Speak Out is a reader-generated column of opinions. If you there’s something you’d like to comment on in Elgin or beyond, send an email to ksorensen@tribpub.com. Please include “speak out” in the subject line.
Spot on commentary: Simon Hankinson’s column in Friday’s Courier-News condemning the twisting of words just to make them more appealing is right on the mark. He nailed it!
Fall definitely here: Admittedly, I’m no student of science but even I can sense a change in the seasons. The trees are virtually bare now and the winds are straight out of the north, making them chillier and more ominous than only a few days ago. Even the birds have have taken the hint and are winging it to far-off destinations. There is some good news, however; all those annoying political ads are also going away — and not a moment too soon.
Trusting the system: Several days ago, I went to the post office and mailed our 2022 midterm ballots. I could have taken them to a secure ballot drop box or gone to vote in person. I chose to mail them to make the point that I am not going to let far right-wing MAGA extremists take away my right to vote by mail. If there are any problems with voting by mail, they have been caused by the aforementioned individuals.
‘Till’ tells important story: I just saw a great movie, “Till,” about the murder of a young Black man in 1955 and the racial injustice in our country during that time. All should be aware of this time in our country’s history, whether it be from reading about it in our history books or seeing and hearing about via the movies and other media. I do wonder if this is the kind of history that states like Florida and Texas would rather not be mentioned. America is at its greatest when it recognizes its faults and failures and corrects its mistakes, not hide them.
Adeus, Bolsonaro: Thank you, people of Brazil, for doing the right thing and getting rid of President Jair Bolsonaro, who allowed deforestation to go unchecked in the Amazon. Go green.
Babe was greatest of all: I give all the great hitters today a hats off, but the greatest of them all was Babe Ruth. He hit his homers with a dead ball. He was so good that he never was in good shape, a party everyday, beer and hot dogs and they’re playing around at night. Every game, fans came to see him hit. Pitchers never gave him a good pitch to hit. When you go to the park, look up at the sky and say thanks, Babe, for making the game of baseball great.
