Northwest Herald Editorial Board John Rung, Kate Weber, Dan McCaleb, Jason Schaumburg, Kevin Lyons, Jon Styf, John Sahly, Val Katzenstein
OPINIONS TUESDAY
NWHerald.com
OUR VIEW
Reduce threats by catching hoaxers The first week of October saw a considerable waste of time and resources at two area college campuses. On the campus of the College of DuPage on Oct. 5, a bomb threat forced the cancellation of evening classes. That same week on Oct. 8, Northern Illinois University’s campuses were temporarily evacuated after a bomb threat was made against the school. For the record Police in DeKalb at NIU What might help reduce conducted searchthese kinds of threats is if more es of all campus people were caught and made to buildings, while answer for what they’ve done. students and staff – including dorm residents – had to find someplace else to go on a fall night. Luckily, there was a pre-planned “Midnight Madness” basketball event scheduled, and the Convocation Center was the first building cleared. There is some evidence to suggest these kinds of threats are becoming more common. According to The Associated Press, an analysis by National School Safety and Security Services, a Cleveland-based consulting firm, found a 158 percent increase in the number of threats schools received in a five-month span in 2014 compared with the same period the previous year. More than one-third of those threats were sent electronically, and almost one-third led to evacuations. Ten percent of schools closed for at least a day, the consulting firm found. The problem was repeated Dec. 15, when a person emailed threats against the public school districts in New York and Los Angeles. In New York, law enforcement officials determined the threat wasn’t credible and school continued as usual, while in Los Angeles schools were closed. The increase in these kind of threats – and understandable pressure school and other officials feel to take even flimsy threats seriously in the wake of recent terror attacks – has sparked national calls for stiffer penalties against perpetrators. What good are potential penalties, however, if they’re never used? In Illinois, a person convicted of falsely making a terrorist threat – basically, someone who makes a threat they know to be a hoax – already can be sentenced to four to 15 years in prison. If they say they’ve placed a bomb in a school, they can be required to reimburse agencies that expend resources looking for it. That penalty seems about right. What might help reduce these kinds of threats is if more people were caught and made to answer for what they’ve done. No one has been held accountable for the threats made in October, which no doubt cost tens of thousands in wasted resources. People feel a sense of security when they’re sitting behind a computer far away from their intended target. They think they can’t be caught when they leave an unsigned note in a restroom. Shattering that by making an arrest in one of these cases – and securing a conviction with a meaningful prison sentence – might make the next person think twice.
ANOTHER VIEW
Eliminate the glamour Would people smoke less if cigarettes were sold in plain packages? Early evidence from Australia, which has required them for three years, suggests they might. The plain packs – which forbid pictures aside from health warnings and require brand names to be in a uniform typeface – reduce the appeal of cigarettes, research indicates, and prompt people to think more about quitting. Further evidence comes from tobacco companies, four of which are now suing Britain to block a new rule that, starting in May, will require cigarettes in Britain to be sold in plain packs, too. Obviously, the companies appreciate the power of logos, color and other design flourishes to give smoking a glamorous and comfortable appeal. This explains why British courts should reject Big Tobacco’s suit. Progress in the battle against smoking addiction is difficult to come by – although governments are using the best strategies available, including higher taxes, age limits, advertising restrictions and graphic health warnings. Plain packs seem to be another useful weapon. The U.K. can help lead the way toward their being required widely.
Bloomberg View
THE FIRST
AMENDMENT
December 22, 2015 Northwest Herald Section B • Page 2
Facebook.com/NWHerald
@NWHerald
SKETCH VIEW
IT’S YOUR WRITE Importing criminals
To the Editor: On the Syrian refugees, refugees from other countries, and, of course, the illegal immigrants in or coming in to our country. I ask our government and the citizens of the United States of America what is the acceptable murder, rape and child molestation rate from these people to you? I am not saying they are all bad people. What I am saying is our government cannot correctly screen them to guarantee these vicious crimes will not happen. These crimes have happened and are happening on our soil right now. Our country cannot protect us from our own citizens committing these crimes, let alone importing and letting them come here illegally to commit these crimes. Again, I ask you, what is the acceptable rate to you? Oh, and are your loved ones included in this? If so, make sure you tell them that. Also, you do know our country is so far in debt we will never see it
paid off in our lifetime? These people cost taxpayers hundreds of billion dollars a year to have in our country. Think about this before you jump to a decision. James M. Korjenek Wonder Lake
Give senior citizens a break
To the Editor: I am writing to you in regards to the canceling of COLAs (cost-of-living adjustments) on Social Security and civil service annuitants. Basing it off just the price of gasoline is totally wrong. Many seniors don’t drive any longer. Everything else goes up. My health benefits are going up $20 a month. Property taxes go up, up, up. McHenry County property taxes are among the highest in the state. Let’s give U.S. senior citizens a break. Gerald Mattingly Island Lake
