Cardinal Cupich’s response to clergy sex abuse report is disappointing

I am deeply saddened by the statement and response of Cardinal Blase Cupich to the Illinois attorney general’s report on clergy sex abuse. As a Catholic, I found it overly defensive and tone deaf at times. Along with the defensiveness in tone, it pats the church on the back. Its history in Chicago and throughout the world is not one to be proud of or to gloat over its progress.

For example, he writes:

“Attorney General Raoul said the Church is more worthy of investigation because it is a trusted religious organization. We think all children deserve to be protected regardless of whether they are cared for by a religious or secular institution; it isn’t fair or wise to focus only on the Catholic Church, which has made the greatest strides in this area.”

When you have the biggest amount of problems to resolve, of course you have made great strides. But the latter does not mean that investigation and further work is not warranted.

Dan Cotter, Forest Glen

A Bears playpen for millionaires

I applaud the Bears for wanting to involve the public in paying for a new stadium, but they’re targeting the wrong portion of the public. Since it’d be a new, fancy playpen for millionaires, owned by billionaires, do what other major corporations do: Sell stock, and give stockholder preference in ticket sales.

Lester Lindley, Frankfort

New ‘Wienermobile’ name is B-O-L-O-G-N-A

So, after 87 years, the Oscar Mayer is changing the name of its “Wienermobile” to the “Frankmobile”? Is nothing sacred?! Try singing this: “Oh, I wish I were an Oscar Mayer Wiener, That is what I’d truly like to be.”

Let’s be frank. No one is gonna relish this change.

Dan McGuire, Bensenville

Advice to the GOP before it’s too late

If certain members of the GOP are serious about toppling former President Donald Trump in the 2024 primary election, they need to do one thing: Decide on one person to challenge him and back that person to the hilt.

It is all a numbers game. If Trump’s base accounts for even 35% to 40% of the voters, there is no way a group of contenders splitting the remaining 60% to 65% can oust him. In a one-on-one face-off, however, 35-40% is very beatable. I put it to the GOP: Give your party a viable choice so you can turn your party around before it is too late.

John Farrell, DeKalb

Will voters buy DeSantis?

U.S. voters, whom I historically put a lot of faith in, have disappointed me many times in recent years. So I am waiting to see if they will buy somebody like Ron DeSantis, who, while saying in candidacy announcement video that “In Florida...we chose education over indoctrination” presides over the state that consistently lands somewhere in the bottom fifth of states in rankings for per pupil education expenditures.

Florida ranks close to the bottom in teacher pay. When your teachers are leaving for more money in Alabama, you know that there is a problem.

It would be reassuring to learn that there is, somewhere, a limit to the extent to which politicians can say one thing while overtly doing another, without losing votes

Curt Fredrikson, Mokena