Right-wing hypocrisy on Texas abortion law

The same people who support the Texas law, denying a woman the right to make her own choices about her body, have complained that we cannot mandate vaccinations or masks.

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Demonstrators in Austin, Texas, on Sept. 1 protest a state ban on abortions after six weeks.

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The hypocrisy of the far right never ceases to amaze me.

For months now, I have been assailed repeatedly with claims by those on the right that we cannot mandate that they be vaccinated, nor be required to wear masks or maintain social distancing. That to require all this is a violation of their rights. Yet now, with regard to the issue of abortion, they say that women may not use this same argument. They say it is not a woman’s rights to control what goes on with her own body.

There are also those who argue from the religious perspective that abortion is wrong. But as I was growing up, I learned there are 10 commandments. One prohibits adultery and another prohibits lying — bearing false witness — yet the far right seems to violate those commandments daily with impunity. Nary a complaint is raised.

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If you buy into religious teachings, you have to accept them all. You can’t pick and choose.

Finally, it is ludicrous to ban abortions and then, at the same time, refuse as a society to provide aid and support, as necessary, for the children who are then born. You are punishing an innocent child.

America, we have the ability to do better and it’s time we did so.

Daniel Pupo, Orland Park

Blame Trump for bungled retreat

S.E. Cupp seems to be trying to recover her reputation as a right-wing columnist with her condemnation of President Joe Biden’s leadership in the United States’ evacuation of Afghanistan. But Cupp’s conclusion that Biden made bad decisions simply out of a desire to reverse his predecessor’s policies is wrong. The United States’ retreat from Afghanistan was engineered by former President Donald Trump and his secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, through their ill-advised deal with the Taliban. 

One should perhaps not be flippant about so tragic a series of events, but it’s fair to say that Biden was handed a lemon and made of it a somewhat sour lemonade.

Thomas Evans, Mundeleine

Brutal attack about ugly hatred

Thank you, Mary Mitchell, for again offering a balanced viewpoint on racial matters, this time with respect to the recent brutal attack on two white men in the River North area, perpetrated and observed by Black people. As you say, had it been “the other way around,” there would have been widespread outrage. 

It is disappointing, though, that Kenneth Gunn, first deputy commissioner of Chicago’s Human Relations Commission, essentially responded with a shrug. Gunn referred to the hideous incidents as a “fight,” implying that the victims were willing participants as they were beaten into unconsciousness.

This is an opportunity to reconsider what is meant by a “hate” crime. Regardless of whether the victims were targeted because of their race, sexual orientation or some other demographic status, what we witnessed was an ugly hatred by some human beings toward other human beings.

Peter Draper, South Shore

How to clean up litter on Illinois roads

I’d like to applaud Mark Brown’s column titled “Litter bugs some people more than others.” It has brought attention to an issue, littering, that I take very seriously.

As Illinois secretary of state, I have traveled the state’s roads and highways for more than 22 years. I have seen our roadways at times looking like junkyards, with trash and debris covering the pavement.

Litter is not just an eyesore on our roadways; it is also a hazard. A conviction for littering on a roadway can result in up to a $1,500 fine and possible jail time.

I’d like to remind motorists to drive safely and keep our roads and highways clean and safe by following these tips:

· Always carry a garbage bag in your car. If you have litter, you now have somewhere to put it.

· Securely cover open loads on all trucks. Much of the debris on the highway comes from trucks that do not have their loads covered.

· Clean out pickup truck beds. Random trash left in the back of pickups can easily blow out onto the street.

· Set an example for others. Children often imitate what they see. We can prevent bad behavior by picking up after ourselves and not littering.

· If you smoke, put cigarette butts where they belong: in ashtrays.

Let’s keep our state clean and free of litter. When we work together, wonderful things happen.

Jesse White, Illinois Secretary of State

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