Letters policy
We welcome letters, but please include your full name, address and a daytime
telephone number. We edit all letters for libel, length and clarity.
Send letters to: Letters, Illinois Times. P.O. Box 5256. Springfield, Illinois
62705. Fax: (217) 753-3958. E-mail: editor@illinoistimes.com
ABE AND GEORGE
I think that the piece by Jeannette Batz in the Nov. 20 issue [“In Lincoln’s
Shadow”] is one of the best essays I have seen on the relationship between Lincoln
and President Bush. Congratulations to her and you for such good work.
Phillip Shaw Paludan
The Naomi Lynn Distinguished Chair of Lincoln Studies
University of Illinois at Springfield
WE LIKE HER, TOO
What a delightful addition the Grace Smith column is to your paper. I like
her light-hearted styling.
Dr. Mary L.W. Midden
Springfield
SICK TO HIS STOMACH
As I write this, 450 American soldiers and thousands of Iraqi civilians have
been killed since March, and not a single biological, chemical or nuclear weapon
has been found. There is still not a shred of evidence that Saddam Hussein had
anything to do with 9/11. While taxpayers hand over $1 billion a week to finance
the occupation, the corporations that put Bush and Cheney in office are “privatizing”
(i.e., stealing) everything that isn’t nailed down over there. It’s hard for
an honest man to look at an American flag these days without getting a sick
feeling in his stomach.
Rod Helle
Pleasant Plains
LESSON LEARNED
I’d like to share a lesson I learned recently involving special credit card
offers in the hope that others can save themselves some time and energy. Some
years back, when I made a balance transfer, what I was initially told was what
was later reflected on my statement. However, today, beware of the companies
that offer 0 percent interest on balance transfers. There is fine print on the
back that informs you of a balance transfer fee. I figured the company
I transferred my balance to would make their money on any new purchases I made
on their card and on any of the transfer balance still on the card after the
six-month offer expired. Turns out, they also make money on this very unclearly
stated balance transfer fee. I would have been just as well off leaving my charges
on my old credit card! I spent hours of time and energy on this before, during
and after the transfer and feel quite deceived. The good that came out of it
was that I strengthened my resolve to not use credit cards at all except for
identification purposes.
Michelle Sullivan
Springfield
This article appears in Dec 18-24, 2003.
