Monday Letters: Miraculous mercy, forgiveness in Charleston

In Jerusalem, over 2,000 years ago, Jesus and his disciples came to pray and break bread at one last meal together. There was a traitor among them who would within hours hand the Lord over to his murderers.

In Charleston, good men and women came to pray and to learn about this Jesus as they had so many times before. But one recent day, a Judas joined them and led them to their deaths.

In the aftermath of the South Carolina tragedy, mercy and forgiveness have miraculously flowered in the broken hearts of those left behind. The words of Jesus from the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do,” have again come to life as black and white arms hold each other up.

Sr. Kathleen Melia, Niles

Bypassing the peopleLast week, the Supreme Court on marriage, took the people’s vote from them. Government “of the people, by the people, and for the people” ended. An activist court determined to make law, instead of their responsibility to interpret the law. President Abraham Lincoln must surely be rolling over in his grave!

The justices, by judicial fiat, bypassed the voice of the people. So much for that “government by the people” stuff! People of all persuasions should see the danger in this. A blow to democracy and a boost toward a socialistic society, as the government tells us what to do.

In striking down the Federal Defense of Marriage Act, we saw Justices Elena Kagan and Ruth Bader Ginsburg refuse to recuse (remove) themselves from this decision. This while both performed homosexual “marriages, and openly expressing approval of the “gay” lifestyle.

Now we are being told by media and Hollywood to go home and forget it. This did not happen with abortion, and certainly will not happen here.

Lesbian journalist Masha Gessen, speaking on a radio show, commented, “Homosexual activists are lying about their agenda. … They do not want to access the institution of marriage; they want to radically redefine and eliminate it.”

Gays and lesbians are free to live as they choose. We live in a society where this is now possible. They do not, however, have the right to rewrite marriage for all of society.

Jim Finnegan, North Barrington

With Bruce Rauner Illinois got what it deserved

In electing Gov. Bruce Rauner, the people of Illinois got what they deserve but not, in my opinion, what they want.

We now have a governor unashamedly dedicated to, above all else, business profit with seeming contempt for the poor, sick and disabled. Witness his legislative proposals and TV ads. The governor, consumed with hatred for unions, committed to a minimally regulated, business friendly economy that would, if allowed, transform Illinois into a right-wing conservative version of Rauner’s dystopia, devoid of collective bargaining, labor contracts, worker protections and a minimum wage. “Sweatshop” Rauner would have succeeded.

THAT IS NOT WHAT THE PEOPLE OF ILLINOIS WANT.

Whereas the concentration of wealth has risen among the top 1-5 percent over the past 40 to 50 years, the typical worker’s family income, purchasing power, general economic well being is no better than it was in 1970, to put it mildly.

Ideally, the objective of a democratic society should be the improvement of the general welfare, the public good, not corporate profit, power and control by a wealthy business elite reflecting the values of a Rauner-type plutocracy.

Howard A. Gordon, Homewood