Mayor Johnson, explain why your administration ignored Archdiocese offer of free housing for migrants

Thank you to the Chicago Sun-Times and reporter Michael Loria for uncovering the outrageous news that the Chicago Archdiocese has been ignored after offering many of its properties rent-free to the city of Chicago to shelter the thousands of migrants who have arrived in the last 20 months.

The Johnson administration must provide a full explanation for not accepting the generous offer. Last August, hundreds of Edgewater residents demanded to know why the city was taking over the Broadway Armory Park for shelter use when the empty former St. Ignatius School was less than a mile away.

No explanation was given, and the city abruptly steamrolled the community and immediately shut down the park that is used by thousands of people of color, people of low income, high school kids and seniors. It is the only park in the 48th Ward.

Three other Chicago Park District facilities were also shut down.

Meanwhile, Chicago taxpayers are paying millions of dollars in rent and services to private entities of questionable qualifications — money that isn’t fully funded in the current city budget.

And against this backdrop, with no transparency, the Johnson administration is making a play to raise hundreds of millions for housing with no plans or details on how the money will be spent while sitting on tens of millions in COVID-19 funds that were to be used for the homeless.

Chicago taxpayers demand an answer!

Marjorie Fritz-Birch, Edgewater Glen

Matisyahu targeted for being Jewish

American pop star Matisyahu’s sold-out concert last week at Chicago’s House of Blues was canceled. The U.S. Palestinian Community Network boasted it was due to their “relentless pressure,” a “victory” that shows Chicago “stands with Palestine” rather than Israel.

Except Matisyahu isn’t Israeli. Matisyahu is simply Jewish — and that is why he was targeted.

The “relentless pressure” put on the House of Blues consisted of thousands of threats of violence. As the leader of that group has said “…we reject the notion that Zionists should be able to gather….”

An added irony is the singer’s biggest hit promotes peace. But that’s not just ironic, it’s clarifying. These protesters don’t want peace and certainly not a Jew publicly singing about it.

Being pro-Palestinian is not being anti-Jewish. But for too many it is. That or any kind of hate is unconscionable, as is the silence of so many bystanders.

The haters do not stop at preventing only Jews’ ability to gather. Their protests intentionally disrupt everyday life in Chicago for hundreds of thousands. That’s what happens when bullies disguised as humanitarians are given free rein rather than treated like any other hate group breaking the law.

Beyond canceling concerts, commuter trains are halted, rush hour traffic is paralyzed, roads to O’Hare are blocked, and voter forums are disrupted. Chicago’s ordinances are being flaunted, with few arrests and zero prosecutions. The result? Missed flights home for Christmas, missed medical appointments, lost wages, jobs and more.

The groups sponsoring these protests, and the individuals participating, have First Amendment rights. But they must play by the rules:

• Acquiring and abiding by city-issued permits. They do neither.
• Registering with the state of Illinois. They are not.
• Not block other people’s right of way. They do the opposite.
• Law enforcement, and especially the Cook County’s state attorney, need to prosecute violations of law, particularly when public safety is endangered. They have not.

Canceling and intimidating Jews and planned anarchy on Chicago streets is alarming. It’s time everyone hears the music and not allow the haters to shut down our shows or streets. In one voice we must all speak out against hate.

Jay Tcath, executive vice president, Jewish United Fund

No taxpayer cash for Bears, White Sox

My 60-plus-year rabid Chicago sports fan cap goes off to Andy Shaw for his essay, and I sure hope Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson are reading and listening to his common-sense approach.

Even if the Bears and White Sox were winning teams, I would not support a dime of public funding (yes, from us — Chicago and Illinois taxpayers) to help foot the bill for stadium and entertainment district development proposals. These are fundamental business ventures whose owners should bear both the cost and investment return risk. I wholeheartedly ascribe to the Cubs model by the Ricketts family.

Rick Gray, West Loop

McCaskeys, Reinsdorf can just borrow the dough

Andy Shaw offered an obvious path for the Bears and Sox to make their new stadiums a financial reality. He recommends the McCaskeys and Reinsdorf borrow the needed billions against the value of their teams — each worth billions.

This solution is so obvious that the demand by these owners for billions in public money is all the more outrageous. In the case of Reinsdorf, he is shrewd and will avoid this loan path if at all possible.

But it’s different for the McCaskeys. The Bears management’s pursuit of a new stadium (as well as success on the field) seems so confused, so plodding, so inept that maybe this idea never occurred to them?

I have to admit, though, the whole ongoing saga is very entertaining.

Blaise J. Arena, Des Plaines