Speak Out for June 26, 2012
June 25, 2012 3:34PM
Corn on the cob is a staple at many Southland summer festivals. | AP file photo
Updated: July 27, 2012 6:17AM
I can’t wait for the 25th annual Oak Fest, where I always get the corn on the cob and the funnel cake. There usually are great bands, not one but two fireworks shows and a great sense of community.
To the Speak Out commenter from Bridgeview who criticized same-sex marriage: I believe it is horrible to think that people should not be happy even if they are gay. If you had a heart then you would know that no matter who you love, eventually you would like to have kids with your significant other. Therefore, don’t be pointing your finger at people who are gay and want to adopt. They have just the same rights as everyone else. What if your son or daughter was gay? People are gay in this world and are human beings.
Jessica from Alsip
The state’s Grand Old Party slammed Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan amid pension talks. The way the Republicans are speaking out makes them sound like children. They are calling Madigan names. They are not leaders. They are just creating all of this noise so they can get attention. That is not governing. They need to quit it.
I often see ambulances flying down the street with a fire truck trailing. Can you explain to me the necessity of having a fire truck accompany the ambulance? Years ago, I didn’t see this sort of thing.
To people blaming teachers for high property tax bills: When are you going to blame the right people? Instead of giving billions in tax breaks and subsidies to the already-wealthy, that money should go toward education. More cuts to education on the federal level are going to result in more tax hikes at the local level. Please stop believing the myth that you can’t tax the job creators. Bull! The wealthy must pay their fair share or we, the middle class, will get stuck with the bill. When we, the middle class, don’t have money to spend, the economy suffers.
In reference to Chicago Ald. Michael Zalewski’s quest to deter graffiti, here’s a simple solution that is unfortunately unethical: For the first offense, remove the writing hand. For the second offense, remove the remaining hand. Somewhere along the way, the perpetrators will begin to understand that it’s not a good idea to deface public property.
Terry from Mount Greenwood
I believe some people who use the Link card do get cash back. And yes, they can buy anything they want with that cash including alcohol. It is cash for them to use any way that they want.
A woman from Oak Lawn recently commented in Speak Out that she and her husband were helped by a young couple and a truck driver after experiencing a blowout on Interstate 80. She said, “Thank you God for sending us these angels.” I am glad they were helped, but instead of sending angels after the fact, couldn’t God just have prevented the blowout in the first place?
Jeff from Orland Hills
By paying Tim Baldermann a salary of $127,000 a year for a district with only 110 students, Union School District 81 is spending $1,154 per student for Baldermann to be superintendent instead of spending $1,154 per student on the students.
Regarding speeding in highway and tollway construction sites: I tried going the posted speed at one of those sites, and every vehicle was either right on my tail or quickly passed me by. Going the posted speed limit was a scary experience. Hopefully, once drivers get the message or tickets, it won’t be as scary.
Orland Park
If Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is elected president and the Paul Ryan budget is enacted, you will see an upsurge in crime the like of which the United States has never experienced. When you eradicate the safety net and leave people no recourse other than a desperate act, that’s where crime begins.
A Speak Out commenter said if marijuana is decriminalized drug dealers will still make a fortune. How about the fortunes “legal” drug dealers make via prescription and over-the-counter drug sales? As to marijuana, I never heard of a recorded death attributed to the direct use of marijuana, yet I’ve seen statistics every year that say there are 100,000 and more deaths directly attributed to prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
BJ from Frankfort
Thousands of teachers were able to keep their jobs in Wisconsin unlike Illinois where thousands of teachers are being laid off. I know recent college graduates who have no hope of finding a teaching job. Gov. Pat Quinn has recently cut Medicaid. He has taken health care away from poor people. They didn’t have to do that in Wisconsin because they voted to be fiscally responsible and pay their bills. The unemployment rate in Wisconsin is lower than Illinois’ also.
I don’t own a gun, have never wanted to own a gun and would never use a gun, but I am not in favor of restricting someone who does want to own a gun and use it. If someone else is willing to own a gun and use it against a criminal to prevent an attack or a murder, then I applaud that person and want him to have the right to do it. You certainly don’t come empty-handed to a gunfight. Illinois politicians are making sure that we all are empty-handed in the gunfight.
It was stated that President Obama’s aides are perhaps responsible for giving information to the press to help make Obama seem tough. They have been giving this president as much credit as a mustard seed. Why would Obama jeopardize his job by encouraging these actions?
