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Springfield, IL 62705; fax 217-753-3958; e-mail editor@illinoistimes.com.
HIS WORD IS HIS BOND
What a great article on Chuck Zalar [Dusty Rhodes, "Something special," July 10]. The average person is unaware of his office or caseload. I have been a legal secretary for almost 30 years in Taylorville and have had the pleasure of being in contact with Chuck.
Most of the defense attorneys welcome a
"stinky" case being taken over by Chuck, due to his
straightforward, no games attitude. If the defense attorney and Chuck come
to a negotiated plea agreement, you can trust that there will be no funny
business. Why? Because Chuck's word is his bond.
I only wish more attorneys were more like Chuck.
Tanya Reno
Taylorville
TIME FOR A PARADIGM SHIFT
Thanks, Jim Hibbett, for enlightening us with your interpretation
of the meaning of the "Word of God" [see "Letters,"
July 17]. If it were not for your article, I would not have taken the time
to further explore your definition in the dictionary. What I found was very
interesting. Some dictionaries had no meaning for the "Word of
God," one had the definition as "the Bible," and
surprisingly several had the first meaning as "a manifestation
(outward or perceptible indication, materialization)" with the second
meaning as the "sacred writings of the Christian religion."
This, to me, indicates that Hibbett's idea of broadening the
definition of the "Word of God" to include "people in our
lives" is not so farfetched. Perhaps it is time for a paradigm shift
to embrace the significance of your explanation of the meaning of the
"Word of God" in our lives.
Lori Farrington
Springfield
FAMILIESAND MENTAL ILLNESS
I feel like a flight instructor prior to 9/11 trying to tell someone there is someone wanting to learn to fly a plane but not land it. People are still in the "So what — it won't affect me" mode. Of what, you ask, am I speaking? The neglect of all the people who are caring for the problems we have created by neglecting the mental health of families. Posttraumatic stress is not something we can afford to ignore. Since the fear-mongering of the last seven years we have done little to address the overall negative effect it wreaks on our society. We will pay the price.
Let's look at history. Eleanor Roosevelt was
demonized by the public for saying all military personnel should get
mental-health treatment after returning to this country from the war
effort. We have untold numbers of psychologically damaged families as a
result of not listening. Then came Korea, then Vietnam. We did little.
I worked as a counselor in the prison system in this country. I cannot tell you how appalled I was to find how many veterans from Vietnam ended up in prison for drugs, and domestic violence was a biggie. The untold number of children who were affected and developed all kinds of behavioral problems was mind-boggling. You see, we don't address the effect on the family. Children are not the military's problem. Spouses are not, either. The schools can only deal with education and the problems children create in school. Mental-health professionals can't intervene in the school, military, or anything else unless the person who is causing the problem is ready, willing, and able to get help. They don't think they need help — that is part of the illness. They can be put in prison for their actions, however. This, in turn, creates a new cycle of deterioration in the family.
One thing we can do is help those who are most vulnerable — the families. We can make available literature and hotlines and use public-service announcements to spread the word. We can offer workshops on how to recognize signs and how to address them. We can also help the caregivers, who we so often neglect. We can set up retreats and respites and create jobs doing it. We can help students from middle- and low-income families by allowing them to work off student loans by volunteering for these jobs and giving them valuable experience that textbooks can't teach. Yes, it is a big job, but we can accomplish this.
Of course, the main problem is that no one listens. If you want to lower your taxes, then create jobs that make a stable environment for families to grow and nourish more productive citizens. If you want lower taxes, widen the tax base. If you want safer streets, then you have to help make homes safer.
Nancy Long
Springfield
GIVE UTILITIES LESS OF YOUR MONEY
It has become very obvious that City Water, Light & Power and our lawmakers only care about one thing: money. Certain lawmakers were in favor of giving the CWLP project manager a $59,000 raise that would have brought his pay up to $175,000, which is about $85,000 more than the average for that particular job [see "Cap City," July 17]. Well, he didn't get his way, so he quit.
Between the outrageous raises for employees and utility rates constantly going up, we have to cut back more on our utility usage. It may sound corny and I am sure everyone is tired of hearing people say the same thing, but every little bit helps. During the day, turn lights out and open blinds. Use low-wattage light bulbs and candles at night. Hang your clothes outside to dry. Turn off your computer if you go out of town. Wash your clothes in cold water. Cook out on the grill instead of on the stove. Take shorter showers. Don't run the dishwasher until it is crammed full.
CWLP and AmerenCILCO will raise prices again and
again, and we will continue to use as little energy as possible. Help stop
global warming and save money at the same time.
Jessica Shoup
Springfield
THE ANSWER TO IMPORTED OIL
Today, the United States imports 60 percent of its oil, giving way to overwhelming price hikes and supply disruptions. The result is an ever-increasing instability at the pump and increasing dependence on unfriendly nations. The environmental ramifications of our oil usage are another negative result. According to the American Lung Association, health-care costs associated with air pollution are estimated to be $50 billion each year and growing.
Ethanol is a clean-burning, renewable fuel grown and produced in Illinois. It's better for the environment, keeps American dollars at home, and could provide jobs to millions of Americans.
Tim Seifert
Illinois Corn Marketing Board
Auburn
MEMORIES OF D-DAY
In the mid-1980s my travels took me to a place called Normandy. After viewing some of the many thousands of graves for brave young men who gave their lives for this country I was drawn to the bluff that overlooks Omaha Beach.
It became mandatory for me to view what those brave young men faced as they landed on that beach and to stand where many of them died. Many came home without their limbs and with psychological scars that would never heal.
As I looked at the bluff and tried to visualize what those brave young men must have experienced, emotion came over me and tears filled my eyes. As I relive the experience now, the tears come again.
Thank you, great generation, and all the others who have given and continue to give so very much: It humbles me more than words can tell.
Bob Ruble
Springfield
JUST A MATTER OF TIME
Based on testimony coming out of the Tony Rezko
trial, the 12 guilty counts, and for Rezko to avoid being a roommate of
former governor George Ryan, I think it is only a matter of months before
Gov. Rod Blagojevich is indicted by the feds. When this happens it will
open the door for the Legislature to take the bold step of impeaching
Blagojevich. Based on his very short list of friends in Springfield and
Chicago, I do not see Blago being in office by the end of this year.
Rezko's "get out of jail free" card will be what kind of
information healso
has on U.S. Sen. Barack Obama.
When all this happens it will open the door for the Republicans, who, if they play their cards right and nominate the right people, could win many seats this fall.
In a year that should have been a Democrat walk-over,
they will be lucky if they can even hold onto Illinois.
Jerald Jacobs
Springfield
