Letters to the editor for Sept. 15

Right wing media designed to keep us ‘properly’ informed

When I recently found myself in the lobby of the Fairview Heights library with time to kill before they opened, I picked up a free newspaper called The Metro East Sun to read. A glance at the section “From the publisher” told me that it was a product of local government information services.

It stated that its twofold goal is to (1) provide news about state and local policy matters and politics, and (2) to offer quality local content. It said the publication would respect the broad spectrum of views on a wide array of issues they cover. However, I noticed that the three articles on the front page all seem to represent conservative views, and after some research, I saw a connection of the main article to the Illinois Policy Institute IPI, the organization that Gov. Bruce Rauner helped start with a half million of his billions. More research brought out an article from a St. Louis Labor group that called The Metro East Sun a bogus organ tied to Rauner, not a newspaper but Republican campaign literature.

I had previously read about how Rauner turned to the IPI for input during the negotiations on solving the school reform program. And that the Illinois News Network, a sister organization to IPI, provides free articles to papers like The Metro East Sun.

So it seems that our Metro East Sun is a part of the right wing media designed to keep us “properly” informed on local issues.

Kim Jong Un has no respect for human rights, international law

I don’t profess to be an international affairs expert, but here’s why President Donald Trump must ensure that North Korea doesn’t become a nuclear country. North Korea is not a democracy; it’s a brutal dictatorship. Nuclear weapons to them are an offensive weapon, not defensive. That fat dictator with the stupid haircut has no respect for human rights or international law. The world’s most powerful weapon cannot be entrusted to an evil kid who has repeatedly threatened the United States with nuclear annihilation. North Korea looks at South Koreans and Americans like Adolf Hitler looked at the Jews. Kim Jong-un executed his own relatives with anti-aircraft missiles. Do you want President Trump gambling that he won’t launch a nuclear weapon towards us or into Seoul, South Korea?

For decades various presidents claimed they had shut down North Korea’s nuclear ambitions. They merely kicked the can down the road. President Trump doesn’t fool around; he says what he means and means what he says. Using military force to end the North Korean threat is the last option, but it is an option. Secretary of Defense James Mattis said it will be a regime-ending event if we’re forced to deploy our military might. And what the hell is in North Korea that we or South Korea would want anyway? Nothing that I’m aware of. It’s just the blubber baby’s attempt to appear relevant. Like we have this burning desire to invade this insignificant country. How ridiculous.

Clinton is still whining about election loss

We are truly 10 months beyond the 2016 presidential election that Hillary Clinton lost. Yet according to Mark Landler, of The New York Times (BND Sept. 10), she continues, in my opinion, to whine about the loss because of such rascals as James Comey of the FBI, “creeps” like Donald Trump, and ill-conceived advice from her staff to which she acquiesced. As with Benghazi, she disclaims responsibility. And just as with Whitewater and events moving forward, she creates her way to a blameless profile. As far as we know without an advanced copy, she fails to acknowledge her ruling class status, her ties to copiously wealthy trial lawyers and the managerial elite, the true causes of her electoral dismissal by working class folk. All this information is from leaked copies of her latest, “What Happened.” What a publicity machine! The book is listed as a non-fiction bestseller. Actually, it will likely reflect one more of her creative fictions. And it should be listed there. As she has done since Little Rock, her talent at spin and deception has been employed with financial success. Enough of the pathetic whining already. Get on with your Chardonnay, Mrs. Clinton.

Fact checking a Pulitzer Prize-winning commentator

You shouldn’t have to fact check a Pulitzer Prize-winning commentator.

Leonard Pitts Jr. wrote a recent column about NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s inability to find work in the league. Recall Kaepernick’s past refusals to stand for the playing of the national anthem at NFL games.

Pitts remarked, “Meantime, Tucker Carlson of Fox ‘News’ recently assured us there is no racism in football.”

Pitts refers to an interview the Tucker Carlson Tonight host conducted with the NAACP’s Atlanta chapter vice president. Pitts either didn’t listen carefully or took journalistic license to bolster his argument, bashing Fox News in the process.

During discussion Carlson’s guest stated Kaepernick, based on quarterback ratings, was the 17th best QB in the league. He remains teamless while 90 other QBs have found NFL work and look forward to the upcoming season.

“Since Kaepernick is such a skilled player, yet he doesn’t have a job, how does race or his national anthem protests not play a part in his unemployment,” asked the guest.

Carlson pointed out 70 percent of NFL players are black, which he opined dismisses any claim that the league is racist. He also noted that Kaepernick signed a record $126 million NFL contract in 2014.

“Just on the basis of those facts alone, it’s hard to see how Colin Kaepernick at 29 is a victim of racism,” Carlson concluded.

Come on, Leonard! As former U.S. Sen. Pat Moynihan avowed, “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.”

Not a chance of Amazon headquarters in Illinois

Amazon is looking for a place for their second headquarters. Transportation, interstates, air and rail are important. Land, 1 million-population center, education and colleges, talent and trainable work force are just a few of the criterion used to zero in on a potential site.

What an opportunity for our east side. We probably meet all their needs except several, which have been influenced definitely by our politics. High taxes, very unfriendly business climate and politicians who are so self-centered on their personal gains they completely blew the NGA move from St Louis. Amazon headquarters, not a chance in Illinois!

Letters to the editor is not a church bulletin

I am often put off by the all too frequent appeal of so many of our “Letters” contributors with their church, religions, Bible, and morals solutions to our nation’s trials and tribulations. I believe it more appropriate for religious type solutions to be introduced and expressed in the individual’s prayers and perhaps their church settings. This is a secular newspaper that is designed for a general and dissimilar readership, with wide ranging views on politics and religion. It is not a church bulletin, nor should it serve as one.

This story was originally published September 14, 2017 at 12:00 PM with the headline "Letters to the editor for Sept. 15."