Condemning ISIS but killing babies?

I am writing in response to a letter from Connie Schultz published in the Herald several weeks ago. In her letter, she laments the state of affairs in 1957 when she was conceived out of wedlock.

Her mother and father married quickly to hide the shame. She later states that her mother is now proudly pro-abortion. I could not help but think, has the author considered the ramifications of what could have happened to her as an unborn child had abortion been legal in 1957?

My own mother dealt with a similar choice when she was pregnant with me in 1949. She was unmarried and diagnosed with Rheumatic Fever and Polio. The doctors quickly told her that her only choice was to terminate the pregnancy to save her own life. My mother was an imperfect human who was raised in the Christian faith. While she was in the hospital awaiting the abortion procedure. She said a simple prayer. “Dear God, You know I do not want to go through with this, but I have no choice.” God answered her prayer by sending in another doctor. He came to her bedside, held her hand and said. “You know what the right choice is, do not let them make this choice for you.” She told the hospital staff, “I cannot go through with this abortion.” They warned her that we would both die. She said “I cannot go through with it, I place my life and the life of my child in the hands of God.”

We both survived. I was very sickly as a child, but as I grew all symptoms of the disease left me. My mother went on to marry my father and have six more children.

Connie Schultz is very proudly pro-abortion.

She feels our nation is better off now that we have no restrictions on abortion. Women and teenagers have full access to abortion up to the ninth month of pregnancy. I have one question to ask all those who share this philosophy. How can we as a nation condemn ISIS and other terrorist organizations who love death and hate life, when we justify killing our unborn children for the sake of convenience?

Geraldine M. Winfrey

Carpentersville

Betsy DeVos hasn’t done her homework

Donald Trump once mused, “I love the poorly educated,” and he’s demonstrated this with his nomination of Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education. DeVos struggled to answer questions related to key aspects of the educational system.

She appeared puzzled by the mention of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which requires schools in all fifty states to provide appropriate education to students with disabilities. She has neither administrative nor even parental experience with the student loan process. She lacks the ability to differentiate between the concepts of “proficiency” and “growth.”

DeVos cannot even make up for her experience short comings with a confident vision for American education. Her testimony was filled with vague, noncommittal answers, raising concern students will be left to fend for themselves in cases of for-profit university abuses, like Trump University, and campus sexual assault investigations.

If DeVos does not have enough confidence in her ideas to articulate her positions, why should we have confidence in her to properly lead American education? If she will not do her homework (how ironic!) to prepare for the biggest job interview in her life, why should we expect her to be up to the enormous responsibility of managing the billions of dollars in the Department of Education’s budget? I urge all Illinois citizens to call on Senators Durbin and Duckworth to vote “no” on this appointment.

Sara Kurganov

Lisle

Franks hits ground running as chairman

McHenry County Board Chairman Jack Franks epitomizes what it means to be a true public servant. Even though his term was ending in the General Assembly, he sprinted to the finish line, in his typical fashion, protecting the taxpayers.

The front page expose in the Chicago Tribune highlighted Franks’ effort to stop the Illinois Lottery from potentially committing a $134 million fraud on the taxpayers. Franks investigated and helped to expose the shady dealings of the recently-fired private lottery manager, fired because ironically because of Franks’ criticism of the prior poor performance.

Jack Franks has been the conscience and heart of the General Assembly for a long time. His ability to stand up to anyone and to fight for the taxpayers is legendary and his leadership will surely be missed in Springfield. However, we are fortunate to have his talents back home where he has started out strongly restructuring county government and being the leading voice for a reduction in property taxes levied by local governments. His common sense collaborative approach is how government is supposed to function.

Thank you, Representative Franks, for our incredible service as our state representative and best wishes to much continued success as our county board chairman.

Madyson Peters

Marengo

Ad promoted positive message of life

Regarding the three-page pro-life ad in the Sunday Herald, beautiful as always and so very informative! The message it gives is one of hope and trust in the Lord, especially for all those suffering from the trauma and guilt of abortion.

