I read with interest and some sadness the article in Thursday’s Tribune (“Personal cost of American politics,” Oct. 20). Friends and I have faced the same problem. I commend those individuals, on both sides, who attempt to explain their political views but are summarily or unfairly rebuffed by friends and family who hold opposing views. It does no good to be “judge and jury” of someone else’s belief system without hearing that person’s rationale.
Unfortunately though, so much of what I read today fails to offer any real explanation for an opposing political position. Denying reality, in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, coupled with a mentality of “even though I can’t prove it,” simply doesn’t promote civil discourse. It cuts off the discussion from the get-go.
How can we rationally discuss important topics with someone who can’t muster any justification for their position other than “This is what I want to believe” or “I believe this person, no matter what”?
We need to be a kinder, gentler and more communicative society, but we won’t get there without opening our ears and engaging our brains!
— Dianne Casuto, Lake Forest
Permanent home for Islamic art
The management of the Art Institute shoots itself in the foot again. Not only has it decided to close the museum two days a week, abolish its greeters and decimate its ranks of docents, but it also closed its Islamic art gallery (“Chicago’s only major Islamic art gallery got displaced,” Oct. 19.)
The op-ed writer offers several perceptive comments about the Art Institute’s decision to close the gallery showcasing Islamic art. He cites one example of the museum’s tone-deaf management that I hadn’t considered: The museum’s gallery of ancient Egypt art is separate from the arts of Africa and thus “perpetuates a dated Eurocentric and colonialist view of the history of art evolving from ancient Mesopotamian and Egyptian origins.”
As a member of the Art Institute for decades, I find it hard to believe that the museum can find no permanent space for its beautiful and instructive Islamic art collection but rolls out show after show of contemporary art that more properly belongs in other Chicago galleries such as the Museum of Contemporary Art.
— Dan Miller, Chicago
Scammers are predators
It’s hard for decent people to believe their fellow humans will cheat, lie, steal and even kill. Today’s scammers are a perfect example of such amoral predators.
Recently, I was phoned by a sincere-sounding fellow who congratulated me on being a new multimillionaire in the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes. I’d never entered the sweepstakes, but I played along until he informed me that all I needed to do was purchase a $600 Visa “claim card.” When I insisted that made no sense, he reverted to calling me “pal” and soon disconnected.
Soon thereafter, a former high school classmate excitedly notified me via Facebook that she’d won $200,000 and had only to prepay the tax and delivery fee. I told her, regretfully, that she was being scammed.
The old saying remains true: If something seems too good to be true, it’s not true. Sadly, the lowlifes are out there, just waiting to separate you from your money.
For more information, Google “scams.”
— Richard Nolan, Park Ridge
Let students learn Latin
Regarding the letter “Drop the Latin instruction,” (Oct. 15): Naperville School District 203 should retain Latin.
I studied Latin for two years in high school followed by two years of French. That Latin foundation has proved to be invaluable to me when encountering unfamiliar Latin-based English words, enabling me to dissect and understand them.
Latin is the base of French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Romanian. I don’t speak those languages, but thanks to my Latin classes, they are not a complete mystery to me.
Fiction, nonfiction, film, lyrics, the medical and legal professions, and yes, even newspapers sometimes contain words or phrases that can be grasped because of a Latin education.
Please allow those who are intrigued by this treasure to be able to enrich their lives through its study.
— Judith Migala, Elmhurst
Voting as a blind person
I try to vote at every election as it is my civic duty as a citizen. For many years now, I have been able to vote without assistance as a blind voter because of a system of audio voting in which I use a handheld controller to go through the different offices, candidates and issues. It has worked quite well up until now.
On Monday, I went to the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners office at 69 W. Washington St. assuming that officials would know how to set up the voting machine for audible voting, something they always have trouble with in my local precinct. But I found myself in trouble.
The Board of Election Commissioners had purchased a new system that was a disaster. Imagine a controller in which the instructions identify the control buttons by color. How much help are colors for a blind voter?
In addition, the buttons were strangely designed with raised lines rather than up, down, left and right arrows with a select button in the middle. Workers had to keep showing me where to press. The first machine would not work, so they switched me to another machine. Eventually, I was able to cast my votes for different offices, and I can only pray that I voted as I wanted to.
The city used to consult with the National Federation of the Blind to do the job properly. It is clear that nobody blind was consulted at all. You want to talk about rights and inclusion?
— Wayne Smith, Chicago
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