In William Gillard’s letter on Oct. 6 regarding the O’Hare Flyer’s potential service through River Forest (“Flyer’s potential ill effects”), he writes that transportation noise can lead to “fragmented sleep, elevated stress, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and impaired learning in children.” Really? I have lived most of my life near the Purple Line “L,” the last 40 years just two blocks away. I had no idea I had any of Gillard’s suggested symptoms living near a rapid transit line built in the 19th and 20th centuries and running about 20 hours per day. So far, my medical reports have not shown any of the above symptoms, but I’ll get checked out again.
Whenever anyone buys or rents a home near an airport or rail line, the owner of the airport or rail property has a right to use it as needed for commerce. Just ask residents in Bennington County, Vermont, and in western Connecticut: Years ago, old rusty rail lines were upgraded and used for new transportation purposes.
For homeowners, it truly is buyer beware.
— Payson Wild, Evanston
Destruction of public education
As an elderly Caucasian lifelong Chicagoan, it always staggers and stuns me the way the wealthy play the working class to serve their ends. Private charter school profiteers haven’t been this excited since Rahm Emanuel was doing their bidding and closing public schools.
The destruction of public education has been a long-term goal of the wealthy. “CTU Derangement Syndrome” is the driving force behind all their efforts. Its standard neoliberal scam is to privatize the profit and socialize the cost.
A union run predominantly by Black people and women fills the elite white power class with abject fear.
— Edward David Juillard, Chicago
It’s costly to park in Chicago
I grew up in Chicago in the 1950s and ’60s. Street parking was free. There was no thought made to planning parking, no matter where one went in the city.
Today, I live in southwest Michigan, just over two hours away. I now carefully plan trips to Chicago. I park at family and friend’s homes.
Because of the high costs, I avoid visiting Chicago as much as possible.
— Gail M. Muliett, Richland, Michigan
Time to reflect and repent
I have been praying for Christa Pike since 1995. And for Colleen Slemmer, the girl she killed that year. And for the parents and loved ones of both of these young people.
Pike became a mission for me from the time I learned about the horrible thing she did. Why? Because I want her soul to be saved. Can I help save her soul through prayer? I don’t know, but I’ve spent many years trying.
I do not believe in capital punishment. To purposely take a life, supposedly to avenge a murder, just doesn’t seem like something God would want. I think God wants the killer to live out his or her life, however short or long that may be, hopefully leading to a day when the accused finally says the words, “I’m sorry, forgive me.”
More Top Picks Drones
Has Pike ever said these words? I don’t know, but if not, she now has more time.
— Kathleen Melia, Niles
Inciting needless anger?
I read with dismay the op-ed about belugas by Bob Kustra and Jenny Kustra-Quinn (“The time for keeping beluga whales captive for our entertainment has passed,” Oct. 5). The recent death of the four belugas at the Shedd Aquarium was of course tragic and sad. But I admire the Shedd and the Spanish aquarium that tried to save the lives of these creatures. If they had not, the belugas would have been euthanized at the closed Marineland in Niagara Falls, Canada. Do the authors think that would have been better than at least trying to save them, presumably at great expense and surely at emotional cost to the aquarium and its staff?
It is important to note that zoos and aquariums in the U.S. accredited through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums no longer take animals from the wild, except in unusual circumstances. Association guidelines prohibit that.
I agree with the spirit of this op-ed but fear it may be inciting people to get upset about something that seldom happens anymore. Accredited zoos and aquariums are well versed in animal husbandry and welfare.
— Nancy McDaniel, Chicago
Use paper napkins sparingly
Recently, my 27-year-old niece came from Kolkata, India, to visit me for a week. I took her to several nice places and restaurants to enjoy and show her this great America, where I’m very proud to be a citizen.
Before she left, I asked her how she liked this place. She commented, “Nice place, but I didn’t like the way the people here waste the paper. Everybody at the restaurant takes so many napkins and uses only one, and then they put the others in the garbage, or they take too many to wipe their faces. Don’t they know where paper comes from?”
I said paper napkins are free at the restaurant. She said, “But paper comes from trees. Trees are very important for the Earth.”
Ever since then, I am very careful about wasting paper napkins. I hope other readers will be too.
— Bani Bhattacharyya, Schaumburg
Note to readers
With Halloween coming, we’d like you to share your most memorable experience related to the holiday, either as a child or as an adult. A costume that you’ve never forgotten? A trip to a haunted house that scared you silly? Neighbors who went above and beyond to make things fun for the kids? Send a letter, of no more than 400 words, by Friday, Oct. 23 to [email protected]. Be sure to include your full name and your city/town.
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email [email protected].