A welcome reminder of why Pride is important

Kudos to the Daily Herald editorial, “ A touch of history” on June 11. It was a thoughtful and empathetic look at why June is Pride Month and why it matters to everyone.

Americans have always had amnesia about the past, especially over our history’s darker moments. The editorial explains the decades of discrimination and violence which the LGBTQ+ community has had to endure for the right to be different from the mainstream straight community.

We who are in the majority all too often fail to understand the challenges which people who are different have to deal with all the time. Witness the disinformation, misinformation and outright lies surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

They are meant to redress and right the wrongs of the past, which unfortunately still exist for far too many people.

In these polarized, dystopian, dangerous and challenging times, it is good to be reminded that we all benefit from acceptance, tolerance and love for one another.

Christopher and Carol Melby

Arlington Heights

I have good news for everybody.

The 2025 Chicago Cubs have many similarities to the 2016 Cubs. The Cubs made an iconic run to the World Series in 2016 after being down 3-1 to the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians).

One of the many similarities between the two teams is having an almost identical record through the first 65 games. The 2025 Cubs were 40-25 while the 2016 Cubs were 45-20.

If you’re still not convinced, the 2016 Cubs had just 66 stolen bases the whole season. Thanks to speedy young talent like Pete Crow-Armstrong, the 2025 team already had a whopping 82 stolen bags by early June.

Also, through the 2016 Cubs first 65 games they scored an incredible 350 runs. The 2025 Cubs, through the same first 65 games, had 363 runs. This shows how dominant this current Cubs team is. They’re always ready to put up a fight, no matter the opponent. With generational young talent and veterans who “still got it,” this Cubs team is looking to make a dominant run for the history books.

Parker Santeler, age 12

Schaumburg

I have been hearing and reading lately that some people believe that entering the USA illegally is only a civil offense like jay walking. They are mistaken. Under Title 8, Section 1325 of the U.S. criminal code, entering the country illegally is a crime punishable by fines, imprisonment and additional civil penalties. Repeat offenders can be imprisoned up to five years and fined up to $10,000 plus additional civil penalties.

Entering the country illegally is a felony under our current laws. We, as U.S. citizens, if we truly believe in the rule of law, need to follow and support our laws until they are lawfully changed by our elected government. Anyone who defies these laws or who aids and abets others to break the law is also committing a criminal act and can be prosecuted as a criminal.

John Noll

Naperville

This is not a letter about politics or parties or how anyone may have voted. It is a letter about common sense and decency — about reality and facts — about the core values of our country and society.

Over the past five months, we have witnessed an attack by the leaders of our government on the fundamental moral responsibilities we have as people with strong values in the wealthiest country in the world. These actions are being taken or threatened under the false and unsupported premise of eliminating waste and making us safe. We need to uphold our human decency and ensure that we are making decisions based on facts and true needs.

Just a few examples include:

— Disregarding the fundamental right guaranteed in our founding documents that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness belong to all people and cannot be taken away without a fair hearing.

— Taking food out of the mouths of our neediest hungry children.

— Taking health care and support away from our neediest families and the elderly.

— Eliminating successful education programs for our young people.

— Eliminated billions of dollars in cancer, Alzheimer’s and other health research.

— Eliminated Internal Revenue Service audits of the wealthiest taxpayers.

— Defunded or eliminated programs and removed our involvement in organizations important to us and our standing in the world contrary to the action of our elected representatives and our courts.

The majority of the people of the United States do not support these changes. Our elected representatives need to stand up to these actions. Our courts need to enforce their decisions.

Make your concerns known to your senators and representatives. Get out in the streets to protest to make your concerns be heard. Enough is enough.

Jack Grobe

Winfield

The historical notion that the elderly consistently prefer conservative candidates and younger generations consistently favor liberal candidates is becoming less and less reliable. In the immediate aftermath of the 2024 election, Democratic pundits displayed a frenzy of contrasting thoughts, whether to double down on centrism or embrace populist rhetoric akin to Bernie-style socialist policies. The real reason for the Democratic Party’s abysmal failure, particularly with young men, lies not with policy but rather with personality.

