A steady presence of security officers on CTA will help commuters feel better about coming back

On a recent morning I was pleased to see a Metra police officer at my stop at Healy on Chicago’s Northwest Side. After two-plus years of a global pandemic and the resulting work-from-home movement, public transportation can feel a little lonely when there are not very many people around.

A steady presence of security officers on the CTA and Metra will help commuters feel better about coming back to work, and encourage urbanites and suburbanites to come downtown and spend money in the central business district and our neighborhoods. Their comfort and their money are essential to keep Chicago thriving as a vibrant metropolis alive with culture, commerce and fun.

Investing in steady security will pay us back, making us feel safe and be safe, and it will contribute to ensuring Chicago remains one of the world’s best places to live, work, and visit.

Margaret Frisbie, Hermosa

We know guns kill people

We must stop pretending that we don’t know, what we know we know. We know that guns kill people. We know that high-powered military-style guns kill more people. We know that high-capacity guns kill even more people. We know that semi-automatic/automatic guns kill incredibly more people.

Gun lobbyists pretend that “guns don’t kill people, people kill people!” They pretend they don’t know that guns, especially high-powered weapons like the rifle used in Highland Park, make any person a thousand times more deadly. They know the truth, and they choose to sacrifice people’s lives for profit.

We must stop pretending that the Supreme Court is interested in protecting our rights to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” This is clear when they overturn reasonable gun laws.

We know that any “right to life” candidate who doesn’t support gun control is pretending to be concerned for “life.” If you think each person killed in the 308-plus mass shootings this year had a “right to life,” you should vote for gun controls that protect life.

Gun lobbyists pretend the Second Amendment allows civilians to carry military weapons. It actually protects a “well-regulated Militia.” It doesn’t protect the horrifying deaths that result from civilian use of military weapons. Our nation’s founders are turning over in their graves at the Second Amendment abuses occurring every day. We need to believe the police chiefs and military leaders who say repeatedly, “No civilian should have these highly deadly weapons of war!” If you think “blue lives matter,” you will support gun control.

Finally, we must stop pretending that our prayers and condolences are enough. We know that only voting for legislators who will protect children, parents, and everyday citizens from gun violence will help. We must re-elect courageous problem-solvers who speak out and act to stop this insanity through meaningful gun control legislation.

Bruce Lane, Cary