I have a suggestion for Mayor Brandon Johnson. Faced with a record 14 percent approval rating and making all kinds of bad decisions a general manager could make, Johnson should take a cue from “Seinfeld” and follow George Costanza’s playbook: do the opposite of all his instincts .
Tax already overburdened homeowners in Chicago? Do the opposite: reduce government glut rather than raise taxes.
Maintain that ShotSpotter didn’t save lives? Do the opposite: listen to the data and reintegrate it.
Continue to use divisive language in response to legitimate criticism? Do the opposite: be the mayor of all Chicagoans and meet the needs of the people.
If Johnson follows this simple Costantzian philosophy, Chicago will be better off.
—Max Rosen, Glencoe
Difficult to support the mayor’s project
It’s hard to support the mayor’s plan to balance the budget by raising property taxes when he has hired new city employees despite a hiring freeze.
—Richard Prince, Chicago
Management of public schools
In the editorial “How can we encourage greater accountability from school boards? » (October 25), Froylan Jimenez argues for increased accountability of the Chicago school board. I recently moved to Chicagoland from another state. One thing that surprised me was the connection between the mayor of Chicago and the public school board. In most parts of the country, school districts and municipal government are completely separate entities. Mayors have no influence or responsibility over public schools.
It appears Chicago is taking a first step toward independence by electing school board members rather than letting the mayor appoint all the members. In my opinion, for Chicago Public Schools to progress, they must be completely separated from city management. The mayor has enough other issues to address. That would be a good first step.
Additionally, academic performance in public schools across the country tends to increase as district sizes decrease. A possible next step in accountability could be splitting the city school district into several separate districts. This could lead to greater accountability to the local community.
—Dan Balster, La Grange Park
Scapegoat foreigners
I recently returned from Europe where I saw the Venice International Art Biennale whose theme was “Foreigners Everywhere”: “Wherever you go, wherever you are, you will always meet strangers. They/we are everywhere. No matter where you are, deep down you are still truly a stranger. It was nice to hear all the different languages, see artwork from different cultures, and appreciate the harmony of people from all over the world in attendance.
During that same trip, I was asked several times about what was happening in America. People outside the United States are very worried about a candidate because they know what happened (and is happening) in their own country with the wars, the shift to the far right , the lessons of the Holocaust and the parallels they see in the United States today: “Don’t Americans notice? Don’t they understand what will happen with an authoritarian candidate? Your choice will affect the world.
In Austria, under a blue sky, the house where Adolf Hitler grew up, the concentration camps of Mauthausen and Gusen, the regional headquarters of the Gestapo and the Gusen tunnels are so cleaned that one cannot imagine the horrors that happened there before seeing the photos, read first-hand accounts and study the history.
And it started with blaming foreigners. Yesterday and today.
— Jelmir Atkins, Sycamore
Adoption, a journey that lasts a lifetime
National Adoption Month is a time to celebrate the beauty of adoption, while recognizing that it is a lifelong journey. Adoption does not end when a child comes home; it continues through every stage of life, bringing with it questions, struggles, and moments of deep connection.
Adopted children may be looking for answers about their past and their connections to their heritage, and as parents, we don’t always have them. This uncertainty can be difficult, but it is part of the journey. Having a strong support system, such as Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois, has been invaluable to us. You need someone to guide you and a safe space to ask questions before, during, and long after the adoption process.
We must also remember that adoption begins when birth parents make a difficult and selfless decision. We therefore want to encourage our community to treat everyone involved in the adoption process with respect. Don’t make assumptions or offer unsolicited advice. Some foster children may be eager to explore their past, while others may feel content in the present. Some families may face more visible struggles, while others quietly face difficulties behind closed doors.
No two adoption stories are the same and each family’s experience is unique. What’s important is that we are committed to honoring this diversity and treating each family with the care and compassion they deserve.
— Tiffany and Jenna DeRiggi-Werdell, adoptive parents, Chicago
Inspired by the Good Samaritans
Yes, Virginia, there is Santa Claus. In fact, there are three of them: Richard, Carlos and Rosie.
I had the unfortunate experience of being locked out of my car at a local car wash. Of course my purse and phone were inside. Three people came to my aid. Selflessly, they allowed me to use their phone. The local police department no longer helps in the event of a lockout. When I called for help from roadside assistance, it resulted in an endless loop of various reasons for the call.
With the help of Richard, Carlos and Rosie, I was finally able to reach a family member, but not before spending almost three hours searching for help.
These three good Samaritans confirmed my belief that the average citizen is kind and available to help, that good people exist despite the daily news of criminal acts.
Thanks to Richard, Carlos and Rosie.
— Barbara Silvestri, Lombard
Excellent look at corruption
Concerning “Culture of corruption: government glut” (October 27), Rick Pearson’s work on this piece was excellent. It probably took a lot of work and it paid off. It was great to see a story that wasn’t too tilted one way or the other.
Thanks for posting it.
—Ken Keating, Aurora
High earners are not happy?
The article “What’s Rich for Some Is Not Rich for HENRYs” (printed October 27) is a fascinating read. Not being able to achieve financial independence with an annual family income approaching three-quarters of a million dollars is a terrible shame. You almost feel sorry for all the HENRYs (“high earners, not yet rich”). Except no.
HENRY, meet APRIL! APRIL is known as an “always poor, rich in love” group of workers. Somewhere in between lies the solution. One of their offspring is FABIOLA, “let’s always find balance in our lives!” »
Now that’s inspiring.
—Mark Grenchik, Chicago
Philosophy lesson for bears
The shocking end to the Bears’ last-second loss Sunday to the Washington Commanders once again gives meaning to those two great philosophers Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel and Yogi Berra.
Yogi: “It’s not over until it’s over.” Hegel: “We learn from history that we do not learn from history. »
I’m sure there is at least one Bears defensive player who will always remember these two quotes.
—Bob Angone, Austin, Texas
Decisions Affecting Our Body
Let’s make Viagra illegal and see what old white men think about others making decisions about their bodies.
For many years, my former employer’s health plan did not cover birth control pills. As soon as Viagra was available, it was covered. Do you think the female employees made a stink about this? You bet! Very quickly, birth control was discussed.
If you don’t like abortion, don’t have one. No one should be able to impose their own beliefs on anyone else.
-Leslye Winslow, Riverwoods
Submit a letter of no more than 400 words to the editor here or by email letters@chicagotribune.com.
