Why can't all cooperate on sports decision?

The IHSA has made repeated efforts to facilitate both fall sports and, now, winter sports. On the other hand, J.B. Pritzker and the IDPH are very mysterious about the reasons behind their decisions and have come out with dictatorial edicts which have either canceled sports or delayed them. I do not understand why all parties involved cannot sit down in the same room or meet virtually to hear each other's positions and make a decision that is best for our student athletes and the general society.

All the states around us have had high school football. Those same states are planning on having basketball. J.B. Pritzker has said that winter sports must be delayed in Illinois to April.

J.B. Pritzker keeps saying that he "depends on the science." OK: what is the science? Why is an 8% positivity rate a threshold? Give us some tangible facts.

The athletes involved might miss a once in lifetime experience by not playing basketball this winter. Many of them have worked a majority of their lives to get to this point, Some teams are sitting on historic seasons and may never have the same opportunity if the upcoming season is delayed or canceled. Some athletes on these teams need to play the high school season now to showcase their talents and convince college coaches that they should be scholarship athletes.

Some of these athletes are moving out of state just so they can have their season. I am not supporting having high school athletics and jeopardizing the health of the athletes or the community around them. But can the decision-makers on both sides have a meeting instead of being met with impersonal edicts?

Let both sides present their cases and reach a mutual decision that is best for all.

Don Rowley

Arlington Heights

People of Illinois are fed up with corruption

Casino monies, lottery monies, toll monies, gas tax and the most recent lucrative one, marijuana sales tax, but it's never enough for Illinois politicians. How much money does our state accumulate and yet we have the highest property taxes around, highest sales tax and one of the largest debts.

Mr. Pritzker, you spent $50 million of your own money to support your tax bill that had some serious hidden agendas. Why didn't you use that money to start paying down our pension debt ... to name a few? Stop bleeding the people of Illinois for more money.

You have a lot of highly paid but poorly productive people working for you. Start with budget cuts there instead of the schools. And start working on those pension problems you promised to address when you got voted in.

Illinois people have spoken and it's high time you listen. By the way - postponing the Madigan probe - try Zoom like the rest of us. We are fed up with corruption.

Chris and Sherry Lajiness

Tower Lakes

Freedom does not absolve us from sacrifices

Being Americans does not just mean we can do whatever we want. Freedom is not free. It comes with responsibilities to all free people. We need to protect and help others, following the laws that were instituted that have made this country great. Every generation has made sacrifices to keep this country free. During the war, there were all kinds of sacrifices asked of Americans and they did what they had to do to keep this country free from tyranny. My grandparents did it during WW I. My parents did it during World War II. That is what freedom means.

Freedom of speech does not mean that we should use that as an excuse to abuse others with discriminatory or demeaning language.

Freedom to keep and bear arms does not mean we should be able to shoot at children in schools, innocent babies in their homes or people of different beliefs in their churches.

People are dying, People are suffering. A lot of these conditions are being caused by just not following the simple rules.

Make sure you require masks and social distancing and install air cleaning machines that meet health code guidelines to keep patrons safe if you own an eating and/or drinking establishment. Maybe working with the governor within these guidelines might help keep eating establishments open. At least try.

Keep not only your family but other families safe by following the same guidelines. If we can follow speed limits to protect others from fatal accidents, follow building codes so homes are built safe, follow local laws and guidelines to keep our towns and cities safe why is it so difficult to follow the simple rule of wearing a mask?

Accidentally killing someone with a car because laws were not followed is no different from being responsible for the death of someone's loved one due to COVID-19. I want the day to come that my children and grandchildren can go to school, that I can go to the movies and we can do so without fear. That day will not come soon if we cannot follow a few simple guidelines. My heart goes out to all those who have lost people they knew and loved to this awful disease.

Cindy Skidmore

Wheaton

Ignoring health rules

I understand some bar and restaurant owners in northern Illinois are steadfast in their defiance of the partial closures and restrictions order due to the virus. Even going so far as to revel in their actions. I applaud their stupidity and those of similar ilk who may populate their establishments. Proof that stupid supersedes logic and the betterment of the whole.

