I am angry! Why can’t everybody quit making jokes about Michael Bolton (April 19 “Adam”)?? Some people like him and find the “Adam” cartoons awful. He is a very talented singer, and I happen to like him.
K.R., 13, Decatur
No Cobain fan
I’m glad Kurt Cobain is dead. Everyone says it’s a shame. He was a heroin addict. He deserved it. He was very irresponsible, taking drugs when you have a child. Being a rock star is no excuse.
William L., 13, Hillside
Our mistake
In your “Life After Cobain” article (April 19 Tough News), when you said Dave Grohl could be found on the “Backbeat” CD with Dave Pirner of Afghan Whigs – correct me if I’m wrong – but isn’t Pirner the frontman for Soul Asylum?
Nate L., 14, Elburn, IL
(Editor’s note: All apologies. Pirner sings lead for Soul Asylum, not the Afghan Whigs.)
Too cruel
Ben M. should think again (April 12 Backtalk). Cruel and unusual punishment was ruled out by the Constitution. Pulling out someone’s fingernails for 5 years, and then putting them in a mental home after cutting off their hands (is wrong)! I think that is horrible, no matter what you do.
Tania L., 14, Chicago
Figuring out religion
I’m really sorry that you (Bill S.) don’t believe in God (April 19 Backtalk). I hope soon you’ll realize you’re wrong. Some things in this world are meant to be believed without proof, and God is one of them.
V.H., 14, Hoffman Estates
I agree with Bill S. How can you be sure about this stuff, if it happened over a million years ago? People make me go to church. I don’t think it’s fair if I’m not sure about this stuff! It could be a huge rumor that someone made up!
A.J., 11, South Holland
Most of the books of the Bible were written by people God had chosen. God told them what to write. I cannot explain stuff like dinosaurs and how the world was made, but that God did it, and it was no accident.
Jamie K., 13, Crestwood
I think it’s fine that you don’t have a religion. That’s up to you. However, the Bible was written while Jesus was alive, just not as one big book. The Apostles wrote things down after some encounters with Jesus and other people.
Mary G., 13, Rockford
Have a little faith! So what if the Bible isn’t true. But it’s fun to believe, just like Santa Claus! I think the Bible stories are interesting and fun to read.
Mickey B., 11 1/2, Lake Zurich
Does everything have to come from something? I think not. I totally agree with you (Bill S.) on everything you said. I think people invented a God or Gods or Goddesses because they needed an explanation of how things work.
K.C., 13, Tinley Park
Switch it around
I’m writing about you feminists, who look for every little thing. You are taking this sexist thing too far. How about you girls being sexist about us boys? You never say anything about that. How about those sexist men commercials, like that Diet Coke ad when the girls look at the guys drinking Diet Coke (with his shirt off)? If it was the guys looking at the girls, they would be sued.
Jonathan V., 12, Melrose Park
Drop on ‘Lagoon’
I think what KidNews did in “Sherman’s Lagoon” on April 12 was not funny at all. I like the comic, and I was annoyed to see how you made fun of (cellist) Yo Yo Ma. It was very mean. I like your jokes, but it makes fun of people. Forget it!
Elliot E., 9, Chicago
Loused-up letter
I am writing in response to the damaged letter written to KidNews (April 12 Backtalk). I think it is unfair that a concerned teen should have the privilege of getting a letter published in the newspaper taken away from her. In fact, I know the girl, and she was pretty upset. We never had a big problem with the postal service before. Why now?
Carol G., 13, Skokie
High price of fun
It’s not just video games that are priced higher than they should be, everything is (April 12 Backtalk). I bet you did not know that a comic book priced at about $2.50 only costs the manufacturer 11 cents to produce. It’s not something you should dwell on, because there’s nothing you can do about it.
Steve S., 13, Chicago
Zlata backer
I didn’t think Zlata was boring (April 12 Backtalk). Anyway, Anne Frank couldn’t get out of Holland, not Germany, because the Nazis wouldn’t let her. And Anne Frank’s family didn’t earn a lot of money until the war was over and by that time, Anne Frank was dead! Zlata can’t go back to Bosnia because of the war.
