Friday letters: Walk the walk, Theo Epstein

Theo Epstein, president of the Cubs organization, is a wealthy individual who runs a baseball team. I doubt he knows where Englewood, Austin, Auburn-Gresham and Grand Crossing are. But he accuses President Donald Trump of “grandstanding” by talking about Chicago’s violence. I suggest Mr. Epstein do a police ride-along some weekend this summer, preferably on the 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. shift.

I don’t know if Trump has a solution to Chicago’s violence, but casting a light on our wonderful city and its problems perhaps will light a fire under the current city administration. We get a lot of lip service from Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the Rev. Michael Pfleger and the Rev. Jesse Jackson, but the homicides continue.

If Theo talks the talk, he should walk the walk.

Joseph A Murzanski, Palos Heights

Beware our imperial presidency

Americans should ask themselves whether they want a country so completely different from what we have had. With an imperial president and a quiescent Republican majority in both houses of Congress, that’s what we may get. It’s hard to go back once the wrecking ball has done its damage.

Mary F. Warren, Wheaton

Free speech on campus is sacred

The main purpose of public universities is free speech. Students learn different disciplines, but more importantly they learn critical thinking. The ability to think is directly related to free discussion, discourse and, at times, argument. A university is treasured and feared by politicians for just this reason.

What happened this week at the University of California, Berkeley was the exact opposite. It was oppression of free speech in violation of our most sacred amendment to the Constitution. To resort to violence to eliminate alternative viewpoints is not only criminal but an attack on our Constitutional rights.

What made this incident more heinous was the lack of response from the university and local authorities. If criminal activity such as arson, damage to property and battery are ignored, the natural next step will be for people to protect themselves. This would lead to anarchy and lawlessness.

Larry Casey, Forest Glen