The recent letter (“Western support for Ukraine,” Oct. 26) addressing the need to support Ukraine until the war is won by Ukraine is right on target. This is a war being fought between a totalitarian government and a democratic government; it is a challenge to the strength of NATO and will determine the fate of similar actions in the future if Russia gains even an inch of Ukrainian territory.
The United States and the rest of the free world need to support Ukraine until Russian troops withdraw and return the territory they have seized; anything less would be a victory for Russia and a defeat for the free world.
Also, it was reported earlier that Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, suggested that Ukraine should try to cement its recent gains and bargain with Russia, thus giving up some parts of Ukraine and securing a victory for Russia. This is defeatist thinking and is a disgrace to the uniform that he wears. I think Milley has softened over the years and forgotten what victory and defeat look like. He should be replaced with someone who will accept only total victory in Ukraine.
The future of the free world depends on it!
— Gregory Johnson, Palos Heights
Thankful in Land of Lincoln
The other day, a couple of days before Thanksgiving, I drove through our Land of Lincoln out west as the sun was setting. The fields were harvested except for a few leftover cornfields.
I could not help thinking about how thankful we should be for all the food those fields were producing, for the farmers who planted and harvested those fields, for the millers who turned the crops into cornflakes and flour for bread, and for so many other workers of the fields, as well as animals. We need bees and other insects to pollinate all these plants. We grow trees and flowers to beautify gardens and landscapes — and hopefully to help the bees. We need to help balance all this and not think one or the other can do it all.
And then I thought about how thankful we should be that Russian rockets have not set our fields on fire or destroyed our power stations and electric grid.
Maybe it is time we in the Land of Lincoln and all the other well-to-do lands stop bickering about little things and get together about how we can do the big things, without destroying it all.
Thoughts from the field.
— Peter Orum, nursery farmer, St. Charles
Shopping at charity shops
For those of us whose budgets are limited and would like to be part of Giving Tuesday, how about this? Buy Christmas presents at charity resale shops. There is a convenient row of them on Rand Road in Arlington Heights. There is Wings, which provides services for domestic abuse victims; the Salvation Army, which helps everybody; Goodwill, which offers job training; Lucille’s, which supports youths on Chicago’s West Side; and the ReStore, which helps Habitat for Humanity’s affordable housing mission.
Giving and getting are a nice way to have a merry Christmas.
— Lynn Rogge, Mount Prospect
‘Midwest goodbye’ steps
I laughed out loud along with the rest of our Thanksgiving guests while reading Christopher Borrelli’s “12 Stages of the Midwest Goodbye” in Thursday’s Tribune. There are two steps that need to be added, however.
Prior to step one, the oldster host (me) makes obvious glances at his wristwatch. That gets the ball rolling. Then, sometime after guests have finally made it down the front porch stairs, I will yell out if it’s OK to turn off the porch lights. That cuts down on all the curbside chatter.
One tip I’d offer is not to put your hat and coat on until the group has reached step 12. Otherwise, you’ll be sweating like crazy sitting on the living room couch until conversation finally subsides.
— Russ Haak, Park Ridge
Why celebrate cannibals?
I love it — cannibalism as just another lifestyle choice for a couple of crazy kids. When I read Katie Walsh’s review of “Bones and All” (Nov. 28), I checked the calendar to see if it was indeed April 1, but no.
Calling a movie that features a couple of cannibals “one of the most moving and authentically beautiful love stories” had me wondering if we can actually draw the line on anything?
— Patrick F. Cannon, Forest Park
Redirecting outrage
Nothing at all against Taylor Swift or Swifties, but imagine if the collective fury over the Ticketmaster fiasco were directed toward lawmakers who perpetuate the ability of civilians to arm themselves with Army-caliber weapons.
Our streets, schools, places of worship, etc., might actually be safe once again.
— Lauren Krause, Chicago
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