HAVE EMPATHY
Thank you to Illinois Times for reporting on the 50501 protests (“Protests continue in Springfield,” May 8). Reading the online comments was appalling – so much hate and vitriol right here in Mr. Lincoln’s hometown. Trump’s efforts to turn us against each other are clearly working.
Those of us that support due process and neither paid protesters nor deadbeats. We understand history and have empathy for others. I’d suggest you turn off your TV, quit hurling insults and ask yourself what kind of behavior you want to model for kids and what kind of world you want to leave them.
Linda Lenzini
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
QUIT CRYING
What the heck are the protesters fighting against? Lower gas prices? Lowering grocery prices? Tax reductions? I mean, those seem pretty simple and mainstream. Who in their right mind would not want those things?
Is it the tariffs? Does anyone even understand the purpose of tariffs? Other countries have been imposing tariffs for decades, but a strong president with business sense does it and all of a sudden it’s a huge no.
Seriously, why all the crying? Just do what the rest of us did when Joe Biden got elected – ride the storm out and grow a backbone.
Diana Hayes
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
BE HEARD
It’s time for everyone to stand up. It matters. Go to the protests. Make phone calls. It’s not about Republicans versus Democrats anymore. This affects all of us.
Jennifer Wolf
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
BETTER OPTIONS
Illinois has far better options for a U.S. Senate seat than Juliana Stratton (“Stratton’s top priority in Senate campaign: Fighting back against Trump,” May 8). Nothing the Pritzker administration has done qualifies her to be a U.S. senator. Although if bashing a sitting president of the United States is a qualification then yes, this individual fits the bill.
Illinois voters will soundly reject JB Pritzker’s endorsement and this candidate. We the people will speak loud and clear on the U.S. Senate race and make Illinois great again.
Daniel Richards
Springfield
GRANT NEVER RECOGNIZED
In 1915-1918 during the planning of the Centennial Memorial Building, statues of Abraham Lincoln, Stephen A. Douglas and Ulysses S. Grant were all planned (“Remember U.S. Grant of Illinois,” April 24). The General Assembly at the time appropriated money for the first two men, but for some reason, never appropriated any monies for the Grant statue.
All three statues were intended for the East lawn of the Statehouse: Lincoln at center (as he stands today), Douglas on the south side of the main walk and Grant north of the walk. Searching the
State Journal-Register digitized news archives for this period will turn up some articles describing the statues. Be sure to research the “Grant Memorial Association” too, as they were the main driver of placing a statue of the general on the Statehouse lawn in 1915.
David L. Finnigan Springfield
UNDERSTOOD THE ASSIGNMENT
President Trump is doing exactly what he was hired to do.
Craig Ewing
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
This article appears in May 15-21, 2025.
Everyone wants everything corrected until they realize some of their skin is in it also. All to be corrected but at no one’s cost. Sound familiar to anyone? Craig Ewing is correct, President Trump was hired to do a job, but now that he is doing that job, some are upset because now they realize, oh, but that will affect my..whatever. Stop with the me syndrome and crying like a baby, it HAS TO BE DONE if for no other reason than future generations. A bonus to all that is that people will no longer be allowed to steal the working class money from them.