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FATCAT REPUBLICANS The headline said “Vice President Pence to visit Springfield for Davis fundraiser.” I thought, boy, it would be nice to hear the vice president talk! Upon reading, I was quickly disabused of the opportunity of attending. Panther Creek Country Club. $500 per seat, $2,700 for a photo op and $12,700 for a platinum sponsorship with probably a folksy photo thrown in.
This lends credence to the Democratic argument the Republican Party represents only moneyed corporate and special interests and that Donald Trump is an outlier who will soon be gone. After that they can get back to caring for the little guy ... as long as the little guy has a big fat wallet.
For every corporate poobah attending this luncheon, there are 1,000, nay 5,000, voters who selected Trump because they did not like the trajectory of politics in this country and wanted a change. They are regular folks and working stiffs who want a better life for their kids and grandkids.
I donate to both Republicans and Democrats who I believe represent my interests, but the next time a hand-wringing beseeching request comes from the Republican Party in its many permutations from local to national to stop the blue wave, it goes in the trash unopened. Bill Klein Springfield
UIS STUDENT UNION I enjoyed reading the recent piece in Illinois Times on the Green Symposium (“Growing green buildings,” Oct. 4) held last month in the Student Union at the University of Illinois Springfield. Among other things, writer Karen Witter captured and articulated many of the important features of the Student Union building, which has been such an important addition to the campus and the Springfield community. Students involved with planning the building insisted that it feature sustainable building principles and practices and they’re very proud of it. We anticipate the building will achieve LEED Gold certification later this year. The next step for the Student Union will be the addition of about $250,000 in art acquisitions – the result of a private gift we successfully solicited. We’re hoping the work will be selected and installed during the spring 2019 semester.
Karen Witter is a terrific writer and I hope Illinois Times will benefit from her talents regularly in future issues. Susan Koch, Chancellor University of Illinois Springfield
IT’S A MAN’S WORLD Since the beginning of time, codes and laws worldwide deem women and children the “property” of men to control. Medieval Canon Law, the Roman Code of Paterfamilias, the English Common Law (Law of Thumb) as well as the United States (until 1871) permitted men to inflict “punishment” (physical violence) on any member of the household for any perceived transgression. In 1910, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a wife had no cause for action on an assault and battery charge against her husband. The opinion asserted that allowing such action would open the court to accusations of all sorts, pitting one spouse against the other.
Fast forward to the 21st century. Acts of violence against women and children by men remain pervasive around the world. Law enforcement in many countries will not intervene in so-called “domestic quarrels.” Accepted norms support that (1) men are socially superior and have a right to assert power over women and children, (2) sexual activity is a marker of masculinity, and (3) violence is an acceptable way to resolve conflict.
As members of the human race, if we fail to challenge societal attitudes, fail to engage boys who become men to promote gender equality, fail to support renegotiating the balance of power between women and men at all levels of society, there will be no change in the status quo. Mary Donley Springfield
