Letters: Disgraced former Ald. Edward Burke still has time for repentance

As a young (Jewish) man, I worked for The Resurrection Project, or TRP, to this day a well-known and well-respected organization led by Latinos and based in the Catholic Church. I remember once listening to Ald. Daniel Solis testify to his support for a TRP housing project needing an approval, to Ald. Edward Burke, chair of the City Council’s Finance Committee. Solis broke from his prepared remarks and spoke directly to Burke in an informal manner, praising the work TRP was doing to build a healthy community. Burke listened seriously and nodded, and it was done.

At the time, I wondered how much these two spoke of the work of people and organizations like TRP in private. I think the verdict is, for both, too little.

I write now directly to Burke. He should meet with one or more priests and look to the Bible. He should read it carefully and repeatedly and ask himself: What can he now do for God, by serving others, not himself?

Burke may well have the opportunity to write historically in a way he has not to date. There will be an audience, not for score-settling but for confession and repentance and reflection. He should study the website of the late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks and his books. They can help the former alderman find a way forward, if he has the strength of will, and even to deepen his Catholic faith. Sacks teaches that Revelation is not about tragedy but rather hope.

Our sages teach: On Rosh Hashana, it is written, and on Yom Kippur, it is sealed. But heaven’s court of appeal is still in session, nearly to the end of Sukkot. Our sages are clear: God does not desire the death of the sinner but that he turn from sin.

There is still time for Burke to recognize before whom he stands and write another chapter in the story of his life. Quite literally.

— Dan Alexander, Skokie

A victory for all the ‘nobodies’

Ex-Ald. Edward Burke’s guilty verdicts are a win for all of the “Nobody, nobody sent” people who don’t have any connections, sponsors or juice to make big salaries or get things that connected people get from corrupt politicians.

— Walter Brzeski, Chicago

Ohioan’s horrifying experience

Regarding the story “Miscarriage spurs criminal charges” (Dec. 19): As a survivor of a 24-week gestation “spontaneous abortion,” I am aghast at the treatment that Ohio woman Brittany Watts received. Please know that any loss of a baby is tragic.

While reading her story about the last days of her pregnancy, I noticed many similarities with Watts. I bled (as a 30-year-old middle-class white woman with good insurance who was followed by her OB-GYN for months) like Watts did, I delivered my baby like she did; I mourned in shock and great pain right after the “birth” of our daughter.

As opposed to Watts, I was followed as an inpatient at the hospital for three days, bleeding in bed and receiving blood transfusions and medications to try to stop the progression of the labor. Watts was admitted to the hospital twice because of vaginal bleeding, but she wasn’t treated. I also bled for days, which led to the spontaneous abortion of our daughter.

In a sterile hospital room, our daughter was delivered at 24 weeks gestation, weighing 1.5 pounds. We were beyond devastated and spent months in mourning. Look at the way I was treated. Look at the way Watts was ignored and then arrested. My daughter would have also been delivered into a toilet, like what happened with Watts, if I’d been home and bleeding and laboring for days.

What is wrong with this country’s uneducated, inexperienced members of male-dominated legislatures who feel they deserve the power to control a woman’s body for her?

— Melanie S. Wolf, New Haven, Connecticut

Rep. Stefanik a poor choice

When the U.S. House of Representatives decided to hold the feet of three university presidents to the fire regarding the question of whether or not students calling for the genocide of Jews violated the code of conduct at their schools, I wish the House leadership had chosen a representative respected on both sides of the aisle, as well among the general population, to do the interrogation.

I try to treat people with dignity and respect, even if I disagree with them or they disagree with me.

Therefore, in the unlikely circumstance I have a personal interaction with U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, I would treat her with dignity and respect, although I do not personally respect her. Stefanik follows the example of her mentor who does not treat people he doesn’t like with dignity and respect.

Why do I not respect Stefanik? One of her tweets explains it well with no further comment needed from me. Rather, I’ll quote journalist and commentator Dan Rather in his tweeted response to Stefanik’s tweet.

@EliseStefanik: “The Republican Party is the party of parents, babies, grandparents, families, and patriotic Americans. Today’s Democrat Party is the party of Socialists, illegals, criminals, Communist Truth Ministers, & media stenographers.”

@DanRather: “‘Us’ and ‘Them.’ Vitriol, hate, and division. I have seen where this rhetoric leads. It is chilling and dangerous.”

— David Thiessen, Woodstock

When are we no longer ‘poison’?

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Greetings from the Schueler family of southwestern Illinois. We would like Donald Trump’s permission to continue to live here, even though we might be a poison to the blood of the country.

I am the fifth generation descended from German immigrants in the 1840s. My great-great-grandparents immigrated here to escape religious and political persecution in central Germany. Our eight grandchildren are the seventh generation living in the same small community for nearly 175 years. My grandfather, my father, my uncle and my older brother were homebuilders in this area most of the last century. My father and uncle served in World War II and my older brother during the Vietnam War. They also served in many civic organizations and helped make this area the highly desirable place it is to live.

Can Trump please tell us just what his criteria are for someone or some family to be socially acceptable and not be a poison to the blood of the country? Just how long does it take, in his estimation, to be considered part of the “in” crowd? We all would like to know.

— David C. Schueler, independent voter, Columbia, Illinois

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