Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

Letters 10/28

Stand up to violence

Each of us, to some extent, has become desensitized to the endless murders in East St. Louis. However, the recent murder of Anthony Rice is particularly shocking due to several factors. First, there are the events leading up to the murder, with all of their racial overtones. Second, the murder itself and the absolute brutality and total disregard for human life that was exhibited. Third, an apparently lackluster investigation which offered no immediate arrests. And last, the community's passive attitude toward the murder and its underlying cause.

I'm shocked that more people aren't speaking out about this crime, in particular, when the response is measured against the recent school bus attack and the following uproar. Surely our community as a whole has to unite against all of this senseless violence. We have to demand justice, not only when an individual from our race is abused but when any person has violence committed against him.

Murder is commonplace in East St. Louis and many in our community couldn't care less as long as it doesn't involve them personally or happen in their neighborhood. Unfortunately, that complacency, as well as a lack of compassion for our fellow men and women, is exactly what allows this violence to grow and to spill over into our communities.

Surely if we don't speak and act out against the violence, it will overcome us all. We have to demand proper law enforcement and swift, harsh punishment for those who commit these crimes.

Bruce Aud

Belleville

Rush and racists

Rush Limbaugh, a well-known talk show host carried on more than 650 radio stations nationwide with more than 20 million listeners daily, was rejected for his bid to be part owner of the St. Louis Rams football team. Why?

He is a conservative. He is hated by the Demo-crats and the left for his effective stand on conservative views, of which millions like me agree.

So, it was most expedient for sports journalists, the NFL players union and race pimps like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton to accuse him of racism. This scared the NFL's weak-kneed commissioner Roger Goodell from wanting him in.

None of the racist statements Rush supposedly made were true. No review, no trial. He is guilty of conservatism and promoting individual responsibility and initiative.

Would a conservative black man have been allowed in? Of course not. He would have been an Uncle Tom and not a "real" black man. Maybe a black rapper like Jay-Z who owns part of the New Jersey Nets? Of course, man? That's who we be talkin' about.

Jay-Z, who performs culturally sensitive songs like "Jigga My Nigga (featuring Ruff Ryders)" or "Ain't No Nigga (featuring Foxy Brown)" off his DJ Hero CD. Think I'm making it up? Yo! Check it out!

If they can do it to Rush, they can do it to you.

Brent Rains

Collinsville

Ameren and the ICC

I attended the forum hosted by the Illinois Commerce Commission at the Kenneth Hall Regional Building in Collinsville. On Oct 5, for the first time in the Belleville News-Democrat, a notice that the ICC was holding the forum was posted. I contacted Beth Bosch at the ICC, who informed me that they had released this information on Sept 24. That gave the public only 11 days' notice to make arrangements to attend.

Perhaps an amendment to require 30 days notice for these public input forums should be required.

At this forum, I called on the ICC to reject Ameren's lecherous greed. I called upon Gov. Pat Quinn to replace Charles Box and the rest of the Blagojevich-era dominated commission and appoint at least one representative from the Citizens Utility Board and one member from The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform.

I then asked that, because of thousands of dollars that Sen. James Clayborne has accepted from Ameren, ComEd, and a plethora of other energy suppliers and generators that he recuse himself from any further energy policy decisions. I also encouraged my legislators to enact legislation that would encourage competition as well as give consumers easier access to to co-ops.

I find it unfair that reporter Mike Fitzgerald chooses to censor what really being said at these forums. Maybe someone needs to remind him that when Ameren is granted a raise by the ICC, we, the citizens, are given a pay cut.

Brad VanHoose

Belleville

Better with IBEW

One hundred years ago, 12 men got together to try to find a way to keep metro-east workers who were employed in the electrical utilities field safe from accidents and deaths that were happening on the job. They formed the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local (IBEW) 649 in 1909.

This was a pioneering step in the fight for workers' safety. At the beginning the union's membership was sparse, often meeting in people's homes, but the need for a cohesive voice grew and so did the membership.

Local 649 members have worked together to make giant steps in ensuring the safety of our community's electrical workers. IBEW workers often get called in late at night, on the weekends and holidays to make sure that our community has electrical service, and this is often taken for granted.

The union now represents more than 400 members, and is a dominant voice in the construction and electrical field.

I have been happy to work with our local IBEW members both legislatively and locally to address the challenges that face our area including the need of jobs and on-the-job safety. I was honored to celebrate IBEW Local 649's 100th anniversary with them recently.

Please join me in showing gratitude to all the IBEW workers you know.

State Rep. Dan Beiser

Alton

Just asking for trouble

I absolutely disagree with East St. Mayor Alvin Park's decision to allow sales of liquor until 3 a.m. and keeping the clubs open until 6 a.m.

I have a master's degree in criminal justice from Michigan State University, have commanded military police units and have additional education from Eastern Kentucky University's School of Law Enforcement on police operations, so I speak with some authority. Many factors influence community crime rates, such as policing tactics, the overall quality of life and the attraction of criminal elements from other areas.

Based on press reports, there is a direct correlation between late-hour clubs and the homicide rate in East St Louis. As of this date, East St. Louis has had 22 homicides, which gives it a murder rate of one murder for every 1,422 residents, based on a population of 31, 542. In comparison, New York City has a murder rate of one murder for every 23, 313 residents based on its 2008 homicide rate of 836 in a city of 19 million.

I see no benefit of having these establishments opened beyond 1 a.m. If the city would close these businesses at a reasonable hour, the East St. Louis Police could concentrate on other crimes in their basic car plan -- a plan that directs patrol concentration and zone activity. Cities like East Palo Alto, Calif., which at one time had the highest per capita murder rate in the United States, closed late-night establishments, tackled petty crimes, had the California Highway Patrol enforce traffic laws and ultimately drove out most of the criminal elements.

It can be ldone, and by eliminating this high-risk factor for felony crimes, ESL could be a safer city for its citizens.

Phil Henning

Smithton