Before all others, go after organizers and violent leaders of January 6 Capitol mob

It’s no surprise that a new report by two Senate committees has concluded that there were massive failures to move intelligence to the proper authorities that could have protected the Capitol building from the mob on Jan. 6. Our government is too big, and this report points the blame at itself.

It’s also not surprising that federal prosecutors are going all out to track down and prosecute anyone who was there, such as Christian Kulas from Kenilworth, and charging them with misdemeanors, disorderly conduct and trespassing — for basically just being there.

But there were other people who planned this, stoked it, organized it and took part in the violent confrontation. They were at the front of the mob. People died.

There needs to be accountability, but wasting millions of dollars tracking down and prosecuting people for misdemeanors is not accountability. It’s saving face.

There were people there who were dangerous. And there were people there who were not and only exercising their right to protest. Our big government surely is capable of figuring out the difference between the two.

Scot Sinclair, Third Lake

Require public service

Add my name to those who are calling for a year or two of mandatory public service for all young men and women after high school. And, please, make sure there’s an environment of basic training. If we need a poster boy to punctuate the need, might I suggest “Burberry Coat Boy” — Christian Kulas — who has been charged with misdemeanors in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

Some sense of responsibility to our Constitution and serving others might have to be infused into that goofball.

Gary Fox, Mount Prospect

‘Big Lie’ defies common sense

It’s bewildering that so many otherwise intelligent Republicans still believe Donald Trump’s Big Lie about a stolen election. It would have required hundreds — nay, thousands — of dishonest Democratic poll workers, paid organizers and elected officials to pull it off. It also would have required hundreds — nay, thousands — of Republican poll workers, paid organizers and elected officials to be too blind or dumb to see what was happening.

The logistical numbers are staggeringly impossible. But, then, many Republicans still believe in the fairy tale of trickle-down economics.

Dan McGuire, Bensenville