Who are the real ‘radicals?’

During the House impeachment debate, Republicans repeatedly referred to the “radical left.” Yet Democrats have twice rejected Sen. Bernie Sanders in presidential primaries while Republicans have supported Donald Trump.

This is a president who pursued a beyond-the-norm policy of violence toward his enemies, culminating in his outrageous lies about the Nov. 3 election and thinly veiled calls to overturn it with violent demonstrations. Then he topped it all off by failing to take action for hours while the Capitol was under attack and Congress was in peril.

The real “radicals” here are the criminal right who would nullify the people’s choice for the sake of their extreme agenda.

John Powers, Rolling Meadows

Impeachment: What a waste of money

President Donald Trump has only days before he no longer is in office. Let’s stop wasting time and money on his impeachment. The Democrats failed to get a conviction the first time they impeached him, so they are determined to try again, wasting time and money.

There are more practical ways for our government to spend our money. Give it to the undocumented! Or, better yet, give it to those who are out of work because of COVID-19. Or put the money toward improving education.

But, no, the Democrats will waste the money, not thinking of Americans who could use help, just for their own perverse satisfaction.

Janice Montgomery, Clearing

The hurt feelings of lawless marauders

Republicans in the House argued against impeaching President Donald Trump for citing an insurrection because, they said, “it might anger his supporters even more.” I listened to those speeches. Are they really concerned about the feelings of the lawless marauders who ransacked the Capitol looking to harm or kill elected officials of both parties?

When did Republicans stop being the party of law and order? They are now the touchy-feely party?

Is this the same party that voted to continue waterboarding and other forms of torture? Is it the same party that separated children from their parents at the border. Is it the party that has sought to separate people from their health care?

Had they been more honest, the Republicans in the House would have said: “We cannot vote yes on impeachment because we do not want to lose the future voters in Trump’s base. We care more about donations to our future campaigns than we do about the future of democracy in this nation.”

Jan Goldberg, Riverside

The aim is to end the threat

In a letter to the editor, a reader wrote that it would better for a police officer to “shoot to wound” rather than risk killing a suspect. Well, no one — neither a police officer nor a citizen who is trained to concealed carry — is taught to shoot specifically to wound. The intent is to shoot to end a threat. You don’t take the time out to think about shooting a limb or to wound person. That’s a knucklehead idea, just like when Joe Biden said officers should shoot suspects in “in the leg.”

Perhaps the letter writer who said an officer should “shoot to wound” should try doing the job and see what it’s actually like to be involved in a shooting situation, having to make that split-second decision.

John Moravecek, Naperville

Fairness for hotel workers

No industry has been harder hit by the pandemic than the hospitality industry. And no one needs the hotel industry to recover more than the women of color who clean hotel rooms.

That is why the proposals of UNITE HERE Local 1 that are now before the Chicago City Council would increase costs only as business itself increases.

The Right to Return to Work: Should a hotel worker who lost their job due to the pandemic have the right of first refusal for their old job as their hotel increases post-pandemic staffing?

If you agree, we ask for the Chicago City Council’s “yes” vote.

If you disagree, we anticipate the Chicago City Council’s “no” vote.

Daily Room Cleaning: Should occupied hotel rooms be cleaned daily instead of only after a guest checks out?

If preventing a permanent 60% wage loss post-pandemic for hotel housekeepers matters to you, we ask for the Chicago City Council’s “yes” vote.

If it doesn’t matter to you, we anticipate the Chicago City Council’s “no” vote.

How would the people of Chicago answer these questions?

We respectfully ask the City Council to vote “yes” when these measures come before them.

Karen Kent,
president
UNITE HERE Local 1

Let’s focus, America

Americans need to focus on two crises facing our country: A badly mishandled pandemic that is now out of control, and a sitting president who has openly and actively tried to overturn the results of a free and fair election to stay in office. All the rest is noise!

Mary F. Warren, Wheaton