Obama Center is all about raising huge sums of money

After reading Lynn Sweet’s piece last Wednesday on the Obama Foundation’s fundraising efforts (“Fundraising bonanza fuels Obama Foundation“), I feel that the foundation should consider renaming the Obama Center itself to The First National Bank of Obamaland, with branch offices in New York and Washington, D.C.

Let’s face it, that’s what all this is about: raising huge sums of tax-free money. (Mr. Obama must have learned that from the Clintons.) All the prior political semantics about bringing jobs and opportunity to the communities (supposedly) involved is just a sop for the public.

John Vukmirovich, Lemont

Welcoming Obama Center

It is with immense enthusiasm that the Comer Education Campus, located in Greater Grand Crossing, welcomes the future Obama Presidential Center to the South Side.

For the past 12 years, the Comer Education Campus has provided a dynamic environment and mission dedicated to developing the full potential, talent, and skill of youth and young adults. With a similar vision, the OPC will create incredible opportunities for youth and young adults, both locally and beyond. True to his word, President Obama has wasted no time in engaging community residents and partners in this mission.

We feel the OPC represents an extraordinary and historic opportunity for Chicago: a chance to build a presidential museum and public gathering space that will celebrate and study our nation’s first African-American President and First Lady.

The OPC will be an incredible enhancement to Jackson Park, setting this Chicago gem on an international stage, while activating a portion of the park that is often underutilized. In addition, the Obama Foundation will bring enormous investment to the South Side and economic opportunities our communities deserve.

After an inaugural Obama Foundation event we hosted this past fall, longtime Comer member Breana Brown reflected, “President Obama and Mrs. Obama are working closely to help empower us to be the voice and change for our communities. This gives us hope.”

Together, great progress will continue to be made in Chicago. We are proud to support the Obama Presidential Center, as we already witness the source of inspiration and opportunity it represents for our young people and hundreds more across the city and beyond.

Greg Mooney, president and executive director, Comer Education Campus

Ayoka Mota Samuels, center director, Gary Comer Youth Center

What scares me

I do not claim sainthood nor do I expect that in others. Truth be told: I automatically suspect dishonesty in anyone who claims thus.

That does not mean that I have any appreciation for anyone going out of their way to qualify as sinners. Most of them lie about their supposed exploits anyway.

What I do expect is that individuals take responsibility for their actions.

That is what appears to be missing in Brett Kavanaugh’s character. Everything I have seen, heard and read paints a picture of a man who remembers all the things he might rightfully be proud of but either has “forgotten” or has refused to talk about any potential blemishes to his record.

That goes beyond the current “he said/she said”: His refusal to have ALL his papers released as well as all the questions that he would not answer during the hearings set a bad tone.

Add his rabid-dog approach during his time with the Starr investigation and now add that as a judge, he is perfectly happy to let his “case” as a Supreme Court nominee be adjudicated without even the appearance of fairness to his accusers.

Is that the way he will determine cases if he makes it to the Supreme Court? That scares me more than anything.

Jef Block, Buffalo Grove