Xavier, just 6, poem #4

We’ve had several poems by Xavier in this column. He lost his grandma, Carol Manley, familiar to IT readers, a year ago. He loved Demi and wrote a book for us, a line and picture on each page.

“For you. Illustrator bi Xavier”

“I am sorry you miss Demi Demi will still bee with you At least – she will – still bee loveness for you.”

© 2010 Jacqueline Jackson

LETTERS

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DON’T BLAME PARENTS

This is in response to the article a couple weeks ago about the schools and what they do to get children to do the schoolwork for them [see “Trusting to miracles,” by James Krohe Jr., Sept. 9]. I am sick of the parents getting the blame for poor performance in school.

You implied that the parents don’t care or don’t teach at home or are just too lazy. We do care and we do teach. Yes, there are a few who might not, but to the rest of us who do care and try everything and the child still does not care how they do in school, you cannot say it is our fault. It is articles like this one that give us parents a bad rap. We are simply tired of sitting around reading or hearing about it.

Maybe some of the kids do not care and make it difficult for the teachers and then in return some of the teachers don’t care either and give up. It is a cycle that we are constantly battling and one day it will be broken. Until then quit with the negative on us parents and try writing something positive like how hard we do try to help our children stay in school and out of drugs or gangs.

Elaine Gentry Springfield

VOTE FOR MAMMOGRAMS

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I am certain that each of us knows someone, a wife, mother, sister, daughter, or friend, who has been affected by this disease. Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women in the United States. It used to be that a diagnosis of breast cancer was often terminal. However, today there are about 2.5 million breast cancer survivors living in the United States.

The reason we have so many survivors of breast cancer is that more and more women are having regular mammograms. Mammography screening remains the best available method to detect breast cancer early. The earlier breast cancer is detected, the greater the chances of survival.

Recently, I was very disturbed to learn that Sen. Bill Brady voted against legislation to require health insurance companies to cover mammograms. Thank goodness, the bill passed and became law despite Brady’s negative vote. It scares me that someone who doesn’t support early detection of breast cancer could become our governor. Illinois needs a governor who will not play roulette with the health of Illinois’ women by placing routine mammography out of reach. Babette Salus Springfield

VOTE OUTSIDE THE BOX

Each day I read an opinion from someone who assails either the president, Congress or one of the major parties. This is all honorable and better than silence, but what happens in the voting booth? If only one quarter of the eligible voters would vote outside of political party lines, ignore the innuendos, sound bites and other semi-truths, we could end up with better quality representatives.

Each of us would love to see our own ideal representative in office, but it just won’t happen. These office seekers are human beings as we all are and are capable of the same failings. Keeping this in mind while trying to glean some truth from the seemingly endless assault from the seekers on the airwaves, on yard signs and posters is difficult when it is time to actually vote. The only thing we have to remember is that if an officeholder exceeds more than two terms and we allow it, then we are at fault.

The longevity of an officeholder term is a gateway to failures and mistakes that have long-range effects. We can talk about what this party does or does not do compared to another until the election arrives and after but that is why we are deluged with the media ads and in-your-face signs. This is the smoke and mirrors of politics. Mike Abrams Springfield