Claire C., 11, Bartlett
Library lovers
I’m writing to ask you to keep the Carol Stream Public Library open later on weekends: First, there is more time for reading enjoyment. Second, kids come to the library on weekends to do homework and book reports, and they’ll have more time. Third, kids will have a place to be with friends longer on weekends. Finally, if the library is open longer, kids will read and will learn more.
Diana P., Carol Stream
(Editor’s note: If there is something that you feel should be corrected or improved in your city, village or town, send a letter or call the government there for help; that’s why they get the big bucks.)
Is that all?
My only complaint is that you should put in an extra page of games. Other than that, I think that KidNews is really cool!
Sara K., 9, Buffalo Grove
Major league Mike
Carl S. wrote to Backtalk on March 29 saying that Michael Jordan should stop playing baseball. He wrote that other people, like Frank Thomas and Robin Ventura, should be getting more publicity. I would like to disagree with him.
Michael Jordan worked very hard to get where he is today. He made a big decision to quit basketball and play baseball. Someone like him deserves to get publicity. Everyone has a right to choose what they want to do. Why can’t he?
Leanne M., 13, Scales Mound
Michael said that he didn’t want to play unless he could be at the top and play in the majors. I think that if Michael Jordan really wants to play baseball, then he should be happy with whatever he can do, even if it’s not the best. There are a lot of people who don’t get the opportunities that Michael Jordan gets, and he should be happy and face the fact that maybe he can’t be the absolute best at everything.
Brooke G., 14, Scales Mound
Beat it
I think the American who spray-painted the cars in Singapore should not be caned. I think it’s too hard of a punishment. It’s possible that he’ll die from it. He still should have obeyed their laws. Maybe he should pay a fine or go to jail for a week, but he should not be caned.
Aaron M., Skokie
(Editor’s note: The American’s sentence included a fine, a jail sentence and the caning.)
Ban one, not the other
I disagree with “Outlaw guns, abortion (April 19 Backtalk).” I agree with the abortion part, but not the gun part. I think that everyone has the right to bear arms, as it says in the 2nd Amendment. People that use guns in the right way will not be able to do skeet, or target practice. But the criminals that use guns in the wrong way should have longer prison sentences. I think that would decrease the number of shootings and killings here.
John N., 12, Oak Lawn
Guns are still legal because it is everyone’s right to own a gun. Abortion is still legal because it is every woman’s right to have an abortion. Guns do not kill people!! People kill people. Have you ever seen a gun just walk up to someone and shoot? I think not. Abortion may be murder to you, but why should a young woman have to give up 9 months of her life for something she is not physically or mentally ready for?
A.D., 14, Woodridge
Insane in brain
Why is Charles Manson in jail when he never killed anyone? I think that they should wait until he actually kills or hurts someone very badly to put him in jail. It is WRONG to do that.
J.W., 13, Hillside
Viewer mail
When I saw your article about saving your favorite TV shows (April 19 KidNews), I wrote a letter to the presidents of ABC and NBC about “Saved by the Bell: The College Years,” “sea-uest DSV,” and “Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.” I like all of those shows, and I wouldn’t like to see them put off the air.
Nora B., 11, Park Ridge
I agree about taking some of the shows off of the air. New shows are coming so fast, and they don’t have any more room for any old shows. But the new shows are not as good as the old shows. In my opinion, it is not fair to take the original shows off the air. Most of the shows are pretty funny! I am hoping they don’t take all of the old shows off of the air.
Lisa V., 13, Highland Park
Racial pride?
In response to Erica W. (April 19 Backtalk): Like Erica, I always wondered why black people can wear “pride” shirts from NAACP; have their own national cable network (BET); have a national “black beauty pageant”; and have the nerve to call us (white people) racist if we were ever to attempt the above. Unlike Erica, I’ve come to a conclusion: White people are not the racists…the black people are.
C.H., 13 3/4, Oak Lawn.
