The Democrats have found another way to spend our taxes with the launch of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. One of their goals mentioned in the Sept. 25 Sun-Times is to “coordinate more support for survivors” (“Federal gun violence prevention office is a step forward to end the bloodshed”).
I fail to see how that would help reduce gun violence.
Another goal “to offer assistance and guidance to states” will not address the real cause of gun violence, but it will allow them to spend more money. The goals should be accompanied by concrete ideas to achieve them, not vague intended actions.
Donald Nauyokas, Brighton Park
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Reduced sentence for cop killer sends wrong message
I wish to add one important point to former Supt. Philip Cline’s excellent letter concerning the resentencing of Ronnie Carrasquillo (“Cop killer doesn’t deserve resentencing” — Sept. 29).
Ronnie “Mad Dog” Carrasquillo is a gang member who murdered CPD Officer Terrence Loftus. He didn’t earn his nickname for doing good deeds.
Granting him a reduced prison sentence would reduce the general deterrence for all gang members to harm all police officers. A sentence reduction would also make him a hero with all gangs and embolden them, much to the detriment of police officers and a peace-loving public. Don’t we have enough gang violence in Chicago without encouraging them?
Michael C. Flynn, retired Chicago police lieutenant, Norwood Park
Prayers for Ukraine
There have been several letters calling for increased U.S. military assistance to Ukraine, the most recent of which appeared the same day the Sun-Times reported on the comments of Pope Francis condemning the “merchants of death” of the global arms industry for the “martyrdom” of the Ukrainian people.
Of course, His Holiness was correct, and the story should have been in the headlines instead of being buried on page 26 (Sept. 25).
The hawkish letter writers really should be putting their beliefs into practice by going to the front lines to fight the Russian Army themselves. Unless or until they do, they should be doing as most of the rest of us are: namely praying for peace every day in all parts of the world torn by senseless conflict.
David L. Milligan, Portage Park
Why not use closed schools to house migrants?
It is hard to understand why Mayor Brandon Johnson would put human beings in tents in Chicago with winter approaching, when we have almost 50 empty CPS schools with classrooms, showers, libraries, cafeterias and gyms all over Chicago, unless we reflect on the fact the Chicago Teachers Union was his primary backer in the recent election and that he is a CTU member.
My guess is he promised them he would reopen the 50 closed CPS schools in return for their support, even though that is completely unnecessary due to the dramatic loss of students attending public school in the last decade.
Mike Kirchberg, Little Italy
