Two writers misguided on protests, wages

Tracy McGrath in her letter of Dec. 2 says that a protester who walks out of a Ferguson, Mo., store (looting) with goods is clearly not a protester but a criminal. Excuse me? How does she know that? Yes, a looter is a criminal, taking things that don't belong to him/her, but how does Tracy know that this person is not among the protesters? Simply, she cannot know that unless she was there when this occurred.

Criminals looting stores in cases such as this are also among the protesters - they will "fix" the business owner who did nothing wrong by stealing his goods! Ms. McGrath is entitled to her opinion, and I am entitled to mine, Ninety-nine percent of people looting and burning are indeed the protesters.

A second letter on the same day, by Gerald Aleksy, complained that the state of Illinois vehicle inspection facility posted a sign for a job paying only the minimum wage. Mr. Aleksy, Illinois has not yet passed raising the minimum wage, so, yes, until that is done folks will pay only what they have to. If and when the minimum wage is passed, then I'm sure the vehicle inspection stations will pay the new minimum wage. And the restaurant owners who object to this passage will make just a little less for themselves, boo hoo.

Waitstaff has to claim their tips as income, but here's a story you may enjoy: Both my granddaughters worked at a fast-food restaurant and received less than minimum wage. The owners used their tips to bring them to minimum wage, and whatever was left was considered their tips. How is this fair?

Linda Kimsey

Streamwood