Power of letters
I wish to express my gratitude to the Tribune for helping to co-create the nourishing relationship I have enjoyed this year (and in years past) with you by way of my letters written to you.
While I frequently write (generally in cursive) my current ideas and opinions, some of which get published, my debt is to a print medium that permits thousands of readers to benefit from those musings. I know that such an interaction benefits us all in a free society.
Thank you for valuing my contributions and passing them on (by way of publishing them) for the consideration of your readers.
— Leon J. Hoffman, Chicago
Illinois pols
Margaret Thatcher famously said: “I am not a consensus politician. I am a conviction politician.” Unfortunately, in Illinois, the term “conviction politician” has a totally different meaning.
— Patrick J. Allen, River Forest
Inclusive greeting
Every winter, the whiners come calling like spoiled children.
Once again, the argument is made that since a perceived Christian majority has held the bully pulpit for many years, it is entitled to continue to do so.
From an early age, my parents taught me that, although we celebrated Christmas, many people in the world did not.
Out of respect for them, we were taught to wish a Merry Christmas to those who did and Happy Holidays (or a more specific greeting if we knew of their traditions) to those who did not or for those whose beliefs we were not aware.
With all the troubles in our world, would Jesus really want you to spend your time and energy chastising those who care to be inclusive?
— Steve Hickson, Chicago
A matter of taste
I shall never be a great cook, chef or pastry maker.
I lack the passion, patience, tenacity and taste buds so essential to master the culinary arts.
I cannot readily distinguish and interpret the thousands of flavors, aromas, textures and nuances to achieve a modicum of culinary skills.
But perhaps there is hope.
It may be possible that I have an attribute that can compensate for my lack of kitchen skills.
The attribute of which I speak (emerging, I confess) is some skill in writing.
Writing, like successful “kitchening,” requires a cornucopia of traits: an adequate word inventory (like a chef’s pantry filled with food stocks and exotic condiments), creativity, tenacity and a broad background in cultural and world affairs.
Like the culinary arts, wordsmithing can be fashioned to appeal to discrete audiences or to populations of multiple cultural, ethnic and social enclaves.
Unlike the culinary arts, authoring does not enjoy immediate response.
It requires patience.
— Norman E. Bullock, Lapeer County, Mich.
Big-time corrupters
Maybe now U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald can devote his time — and taxpayer dollars — to going after the people who really deserve to participate in a perp walk: the bankers who have destroyed this country.
Annoying as Rod Blagojevich was, he didn’t cause people to lose their homes, jobs or businesses.
If Fitzgerald really thinks Blago’s long sentence is going to change Illinois’ culture of corruption, Fitzgerald has been spending too many hours reading law books.
It’s discouraging that Fitzgerald, the guy the media think is a crusader, wastes his time on small fry like Blago while big-time corrupters in the political and financial world (they’re all one) walk free.
— Marsha Niazmand, Evanston
Up to voters
It’s not about Rod Blagojevich.
It’s about us.
We elected him.
He had very little to recommend him for the job other than being a tool of the Democratic machine and having good hair.
The minority that bothers to vote continues to elect representatives based on little more than a slogan or two and party affiliation.
We get what we deserve and apparently we deserve criminals running our government, stealing our money, ruining our state and laughing all the way to the bank with state pensions.
Blagojevich and former Gov. George Ryan are only the most recent and most obvious of this ilk.
Most of our city, county and state governments are run by politicians who have come to see their positions as a form of entitlement.
We and only we can change this at the ballot box.
How many scandals must we endure, how much mismanagement can we tolerate, how much criminal activity will it take before we decide to make a change?
It’s not up to the courts to make this change.
It’s up to us.
Get informed. Vote.
Take responsibility for your government.
— Dan Stanzel, Chicago
