I have often disagreed with John Kass and have sometimes found his opinions offensive. I have to praise his effort, however, in his Sept. 26 column, “Douse the politics–give firefighters, cops a contract,” in speaking up on behalf of Chicago’s least-rewarded public servants.
When I see the images that have come out of New York and Washington in the past two weeks, I realize that the heroism and the sacrifices of New York’s firefighters and police officers are not unique. Our relatives, neighbors and friends who serve in those roles in Chicago are at risk every day for the same awful ordeal, and when they’ve been called on, they’ve shown that they are up to the challenge.
The men and women who put their lives at risk on a daily basis to protect and rescue Chicagoans deserve a contract that reflects their value and offers their loved ones at least some security. This is a duty that we owe them. They don’t neglect their duty to us, and we can’t justify neglecting our duty to them any longer.
Mayor Richard Daley and the City Council need to hear that police officers and firefighters deserve a contract.
