Letters to the editor for Aug. 22

Judge’s sentence is clearly cruel and unusual punishment

Our criminal justice is in a very sad state of affairs when a young man of 27 is sentenced to spend the rest of is life in prison for killing an unarmed man. Of course that is not the whole story. He is a man who was born in prison, abused as a child, passed from family to family, grew up in a group home and has an IQ of 65 (well below the average of 100). One cannot say that he should not be held responsible for what he did, but is this in our interest and the best use of our state resources to condemn him to a life in prison?

Currently there are more than 46,000 adults in Illinois’ prisons at a cost of more that $1.7 billion per year. If this man lives for the next 75 years, our cost will be $27.6 million for this man alone based on today’s expenses. Surely, we can spend our money more wisely. He could live somewhere where he can acquire skills and contribute to society in a safe, learning and compassionate setting at a lot less cost to taxpayers. The sentence handed down by the judge is clearly cruel and unusual punishment.

Having opposing views doesn’t mean you hate each other

It’s nice to know H. Ray Sigler agrees with me that Christianity and Judaism are two different religions and that the love of Jesus compels him to love me. Sigler should know that I also love him, Leon Anderson, Gary Like, Roddy Riggs, Lori Felts, Betty Storll, and my other misguided buddies who still live in the Dark Ages.

If only they would adhere to the wisdom of Lee Pitzer, Kathy Callahan, Gene Robke, myself, and a few other enlightened souls. Maybe they are slow in learning, but hopefully they will accept certain truths in due time. There would be hope for Felts if she stopped believing Fox News’s lies.

Sigler’s letter reminded me of the questions I’m often asked by BND readers: Do we writers who write steaming opposing view hate each other? On my part, and I believe on their part, the answer is definitely no. We’re simply people who have strong convictions with the courage to publicly express them. It should also be known that when death claimed a few of our regular writers with opposing views, it was like losing a member of our newspaper family.

We still need affirmative action

Most white people are taught not to be racists. We are viscerally offended at the idea of hate crimes that target minorities. We do not want to live in an unjust world. Yet, we have not yet come to terms with the deep and long-standing conditioning that we have all been exposed to. The fact is that although we stand up against visible hatred of others, we are just as uncomfortable when confronting our own privilege. Proof of this exists in our minds. What is the first thing we think when we conjure an image of a black person, a Mexican, an American? These thoughts are automatic and form our implicit biases.

The conditioning of implicit biases is invisible to us unless we look for it. We are taught to see people as human beings, as individuals, but we are also taught not to see people as part of groups. “I don’t see color/race” may seem magnanimous and open-minded but it fully discredits the experiences of others based on group identity.

The sad truth is that minorities still struggle in our systems of education and employment based on implicit and explicit biases. They are not perceived as intelligent and competent as whites. Without the protection of affirmative action, minorities will continue to suffer, and this is bad for our general economy. If justice is as important to you as you claim, then own up to your privilege and use it for good because our Justice Department is anything but just.

Here’s the truth about our organization

At the risk of journalistic integrity, the Belleville News-Democrat continues to publish easily disproved lies in an attempt to discredit ordinary citizens, all while protecting entrenched powers in DC.

On July 14, the BND quoted a Rodney Davis spokeswoman who claimed indivisible groups are “funded by Democratic super PACs.” This is false. We requested a retraction, which the BND ignored.

On August 6, the Opinions page published two anonymous letters calling the Indivisible 12th “paid party hacks” and one member a “millennial Bost-hater and Democratic paid rabble-rouser.”

Neither claim is true – not a single member of our group is paid. But the BND’s intent in publishing lies is obvious: paint Indivisible as entitled, millennial, Democratic operatives.

The truth is we’re a grassroots organization formed and run by local citizens with zero political experience and diverse opinions and backgrounds representing every generation.

We knew if our group succeeded, individual members might be targeted, but we did not expect the Belleville News-Democrat to be complicit.

Since Sound-off is anonymous, we’ll never know whose lies the BND printed without basic due diligence. For all we know they were written by Mike Bost’s chief of staff who gives the Congressman answers during his tele-town halls.

In the meantime, we hope the BND takes its responsibility seriously as the paper of record for our region and gatekeeper between fact and fiction.

Until then, readers should know the Editorial Board gives cover to a congressman whose greatest challenge is representing people who disagree with him.

An easy decision, if you ask me

One of the oft-repeated aspects regarding Donald Trump’s ban on transgender service members is that trans-related hormone replacement care is onerous and expensive. This is absurd. Regarding trans women’s HRT costs both spironolactone (an anti-androgen) and estradiol are on Walmart’s $4 prescription list. Even taken at maximum recommended dosages you’re looking at $32 a month. Both are administered in pill form twice a day. So difficult. So expensive.

Should a trans woman opt for injectable estradiol the typical choice is estradiol valerate. This is an even less onerous choice given it is a weekly injection and can be self-administered. Likewise, estradiol valerate vials, unlike insulin, need not be refrigerated or on hand. A missed dose of any of the medications listed above does not constitute a life-or-death situation. Missed and delayed doses do not harm the individual. American troops take a wide variety of prescription medications into combat, and trans-related HRT is not significantly different than others.

The facts regarding all of this are simple. Trans individuals serve at a disproportionately high rate. The decision isn’t whether to ban them, but rather to treat them. Every major medical and mental health organization in the country recommends transition to treat gender dysphoria. Study after study shows the extreme benefits of transition. So, you either ignore the medical concerns of soldiers with gender dysphoria or you properly treat them. Easy decision, if you ask me. Our troops deserve it.

Spoiled child president cares for no one but himself

Donald Trump has a file delivered to him twice a day containing nothing but complimentary things about himself: admiring tweets, even just pictures of himself looking powerful and presidential.

How proud you pea brains must be who voted and still support this ridiculous spoiled child president who cares for no one but himself!

Impeach now.

This story was originally published August 21, 2017 at 3:30 PM with the headline "Letters to the editor for Aug. 22."