Letters to the Editor
We welcome letters, but please include your full name, address, and daytime telephone number. We edit all letters for libel, length, and clarity. Send letters to Letters, Illinois Times, P.O. Box 5256, Springfield, IL 62705; fax 217-753-3958; e-mail editor@illinoistimes.com.
“MAYOR” STROM DOESN’T CARE
When did Bruce Strom become the mayor of Springfield [R.L. Nave, “Clearing the air,” Oct. 5]? This zero tolerance attitude toward smoking seems to be mainly his and the anti-smoking movement’s personal opinions, canceling out everything else, such as the democratic process and the rights of business owners. One of Strom’s justifications for including bars and bowling alleys in the ban was to protect the workers. If these establishments have to cut staff as a result of declining profits, will these unemployed people be able to turn to Strom for help? And have Strom and the anti-smokers been frequenting these now-smoke-free establishments, to help ease the loss of business and put their money where their mouths are?
That’s the problem with one-issue movements. They only see things from a black and white point of view. And once they get what they want, there’s no follow-up — they move on to the next item in their agenda. My guess is they don’t care what happens to the business owners — they just want to impose their will on everyone else.
Tom Leppert
Springfield
THE BEAUTY OF GENETIC ENGINEERING
In a recent column, Jim Hightower launched a scathing attack on the biotech industry [“Creepy creeping bentgrass,” Sept. 25]. In it, he claims that genetic engineering of plants is a huge threat to human health and the environment. He says that “messing with the DNA of grains, vegetables and other plants is dangerous stuff” and then gives only one example of how one corporation is using it to their financial gain. This is a misleading characterization of what genetic engineering truly is.
Human or hominid agriculturalists/ farmers have, in fact, been “messing with Mother Nature” for tens, even hundreds, of thousands of years. People have been altering the DNA of plants through the simple means of cultivation of crops. This is achieved through the hybridization or artificial selection of plants to create new species or to create more robust ones. For example, it took thousands and thousands of years for prehistoric human farmers to genetically engineer the modern corn plant from the ancient teosinte plant.
If one looks at both of these plants, one can see how different they are. If one also compares the genomes of these plants, one can also see how different they are. Another example, which does not involve plants, is man’s creation of hundreds of breeds of dog from one forefather, the wolf (Canis lupus).
The beauty of genetic engineering is that it allows humans to change the DNA of plants at the chromosomal level and sidestep the tedious process of generational crossbreeding, achieving the same result. By reshuffling DNA or knocking out a specific gene, scientists can create a new phenotype that is of immediate benefit to humanity.
Notice, I say “benefit” to humanity. This is to counteract Hightower’s biased assumption that bioengineering can only harm the human race and the environment. He does this by giving one nightmare scenario of an angry weed, as well as using such invective as “Frankenspecies” or “Frankenfoods,” words that have been created by certain species of environmentalists to scare people. The promise of bioengineering’s benefit to humanity has only begun to scratch the surface. I think that the biggest fear people have is that we are “playing God” with the world by assuming the role of creator. But the fact remains that we have been doing this since we evolved the capacity to do so in Paleolithic times.
As for giant corporations’ being the best option for this role, I am doubtful. After all, they are motivated primarily by profit to their stockholders and not to humanity at large. Therefore it may be better to have biotech put in the hands of government, or for government to get these corporations in its pocket instead of the other way around. Taxing big business could fund it. Biotech is not an evil just because of who controls it any more than TV is evil just because of who owns most of it.
Todd Curl
Springfield
ARE THEY NOT OF THE HUMAN RACE?
I live on West Lawrence Avenue. A recent article in Illinois Times referred to homes near mine that are being used to shelter, observe, and assist American citizens who perpetrated certain deviant acts, served time, and are now being placed back into society [R.L. Nave, “Salt and vinegar,” Sept. 14]. Your article and the subsequent news coverage of the sex offenders have sparked much interest in our neighborhood. Thank you for exploring pertinent news.
I am a Realtor with a great wife and a small son and daughter. I feel especially affected by the recent news coverage, but in no way am I intimidated by this situation. These people are not frothing beasts of Satan. They are human beings. Go to the Illinois sex-offender site, and you can look at a mugshot of each one. They are white, black, young, old, male, female, etc. None have fangs, though one had oxygen tubes in his nose and a few probably have dentures.
I am writing to ask if you actually spoke to any of the residents of these places or if you would be interested in doing so with me. It turns out that these properties, which are owned by two separate entities, were very much eyesores and in disrepair before their current use. The neighbors talked of them as drug houses. There was a lot of trash, late-night activity, and other undesirable behavior coming from the properties.
I would like to point out some positive aspects of these properties. There are many. These people are under careful scrutiny. They are in a program to help them become productive members of Springfield society. Of course, many neighbors would rather they just go away, but these people may not be aware of the situation with sexual offenders. Did you know there are 40 sex offenders in the 62704 zip code, 234 in Springfield, and 21,023 in the state of Illinois? The numbers are only going to increase, as the scarlet letter does not fade with time. The judicial system, unless you hire an attorney, will label you as long as possible. Not everyone has resources like the sixth person to be issued a new Texas state driver’s license, thereby hiding his past record of drunkenness and cocaine use.
If neighborhoods were like those of a few years back, would we feel safe? I think so. A big difference back then was that everyone knew their neighbors, personally. Usually, they knew their neighbors on the whole block, and the half block behind them. I spoke with a neighbor who said there were 68 children on his block in 1977 and he had seven of them. The downside is, it is hard to be sneaky when everyone is watching.
A safe community is a network of people always looking out for each other’s best interest. If you are a neighbor of mine, may we share a safe and peaceful experience. You look out for me, and I will look out for you.
Phillip Anderson
Springfield
WHEN COFFEEHOUSES WERE HIP
Thanks much for your assessment of the University of Illinois at Springfield’s evolution as a public-affairs university [R.L. Nave, “Growing pains,” Oct. 5]. Sangamon State University was a remarkable and vital institution in the state, and it did much to bring Springfield into the 21st century. Many of the “radical” professors brought ideas and beliefs into the community that shook the foundations of our local institutions, which have themselves evolved for the better.
I do, however, take issue with your parenthetical notion that SSU did not have a “hip coffeehouse” in Springfield. On the contrary, the Peoples Place and Rudolph’s Bean, both located in downtown Springfield, were operated by the university and its student-activities committee throughout the ’70s. The latter became one of the top venues for touring folk musicians in the nation and provided an open forum for the women’s and labor movements. The Bean was a nest for progressive ideas and brought people together for more than a cup of overpriced coffee. That concept seems to be missing from your definition of a hip coffeehouse, which, in a nutshell, explains a great deal about the demise of SSU.
Willam Furry
Springfield
This article appears in Oct 5-11, 2006.