Remember folks, containment of the virus and its proven process are not an ideology, but a mandate from health (remember science?) and civic leaders for all to understand, respect and oblige to. Perhaps these establishments will have a new menu item called 'Dumb as A Box of Rocks" to serve to their patrons. Could be ...

Mark Stastny

Rolling Meadows

Fortunate for libraries

A recent online headline read: "COVID-19 took away our family's second home: The library."

This had me reflect on how fortunate we have been here in our suburbs to be able to access our libraries due to the careful and detailed planning to keep us safe.

Libraries are filled with everything good. Choices to explore are now more abundant than ever. As winter approaches and we begin to wonder what new activities will take us into the next few months, there is the library with helpful, kind librarians who will lead us to whatever we desire. Curbside pickup is readily available and safety is first in mind for any quick visit.

Just was thinking and wishing all readers happiness and good health.

Cindy Lange

Palatine

Bias, not logic, behind statements

In an Oct. 15 article concerning Elgin police as resource officers in U46 schools, Matthew Thomas may be a self-identified master's degree candidate in social work, but he needs remedial training in basic logic that doesn't support his conclusions. Could it simply be that black students accounted for 52.5% of arrests (in spite of representing only 6.3% of the student population) because they were eight times more to commit infractions than would otherwise be expected?

Blaming the police/school resource officers for "disproportionately targeting" the nonwhite students - instead of blaming those students themselves - is certainly not "obvious" but rather represents his own personal bias, not supported by any evidence whatsoever. It would be logical to investigate what's causing those nonwhite students to behave so badly and what social workers like him could do to try reduce their tendencies so they wouldn't cause police/resource officers to have to arrest them at such a disproportionate rate.

Kenneth L. Anderson

St. Charles

The full picture on packing the court

The Republicans in D.C. are all up in arms because they fear Democrats, when in power, will pack the Supreme Court. A move, they say, that would be unfair and unjust. So let's look at the recent Republican court appointments. When Obama was president he nominated over a hundred persons for federal judgeships, but Mitch McConnell completely abrogated his responsibilities as leader of the senate and violated his oath of office by announcing that he, the self appointed Grim Reaper, would not consider any nominee of the Obama administration. And he didn't.

Trump then appointed well over 100 judges to federal courts, all of whom had to pass his litmus tests of being anti Roe v Wade and anti ACA. And when Judge Scalia passed away, McConnell refused to consider any name put forth by the Obama administration because there were only ten months left on the Obama term of office. But then he rammed through a nominee to replace the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg with less than a month remaining before the presidential election.

And Sen. Lyndsey Graham who firmly backed the move to deny President Obama's right to appoint a Supreme Court Justice said, if a similar situation arose with a Republican administration in place, he would not vote to confirm a Supreme Court justice. But now he saw no reason not to confirm Trump's nominee.

damaged by the coronavirus.

So the Republicans have successfully packed the federal court system and now they fear that Democrats might take steps to level the playing field.

Anatole Crane

Barrington

Unity and COVID-19

Unite: 1. To bring together so as to form a whole. 2. To combine (people) in interest, attitude, or action.

Unity: 1. The state of being one; singleness. 2. The state, quality or condition of accord or agreement; concord.

United States of America: A federal republic composed of 50 states.

I am hoping that we can put aside our political differences and Unite in our fight to eradicate the COVID-19 virus. If we can accomplish that Unity - we can revive the economy and restore the freedoms that COVID-19 has taken away from us.

I am hoping you will join me in striving for unity - for the betterment of the United States of America .

Clarence W. Beardsley

Arlington Heights

'Fair Tax' irony

It is ironic that our governor in his rants regarding the 'Fair Tax' amendment not passing, blamed Republican billionaires. Since when do Republicans have any power in our Democrat-controlled state? The problem is not that we do not have enough taxes, but rather the lack of control in spending. J.B. Pritzker does not have the ability to stand up to the unions who help keep him in office to do the right thing for Illinois.

Brenda Bodett

Wheaton