As a retired social studies teacher, I felt I had a pretty good working knowledge of the U.S. Constitution, having taught it for many years to high school juniors. But as of late, events have caused me to go back and re-read the document very closely a number of times. The First Amendment promises freedom of speech, religion, assembly and other rights.
I carefully looked to see if there was an asterisk at the end of the sentence. It seems some people are now claiming that maybe these freedoms extend only to those of the “approved religion.”
And the freedom to choose which book to read — again, allowed if only their particular group approves. The chant “my body, my choice” apparently is limited to the specific bodies these groups approve of or belong to.
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Could it be these individuals or groups are saying there are limits to personal freedoms? No, because when it comes to the Second Amendment, anything and everything goes.
We can leave the Constitution alone, but there are a few other things we may have to change. One would be the inscription on the Statue of Liberty: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” We need to show that no longer applies to Texas and Florida and maybe some other states as well.
Also the Pledge of Allegiance — we simply need to change the last line to read, “With liberty and justice for some.”
Dan Pupo, Orland Park
Let’s fill those buses going back to Texas
All these buses full of asylum seekers sent by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to “sanctuary cities” such as Chicago — are they going back empty? What a waste of fuel.
May I suggest filling them on the return trip with our own state’s election deniers, QAnon true believers, white nationalists and other undesirables.
With its yahoo governor, Texas has effectively become a sanctuary state for right-wing screamers, bigots and chumps. I’m sure it will offer a warm welcome to haters and crackpots from every corner of the nation. We will all be better off.
Hugh Iglarsh, Skokie
Rubbing elbows with the common folk
Darren Bailey from rural Illinois is living in the John Hancock building, a high-end property. He says it’s for the purpose of getting in touch with the common people. To move from a rural area to a major metropolitan city is an adjustment for anyone, but usually people do it because of their job or their family, not to grandstand and get votes.
So basically he is not coming here to rub elbows with the common folk. He is coming here to highlight the “hellhole,” as he calls it. If it weren’t so pathetic, it would be hysterically funny. He is out of touch with the people of Illinois and reality.
Louise Bajorek, Burbank
