Daily Chronicle Editorial Board Karen Pletsch, Dana Herra, Inger Koch, Eric Olson, Jillian Duchnowski
OPINIONS SATURDAY daily-chronicle.com
8SKETCH VIEW
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August 30, 2014 Daily Chronicle Section A • Page 7
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OUR VIEW: THUMBS-UP, THUMBS-DOWN
Thumbs-up for Corn Fest
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Support for Israel not misguided
would like to address. 1. Israel has no settlements in Gaza and is not building any To the Editor, settlements there. Israel left Gaza I would like to respond to the completely in 2005 and dismanletter to the editor from Cecile Meyer entitled, “Concerned about tled all of their settlements at Rep. Hultgren’s stance on Israel” that time. 2. Hamas terrorists fire rockpublished on in the Daily Chroniets into Israel indiscriminately, cle on Aug. 27. In her letter, Ms. Meyer submits targeting civilians. This is an obvious violation of international that U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren law. “must be unaware of the history and facts of the conflict” between 3. Hamas uses men, women, and children as human shields, also in Israel and Hamas. In my opinion, some history and complete violation of international law. facts may not have been accu4. Israel has a right to defend rately stated in the letter, which I
its citizens from terrorist attacks. The deaths of civilians in Gaza are the responsibility of Hamas because of their deplorable practice of attacking Israel from installations at schools, hospitals, homes, and mosques. 5. Israel is not starving Gaza with a blockade. Since mid-August, Israel has sent Gaza more than 11 million pounds of humanitarian supplies for their citizens, including approximately 2,800 tons of food and 100 tons of medical supplies. The blockade is not meant to starve anyone, and is facilitated as a result of Israel’s
partnership with Egypt. 6. The border fence (wall) around Gaza was constructed to keep terrorists from sneaking into Israel, and has largely been successful in eliminating terror attacks there. Egypt is a partner with Israel in this effort as well. Hultgren is on the right side of this, as are a great many U.S. senators and representatives. We should continue to provide assistance in Israel’s defense against attacks from the Hamas terror organization. Simon Seibert Dekalb
Thumbs-up: To student-athletes on the DeKalb-Sycamore co-op girls swim team, who despite unsettling news this week that their coach had been arrested on charges of sexual assault and sexual abuse, elected to continue with their season. News about the arrest of swim coach Leah Eames shocked the community this week, and no doubt shocked the swimmers as well. Eames, an eighth-year coach who is presumed innocent unless proven otherwise, has been placed on leave from her position as swim coach and as a math teacher at Sycamore High School. Other adults have stepped in to handle coaching duties, and we hope the girls can put the distractions aside and give this season their best effort. Thumbs-down: To legislators pushing for statewide regulation on ridesharing companies. On Monday, Gov. Pat Quinn vetoed two proposals that would have required background checks and insurance requirements, and required any drivers who work more than 36 hours over a two-week period to have a chauffeur’s license, with all drivers required to carry commercial liability insurance. The proposals, which were pushed by lobbyists for traditional taxi companies, would have hamstrung a nascent industry that many say provides better service than taxis do. Thumbs-up: To cool Corn Fest uniforms. When the Northern Illinois football team took the field in their season opener Thursday, they were wearing special uniforms commemorating Corn Fest, DeKalb’s signature community music festival. Corn Fest organizers are auctioning the jerseys online today through Friday at www.cornfest.com, and proceeds will benefit the Voluntary Action Center, Boy Scout Troop No. 33, and the Canaday family. The auction was conceived as a way to showcase the improved relations between the city of DeKalb and NIU, and the proceeds will benefit worthy causes. Thumbs-up: To U.S. Little League champions the Jackie Robinson West All Stars of Chicago. Through their hard work and grace, the 13 boys on this team reminded America that there is more on the South Side of Chicago than the crime we hear about in news reports. The boys were stellar ambassadors for the city, and provided a ray of good news. Thumbs-up: To progress on the Evergreen Village Mobile Home buyout. As of early this week, county leaders had purchased all but seven of the 121 mobile homes in the flood-prone park just outside Sycamore. Leaders have until June 30 to restore the area to open space as part of a long-term, grant-funded plan, but relocating before school started was in the best interests of the families with students. County leaders have been planning this project for so long that it’s gratifying to see the project so close to its next milestone. Thumbs-up: To community traditions. DeKalb’s annual Corn Fest celebrating the city and welcoming Northern Illinois University students to town is happening this weekend. Events include something for everyone – lots of music, a carnival, a vintage car show, a bike rally and a free corn boil. Let’s hope the weather holds this year.
