Letters: Gov. Rauner's true colors

Ill. House Speaker Mike Madigan is no angel, we all know it. But Gov. Rauner’s attempt to convince us he has the best interest of the state at heart, insults our intelligence. He won’t even look at or consider the progressive tax out of fear he and his buddies will have to pay a fair share of taxes. Threats to shut the state down shows us what Rauner is really like — demanding and inflexible.

Ann Gutierrez, Tinley Park

If Bristol Palin stays out of my bedroom, I’ll stay out of hers

This is in response to the June 29 column by Katrina Trinko, regarding Bristol Palin’s pregnancy. This pregnancy is NOT an abortion issue. The “snark” is related to the hypocrisy of Bristol’s abstinence philosophy for everyone but herself. Like millions of others, my philosophy is I’ll stay out of your bedroom if you stay out of mine. Her best response to the public’s thoughts about her is to live her life quietly without telling others how to live their sexual lives.

Laurie Zee, Glenview

No one born with hatred in their heart

The nation was shocked at the horror that enfolded inside a place of worship in Charleston. That it happened should not come as a surprise. The perpetrator of that ghastly act was a 21-year-old young man. Most young people that age have not attained wisdom or maturity nor fully understand the meaning and value of life.

They are however, susceptible to things that happen around them and are easily influenced and swayed by people and events. Witness the young people flocking to join ISIS.

One thing for certain, this young man was not born with hatred in his heart. He had to be taught. He was born in an environment that taught him that white people are somehow superior to blacks and that blacks are to be segregated and thought of as a threat to a way of life. This is learned behavior.

He purported to have wanted to start a race war with his act. He will fail miserably in that attempt. To have a war, there must be two sides that hate each other. One thing we know from history is that black people do not hate white people, even though racism has taken a horrific toll on black people throughout our history. The hatred is mostly one sided.

Our only salvation in this environment is that in this country, there is a small majority of people, of all races, who realize that we share a common humanity and are willing to tolerate our differences and live in peace and harmony.

Ned L. McCray, Tinley Park