Respect and appreciation to Scott Pelley — who was recently fired from “60 Minutes” by CBS News — for boldly expressing truth to power, standing up for the most essential First Amendment rights and fighting those who would diminish them.
How many today have the gumption to say what’s right, as Pelley did in his public statement following his firing? How many have the gumption to DO what’s right?
Maria Sklavounou, West Ridge
Language matters when discussing city’s youth
Thank you for publishing the opinion piece by Almethia C. Franklin in last week’s Sun-Times. I wish everyone would read it, particularly those who express outrage about what they — we — call “teen takeovers.”
Franklin points out that language can construct social realities and shape public policies that develop from the starting viewpoint that Black youth are invading a space where they do not belong. Many in city government have approached these gatherings as a menace to society and have mostly offered punitive methods to suppress and eliminate them.
Franklin’s point that social media is being used to connect individuals from historically warring factions of the city sheds a light of optimism in a bleak time. Social media often functions as a tool to bring young people together in the same physical space — not isolate them.
Many city leaders have given lip service to the idea that more must be done to offer young people spaces and opportunities. But they start from the assumption that the mostly Black youth do not have the same right as others to be anywhere in the city. That is neither fair nor helpful.
Rebecca Wolfram, Lawndale
Tornado, storm preparedness
I am a Boy Scout from Lemont. I am currently working on my Communication Merit Badge. Since we are still in tornado season in Illinois, I wanted to share my ideas about storm preparedness.
Severe storms and tornadoes affect many people across the United States every year. Our country should do more to help people stay safe and prepared before storms happen.
More people should take tornado sirens seriously and pay attention to emergency alerts. These warnings can help protect people during dangerous weather. I also think magazines, newspapers and online media should teach more tornado safety, so the public knows what to do in an emergency.
People should also keep their wireless emergency alerts on so they can get important weather warnings on their cellphones.More people should join Skywarn, a volunteer program that trains people to report severe weather to the National Weather Service.
Another idea would be to create an advertisement campaign that shares a storm preparedness checklist. Some important items people should know about or keep on hand could include:
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio
- Fully charged cellphones with emergency alerts turned on
- A wallet and emergency money
- Shoes
- Medications
- Flashlight
- First aid kit
- Safe shelter location
- Anything else your family feels is important
Being prepared before a storm can help keep people safe when severe weather happens.
Vinny Genovese, Lemont
Trump excels at hiring most unqualified
I heard a news report about people being surprised by the appointment of Bill Pulte, who has no obvious qualification to succeed Tulsi Gabbard, the previous record holder for lack of qualification, for director of national intelligence
I was surprised that anybody was surprised. Where have these people been for the last 16 months? During this time, Donald J. Trump has put an endless parade of people whose qualifications stretch no farther than the willingness to do his dirty work into positions of high importance, thus exposing the citizens of the United States to various risks. The appointment of Pulte was no surprise to me at all.
I have concluded that many of the things Trump has done seem more coherent if my base assumption is he has been “hired” by those who tasked him with undermining the U.S. and disrupting the world order that has served us well for three-quarters of a century.
Curt Fredrikson, Mokena
Expanding health care access is imperative
Access to affordable, high quality health care is not a luxury — it is a basic necessity that affects every person in this country.
Yet millions of Americans continue to struggle with rising medical costs, limited access to primary care and insurance gaps that leave families one illness away from financial crisis. These challenges are especially prevalent in low‑income neighborhoods, rural communities and among people living with chronic conditions.
Chicago is no exception. Too many residents delay care because they cannot afford a doctor’s visit. Others travel miles outside their communities just to find a primary care provider accepting new patients. These barriers don’t just harm individuals — they weaken the health of our entire city.
That is why legislation like the Lower Health Care Costs Act deserves serious attention. The bill aims to reduce medical expenses, increase transparency and expand access to affordable care. But passing a bill is only part of the solution.
We need a health care system that prioritizes patients over profit, strengthens primary care and ensures no one is denied treatment because of their income or ZIP code. That means investing in community clinics, expanding telehealth, improving insurance affordability and holding large health care corporations accountable for price hikes that burden families.
Chicagoans deserve a system that works for them — not one that forces them to choose between paying rent and filling a prescription. Addressing these issues is not just good policy. It is a moral responsibility.
Joei Langford, Pullman
Changing our tune
If the Bears move to Hammond, what will become of the fight song, “Bear Down. Chicago Bears?” It wouldn’t make sense to sing “You’re the pride and joy of Illinois!”
Michael Shawgo, Edgewater