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
BENEATH HIS DIGNITY
While your article on Robert Pulliam was interesting, I also found
it insulting because of one of your references to James H. Matheny as a “gadfly”
[David Brady and William Furry, “Hero or hellion?” June 24].
As it had also praised him as a “great orator,” I found the ending paragraph
to be inappropriate. If you would have checked the historical facts, [you would
have found that] James H. Matheny was a deputy clerk of the Supreme Court, a
prominent Springfield lawyer, a circuit-court clerk, and a lieutenant colonel
of the Illinois Infantry during the Civil War, and twice-elected judge of the
County Court of Sangamon County. He was the best man at Abraham Lincoln’s wedding.
As he was regarded highly and held many respectable positions, I feel that
your choice of words was beneath Mr. Matheny’s dignity and totally inappropriate.
Complete accuracy in journalism should always be the first objective for the
sake of the descendants of James H. Matheny. In the future, I would appreciate
it if you would refrain from unsubstantiated judgments when discussing those
who were the truly honorable people of Springfield’s past heritage.
Jane Matheny-Callan
Springfield
SORDID DETAILS A REVELATION
I would like to apologize for Robert Pulliam’s behavior on behalf of the people
of Illinois, although the sordid details of his life here were unknown to me!
John Schultz
(Great-great-great-great grandson)
Glenarm
GET THE BALL ROLLING
Responding to my critique of the way John Hay residents were forced
out of their apartments and the whitewashing of the community mural “Corporate
State: 1984″ for the Abraham Lincoln President Library and Museum [“Dishonoring
Lincoln, big-time,” July 1], people have challenged me to come up with some
“positive suggestions” of atonement that, to some extent, can help restore the
reputation of the city and the soon-to-be-dedicated library. Although these
decisions need to be made by East Side residents, I have two suggestions to
start the discussion:
• All families who were evicted from the John Hay Homes in the 12 months preceding
its closing should be compensated $10,000 each for the trauma they and their
children suffered and for the loss of personal property they incurred when it
was piled out in the street during the eviction process. How humiliating this
must have been, not only for the parents but also, and especially, for the children
looking up to them for protection. Residents have now told me that the one-day
record for evictions was not 11, as I stated in my original commentary, but
an incredible 33. This, essentially, is a crime against humanity. One would
have thought this would make a front-page story in the State Journal-Register
or on Channel 20, similar to a tornado striking Springfield and leaving 33 families
homeless. Not a word was said.
• Artist John Yancey should be commissioned to re-create his now-famous mural
“Corporate State: 1984” at its original location. The eight students who originally
participated in the creation of the mural, who are now in their 30s, should
be sought out and invited to be involved in its resurrection. The mural would
be a tourist attraction in its own right.
Should the city fail to respond positively to these and other community recommendations
by Sept. 1, I suggest that East Side residents consider the following actions:
Seek national and international publicity for their story, especially through
the hundreds of black-owned newspapers and magazines in our country, and through
hundreds of progressive Web sites available on the Internet; organize a black
boycott of the dedication of the presidential library and consider a “March
for Justice,” including picketing and leafletting the downtown area; and invite
progressive black celebrities and politicians to examine this shameful case
and get involved in the cause.
I hope that these suggestions are enough to get the ball rolling. Let the
process of reconciliation begin.
Mike Townsend
Springfield
ENERGY BILL RESURFACES
Congress defeated the president’s energy bill last year. But, as usual,
this inflexible administration will not take no for an answer. President George
W. Bush is now promoting a handful of smaller energy bills that, taken together,
are just as bad as the one defeated by Congress.
Different bills would open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, pave the
way for the building of nuclear reactors, allow more air pollution, and probably
lead to future wars over oil by increasing our dependence on foreign imports.
We should not sacrifice our children’s future. It’s time to promote renewable
energy.
Liana Green
Springfield
This article appears in Jul 8-14, 2004.
