Letters to the editor 2/20/25

We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com.

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THINK OF THE EFFECTS ON OTHERS

After reading the article “More vacant buildings burn in winter: Recent death, multiple structure fires attributed to squatters” (Jan. 30), I came away thinking this article was more about the life and tragic death of Cory Beebe. The very first paragraph was about him.

Although the death of Mr. Beebe was tragic, IT staff writer Scott Reeder should have written more about the inherent dangers to firefighters, nearby houses and residents from fires that are caused by squatters who are trespassing in vacant structures. Mr. Reeder failed to investigate or mention how these vagrants are gaining access to these vacant structures.

He did not interview nearby residents in the neighborhoods where these vacant structure fires occurred in order to find out how these fires affect their lives and property values. He did not inquire with the city about how long these structures will remain standing before the city will demolish them. When will the burned-out house in the photo, 1024 N. Fourth St., be demolished?

Channel 20 reported there were 60 fires at vacant structures in 2024 that were caused by squatters. For a city the size of Springfield, that should be very concerning for the mayor and her administration and city council members.

There is no accountability at all for unhoused individuals who trespass in vacant structures and do whatever they please, including starting fires to stay warm. When caught trespassing, they are set free, only to find another structure open to trespass or to break into.

Only when a firefighter is killed or seriously injured fighting a vacant structure fire caused by a squatter will the city of Springfield take this ongoing threat to life and property seriously.

Bill Baskett
President Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association

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THINK OF THE UNHOUSED

The choice of words in the second paragraph of this article is abhorrent. In a piece seemingly meant to draw attention to the homelessness issue, IT uses demeaning language to establish a moral high ground for itself and its readers. An individual, struggling with addiction and the Illinois winter, died trying to stay warm. You memorialize him with the phrase: “But on Jan. 17, it wasn’t the cold or the dope that took his life.”

Not only is this distasteful, it undercuts the rest of the article’s attempt to educate about the crisis. By punching down from your high horse, IT tells everyone that we shouldn’t care about Cory, or the people like him, because they’re all on dope. It tells the readers it’s only an issue because they burn property down and not because there are human beings freezing in the street. I sincerely hope this was not your intent. If it was, shame on you.

Trent Rossi
Springfield

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NEED LOCAL COMMITTMENT

Great article (“Reducing homelessness, improving health: How supportive housing can build a stronger community,” Feb. 6)! How are our local leaders demonstrating their commitment to organizations such as Heartland HOUSED to build sustainable, long-term solutions to not only house our current unhoused population but to improve equity for everyone, which will prevent more people from becoming unhoused?

Kaitlyn Keen
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes

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GOVERNMENT NOT THE ANSWER

This article minimizes the fact that a large percentage of homeless people choose to be homeless because they don’t want to follow shelter rules or their mental health is poor and they won’t stay in the government-paid apartments they are provided. We have had government programs for decades and spend billions, yet nothing changes or improves.

Gary Nelson
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes

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DÉJÀ VU

This piece is so important (“The rhetoric of hate,” Jan. 30). The lies that have been told repeatedly about our immigrant brothers and sisters is a grave injustice to human beings who just want to work, educate and feed their children.

Last year I read Rachel Maddow’s book, Prequel. She researched American history in the 1930s when Hitler was infiltrating the U.S. with his fascism in the build-up to WWII. His goal was to convince enough Americans to reject our involvement in the war effort so he could overcome all of Europe. Thousands of our citizens fell into the way of white supremacy, the KKK and Nazi supporters. It even infiltrated Congress. The language that was used then is exactly what we are hearing now.

Victoria S. Schmidt
Springfield

This article appears in Combating human trafficking.