The editorial “Death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar offers a golden opportunity to halt Middle East suffering” (Oct. 18) promotes false optimism, instantly dispelled by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s comments, and minimizes responsibility for the ongoing U.S.-facilitated decimation and near-starvation of the people in Gaza. Palestinians in the Middle East have no home, no safety, no rights, no freedom. The editorial attempts to justify the wanton carnage by blaming the disenfranchised.
How many mistaken, inhumane and ultimately futile U.S.-led or -sponsored wars are needed in history (Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan) for an editorial board of this stature to recognize another?
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat could have orchestrated a lasting peace? Sinwar’s actions had no rationale rooted in generational occupation, imprisonment and blockade? Theocrats are in charge in Iran but are not driving Israel’s government? Israel is not an apartheid nation based on existing law and illegal settlement? Israel does not harbor nuclear weapons, invade surrounding countries in “defense” or assassinate whoever it chooses, while disregarding the Geneva Conventions, United Nations mandates and international law governing the treatment of prisoners?
There was a time in our country as well when certain populations (Native Americans, enslaved Africans) had no rights, no home, no safety, no freedom — basically no humanity — and they also rebelled.
With U.S. sponsorship, Israel has effectively eliminated a two-state solution — a political plank and central aim of current leadership. Realizing “Greater Israel,” of course, is what fuels the conflict — and the dilemma.
History — South Africa and elsewhere — suggests that the colonial apartheid regime in Israel will eventually succumb to facts on the ground in ruling over subequal Jewish and Palestinian populations now living in “Greater Israel” or Palestine. The major question is how many must die before that reality dawns.
In the meantime, Tribune readers are likely to be subject to more fanciful “if only” historical narratives and predictions of peace just around the corner.
— Paul Sereno, Chicago
Article ignores events of Oct. 7
In “Palestinian boy reunited with photojournalist” (Oct. 16), Tribune reporter Zareen Syed expresses a slanted perspective on the war in Gaza. There’s no question that it’s tragic when a 2-year-old child is the innocent victim of war, but it’s unfair that her article pulls at heartstrings while pointing a finger at Israel.
There is absolutely no mention of what triggered this war — not the 1,200 Israelis who were brutally murdered on Oct. 7, the 251 Israelis who were taken hostage, the many who were brutally assaulted, nor the 101 hostages who may or may not still be alive and continue to be held by Hamas. There is also no mention that Hamas hides among civilians, using them as human shields.
Perhaps Syed’s next article should focus on the root causes of this war as well as the victimization of the Palestinian people by Hamas.
— Jody Williams, Chicago
Tell Israel to stop bombing
If Kamala Harris is to have any chance of winning the presidential race, she and President Joe Biden must publicly demand that Israel stop the bombing immediately, and they must take action to cut off all aid if there is no halt.
— J.C. Leavy, Oak Park
Power of money in politics
Money in politics has neutralized the conscience of most members of Congress! That is why, when a large majority of our people want gun registration and an assault weapons ban, these proposals are dead on arrival in Congress, dead along with the innocent victims of gun violence.
That is why, when much of the public wants accountability for Israel regarding the use of American weaponry in Israel’s massive and continuing attacks in Gaza, the West Bank and now Lebanon, Congress blithely ignores the opportunity to use American leverage. Lobbyists use money to buy out the moral fiber of our legislators. President Joe Biden, in spite of good intentions, knows he cannot, dare not, get Congress to take any action holding Israel to a responsible use of our weaponry. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu knows this, too, and continually runs circles around our president and with his military defies international law. Thus, we the people, we the taxpayers, end up funding much of the destruction, death, starvation and disease of the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank and now the residents of Lebanon.
I remember as a young child that one of my father’s favorite comments at the evening meal was a biblical admonition: “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil” (I Timothy 6:10).
We must find a way to end the power of money in politics. The conscience of America and the preservation of humanity are at stake.
— The Rev. Martin Deppe, Chicago
Election campaign funding
In the Tribune Editorial Board’s reluctant endorsement of Larry Rogers Jr. for Cook County Board of Review, he is criticized for taking contributions from property tax lawyers who appear before him as creating a conflict of interest (“For Cook County offices, Rogers, Spyropoulos, Gordon and Stamps,” Oct. 17).
The editorial board says this is corrupt and means that taxpayers who don’t “pay to play” are not going to get a fair shake.
Shouldn’t this thinking apply to all elected offices, in which the same conflict of interest and corruption are created by contributions, especially large contributions?
Wouldn’t public funding of election campaigns produce fair and efficient government that people would have confidence in?
— Richard Barsanti, Western Springs
Training for election judges
I was disappointed to learn Chicago has done away with online training for election judges. The pandemic-era training worked well in 2020 and 2022 when I was a judge. I was able to complete it outside work hours at my convenience. Now we must make a four-hour appointment downtown for mandatory in-person training. Most options are weekdays during business hours. This limits ease and accessibility of performing a vital community service.
For a city struggling to find enough judges each election, it seems foolish to go backward with the training process.
— Jenny Kane, Chicago
Exploiting referendum rule
I read with interest the article about the three nonbinding referendums on the ballot this November (“IVF coverage among questions for Illinois voters,” Oct. 16). They involve important issues: IVF, property tax relief and the safety of poll workers, but the referendums are meaningless. They are just advisory; they will have no effect. And it’s not even a matter of the legislature, and governor, wanting to know what the voters think. They could find that out by actually talking to people. No, that’s not the reason for the referendums.
The very last paragraph of the article explains the real reason for the referendums: Illinois law allows only three referendums per election, and it’s first come, first served. By putting these three meaningless questions on the ballot, the legislature is stopping people from getting together, collecting signatures and putting something they want to see, and do, on the ballot. Our legislators in Springfield didn’t want that to happen, so as soon as a grassroots effort to get an issue on the ballot started to gain momentum, the legislature hurried up and passed these three meaningless referendums.
In other words, it’s just business as usual in Springfield. Our politicians do what they want and don’t let the people have a voice — or a choice.
— Patrick J. Allen, River Forest
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