I write in response to the op-ed authored by Barbara Risman and published on March 27 (“Does UIC want to outcompete the Ivies for antisemitism?”).
As a faculty member of one of the departments Risman targets, I raise my outrage at the Tribune opinion team’s decision to publish a piece attacking my colleagues in my department, cultural centers and other academic units merely for publicly mourning and expressing our devastation at the bombing, assassinations and forced starvation, among numerous other tactics of mass slaughter, executed by the state of Israel against Palestinians.
Since the Tribune published Risman’s opinion, my colleagues are receiving hate mail and threats for supporting our students and demanding a permanent cease-fire. Put differently, the op-ed weaponizes the claim of antisemitism, wittingly or unwittingly inciting backlash against Palestinian, Arab and Muslim people and their allies.
Furthermore, while the piece makes this passing reference — “to critique the Israeli government isn’t antisemitic at all” — the rest of the piece equates the state of Israel and Zionism with Jewish people and Judaism. This claim itself is antisemitic, as it equates support for an ethnonationalist state and ideology with a religion and its followers.
Finally, it is categorically untrue that the University of Illinois expresses support of Arab, Palestinian and Muslim students, as seen in University of Illinois President Timothy Killeen’s public statements in response to the genocide, the UIC board of trustees’ treatment of protesters at its fall meeting and the UIC police department’s decision to arrest and charge an Arab student for pro-Palestine graffiti.
I am dismayed at the Tribune’s lack of editorial discernment and emphasize the incitement to hateful actions it is inspiring.
— A. Naomi Paik, associate professor, University of Illinois at Chicago
‘Teaching moment’ in conflict
The Tribune recently published an op-ed from a leading sociologist at the University of Illinois at Chicago concerning polarizing responses by students and organizational entities at UIC. Professor Barbara Risman is correct as far as she goes in identifying a problem. But she applies little sociology to it. As long as there are no rules governing communication, it will turn polarizing when there is open conflict.
Now conflict in the Middle East involves the identities of members of the academic community. Sociology offers rules that can turn this conflict into a “teaching moment.”
The easy response when war or terrorism explodes is to take sides and act on the hate and fear evoked by the other side. The difficult response is to identify the excesses of your own side and act to limit and bring them to an end.
The Jewish students, faculty and staff and their allies have to recognize that the Oct. 7 attack became an excuse for the opening of Israel’s genocidal invasion of the Gaza strip as a continuation of settler assaults on West Bank Palestinians. American Jews and allies need to openly march, as have the Israelis against their extremist government. We do this by taking ownership of our half of the problem, while the Palestinians take responsibility to call out the terrorists who also trade on hate and fear to cover their attacks on Israelis. Why don’t the Arab and Muslim states around the world take in Palestinian refugees from Gaza? Why do these nations subsidize the terrorists? Why does the U.S. government allow its munitions of war to be used on civilians?
These two sides on campus are now at odds and fearing and hating each other. But once they begin to work on their side of the problem, they can work together. They will be complementary, not polarizing. They would be doing what students and their teachers should always do: Discuss their common problem, identify solutions and work to achieve them together.
Risman, UIC needs you. Instead of retiring early in the face of antisemitism, take ownership of the problem, support your students and help them organize, Jews along with their Palestinian counterparts.
— Keith Johnson, former University of Illinois at Chicago instructor, Evanston
Bally’s is a catalyst for hope
I wholeheartedly agree with the March 12 editorial that Bally’s Chicago Casino should be a “world-class resort facility” that will generate “well-paying jobs and local business opportunities galore” (“A Chicago casino that’s a slot shed is worse than no Chicago casino at all”).
What I won’t buy into is fearmongering and noise as that vision comes to fruition.
As a business owner and Neighbors of River West Association board member for more than 30 years, I’ve seen developers fly in with big promises that never materialize. Truly, I get the skepticism and concerns. That has not been my experience with Bally’s, which to date has lived up to its promises and demonstrated a willingness to engage, listen and adjust plans based on community feedback.
Bally’s has already paid $40 million to the city upfront. Bally’s says it has the capital to start demolition at the Tribune’s Freedom Center this summer and will have the financing to begin construction in 2024 as planned, and I believe the company. Perhaps it will take shovels in the ground before we can collectively adopt a more pro-business attitude. That’s disappointing, particularly since Bally’s is investing more in Chicago, creating more union jobs and contributing more to infrastructure than any other development in recent memory.
Plus, Bally’s is a piece in the bigger picture for River West. Next month, the city’s Plan Commission will hear the details for Onni Group’s proposed development at 700 W. Chicago Ave. If Bally’s was such a terrible thing, why would there be plans to build many more residential units around it?
Bally’s is not an impediment to development, but rather a catalyst for much-needed growth in Chicago.
— John Bosca, chairman, Casino Community Advisory Council, and emeritus president, Neighbors of River West Association
Protesters are making it worse
I’m directing this to the people protesting the Democratic National Convention coming to Chicago and President Joe Biden. They are playing right into MAGA Republicans’ hands.
The president has tried to convince the Israelis to enter into a cease-fire with Hamas, but with Benjamin Netanyahu as Israel’s prime minister, it’s been futile.
A nonvote or a vote for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is tantamount to voting for Donald Trump.
— Michael J. Medley, Chicago
We need vote-by-mail elections
After our recent Illinois primaries, people have commented regarding the good or bad of voting by mail. Eight states — California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Vermont and Washington, as well as the District of Columbia — allow all elections to be conducted entirely by mail, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. All of these states have successfully implemented voting that is safe, efficient and cost-effective while engaging more voters.
Perhaps those people who suggest that all voting should be on Election Day and in person may be interested in volunteering to become an election judge. There has been a shortage of election judges as some people think it is too much work or they are concerned for their safety.
For those of us who have volunteered our time, we would like to share our experiences.
As Cook County election judges, we spend four hours for in-person training. Additionally, anywhere from three to five hours of online training is required to be completed before Election Day. Another hour is required to set up equipment a day or two before the election. Finally, Election Day starts early at 5 a.m. to finalize preparations and open up the polls. Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m., and cleanup adds another hour or more to a judge’s time. Then two judges carry the ballots to the receiving station.
Fifteen hours this past election allowed fewer than 100 voters to vote in one of our precincts and just over 100 voters in another. It certainly is a lot of time and cost to allow 200 people to cast a vote in person.
Perhaps it is time for Illinois to review other states’ successful voting entirely by mail.
— Laura Davis, Inverness, and Jim McGrath, Barrington
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