on useless wars, unnecessary entitlements and much more. But Washington will continue to cut taxes as long as special interest sponsors are allowed to contribute big bucks (as free speech?) to elect the Dodds, Shelbys, Leibermans and their overpaid colleagues.

February 4, 2010
GAMBLING FOR EDUCATION:

Wow! With Gov. Crist's budget plan, as an out-of-luck gambling parent, I can do what I love most and still get my kid an education!

L.M. VAN PETTEN, Ormond Beach –B