Tuesday Letters: Lucas Museum decision belongs in federal courts

SHARE Tuesday Letters: Lucas Museum decision belongs in federal courts
A 2015 rendering of the proposed Lucas Museum of Narrative Art.

A rendering of the proposed Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on Chicago’s lakefront. | Lucas Museum of Narrative Art

Lucas Museum of Narrative Art/Distributed by the Associated Press.

I was surprised and disappointed to read the guest column of my old friends, Howard Trienens and Newt Minow, urging that the effort by the Friends of the Parks (which I strongly support) to uphold the public trust doctrine, and persuade George Lucas and his wife to construct their museum on a non-lakefront site in Chicago, seemingly be decided by the “flavor of the month” court of public opinion, rather than the Federal District Court, where the matter is now pending [“Lucas Museum foes set dangerous precedent,” Friday].

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As they well know, in our system of government, the federal judiciary is the bulwark against such thinking. With modest editing, their arguments about the supposed dictates of public opinion would fit quite nicely with those of the racially segregated school districts unanimously rejected by the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education, or those of the racist Montgomery, Ala., mob, also unanimously rejected by the Supreme Court in New York Times v. Sullivan. If my friends are serious about their support of the lakefront site, let them participate in the lawsuit, which is where the issue must be decided.

Bob Helman, Hyde Park

Is smoking bad?

They want to make pot legal, for the revenue. I get it. But I thought smoking was bad for you. They’ve lambasted the cigarette industry for years. Why is smoking pot all right?

Pat McInerney, Canaryville

Reduce light pollution

The issue of light pollution was not mentioned in recent news media reports on Chicago’s plan for modernizing its street lighting. Installation of energy-efficient bulbs was emphasized. Understandably, light pollution (cause by light needlessly shining up from a city, making stars invisible) is not recognized as an issue by an urban population that has never seen the starlit wonder of the night sky.  The last time Chicago updated its street lighting, stars over the city vanished from view.

Light pollution can be reduced if fixtures focus the light on the streets and sidewalks and prevent it from shining uselessly into the night sky.

Astronomy magazine has reported on the increasing problem of light pollution in America, and on practical ways to reduce the problem.

Brad Gregg, Loop

Build the museum

It is unfortunate that the Friends of the Parks decides what is best for Chicago. The people who live here have no voice.

The group will not be satisfied with any location. The Friends of the Parks should just go away and let Chicago be Chicago. The City of Chicago cannot let one elite group tell us what can can cannot be,

The Lucas Museum should be where the Lucas family and the city want it.

Lenore Brookter, Calumet Heights

Dress nicely

Saggy pants, and similar sartorial disgraces, are rife and lamentably becoming increasingly ubiquitous.

Dress codes have existed forever. Why don’t business establishments, including culinary ones, implement and enforce dress requirements for their places? Remember “no denim,” “jackets required,” “no shirt, no shoes, no service,” “no shorts,” “black ties,” etc.? Is everyone becoming fearful of maintaining what little is left of our declining civilization? What is required to simply let people know what is necessary?

Leon J. Hoffman, Lake View

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