My message to all those clutching pearls about the so-called teen takeovers: Leave those kids alone! This is, by any measure, the best “behaved” generation in history. They drink less and even hook up less than any that came before them. Compared to any other group you can name, they are model citizens. Are the bankers of this city so “well-behaved”? Politicians? Clergy? Get real.
Rather than gnash their false teeth, the older generations should focus on providing safe outlets for young people to get up to some trouble, like music venues, all-ages clubs, parks and gyms. It’s the older folks who’ve made this messed up world for the young. Worry about yourselves!
Jack Murphy, South Shore
Parks are great teenage hangout spots
Teenagers are basically good people. The teen takeover phenomena is happening because they aren’t hanging around the city parks like they did in the old days. Nobody really complained about them hanging out in public parks until boombox speakers were invented. If they hung out in parks, there would be no more teen takeovers in malls and Downtown shopping areas, and police wouldn’t be dispatched for crowd control and to make arrests. Parks are great for teenagers who really need an outside space to be with other teenagers, and for the most part, they will regulate themselves. People living around parks have to realize that is what parks are intended to be and should not complain about noise.
Michael Zaczek, Plainfield
City streets need makeover
As a Chicago grade school kid in the early 1960s, I remember what a grand thing it seemed to have all our alleys paved as part of Mayor Richard J. Daley’s modernization initiative. The streets, for their part, were in great shape too, at least in my Northwest Side neighborhood. Near as I could tell then, this was truly the city that worked, as it was often billed.
Fast forward to today when I’m getting around with a walker and ranging out on foot to the city’s far reaches from my adjoining suburb. I’m shocked to see the sad condition many streets are in now. So can they worry less about renaming them and more about their condition now that spring is here? I still love my hometown, but I’d love it more given some engineering improvements underneath my walker wheels.
Tom Gregg, Niles
Medicare for All comes at a cost
The Sun-Times opinion pages ran a lead letter over the weekend headlined, “Medicare for all is a commonsense solution.” But Medicare comes with premium payments, deductibles and limits for coverage. For example, the Part A deductible is $1736.00 for an inpatient hospital stay and the minimum Part B premium is $202.90 per month. Medicare for All would require massive subsidies from taxpayers, difficult legislation and a huge bureaucracy. People should have access to health care, but the devil is in the details.
Mike Cook, Bourbonnais
Oval Office essential
We definitely don’t need a ballroom in the White House. However, we do need a president!
Edwina Jackson, Washington Heights