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POLITICAL GAMES
It's incredibly disappointing that a political game is being played with our library ("Fired library managers speak out," May 25). The morale there already seems low, and I can only imagine how damaging this was to the staff as a whole. We all know that libraries in general are struggling, but we've seen great things happen when Summer Beck-Griffith was leading the way. It's an absolute shame she wasn't given more time to continue improving the library. What person of quality is going to want to come work for the library when the next mayor could just fire them? Something needs to change.
Amber Temerity Lozzi
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
NO TRANSPARENCY
Mayor Misty Buscher said she dismissed the library director "after careful thought and consideration," yet she didn't even take the time to meet with her to have a conversation about the library, what's currently going on or what initiatives this director had planned? Doesn't sound like much thought or consideration went into it, besides the fact that Summer Beck-Griffith was appointed by the previous administration, so she had to go. It's a sad day for Springfield when we've begun to politicize our library and base library leadership decisions on politics instead of results. Yes, it's the mayor's right to replace the director because she was appointed. However, someone who ran on governmental transparency should be expected to follow through on that promise once in office.
Arthur Dunkin
SAD DAY
It was a sad day for the library when the city decided to treat the library as just another city department. Libraries are well-known for having dedicated staff. The same cannot be said for all city employees.
Christina Rule
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
NO FAVORITISM
I don't remember all this squawking and hand-wringing about Ruth Bader Ginsburg, prior to her becoming an appellate justice and later serving on the Supreme Court ("When corruption is legal," May 18). Immediately before taking the bench, she spent eight or nine years spearheading the American Civil Liberty Union's women's rights project. Under your logic, she should've been disqualified from any civil rights cases and from any cases involving women's rights because she was compromised?
What judicial favors has U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas granted to Harlan Crow? None.
Ted Harvatin
PUNISH THEM
Crisis pregnancy centers should be punished; they lie to young women in order to interfere with their medical decisions ("Punishing pregnancy centers," May 25). They hold themselves out as experts or benign nonprofits, but really are full of religious zealots with political agendas.
Mary Harris
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
AHEAD OF HIS TIME
Thank you to Illinois Times for covering our event ("Resurrecting Billy Sunday," June 1). The story of the transformation that took place in Springfield in 1909 is so fascinating it should be a movie.
At a time when public opinion about the race riots was still generally favorable toward the rioters, Billy Sunday said this: "If I had been here; if I had had the lawful power to do it; I would have dyed every cobblestone in the city of Springfield with the blood of that dirty, cowardly mob. So help me God! I would have done it."
The Decatur Herald reported that on the March 5 front page with an article headlined: "Sunday denounces Springfield's mob."
These and so many other great stories will be coming next spring on the 115-year anniversary of the "Six Weeks that Saved the Soul of Springfield."
Kevin Slot,
event organizer
