“Liberate Michigan!” — Donald Trump tweet, April 17, 2020.
People have just been indicted for attempting to do their version of that, including kidnapping Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The president will deny responsibility, but those who remember the spring will remember the armed right-wing extremists barging into the Michigan legislature to protest anti-pandemic measures with a wink and nod from him as he tweet-stormed his negative opinion of the governor.
The leadership of Trump’s Justice Department averts its eyes from right-wing extremism and obsesses about “antifa” which isn’t even an organization.
It is good to see in the foiling of the plot against Whitmer that somebody at the Justice Department still thinks these people are a threat, but I wonder if people like them can keep their jobs through a second Trump term.
— Curt Fredrikson, Mokena
Shades of King Henry II
The arrests of 13 Michigan militiamen should chill every decent American to the bone. Gov. Whitmer has been harassed by armed men on her home lawn and in the state Capitol ever since President Trump singled out Michigan and its Democratic governor for derision over her pandemic restrictions. How much Trump’s tweet ‘Liberate Michigan’ and numerous other statements inciting opposition to sensible pandemic guidelines by Democratic governors might have contributed to the climate now spilling over into anti-government violence is uncertain.
But what is certain is that Trump’s entire campaign and governance has ratcheted up anti-social behavior from the White Nationalist crowd.
Back in 1170, shortly before the murder of his rival, Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Becket, England’s King Henry II, is reported to have said, “Who will rid me of this troublesome priest.” That quote in recent times has come to reflect a ruler seeking vengeance on perceived enemies but reluctant to order the deed outright. It gives cover when criminal followers interpret and act upon that wish. Come to think of it, Henry II’s quote from 850 years ago fits Trump perfectly, except for substituting ‘priest’ with ‘governor.’
— Walt Zlotow, Glen Ellyn
Where was Mayor Lightfoot?
So Mayor Lori Lightfoot engages in painful meetings with her team regarding Chicago budget deficits. She thinks about the hardships the residents of the city will need to endure if city layoffs occur, with particular emphasis on “our personnel.” She states decision making on these issues keeps her up at night.
How empathetic of her. But where was, and where is, the empathy for the tens of thousands of workers laid off because of her shutdown decrees while city workers continued at full pay throughout this crisis? Where was, and where is, her empathy for the thousands of businesses that have been forced to close because of her shutdown decrees? I have seen nothing over these past months which could even be remotely construed as empathy for anyone in the private sector.
Mayor, please reexamine your priorities. You should be kept up at night over the lasting structural damage that has been visited on the private sector and its employees.
— Philip Bernstein, Chicago
Remembering ‘Butch’ O’Hare
On Oct. 5, America lost a great citizen, Ralston Pound age 99, who carried a significant Chicago connection. He was possibly one of the last living persons who had known Edward “Butch” O’Hare, for whom Chicago’s great airport is named. Like O’Hare, Pound risked his life daily as a Navy fighter pilot in the Pacific theater during World War II. He flew F6F Hellcat fighterplanes based on the Lexington and Essex aircraft carriers. He met O’Hare when they were both temporarily in Hawaii between assignments. Unlike O’Hare, Pound was fortunate to survive the war. He remained a leading citizen of his native Charlotte throughout the rest of his long life.
— David W. Erdman, Charlotte, North Carolina
Homeless students need support
There are over 53,000 students experiencing homelessness in Illinois. Homelessness creates barriers for students to be enrolled, attend and succeed in school. Distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly challenging for students and families experiencing homelessness with lack of computing devices, internet, physical space, cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment causing significant hurdles for students to complete schoolwork.
With the new school year beginning, it is critical that schools provide robust supports to homeless students. The rights and protections that schools are obligated to provide homeless students under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Act have not changed but have taken on heightened importance during COVID-19.
Under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Act, school districts must ensure that students experiencing homelessness have equal access to the same free, appropriate public education as other students. The McKinney-Vento definition of homelessness includes those staying at a shelter, those who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence, and those who share the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship or a similar reason.
With COVID-19 causing job loss, health complications and unstable housing it is even more critical that schools are identifying and enrolling homeless students. Schools should be updating their contact information for families and reaching out to all families and sensitively asking about living situations. Education plays a huge role in ending homelessness and during these uncertain times schools need to make sure homeless students are receiving the support and resources they need.
— Alyssa Phillips, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless
Tom Brady’s unsportsmanlike conduct
Many years ago, Isaiah Thomas slinked off the basketball court (before the game was officially over) when Michael Jordan’s Bulls finally defeated the Detroit Pistons. Thursday night, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady did the same thing rather than congratulate the Bears’ Nick Foles, who defeated him in the Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles. No class.
— Ken Sutchar, Chicago
Why bother with debates?
Why do we bother holding presidential and vice presidential debates if there is no fact-checking? Anybody can say anything they want without being challenged. The moderator states at the beginning of the debates there will be no fact-checking as part of the instructions. This makes the debates worthless and requires the public to do their own fact finding. I do it, but I doubt most Americans do.
— Joseph Smolinski, Mokena
Stop the interruptions
The Tribune article on how the vice presidential debate was supposedly “a more civil affair” and “more respectful” completely ignored Mike Pence’s penchant for interrupting both Sen. Kamala Harris and the moderator whenever it suited him.
This is a tactic people, mostly men, have long used to throw their opponents — in this case both women merely asking for the facts — off their game, in hopes they will misspeak, break down by crying or raging, and give up. This display of base power means Pence, like Trump last week, had zero truths to fall back on.
Even schoolchildren know interruptions are supremely disrespectful. Most kids grow out of it, but some of them, like Mike Pence, grow up to become smooth-spoken bullies.
— Maja Ramírez, Chicago
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