I agree with Donald Nauyokas’ recent letter stating that Donald Trump is “a leader,” in response to another reader’s letter. Trump was elected twice — by slim margins — to lead our country. The one time he lost was by an even smaller margin. For good or ill, Trump leads our country, like every other president.
What Linda Hendelman’s letter was really getting at by saying Trump isn’t a leader, though, was what kind of leader he is. She cited several leadership qualities — integrity, honesty, accountability, responsibility, empathy, compassion. But instead of commenting on how Trump measures up on those qualities, Nauyokas pulls out the meaningless catchall phrase “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” which seems to refer to anyone who criticizes Trump on anything.
But hasn’t Trump spent his entire political life having hissy fits toward anyone who disagrees with him? Doesn’t he suffer from Joe Biden and Barack Obama and Clinton (Hillary and Bill) and McCain and Cheney (and on and on) Derangement Syndromes?
Kevin Coughlin, Evanston
Keep the Bears in Illinois
Dear Chicago Bears, I am writing not only as a season ticket holder but as a lifelong passionate Bears supporter who believes this franchise represents far more than football to Illinoisans.
The possibility of the Bears leaving the state feels like a betrayal to the generations of families who have supported this team through the years. The Bears aren’t just a football team; they are the NFL’s founding franchise and one of the most iconic sports organizations. For more than 100 years, Illinois fans have invested their hearts, time and loyalty. We have endured rebuild after rebuild, celebrated unforgettable moments and continued showing up because the Bears are part of our identity.
Last season was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I attended every single game and experienced the incredible atmosphere at Soldier Field and throughout the state, including Rockford, my hometown.
Like many loyal supporters, my dad, my brother and I made a significant financial commitment during difficult economic times to continue supporting the team. Purchasing season tickets and attending every game required sacrifice, planning and dedication. But we proudly made the investment because the Bears mean so much to our family and countless Illinoisans.
That is why the idea of relocating the team across state lines is so difficult to accept. Regardless of the financial benefits, moving the Bears would sever a historic relationship built over generations and send the message that financial incentives outweigh tradition, community, loyalty and legacy.
I ask you to continue working with state and local leaders to find a solution that keeps the Bears in Illinois without placing an unfair burden on fans and taxpayers.
The Bears are more than Chicago’s team. They’re Illinois’ team. Please remember the loyal fans and do everything possible to keep the Bears where their history was built.
Remember that legacy and traditions are worth protecting.
Jake Graham, Rockford
Egg-cellent proposal
I can support the Bears moving to Hammond on one condition: The team has to change its name from the Bears to the Eggs.
Bert Rice, Edgewater
Bally’s looks like a money pit
Fran Spielman’s fine article last week detailed how 28 City Council members sent a letter to Bally’s insisting they restart construction on the entertainment portions of the casino at River West. The letter scoffs at Bally’s using the video gambling terminals issue as justification for the pause and accuses the company of violating its host agreement. The City Council members could take this action, not as a roadblock, but as an opportunity.
Aside from Bally’s middling record as a casino operator, the state of gambling has moved on since approval of the project. Gamblers have 24/7 access to a wider array of products than any casino can offer without leaving their homes. Bally’s own disappointing revenue while at its temporary location in the Medinah Temple supports the conclusion that Chicago has happily missed its window for a profitable Downtown casino, no matter how bedecked with restaurants and concert venues. Should construction resume and Bally’s open, the City Council could be forced into the position of supporting the casino, year after year, budget after budget, draining money from the city treasury to keep a bad idea afloat.
Time to scrap this parasitic enterprise and save Chicago from again mortgaging its future for the sake of illusory short-term gains.
Ben Huizenga, Stop Predatory Gambling Illinois, Old Irving Park
City can’t get it right
The Chicago Skyway. The parking meters. Now Bally’s?
When was the last time we had a mayor who made a sound fiscal decision?
Mark Weiher, Lake View
Tired of reading about racial profiling
How many times will the Sun-Times print an article about traffic stops and the “obvious” racist pattern? Please list the number of times motorists are pulled over for not committing a traffic violation or not complying with rules of the road all drivers are supposed to obey. Maybe people actually should just stop at stop signs, not turn right on red when there’s a “no right turn” sign and have a valid license plate sticker or a license plate? Seems to me that a good percentage of cars on the road do not have a valid license plate sticker or even a license plate on the car at all, so why must race always be brought into it? I guess getting a valid plate sticker is just one of many forms of white privilege that this paper likes to point out. Always playing the race card is past getting old.
Eric Knutsen, Oak Lawn