Thursday Letters: Public servants should listen to the citizens

Cleopatra Cowley-Pendleton, a Bronzeville resident standing near President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday, said when she saw Obama’s tears, “it was humbling.”

“I think its got to be an eye-opening and humbling experience to be in charge of all of us and meet so many of us that have become survivors of gun violence,” she said.

Obama met privately with the families before his remarks in the East Room. “He gets to interact with us and see what the effects are on our own families and reflect, ‘Wow, what would I do if that were me?’ ” she said. That says it all!

If every public servant from our governor to our aldermen would take a page from our president’s notebook, we would be living in a much better, different state and city. And if we did the same in Washington, D.C., our country would be changed for the much better. Go to the citizens to find out what they need to live a decent life.

Northa Johnson, Loop

Disappointed citizensI just finished reading Mark Brown’s column about how Gov. Bruce Rauner is disappointed in Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Really? Let’s take out the “disappointment meter” and see how both individuals rate. Perhaps if our governor knew what he was doing, the state would not be in such dire straits and its people so desperate. Maybe if our services were not held hostage, citizens would not feel helpless.I have lived in Illinois my entire life and have never seen a poorer excuse for a state leader. As a retired special education teacher and a human being, I cannot believe that Rauner would actually say that he is going to hold CPS students’ educations hostage unless he gets his way. Is this a second-grade playground? Is the bully going to hold onto our jump rope until we scream “uncle”?Let’s get together as voters, parents, seniors, Illinois citizens and humans and scream ENOUGH! If anyone should be crying tears of disappointment it is the citizens of Illinois.RaeAnne Norlock, Darien

Zero tolerance

A senior city attorney resigns in disgrace. O.K. Going forward? We will make sure that the city attorneys REALLY understand that willfully concealing evidence in shooting cases is not upholding the high standards that the citizens of Chicago have come to expect from the city’s legal representatives.

Just to make sure everyone understands that he is serious about reform, Mayor Rahm Emanuel employed one of the more hackneyed expressions of our times: zero tolerance. That will take care of it! Zero tolerance for missing files or doctored eyewitness testimony or shooting unarmed suspects or fraudulent educational leaders or treasury embezzlement or whatever. That takes care of it.

John Bourke, Huntley

Stand for justice

From Battle Creek, Mich., I’ve watched you take a stand on cop crimes against black citizens. I’ve watched you unite with solidarity to express your displeasure in Mayor Rahm Emmanuel. I’ve watched you shut down streets and interrupt traffic. I’ve watched you raise your voices and fists. I’ve watched you remember the lives of those taken by corruption. I’ve watched you cry together, I’ve watched you hug each other, and I’ve watched you lean on each other because of social injustice from those who are sworn to protect and serve. I’ve watched you find a common cause … Black Lives Matter!

But Chicago, from Battle Creek, Mich., I have not seen you stand for justice in the death of 9-year-old Tyshawn Lee. I’ve not seen you unite with solidarity to express your displeasure in the senseless violence precipitated by blacks on blacks. I’ve not seen you shut down the streets on the South and West sides. I’ve not seen you raise your voices and fists in disgust over the 484 lives that were taken in 2015 and the eight that have been taken in the first 5 days of 2016. I’ve not seen you remember the lives of those taken by gangs. I’ve not seen you cry together, I’ve not seen you hug each other, and I’ve not seen you lean on each other because of the militant mindset and low self-esteem of those who hide in your neighborhoods hunting and killing your own.

I’ve not seen you find a common cause in the 484 deaths in 2015 and the 8 in the first 5 days of 2016. Do those black lives matter? Do black lives matter only when they are being attacked by the police? Do black lives matter only when the news takes the story and it becomes viral? My dearest Chicago, it has been said if you want something unusual to happen for you, then you must do something you don’t usually do. Stand up for all lives. Unite with solidarity and express your displeasure for all gun violence. Shut down streets and interrupt traffic in the neighborhoods plagued by gangs. Raise your voices and fists against drive-by shootings. Remember the lives of those taken from your family, your friends, and your co-workers. Cry together, hug each other, and lean on each other to show universal love for humanity.

Dear Chicago, find the common cause that speaks against all violence because life matters!

Beatrice Orns, Battle Creek, Mich.

Tone deaf

Maybe Rick Morrissey is the one who is tone deaf, not the Blackhawks [“Were Blackhawks tone deaf with ceremony honoring Patrick Kane?”]. He states that no charges were filed against Kane and the evidence was found not to support the accusation. How long should Kane have to pay for being falsely accused? Not one minute longer than he did. What a ridiculous column.

Chris Michalik, Glenview

Inhumane ranchers

The armed militiamen who are illegally occupying an Oregon wildlife refuge are menacing criminals who must be arrested. Many of them are brazen and inhumane cattle ranchers who will kill innocent wildlife and species that they deem a threat to their cruelly mistreated bovines. The federal government should not be intimidated by these subversive malcontents. If they are allowed to remain in the wildlife refuge much longer, it will inspire other anti-government militia groups to create even more havoc and potential lethal violence.Brien Comerford, GlenviewIncessant opposition

Marco Rubio has put a “hold” on a highly qualified nominee for ambassador to Mexico because he doesn’t like President Barack Obama’s thaw with Cuba. We have no ambassadors in Sweden or Norway (a long border with Russia). Dozens of nominees for posts around the globe wait for months because Republicans oppose everything Obama.Of course, the Republicans blame government as being ineffective while refusing to approve nominees. Even though they’re qualified, Obama’s nominees suffer the incessant opposition by senators eager to get elected to run the government.Tom Minnerick, Elgin