DO IT FOR THE PEOPLE
If I was running for office, I would run for the people, not the party (“Marc Bell drops out of sheriff’s race,” Feb. 12). Barack Obama did not have the support of Sangamon County, including most Black voters, until he won the primary against Hillary Clinton. The local Democratic party told Obama that they would not support him; they were supporting Clinton.
I know, because I was one of a few Black voters at major fundraisers for Obama in 2008. I was the only Black person at the major fundraiser held at the Sangamon Club in downtown Springfield.
Douglas Yul Holt
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
NOT ABOUT THE PARTY
It is sad that more people cannot afford to run without party support. The original purpose of the parties was to vet candidates members could vote for with confidence – candidates with shared values and purpose. So much for that, now that the Republicans gave us Donald Trump and the Democrats gave us Rod Blagojevich. Now it has become about money and power. That is what needs to change – parties need to go back to being for the people like they once were.
Kathryn Fleischli-Dinardo
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
VOTE FOR PAULA
It sounds like Paula Crouch understands the job of sheriff (“Paula Crouch faces primary opponent,” Jan. 29). I like that she’s not a part of a good ‘ol boys’ network. I like her involvement with faith-based groups and minority organizations. The fact that she was a beat cop is really important. As a former probation officer, I know how important it is to connect with the community. Crouch gets my vote.
Deena Dailey
Via illinoistimes.com
A FAMILIAR STORY
The news of James Van Der Beek’s death after battling Stage 3 colon cancer hit me hard, not because he was a celebrity, but because his story felt painfully familiar. Reports of treatment-related physical and financial strain, and now his family fundraising after his passing, point to a truth many people still miss: cancer’s costs do not end when treatment ends.
I am a Stage 3 colon cancer survivor. In 2018, I underwent a total colectomy and completed 11 rounds of chemotherapy through a chest port. I am deeply grateful to be alive, but survival did not restore the life I had before cancer. I now live with severe neuropathy that causes pain, especially in cold weather, and persistent fatigue that still affects me. That reality is even harder while trying to run a small business after rebuilding from a fire.
What still haunts me is that it took three years to get a colonoscopy. Even after reporting blood in my stool and my family history of colon cancer, my provider said I was too young and healthy for testing. That delay may have increased my risk and changed my outcome.
Many cancer survivors carry lifelong physical, emotional and financial burdens. We as patients must keep advocating. Families must keep listening and supporting. Providers must set aside assumptions and take symptoms seriously.
Survivors deserve care and a health care system that listens the first time. Please remember this, trust your instincts and ask your provider for the testing you know you need.
Tom Raymond
Springfield
CONDEMN ACTIONS OF ICE
Recent acts of violence by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have compelled some board members of the Abraham Lincoln Unitarian Universalist Congregation to speak out. As Unitarian Universalists, we affirm that every person is inherently worthy and has the right to flourish with dignity, love and compassion. ICE’s enforcement practices have repeatedly jeopardized human life, undermined due process and inflicted trauma on individuals, families and communities.
We condemn these actions. We mourn all who have lost their lives at the hands of our own government and stand in solidarity with all affected families.
As a denomination guided by justice and compassion, we call for accountability and for the humane treatment of all people, regardless of immigration status.
Members of the board for Abraham Lincoln Unitarian Universalist Congregation
This article appears in February 26 – March 4, 2026.
