The editorial concerning the U.S. attorney in Chicago reaches the right conclusion for the wrong reasons (“Chicago needs a new presidentially appointed top federal prosecutor. Immediately.,” March 12). Yes, we should have a presidentially appointed U.S. attorney. Yes, April Perry, an eminently qualified candidate and someone who would have ended the shameful history of the white male club of U.S. attorneys in Chicago, should have sailed through Congress.
But the Tribune Editorial Board’s logic to reach this conclusion is wrong. Judging productivity by numbers of prosecutions is flawed. The Michael Madigan prosecution, a complex and resource-intensive project, counts as one, as does prosecuting a mail carrier for theft. The Madigan prosecutors could have churned out 200 minor prosecutions instead. Same for the Edward Burke prosecutors, etc. That swap would produce numbers and would not serve the public.
A gang prosecution that calls to justice dozens of gang leaders counts as one. When the office moved from prosecuting individuals in buy-bust drug cases that had no deterrent impact, to organizational drug cases including cartels and gangs that had massive impact, numbers were reduced. The public’s interest was served.
There are many reasons why the absolute numbers are down in addition to a focus on major prosecutions. Increased requirements for court approval of technologically advanced investigative tools is one. Staffing levels is another. Undoubtedly, work from home — a remnant of COVID-19 — is another. There are others; the question is complex.
The editorial board attributes the decreased numbers to a “leadership vacuum.” Not so. Morris “Sonny” Pasqual is an experienced, intelligent and tireless public servant. He is a charismatic leader who is respected by those inside the office and the larger legal community. Leadership is not the issue. Nor do the numbers reflect a lack of work ethic by assistant U.S. attorneys. Chicago federal prosecutors are among the biggest taxpayer bargains. Those prosecutors work tirelessly for us while earning a fraction of what they could earn in the private sector. They protect us all against not only corrupt politicians, gangs and drug cartels, but also terrorists, fraudsters and many, many others.
So let’s have another outstanding U.S. attorney, not a politician, who wrestles with the real issues. And let’s have an informed discussion about productivity. But a simplistic, surface discussion of complex questions serves no one’s interest.
— Ronald S. Safer, former chief, Criminal Division, U.S. attorney’s office for the Northern District of Illinois, Chicago
A tale of two elections
As I reflect on the recent mayoral races in Dolton and Calumet City, one striking observation stands out: the outsize impact that legacy media have on local elections, shaping public perception in ways that can dramatically influence voter turnout.
In Dolton, with about 16,506 registered voters, we saw a notable turnout of some 4,500 voters choosing between the embattled Mayor Tiffany Henyard and Trustee Jason House. In contrast, Calumet City, with a voter base of 24,746, saw only 3,939 votes cast between Mayor Thaddeus Jones and me. Both incumbent leaders faced scrutiny from their councils, yet the media focused predominantly on Dolton, likely because Henyard’s story offered more drama.
Media attention greatly affects how residents engage with local elections. The narrative constructed around Henyard captured public interest, while Jones’ challenges received less coverage. This disparity created an uneven playing field, in which issues in Calumet City were overshadowed, preventing our residents from fully understanding the stakes and choices before them.
During our recent campaigns, election mail pieces were critical for outreach. My campaign produced 11 mailings, and Jones sent out more than 15. Despite these efforts, our voter turnout was disappointing compared with Dolton’s. It raises the question of how much more effective our messages could have been if the media provided balanced coverage of the challenges of both incumbent candidates.
Legacy media must recognize its responsibility to provide equitable reporting. While sensational stories capture attention, balanced coverage is essential for fostering informed voter engagement.
As we move forward, I urge the media and our community to demand fair coverage of all local leaders and issues. An engaged electorate is vital to democracy, and ensuring that all voices are heard will lead to stronger, more representative governance.
Calumet City has tremendous potential, and with collective efforts, we can empower our citizens to actively participate in shaping their future.
— JR Patton, alderman, Calumet City
Burnout at elite schools
I attended Whitney Young for high school, Kenwood Academy’s Academic Center and two neighborhood elementary schools: Prescott and Hamilton. I’ve seen a plethora of perspectives in Chicago Public Schools, having attended majority-African American, -Hispanic and -white schools.
Great pressure comes from the rat race to get into selective enrollment: My parents know other parents who’ve spent thousands of dollars on test prep and tutoring to get their kids into the “top” Chicago schools. I understand why those parents do it. The opportunities at selective enrollment are boundless. At Whitney, I met some of the most impressive students I’ve ever met: a national math champion, an international nonprofit president and a student who was second place in the world for junior rock climbing.
I went from being hated by my elementary school teachers for asking for harder work to taking six Advance Placement classes at once (relatively average in my advisory) and facing burnout at Whitney. For me, and myriad classmates, we were so burned out that we gave up on wanting to learn in the first place.
I’ve seen the difference in how parents treat different city schools. I was happier at Kenwood, a majority-African American neighborhood school, than I was at Whitney. Just as I knew burned-out Whitney students with IQs in the 160s who were struggling to keep up with their classes, I knew very intelligent Kenwood students, at a slightly less competitive school, who went on to schools ranging from Yale University to the University of Chicago.
Most of my friends from selective enrollment schools, even ones who struggled, find college significantly easier or at a similar difficulty level to high school. These schools’ rigor prepares students really well for college.
However, regardless of who the student is, what matters is what the student does at the place where they are.
— Jacob Goroff, Chicago
Fur ban an easy step
The people who wrote letters (March 11) criticizing Ald. Raymond Lopez’s proposed ordinance banning fur sales in Chicago surprised me. One objection was that the City Council has better things to focus on. Do Chicago residents think council members cannot walk and chew gum at the same time? The proposed fur ban ordinance was not complicated legislation, and there is no evidence council members spent an inordinate amount of time researching the cruelty of fur production. The cruelty is well known, as evidenced by so many retailers banning fur sales due to the wishes of their patrons.
As for the “choice” argument, should we repeal the city noise ordinance because some construction companies choose to engage in noisy projects during the evening and early morning hours or some residents choose to blast loud music from their homes at all hours?
Some letter writers pointed out that animal food production is no less cruel than fur production, which is quite true. Our society will no doubt be judged very harshly by future generations by the way we treated our fellow sentient beings on this planet. However, let’s face it — there is a big difference between food and fashion. Causing animal suffering simply to make a statement about one’s wealth or to look good (it is not true that furs are always warmer than other coats — it depends on the “other coat”) is completely unnecessary.
Eating is another story. It will take a long time to try to figure out how to manage the food supply to allow healthy meat options for those who choose to eat meat, while also allowing animal husbandry without cruelty, which I believe is possible.
In any event, the goal of preventing animal cruelty and abuse by humans has proved to necessitate a slow and steady approach, involving baby steps. And a ban on fur is an important and easy one to take.
— Clare Connor, Chicago
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