Cubs fans know well the long-standing Wrigley Field bleachers tradition of throwing back home runs hit by opposing teams. Many valuable souvenirs have no doubt been sacrificed over the years, hit by eventual Baseball Hall of Fame members.
Americans throughout the country have been throwing back a much more valuable treasure over the past year and a half. During that time, COVID-19 vaccines have been available to most people. Yet roughly 70 million Americans have yet to receive a single dose. Tens of millions of expired, unused vaccines have had to be discarded.
We all know, of course, the vaccine is not perfectly effective. No immunization ever has been! Although breakthrough infections occur, serious infections, hospitalizations and deaths are reduced tremendously. The vaccine is extremely safe and effective.
As a recently retired pediatrician and a grandfather, I especially encourage parents to get their children vaccinated. Pediatric patients had to wait a much longer time for the shot to be authorized so as to ensure the vaccine was both safe and effective for them. Now, however, even the vaccine for children 6 months to 5 years old has been enthusiastically endorsed by vaccine experts with the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
We all look forward to the day we can finally put this terrible pandemic behind us. The COVID-19 vaccine is truly the answer to our hopes, our wishes and our prayers.
— Bruce Bedingfield, Hoffman Estates
Blame for Uvalde shooting
Recently, the official report was released that analyzed the horrific attack on the elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. The report details all sorts of failures and miscommunication, all of it verifiable and deplorable.
However, the real blame — the fundamental blame — is on those citizens who voted for legislators to represent them in Congress who glorify guns and refuse to legislate anything to curb access to guns, especially assault-style weapons.
The blindness of these voters and their representatives to the obvious threat of gun proliferation threatens many more people.
— Susan Haley, Oak Brook
Cops’ negligence in Uvalde
“Systemic failures” is a neat and tidy term to describe the inactions of the police on the scene at the Robb Elementary School massacre in Uvalde, Texas. But no excuse in the world can rectify the passivity and negligence shown by the officers standing outside the classroom while they listened to screams and gunshots as children were being slaughtered.
All the hand sanitizer in the world will never get the blood stains off their hands. In any case, these officers have to live with their fatal errors for the rest of their lives. And I honestly don’t know how they can.
— JoAnn Lee Frank, Clearwater, Florida
Suing gun manufacturers
Have we given up on the concept of personal responsibility? If there’s a car accident, do people sue the manufacturer of the car driven by the person who hit them? No, because it’s obvious that the tool didn’t perpetrate the action — the user did.
Shall we simply say that humankind no longer respects either people or God and will not control itself? That we have given up on medical help for those who are unstable? No to both, but suing everyone you are offended by certainly isn’t the answer either. Enough.
— Georgiana Dodd, Homewood
How many are prepared?
I just wonder. How many communities and schools are really prepared for an active shooter situation? Uvalde, Texas, was not, and the results cost many lives.
— John Corona, Niles
Burke, Madigan’s appeal
Whether Ald. Edward Burke will run for a 14th term is between himself, his God and the voters of the 14th Ward — actually, it’s mostly between himself and the voters.
The reason for Burke’s last election win at 53%, even though he was under a federal cloud of suspicion? He delivers. And it’s the reason he’ll be elected next year should he decide to run for a 14th term.
Like every other scandal in Chicago and Illinois, Burke and former House Speaker Mike Madigan existed because the voters looked the other way for the results the two longtime politicians produced.
Some would argue that without the likes of Burke (and Madigan), there’s a power vacuum, and that’s why all the mayhem is occurring in the Loop and River North area. Others would argue Burke stayed too long.
— Bruce R. Hovanec, Chicago
We need to take action
When will it sink in? Enough is enough! Climate change must be our No. 1 concern. It affects every one of us. Assault-style weapons also affect every one of us. Ban and confiscate every one of them.
Enough is enough. Do something!
— Melly Peterson, Highland Park
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