TACKY STUNT
The Staab family has served this community – in many ways – with dignity, compassion and professionalism for years. This was a distasteful and shortsighted move by the unions ("Inflatable rat stabbed at Staab Funeral Homes," July 28). It's also a poor comment from the union rep that there wasn't a funeral going on at that exact time; they don't know who was going to be in and out of that building. Every day people who are grieving, and who are planning a loved one's funeral, are going in there during what may be one of the worst times of their lives. They deserve more respect than a tacky, pathetic, public relations stunt like this.
Erica Smith
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
BAD OPTICS
The optics on that stunt are terrible. Virtually everyone in the city has been to serve at Staab Funeral Homes and can imagine how it would have felt to endure that scene while grieving a loss. The union really needs their PR person to explain what they were trying to accomplish.
Shawna Mayer
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
NO PRIMARIES
If it were up to me, we wouldn't have primary elections. We would just put all the candidates for offices on a single, ranked-choice ballot, and then we'd know the winners with one vote instead of two.
The problem with primaries is turnout is poor to abysmal; a small percentage of the electorate has an outsized influence on the outcome. And because of gerrymandering, the real decision in many districts is made in the primary.
But since we have primaries, we have primary abuses. Scott Reeder's article mentioned the Democratic ad buys "against" Republican candidates they actually prefer as opponents in the general election("Choosing your battles," July 28). This tactic was pioneered by Claire McCaskill in Missouri, and it worked; she got to run against the nutty Todd Aiken instead of a more rational Republican.
But now, we are seeing conservative billionaires pouring cash and ads into primary races for the most business-friendly (i.e., bribable) Democrat in the race. American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the Likud lobbying group, is providing the conduit for their money bombs.
I don't know that either party goes much beyond lip service to the working class, but a lot of workers are beginning to organize (Starbucks, Amazon, et. al.). Of the two parties, I would cast my lot with the one that doesn't reflexively blanch at the very sound of the word "union."
In other words, I'll go with the Prius-driving vegans, and just learn to ignore their overwrought social terminology.
Jeffrey Hobbs
Springfield
FILE SUIT
They should sue ("More sheriffs join DHS lawsuit," July 28). Mentally ill inmates are a danger to deputies and jail staff, and if anything happens to these inmates while they're being held, you know who gets blamed, no matter what the details.
Craig Ewing
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
