Letters: Ban cultural censorship
November 6, 2012 6:36PM
Updated: December 8, 2012 6:06AM
The NCAA’s ban on the depiction of the Native American Chief Illiniwek is racist and white supremacist. It’s a violation of freedom of speech and the 1st Amendment. Their twisted logic smacks of Nazism.
Banning the chief is no way to honor the Illini tribe. The NCAA administrators are dangerous people and need to be watched closely. The NCAA’s mandate should be limited to voluntary sports regulation and not be extended to cultural censor.
In fact, banning and censoring the cultural representation of the Illini should be considered a hate crime and prosecuted. The NCAA has not been authorized by the Congress, states or courts to engage in cultural censorship or suppression, and is in clear violation of the First Amendment to the Constitution.
Any accusation that the Illini culture as represented is not pure enough, honest enough, white enough, good enough — and needs to be suppressed and censored is an outrage to all lovers of the Constitution. Everyone has the right to be a cultural and artistic critic but not a censor.
Thomas Cechner
Lockport
Have a little respect
The overt expressions of media bias found in this paper’s OpenLine on Nov. 2 pushed me to express myself.
The distasteful cartoon from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette plastered over two-thirds of the OpenLine section of your paper was a great example of why so many people have abandoned the newpaper as a source of meaningful news or enjoyable reading.
I understand the OpenLine section is offered as an avenue for all to express their personal bias, but for the paper to post a cartoon depicting the terrible tragedy of the East Coast to express your disdain for any candidate in this section was just too much.
Have a little respect for the affected people involved with the devastation of Superstorm Sandy. Put your bias on the front page, or an editorial in “Our View.”
Christine Duchene
Joliet
The greatest generation
We seniors are of substance. We have lived through a Depression (eating oatmeal three times a day). Many of us were married to or had family members, who were proud veterans of World War II. We have heard stories of the invasions in the Atlantic and Pacific.
I speak personally about my husband’s invasion of Normandy. How he made it, I do not know. This is one of the reasons they called us the greatest generation, as per Tom Brokaw.
The seniors I write about come out of their homes to offer a cold drink on a hot day. They always say hello, and have a smile of welcome. One of clubs, The Golden Agers, has a diversity of seniors who participate in all endeavors. It is wonderful that everyone helps each other. It is teamwork that identifies us as true Americans.
In years past, homes were always left open. Children could go to any home for lunch. There was one telephone to be used by anyone living on the block. Trust was everywhere and everyone. Our motto was “God, family and friends.”
Our generation was committed to marriage — we attended church and fought for our country. We never asked why — we did it because our country needed us.
There is a book entitled “It Takes a Village.” It also takes a nation. We are that nation — the United States of America. We should be proud to bear allegiance to our country. Our legacy is respect, honor, commitment, dignity, humility, gratitude and patriotism for our country.
We all ask, “What can we do for our country — what can we do for our village.” This is why our legacy for the next generation will also be called “the greatest generation.” Our young people will carry the torch for the next generation.
Shirlee J. Pergler
Romeoville
