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 [email protected]. Please include “speak out” in the subject line.
Dumbing down: Now many “woke” school districts are dropping honor classes for the smarter kids in the name of equity — those classes might make some slow learners feel bad. It should be called “the dumbing down of the U.S.” Makes me wonder if China has something to do with it. No new American scientists, no new technology created in the future. Right up China’s playbook and their plan for the Chinese Communitst Party to be the No. 1 world leader in the future. And we allow it all to be done by so called Americans. We are so stupid!
Father deserves prison: It’s about time the father of the Highland Park shooter went to jail. His son had threatened to kill the whole family so he knew his son had a problem and yet he helped the son get a gun. He is guilty of murder like his son.
Crucial missing part: Why is it that everytime someone refers to the one sentence long 2nd Amendment, they leave out the first half of the sentence? That initial part specifies the reason for it: ” A well-regulated militia, being necessary to a free state….” Since our founders forbid an established army because of the way the British used theirs here, a militia made up of citizens, was to defend our nation state. Since every citizen could be called into the militia, and had to supply their own weapons and mode of transportation, all citizens should have access to weapons. Period.
Problem-solving with a gun: Mass shootings are now outpacing the days on a calendar. There aren’t enough milk cartons in existence to picture all of the slain Americans. Once the image of freedom and security, to be emulated by the rest of the world, we’ve now regressed into a society that can only express its pent-up frustrations and petty grievances at the point of a gun.
Weak argument: In America, the main criticism of gun laws are from those who own or sell guns. Their argument is that they simply don’t work? My response to them is neither does speed limit laws, but both help to prevent casualties or harm. Exaggerating expectations is a pretty weak argument when you ignore the purpose! Without laws as a guide there is chaos having ramifications.
Wrong kind of success: I see that Kyle Hendricks is the only player left from the 2016 World Series champion Cubs team. A startling reminder of just how fleeting success can be in the Windy City. It seems almost impossible that this country’s third largest city and media market has done so poorly in acquiring championship trophies in the major sports. Do we even remember the last time the Bulls won an NBA title (1998) or the Blackhawks won a Stanley Cup (2015)? What’s more the last White Sox victory parade was 2005. Of course, we do recall da Bears’ 1985 success but that was 38 years ago. It’s about time Chicago becomes more famous for its surplus of championship trophies than innocent victims of violent crimes.