What’s Speak Out?
Speak Out allows readers to comment on the issues of the day. Email Speak Out at [email protected] or call 312-222-2427. Please limit comments to 30 seconds or about 100 words and give your first name and your hometown.
Yeah, I just hear the news that Brittney Griner’s been released. That’s all nice and good. But she’s the one that kneels when the “Star-Spangled Banner” is being played. She has no respect for the United States. They trade her for a known arms dealer who supplied guns and weapons to kill, probably Americans. Yet they leave another guy still in prison, they don’t try to work him in a deal. She’s the one that could care less, she knew the law. So it’s embarrassing for the United States to do that. But that’s Uncle Joe Biden, sleepy Joe Biden, the guy that’s ending up putting us behind the times.
Jimbo, Chicago Heights
I hope the American people notice with this Biden administration, he secured the release of a sports figure who deliberately brought drugs into a country, disrespected the American flag. But yet, they left the poor American who’s been in the Russian prison for four years. The first figure was only in the prison for nine months, but she got top priority. I hope when it comes time to vote, we remember what the Biden administration did to the poor gentleman that’s been in the Russian prison for four years, and let a person out who totally disrespected our country didn’t deserve to be let out, she broke the law.
Shelley, Oak Lawn
Concerning the prisoner exchange, how come a Black basketball player was exchanged and not a white American soldier. If the races were reversed, we’d see who would be coming home. I hope this all gets corrected.
Warren, Justice
More Top Picks Led Face Masks
Kudos to Ted Slowik for his superb column describing the situation playing out since Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard also became Thornton Township supervisor in March. Dolton’s Village Board voted 5-1 Dec. 5 to pay the town’s bills except for about two dozen vendors. The items not approved included $90,000 to a gazebo company and $105,000 owed to a business that makes synthetic ice for rinks. As Slowik cleverly described it: the trustees act like responsible parents while Henyard acts like an aunt who raids the family grocery budget to splurge on candy and toys to try to win favor with the children.
Christine, Evergreen Park
While looking at the front page of Thursday’s paper I saw a tease for INSIDE about columnist Ted Slowik saying he took a look at the pulse of the public saying they were yearning for something refreshing, exciting and fun. For a moment I thought he was going to write articles that were not biased or better yet retire.
Joe, Steger
In response to a resident objecting to outdoor lighting shining into his yard, I suggest any resident, or business adjacent to homes, limit overnight lighting. This, after 10 p.m., would mean using lights aimed or shaded so no direct light shines beyond the property where the lights are installed, and the neighbors would only see the reflected light from whatever the lights are shining on. Also, please have the lights only as bright as is really needed for safety and security. Some communities have dark sky ordinances requiring this limit on nighttime outside lighting.
Michael, Crestwood
Being a White Sox fan, I am shocked they are shopping No. 1 closer in baseball, Liam Hendriks. They were a .500 team last year. What would they be without Hendriks? Cellar dwellers.
Mr. G, Chicago
Well, it looks like the Illinois concealed carry holders are doing the job the Chicago Police Department can’t or won’t. They’re starting to put a stop to some of these armed robbery crews on the West Side and the North Side. Good work gentlemen, keep it up. I can’t wait for the crews to head south.
Kevin, Oak Lawn
Why do I have to listen to other people’s dogs bark day and night? It’s been two months now. Couple months ago an animal welfare officer from Stickney Health told me, well dogs bark so get over it. Well, you know what? I’m not over it and maybe you should do your job, because for months now the dogs just bark day and night. Maybe we should just defund you and let everyone’s dogs just run around the neighborhood.
Jose, Burbank
According to the Anti-Defamation League, since Elon Musk took over Twitter, hate speech against Blacks, gays, women and Jews has increased by about 61% on the social platform. Musk calls himself a free speech absolutist, which means he considers racism, homophobia, misogyny and anti-Semitism acceptable forms of communication. Musk has even gone so far as to restore the account of conspiracy king QAnon! Can anyone really say they’re surprised?
Wes, Orland Park
RHS from Oak Forest, at least he didn’t trip going down the stairs like Donald Trump did at West Point graduation. But if you spend the majority of your time as president playing golf like Trump did, you should be a little athletic. Trump’s idea of serving a dinner for teams going to White House was Big Macs, Diet Cokes and french fries. So healthy. Trump was a loser and is a loser and will always be a loser. His one flew over the cuckoo’s nest idea is changing the U.S. Constitution because he lost. It is always about him.
Geri, Tinley Park
Jim, the fact that some school district teachers have 15 days of sick leave is a result of union-district negotiations, not a gift. Not all teachers in Illinois have 15 sick days per year. Do you really want a sick teacher to come to school and teach your children? Public education costs more than a private school because of the state requirement that public school districts educate all students, regardless of educational ability or physical abilities. Private schools are able to choose their students and not educate the educationally or emotionally challenged or physically handicapped.
Paul, Tinley Park
A hater commented that former President Trump was a criminal. In the USA that I grew up in, a person was deemed innocent until proved guilty. Democrat operatives have tried for at least six years to convict Trump of something. They failed with stolen election, Hillary 2016; Russian collusion, two years; two impeachments, partisan, manufactured; New York attorney general charges; tax returns; and on ad nauseam. To date, zero convictions. Not a criminal, readers.
David, Tinley Park