DE-ESCALATE
I think the Springfield Police Department would have been better off inviting the group they referred to as a mob into a conference room for a civil discussion ("Police, protesters clash at demonstration," Sept. 12). De-escalation is always the best option.
Evan Mahan
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
NEVER SATISFIED
Why are "peaceful" protesters storming a public building, threatening people, throwing things, pounding on windows and slinging hate speech? They're creating drama that doesn't even exist. Folks want non-deadly force used even when potential harm or actual deadly force initiated by someone exists, then when they get that, they have to find something else to perpetuate the hate. (The protesters) are never satisfied. If everyone who is hated by someone for some offending action done to them were put to death for their offenses, nearly every single person in this city would be dead.
Sue Young
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
GIVES HOPE
The fact that more than 200 people care enough for justice, racial equity and professionalism in police so as to be willing to donate their time in applying for membership in the Massey Commission shows that there is hope and that humanity is still alive.
Vinod Gupta
Springfield
HELPING KIDS READ
Our union members are so grateful for all of the volunteers and their tireless efforts to help our school district's students ("Lobbying for libraries," Sept. 5). You have helped so many children, and our community has been blessed.
Springfield Education Association
ADULTS NEED TO READ, TOO
I've been intrigued by IT's recent coverage of school libraries and our city's need for them. I am glad to know that children are excited about reading. But I wonder, when and why does that end? I don't see much enthusiasm for reading among Springfield's adult population.
Reading is critical at all ages for our development as individuals and a community. I've been a reader since I was a kid and have always made books part of my life. But I hope we think about how to bring adults back to reading as we address the literary needs of the children. A literary life is a long one, and full of adventure.
Mike Gascoigne
Springfield
DEMOCRATS HAVE CHANGED
I represented Jacksonville and nine western Illinois counties in the Illinois General Assembly 30 years ago ("Democrats need to address abandoned state property," Sept. 5). The problem for Jacksonville, Beardstown, Rushville, Macomb and other "Forgottonia" communities was that Quincy dominated the media and, thus, dominated the political agenda. Instead of building a four-lane highway along U.S. 67 from the Quad Cities – through Macomb, Rushville, Beardstown and Jacksonville, connecting with St. Louis and millions of people – the state of Illinois spent over $300 million building a highway from Macomb to Quincy.
Secondly, since I left the legislature in 1995, the Democratic Party has changed dramatically, becoming the party of special interest groups and corporate power. The result was working-class Americans, especially non-metro communities, were marginalized through gerrymandering legislative districts. Looking at a congressional map from the 1980s versus today, we see that "communities of interest" are cut up to fit racially drawn maps.
Bill Edley