Cal has no conscience
To the Editor: On Nov. 18, Cal Thomas wrote “Anyone who leaves the U.S. for a
HOW TO SOUND OFF We welcome original letters on public issues. Letters must include the author’s full name, home address and day and evening telephone numbers. We limit letters to 250 words and one published letter every 30 days. All letters are subject to editing
country where there are terrorist training camps must not be allowed to return.” Excellent idea, Cal. Can you arrange a road trip in Syria for Shawn Hannity, Bill O’Reilly and everyone on The Five? Limbaugh can drive the bus with a Jackie Gleason passport, and you certainly could pass for sidekick Norton. It would be a great honeymoon. Should trouble arise, President Donald Trump will ride in on a great white horse, bare chested like Vladimir Putin. His steed, Mr. Ed the talking horse, rears up and bellows, “It’s gonna be great,” at which point all the terrorists lay down their arms or fall down laughing because Trump and Ed have matching manes. Ed is
for length and clarity at the sole discretion of the editor. Submit letters by: • Email: letters@nwherald.com • Mail: Northwest Herald “It’s Your Write” Box 250 Crystal Lake, IL 60039-0250
embarrassed. “At a minimum, we need to track down those from the Middle East” Cal wrote. Trump wants to develop a database for tracking Middle Easterners in the U.S. Cal’s thought bubble is of a wild west roundup and branding irons. Ed is looking in a mirror and weeping. As O’Reilly passes around his whiskey flask in celebration, Ed walks off down the trail alone, now speechless from what he’s witnessed but thinking, “I will not be a part of this.” At least a fictional horse has a conscience. Chris O’Dea Harvard
A newborn king does not want drum music Sure, “Baby It’s Cold Outside” is uncomfortable on the subject of consent, “Merry Christmas/War Is Over” is saccharine and cloying and “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” is laying the groundwork for a surveillance state. But for my money, the worst Christmas song of all is “Little Drummer Boy.” The Little Drummer Boy is a bigger villain than the Grinch. The Grinch at least has some sort of heart-size condition and soul-gunk problem he can blame for his lack of basic compassion. What excuse does the Little Drummer Boy have for his behavior? None. The Little Drummer Boy is just a plain old jerk. Specifically, the kind of jerk who insists on telling us about a time he showed up at a party without a gift and made everyone there miserable by playing what he thinks was a sick drum solo. But he cannot just tell us. Instead, he constantly interrupts his own narrative with twee drum noises so it takes longer. Here are the plain facts of “Little Drummer Boy”:
Come, they told me (Pa rum pum pum pum) A new born king to see (Pa rum pum pum pum) Our finest gifts we bring (Pa rum pum pum pum) To lay before the king (Pa
VIEWS Alexandra Petri rum pum pum pum, Rum pum pum pum, Rum pum pum pum) So to honor him (Pa rum pum pum pum) When we come (Pum pum pum pum Pa rum pum pum Pum pum pum pum Pa rum pum pum Pum pum pum pum Pa rum pum pum Pum pum pum pum pa rum.) First off, are you annoyed yet? Second off, who’s “they”? Who is this “they” who goes up to a young boy and invites him to a stranger’s baby shower? Seems odd. Still, whoever “They” is, they make it clear this is a gathering where gifts are expected. But the Little Drummer Boy decides to attend anyway.
Little baby (Pa rum pum pum pum) I am a poor boy too (Pa rum pum pum pum) I have no gift to bring (Pa rum pum pum pum) That’s fit to give our king (Pa rum pum pum pum, Rum pum pum pum, Rum pum pum pum)
So he showed up at the party without a gift. Fine. Totally fine. And he apologized. Also fine. And he’s right, he has nothing to give the baby that will be good.
Shall I play for you? (Pa rum pum pum pum Pa rum pum pum Pum pum pum pum) And this is where things take a turn. I’m at the age where you get to attend lots of baby showers, so I have my finger on the pulse of what makes an appropriate gift for a baby. Here is a quick list that I came up with, just now, just off the top of my head: • Soft woolen socks. • Soft polyester socks. • Cute little bib that says “bless this mess(iah)” or “God’s gift to humanity” or “this isn’t my real dad” or something fun like that. • Onesie. • Stuffed fish. • Swaddling clothes (you can always use more swaddling clothes even if you already have some). • Myrrh, I guess, but kind of weird. • Frankincense, I guess. • Gold, I mean, if frankincense and myrrh are a go. Here’s a quick list of things that are not appropriate to give babies: • Drum music.
This isn’t rocket neurosurgery. If you showed up at any other party whose theme was Give Gifts To A Baby and the gift you brought was LOUD NOISES, everyone would not nod benignly. They would say, “Please leave” and “What were you thinking?” and “That’s not an appropriate gift at all, not even a little bit, have you ever met a baby before?” But not here.
Mary nodded (Pa rum pum pum pum) Mary is polite to a fault, I feel. This is still not a verbal yes, though.
The ox and lamb kept time (Pa rum pum pum pum) Great! EVEN MORE loud noises!
I played my drum for him (Pa rum pum pum pum) I played my best for him (Pa rum pum pum pum, Rum pum pum pum, Rum pum pum pum) Then he smiled at me (Pa rum pum pum pum) It was probably gas. • Alexandra Petri writes the Washington Post’s ComPost blog, offering a lighter take on the news and opinions of the day.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.