President John F. Kennedy is a textbook example. Despite a narrow victory, Kennedy successfully understood the White House to be a bully pulpit of stoic and romantic ideals — something young men crave. It did not matter that Kennedy supported various progressive policies relative to the time, championing the Civil Rights movement and significantly increasing federal funding for programs related to mental illness. Kennedy was appealing not because of his policies but rather his charismatic yet blunt approach to the executive, similar to that of Andrew Jackson or Teddy Roosevelt.

Despite contrasting policies with JFK, President Trump has capitalized on this vital aspect of the White House. Trump is not an ideologue, nor can you definitively categorize his average voter. His secret sauce is not his appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience or his larger-than-life rallies with Kid Rock; rather, it is his effective use of the bully pulpit. Many have compared Mr. Trump to a mud monster, no matter how much you criticize him, you are still aiding him, adding more and more mud to his ever-increasing reach.

All in all, Democrat proponents seemed too concerned with marketing policy rather than personality. The Obama-to-Trump voter base is one not to neglect. Mr. Trump is far more calculating than many realize. But then again, I’m just a young man who doesn’t know any better.

Aaryan Pathak

St. Charles

I appreciated recent commentaries in the Daily Herald, one by Keith Peterson about the tragic demise of our Fulbright programs and the other by Susan Estrich about No Kings.

My wife and I have really benefited from my two terms as a Fulbright Specialist followed by a request from that program to serve them by helping vet applications for entry into this unique program. It seems clear that the Trump administration is anti-expertise and anti-academics. That is so shortsighted, especially for Trump’s goals of making American Great Again.

We need experts in various fields. That has been one of the great strengths of our nation and it has been seriously mishandled.

But, if one examines who he has appointed to key positions it seems apparent that he doesn’t care about having people with serious expertise. His one criterion has been absolute loyalty to him, not to our Constitution and laws. That isn’t healthy for him and our nation. The appointees have to agree with him that the 2020 election was stolen, without evidence to support that allegation. He has, therefore, no one around him that can dare tell him when he’s wrong.

No leader — and I was one — would ever seek that as the sole criteria for appointments. Already our key institutions are suffering. My wife and I know of a person who is highly placed in our health care world and that person has had to endure severe cutbacks in their areas of health care expertise. People will die early as a result.

Arthur Pitz

Elmhurst

I am proud to be an American. Yet. my ancestry too goes back to immigrants. My ancestors arrived here in 1634, 14 years after the Mayflower. They came seeking religious freedom and opportunities in the New World.

Those opportunities diminished due to the overreach of King Charles II, and 135 years later, my ancestors participated in the American Revolution fighting for freedom and autonomy. They fought in the Civil War to bring equality to all men. My Irish ancestors arrived in 1850 fleeing the oppression of the British. My family fought in World War I, World War II and the Korean War.

I lost a brother in Vietnam, while my older brother was also serving in Vietnam. My late husband served in Germany during the Cold War. They fought to preserve our democracy and our freedoms. They fought to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

No one complained of bone spurs. We all should do the same. Freedom is not free. We must all resist the overreach of the man who would be king. We deserve better.

Edie Schultz

Palatine

While several thousand people rallied earlier this month across our suburban communities to push back against the authoritarian actions of our current president, somehow The Daily Herald chose to devote about one third of its article covering these local demonstrations to the views of the only three Trump supporters who showed up in Schaumburg.

Misguided attempts like this at “balance” are part of what got us into this mess in the first place. Millions across the country protested “Dear Leader’s” clear attempts to undermine our republic’s institutions while exploding the deficit, throwing millions of people off of their healthcare, cutting funds from our local schools, crippling cancer research … the list goes on.

A healthy democracy relies on informed debate based on facts. You dilute this by prioritizing “balance” over objective reality.

Please do better.

Jerry Freda

Inverness

Thank you to the Schaumburg Fire Department for coming to the rescue when one of the thousands of peaceful protesters at the No Kings march needed help.

And thanks also to the Schaumburg Police for keeping the traffic flowing.

But I was wondering if the police had been told not to smile and be friendly? I’ve peacefully protested in Chicago and several large suburbs and the police as a rule have always been quite friendly. I’ve even seen a few of them high five some protestors.

I realize Schaumburg isn’t used to having large protests, but until things improve they are going to see plenty of them.

And they’re only going to get bigger. It sure would be nice to see some smiles. Meanwhile, thanks to the hundreds of drivers, including several postal workers and even a fire truck returning from somewhere, for all the honks in support.

Geri McCall Barrath

Schaumburg