ANOTHER VIEW VIEWS
A problem much bigger than Ferguson The international spotlight has been shining on Ferguson, Missouri, after an 18-year-old black man was fatally shot by a white police officer there. There was massive national and international media coverage, much of it engendered by the tantalizing thought that here was a clear-cut case of racism leading to police brutality and indicative of the evil inherent in American society. Violent demonstrations and riots ensued, with massive property damage and many outside agitators descending on the town, supposedly to guarantee justice as defined by mob mentality. Perhaps it would be useful to examine the tragedy with the facts on the table rather than through the lenses of hypersensitized emotions stimulated by those attempting to exploit the situation. Michael Brown was 6-foot-4 and 290 pounds. He had marijuana in his system and was purportedly involved in a strongarm robbery before the shooting. He and a companion were walking in the middle of the street and obstructing traffic and therefore were admonished by a police officer to move to the sidewalk. Brown, who may have been pharmacologically impaired, became belligerent, and the ensuing struggle produced facial trauma and an orbital fracture of the police officer’s face. The officer, who may have been dazed by a blow to the cranium severe enough to produce a fracture, attempted to apprehend the assailant, and shots were fired, six of which struck the suspect, resulting in a fatality. Regardless of one’s position on the political spectrum, we can all agree that this was
as mine did. But in too many cases, these young unwed mothers have never themselves been exposed to personal responsibility and self-esteem, and the vicious cycle continues. As a society, we must concentrate on ways to break this tragic a horrible tragedy and needless discarding cycle that has produced a higher poverty rate in black communities across America of a precious life. How could this have been avoided? Two with the increasing frustrations that underscore potentially explosive, tinderbox obvious answers: The officer could have ignored his duty and backed off when it be- situations, as we have seen in Ferguson. Once we get the most powerful economcame apparent that his instructions would ic engine the world has ever seen back on not be followed, thereby avoiding a confrontation, or Brown could have complied track with sensible economic policies, we should devote some of the tax revenues with the officer’s instructions, according generated to child care facilities that would to his civic duties. allow many of those unwed mothers to get If police officers generally adopted the their General Education Development or first solution, chaos would reign supreme higher degree and become self-supporting. in all of our streets. If the populace genThere are also a number of programs erally adopted the second solution, there across the nation that offer free classes would be even fewer incidents of police that teach social and job skills, which violence. would give many of the young men some Last year, 100 black males were killed by police in the United States. In the same different options. We must concentrate on these kinds of year, 5,000 blacks were killed by other programs because we cannot afford to lose blacks, the vast majority being males. large segments of our society to despair Could it be that we are erroneously being and underachievement in an increasingly manipulated into making this incident a competitive world. We have a social crisis racial issue, when, in fact, it is a compobrewing if we continue down the path nent of a much larger social issue? we are on now, but we have the power to Why are there so many young black change our downward course with true men in the streets of America with compassion that allows people to rise and defiant attitudes that frequently lead to escape dependency. incarceration or death? Could it be that a large number of them grow up without a • Ben S. Carson is professor emeritus father figure to teach them how to relate of neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Unito authority and the meaning of personal versity and author of the new book “One responsibility? Nation: What We Can All Do To Save This is not to say that mothers cannot convey these important social lessons, America’s Future.”
VIEWS Ben S. Carson
Letters to the editor We welcome original letters on public issues. Letters must include the author’s full name, address and day and evening phone numbers. We limit letters to 400 words. We accept one letter per person every 15 days. All letters are subject to editing for length and clarity. Email: news@daily-chronicle.com. Mail: Daily Chronicle, Letters to the Editor, 1586 Barber Greene Road, DeKalb, IL 60115. Fax: 815-758-5059.
THE FIRST
AMENDMENT
Putin must pay for his aggression If any international norm can still be called uncontroversial, it is the stricture against cross-border aggression by one sovereign state against another. Certainly any failure to enforce it in one place invites violations elsewhere. That is why Vladimir Putin’s decision to send Russian forces openly into Ukraine is a watershed, not a mere “continuation of what’s been taking place for months,” as President Barack Obama understated the case Thursday. If Putin does not pay a high price for this naked, if still cynically denied, attack on his neighbors, the precedent could sow instability far and wide – from the Baltic Sea, ringed by small, free states with large Russian minorities, to the South China Sea, dotted with islands that China covets but other countries claim. The reasons for Putin’s escalation, after months of destabilizing Ukraine through more covert means, may be only guessed. Ukraine’s military has made gains against Russian-instigated “separatists” in two key cities, Luhansk and Donetsk, and Putin may have felt that he could not abandon them without incurring political risk in Moscow. The Russian army’s move on Novoazovsk, well to the south of these contested areas, relieved the pressure on them – and perhaps foreshadows seizing a land corridor to Crimea, which Putin absorbed through force and chicanery six months ago but has struggled to resupply by air and sea since. Putin’s strategic goal could be even grander: the takeover of southeastern Ukraine, which he calls “New Russia,” and its incorporation into his ballyhooed Eurasian Union. Given the global repercussions of this struggle, the U.S. and its allies cannot afford to let Putin break the rules. It is time to hit Russia with the full brunt of financial sanctions, to supply Ukraine with the arms and intelligence it needs to defend its territorial integrity (which Russia itself once pledged to respect), to halt all military sales to Russia by Western nations – and to bolster the neglected North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Obama made little effort Thursday to explain or defend the “broader principle” that he said is at stake in Europe. Nations around the world that rely on U.S. leadership and its commitment to the rule of law can only hope that he brings more passion to the cause at what deserves to be a historic NATO summit in Wales next week.
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