I also appreciate the ad including the thoughts of St. Pope John Paul and Faustina Kowalska, apostles of Divine Mercy, that no one need despair of receiving forgiveness for this or any other sin.

In her diary, St. Faustina recorded the words Jesus spoke to her that “the greater the misery of a soul, the greater its right to My Mercy ... On the cross, the fountain of My Mercy was opened wide by the lance for all souls -- no one have I excluded.” (Divine Mercy in My Soul, no. 1182.)

Thank God for churches and organizations like Project Rachel, which are key to the healing process.

Carol Uhlarik

Elk Grove Village

A better ending to Lewis-Trump dust-up

Recently U.S. Representative John Lewis stated he “did not regard Trump as a legitimate president.” This highly charged statement by a man considered to be a “hero” of the civil rights movement, was designed to start an unnecessary controversy between he and Donald Trump. That in itself was unfortunate.

I can only imagine the veins on Trump’s neck popping out when he heard that statement. And so, again, unfortunately, Trump fired back, in his often-recognized combative rhetoric style, which added fuel to the controversy.

What both men missed was what Lewis also said at the same time that “he believes in forgiveness.” A statement very worthy of careful consideration.

So, rather than respond in a confrontational style, I had hoped that Trump would have stepped back, reflected for a moment, and simply stated, “I forgive you John.” End of Controversy!

I hope that in the future, President Trump, and all of us, will step back and take a moment to review carefully our response to difficult situations in all our lives.

Let us all remember, that in our world, “two wrongs still don’t make it right”

Mike Formento

Glen Ellyn

Wake up, America

Do not underestimate the bliss of sleep. The overwhelming benefits associated with the intrinsic aspect of rest and all it brings to our 24 hours each day can not be summed up easily. In a day when all is digital, in an era when all is protected upon our lives, the ability to find that gentle sleep ranges far beyond our comprehension and fosters that which drives this country.

In essence, the nation doesn’t run without sleep. Commerce, production, finance, even government functions poorly without sleep.

So as of Jan. 20, let’s hope we’re all awake and ready to roll by vehemently opposing the dismissive and demeaning policies of the new president and the unnerving neo-con lawmakers saddling up beside him ready to blight the existence of America’s vaunted middle class.

This oligarchy slated to constrict the confines of our proud legacy has only one thing to say: Get out of the way, we’ll take it from here.

Whatever your political thought process is, at no time should our constitutional mandate be abandoned or the current progressive nature of liberty cast aside by those who answer their own questions. Let’s wake up as one and find the resolve to make a difference.

Gary Lukens.

Lakemoor

Thankful for the Electoral College

I am writing in response to “Trump could have won the big states” by Thomas Roth in your opinion section of the Daily Herald, on Monday Jan. 16. I want to thank Mr. Roth for making the case that we need the Electoral College.

He ends his opinion with “Had there been no electoral college, Trump would have campaigned to win the popular vote in those states.” That is the whole point!

No one can campaign in just the populated states of California, Illinois and New York and expect to win the election. Those other 47 states matter. I heard cries to abolish the Electoral College now that Trump won (mostly sour grapes). It has served us well for hundreds of years and only now, when it does not sit well with some voters, is it something that needs fixing.

Oh, by the way, I am not a Donald or Hillary supporter but someone who is thankful that we have the Electoral College to allow all of these United States to have an equal say in our elections.

Terry D. Bowman

Elk Grove Village

Ideas from the left are the problem

With regard to Mark Muehlausen’s assertion that your paper leaves the voice of the right wing unchecked, two comments are in order.

First, he fails to provide a single example in support of his charge that the right wing puts out nonstop falsehoods. If he’s wrong in his assertion, there is no need for selective checking.

Second, the policies of the left have given us a poor economy, a failed health insurance system, serious immigration problems, loss of stature in the eyes of the world and a rise in murder rates, especially among law enforcement personnel.

It is the clamoring voice of the left that urges us to to continue to look to these same policies to solve these serious problems that needs to be checked.

Hans Schultz

Arlington Heights