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address, and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to Letters, Illinois Times, P.O. Box 5256,
Springfield, IL 62705; fax 217-753-3958; e-mail editor@illinoistimes.com.
GUNS PROTECT OUR FREE SPEECH It’s a mad, mad, mad world. I’m not
talking about the star-studded comedy movie but Hal Crowther’s
article in the April 17 edition of Illinois
Times. Wow, the article, “Madness,”
was loaded with everything! It has nearly as many twists and turns as the
original movie has! Mr. Crowther blames nearly everything bad —
Virginia Tech, Katrina, poor education, and torture — on firearm
violence. I’m somewhat surprised global warming wasn’t
included, too. Mr. Crowther, in case you were too “mad”
to study history, the use of these “tools” (firearms) gave you
the right to speak out and allows newspapers like Illinois Times to print articles
like yours. As for the British novelist you mentioned, he has forgotten
that Americans’ using these “tools” (firearms) kept
England and most of Europe from speaking German. He now calls us mad?
I can appreciate Mr. Crowther’s decision
(actually his wife’s) to not have a firearm because of his own
madness. She is absolutely correct — he shouldn’t have a
firearm! His wife’s decision should only affect him, not me or anyone
else. I guess he considers it more sane to let his dogs rip apart an
assailant instead of using a firearm? I wonder if he takes his dogs to the
mall in case there’s an attack there? Interestingly, the article actually makes the case for
owning firearms. If there was ever a reason to own a firearm, Katrina and
the New Orleans aftermath was it! Yes, call 911, but if no one answers the
phone and the police aren’t on the way, it’s you against them. Isn’t it also ironic when
you call for help, the police come with firearms to stop an assailant? Sadly, Virginia Tech was the worst mass shooting in
our history. How many of those victims were able to defend themselves?
None. The quote “sitting ducks” is very appropriate,
isn’t it? You want to call it mad because some people want the chance
to defend themselves if this should happen to them?
For years legislators have been proposing/enacting gun
bans, limits, stiff punishment, and even threats to litigate gun makers.
What has it really accomplished? Oh yeah — the sitting-duck scenario.
That truly is
madness.
Jeff Davis Dawson
BUSH FUELS ADDICTION HE DECRIES In 2006, President Bush said America was addicted to
oil, but recently he complained that we need more. When American families
are struggling with record prices at the pump, how can we justify
continuing to subsidize Big Oil as it racks up tens of billions in record
profits? We’re not just paying at the pump, either. Big Oil and the
Bush administration are pushing harder and harder to open our last, best
wild places and wildlife habitat to drilling. If they have it their way,
we’ll be paying for oil with our natural treasures, including the
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The disastrous policies of the Bush administration
have allowed the addiction to grow and energy prices to skyrocket. As
hardworking Americans suffer and spiraling energy costs wreck the economy,
the president merely trotted out more of the same policies that do nothing
to help consumers, do nothing to end our dangerous dependence on oil, do
nothing to bring rising energy costs back under control, and do nothing to
fight global warming — something even the president recently admitted
must be dealt with. Instead of the failed policies of the past, it’s
time to break our addiction to fossil fuels by shifting our priorities.
It’s time to take back the giveaways to Big Oil and invest that money
in clean, renewable energy and efficiency. Marty Longo Blue Island
HISPRESIDENCYWASBASEDONLIES In response to Isaac Lashley’s wonderful letter [May 8],
I say, “Amen, brother, amen!”
George Walker Bush’s “presidency” has been based upon lies,
from day one. I very seriously doubt that Bush could tell what truth and
facts are, even if they were placed right in front of him. As for me, if Bush were to tell me that it was
daylight I would look out a window first. Sure, the Clintons were not and
are not perfect, but, then again, neither am I. For that matter, who is? To Mr. Lashley, I suggest this: Instead of
torturing Bush, I suggest sending him out of the White House in total
disgrace, to live out his life labeled a liar and a swindler. As to who was really behind 9/11, I doubt that the
American people will know the true facts about this terrible tragedy until
the Federation Starship Voyager actually launches, from a space dock, as a
real ship. Norman Hinderliter Springfield
PROTECT AND SERVE? HA!
Trying to save money on gas? Just steal a credit card and the
Springfield Police Department will turn a blind eye. On April 10, my wallet was stolen and one of my credit
cards was used three times that afternoon. That evening I reported the
stolen wallet and credit-card fraud to the SPD. After phone calls with my
credit card company that night, I learned the location, times, and amounts
of the three fraudulent charges that were made at gas stations. That night
I also spoke to a worker at one of the gas stations who was easily able to
pull up a clear video showing the woman who used my credit card and her
car. The following morning I visited the gas station in hopes of watching
or obtaining a copy of the video, only to be told by the manager that he
needed to see a copy of my credit-card statement proving the fraudulent
charge, including the exact amount, and proving that the card was mine.
Although annoyed, I understood why he could not just show a video to anyone
who claims fraud. After more phone calls to my credit-card company, I
learned that the times, locations, and amounts I had been told over the
phone could not be sent to me in print until my I received my next official
credit-card statement, which was not due for three more weeks, unless the information was specifically requested by a
police department. That morning I again visited
the SPD and told them that a video was available but could not be viewed
until I had written proof of the charges, which could be obtained by the
SPD with a simple fax. The woman at the window shook her head no. She then
reminded me that I am not the victim anymore; the credit card company is
and, in not so many words, questioned why I was pursuing this so
vehemently. Of course, for my own peace of mind, I wanted to know
who violated my rights. I also explained to her that my wallet was stolen
from a preschool classroom, meaning that a student, a school employee, or a
parent of a student likely stole the wallet and for that reason it was
important to find out who that person is (apparently the crime itself
isn’t much incentive for them). She said she would send an officer
over to the gas station, but the officer was told the same thing by the
gas-station manager — that he needed to see written proof. That
afternoon I was able to get a fax from my credit-card company showing the
names of the gas stations but with no times or amounts. The following week
I turned this in to the SPD with the times and amounts I was able to get
over the phone. The week after that I called to see if anyone had been
assigned to the case and never received a call back. On May 6, I finally received my official credit-card
statement. The next day I visited the gas station, only to learn that the
video had been erased three days earlier. Maybe I should have been calling
and visiting the police station every day to get things moving, but I
didn’t know that was my job. The grandson of a prominent longtime
county official was in the classroom where my wallet was stolen. After the
incident, someone suggested that I try to use him as a resource. I decided
against it, not wanting to step on any toes and having faith in my police
department. Protect and serve? Ha! Thanks, SPD, for protecting the
thief who so easily got away with fraud.
Kathy
Jones
Springfield
This article appears in May 8-14, 2008.
