The 45-year-old David Wilhelm [“Small-Town Values,” July 7] had a career that essentially did nothing for the economy. Executive director of Citizens for Tax Justice, campaign director for Paul Simon, worker for Joe Biden, unsuccessful contender for Congress, campaign manager for Richie Daley are all jobs (if you want to call them that) that produce no economic good.
Then, Wilhelm got a job as a “senior managing director in investment banking,” even though he had no experience in the field and the story states that “his strengths are not in high finance.” Rick Kogan appropriately points out, “thanks to his work in politics, he understands how the system works.” Yes, one hand washes the other when it’s payback time! Now he’s selling himself as a venture capitalist.
Wilhelm is quoted, “I think I’ve been able to keep my idealism.” Of course he’s been able to; he’s been in positions where he does not have to worry about where his next meal is coming from! Does anyone think he could keep his idealism working for Arthur Andersen, Enron, WorldCom or Lucent?
Richard S. Cegielski / Highland Park
Two Osgoods
Ever since Rick Kogan started his “Sidewalks” column with Charles Osgood, I wondered if Charles finished his Sunday morning CBS network show and then flew to Chicago regularly to do the photography for the column. But when Rick wrote that great story about David Wilhelm and I saw the photo of your Charles Osgood, I realized that he is a different person.
Michele Chroman / Riverwoods
He’s no Bill Clinton
Bravo to Henry Hyde for his courageous defense of the rule of law. It is sad to see his critics [In-box, July 14] equate him with President Bill Clinton because of his affair 40 years ago.
For the record, Henry Hyde never lied about his affair under oath. He never abused his power as a government official to cover up his affair, as Clinton did in his obstruction of the investigation and his bombing of a Sudanese chemical factory at a crucial point in the Monica Lewinsky episode.
Henry Hyde’s affair was truly a youthful indiscretion, while the former president’s behavior is a life-long pattern that includes sexual harassment.
Paul Hernandez / Homewood
Summer adventures
I was very pleased to come across your article about Lake Geneva and “The Battle of Black Point” [June 30]. I wrote a historical novel, first published in 1994, which was set at Black Point. The work is essentially “faction.” I decided to draw on the eventful summer of 1895, along with the Columbian Exposition and the Pullman strike, and place the main characters within.
It was a real labor of love for me, since I had grown up at the Chicago Club, on the south shore. A number of us kids who lived there would spend long days on various made-up adventures, some of which took us over to Black Point, about a mile or so away, quite an expedition for 8- and 9-year-olds. I still remember my first encounter with that dark, brooding lagoon. You mentioned Stephen Sills and that brought to mind that he was one of our little “gang,” though Steve was a couple of years younger.
Your piece captured the unique character of Black Point. It’s unfortunate that this current controversy [over the proposed museum] has split the residents almost down the middle. I applaud what the Petersens are doing; it certainly seems like a selfless act to donate the home.
Congratulations on an excellent article and thanks for giving me another chance to revisit one of my favorite places.
Jerome T. Burke / Elgin
Reducing poverty
“Life After Welfare” [June 23] shows the courage and determination that most people receiving welfare have to improve their lives. It demonstrated how important education was in lifting Pamela Burrell off the rolls, and the obstacles that child care presents in maintaining employment.
President Bush’s proposals to reform welfare would increase the impediments recipients face. The goal of reform should be poverty reduction, not caseload reduction, which would only impoverish more children and families. It is evident that greater funding is needed for child care to move families out of poverty.
I am a member of RESULTS, a citizens advocacy group that is asking our senators to pass a bill that keeps the existing work-hour requirements and increases access to education, job training and funding for childcare. We hope our senators rise to the occasion and leave no child behind!
Juliann Weimholt / Chicago
Too many excuses
A red flag went up when I read that Pamela Burrell has a college degree.
I’m tired of the negative, “can’t-do” mindset of government agencies and private companies who come up with endless stupid excuses as to why they can’t help you or hire you for what you were educated for and are supposed to be working at.
All Illinois college graduates should be employed.
Jean SmilingCoyote / Chicago
Sharing the burden
If Pamela Burrell would have found another single mom with kids to move into her $975-a-month home and split the costs and share in child care to avoid the $1,250 day-care fee (one mom works in the day and the other at night), she would have saved $1,737.
Instead she quit her job, with $2,500 a month in take-home pay, because she couldn’t make ends meet.
Rosa Ring / Frankfort
Out of bounds
“The Same Old New Look of Rogers Park” [June 16] was very well written and quite informative, but to label it as being about Rogers Park is a gross misnomer to say the least.
With the exception of a paragraph or two on how the various ethnic and religious groups get along, it was not about Rogers Park; basically, it was about West Rogers Park, Devon Avenue and the Jewish corridor of synagogues on California from Devon to Howard Street.
For one thing, Rogers Park is not bounded by Peterson, Howard Street, the lake and Kedzie; its boundaries are the lake to Ridge (on the west) and from Devon to Howard. You may consider this a technicality, but it is a fact.
There was not even a reference to our hard-working alderman, Joe Moore, and all he has done for the area. In addition, there were no references to the new Gateway Plaza retail/transportation center at Howard and Clark Streets or the multimillion-dollar investment of Loyola University in the community (including the Joseph J. Gentile sports arena and the William G. and Marilyn M. Simpson Living and Learning Center).
Terry Sacks / Chicago
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