Bring in the National Guard. Bring in the federales. On this, I stand firmly with former mayoral candidate Willie Wilson (“Democrats’ failure to protect vulnerable communities leaves door open for troops,”
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Aug. 28).As a Mexican American living on Chicago’s West Side, I often wonder what kind of leadership we really have — because right now, this city is lawless. Instead of welcoming temporary help from the federal government, our leaders kick and scream against it.
Yes, they boast about a 30% drop in homicides, but let’s be real: 30% off roughly 300 killings still means over 200 lives lost in a single year. And the mayor treats that like an achievement? That’s not progress — it’s a sin.
It’s time to rethink Chicago and the state’s sanctuary status — or at the very least, let citizens have a voice through a referendum. Who’s really pulling the strings here? Who’s advising these leaders? Where are their ethics?
The mayor calls Chicago a “welcoming city.” But has he even driven through our neighborhoods lately? Dirty streets, graffiti, overgrown wild vegetation, theft and violent crime. What exactly is “welcoming” about that? Meanwhile, police presence is minimal.
Politicians treat immigration laws like optional guidelines. There’s even a Latino “rapid response” team ready to shield people from Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. But where’s their rapid response to the daily crimes plaguing our neighborhoods?
Mr. Mayor and Mr. Governor — stop resisting and welcome the National Guard and federal help. Set a good example. Take the help while you can get it. Let the National Guard stay downtown and in low-crime neighborhoods, and send the CPD to our high-crime neighborhoods. Have them enforce our local laws and put them to work.
If these local politicians truly cared about this country and this city, they would be teaching newcomers not just how to live here but also how to respect our laws. That’s how you make Chicago a better, safer and, yes, genuinely welcoming place. Not just for undocumented immigrants, but also for the people who already call this great city home.
— Chano Hernandez, Chicago
Protecting children
After yet another school shooting in which innocent children were killed, wounded and forever damaged by a sick person who should not have had multiple firearms, I am wondering what our secretary of health and human services’ response is.
So far this year, we have had 44 school shootings. What are Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his department doing about this? I already know the answer: nothing.
Nothing because Kennedy is more focused on advancing conspiracy theories about the dangers of proven lifesaving vaccines causing autism. Or he is busy restricting young children’s access to COVID-19 vaccines, even though the American Pediatric Association still recommends them and rejects his unscientific reasoning. Or he is too busy firing staff of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who disagree with his anti-vaccine positions because they know the benefits through proven scientific and medical expertise.
Kennedy’s HHS.gov website boldly displays “Building a Healthier, Stronger America” next to an oversize picture of him. But nowhere does it mention anything about gun controls, gun access or safety for children from gun violence. When I click on the link “Protecting Women and Children,” what it mentions is “chemical and surgical mutilation of children.” I believe parents are more worried about the dangers to their children from the next school shooter than this “mutilation.”
Perhaps his lack of interest in stepping up to the gun violence issue is because he and the rest of the Cabinet are too busy working on who can offer more praise for the president during televised Cabinet meetings? Perhaps it is because Kennedy and the rest of the Republicans won’t dare do anything about guns to upset their gun lobby contributors.
If Kennedy really cared about “Building a Healthier, Stronger America,” this would include a real focus and definitive actions related to gun violence and school shootings. Why doesn’t he consider using his position and legacy Kennedy name to address this critical health issue? All of America is frustrated with the lack of attention by our elected and appointed officials.
— Michael J. Buoscio, Lake Bluff
Response to threat
Recently, President Donald Trump threatened to withhold money from states and cities that have no-cash-bail policies, such as Illinois. I understand that for every $1 Illinois receives from the federal government, we give it $1.36 from taxes and other sources. Unlike the majority of states that voted for Trump, we are a giver, not a receiver state, which means that we supply more monies to the federal government than we receive in federal services.
I suggest that Illinois stop giving those funds to the federal government until it stops withholding funds for our educational, health, social programs and other needs. This money would be better spent filling in the gaps in programs that the federal government no longer supports, such as Medicaid. We must fight fire with fire to survive as a state and provide for our citizens.
— Susan D’Alessandro, Chicago
Give Trump a chance
Is President Donald Trump the devil?
We can all agree, like or dislike Trump, many people don’t like what he is doing, or some say not doing, with regard to crime in our cities. The fact is what others are doing is not working and hasn’t worked for years. It has been reported that crime is down in some cities. Please don’t set the bar so low. It is still rampant and overwhelming to most people, especially those visiting or working in the city.
Yes, we need affordable housing, more attainable jobs, a well-funded police department and strong leadership. But we now need more.
The National Guard’s presence alone is a deterrent. We all want what Trump wants: safe city streets and minimal, manageable nonviolent crime, if any.
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We want criminals to be held, not released, and made to pay a price.
We want the police to be able to do their jobs and judges to interpret the law with respect to victims as opposed to criminals.
Should Trump send the National Guard as a first step?
I believe when politics get in the way, it becomes about the Republicans versus Democrats, thus Trump versus Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker, which is the crux of the problem. If there wasn’t the threat of losing face for the state in its inability to clean up crime, it would let Trump do what has shown to work in D.C.
The people of Illinois would make better, positive, measurable progress, and isn’t that what we all want?
I don’t agree with everything Trump says or does. He is not perfect, but he is not the devil. He is the commander in chief. Let him do his job.
— Sandra Riordan, Ivanhoe
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