Earlier this month, our Mayor Brandon Johnson joined three other mayors to discuss Chicago’s Welcoming City ordinance before the U.S. House Oversight Committee. Johnson explained the city’s ordinance as a measure that is consistent with our city’s history and public safety. His decision in the face of criticism from many across the political spectrum is evidence of his leadership and courage.
During the Great Migration, many Black families came to Chicago from the South seeking a better and safer livelihood. Today, a new wave of migrants have come to our cities, fleeing hardship and seeking greater opportunities, just as our families once did. And just as our ancestors were met with discrimination and anger, many are using tactics based on fear and hatred to turn struggling communities against one another. But we have the opportunity to change the tides — to use this time to unify for the mutual benefit of all disinvested peoples.
It is undeniable that Black Chicagoans are overlooked. For decades, Black neighborhoods have fought for an equitable level of investment, for business investment, housing, schools and job opportunities — mostly without success.
The Black communities’ frustration with the lack of investment in their communities is justified. Anti-migration coalitions often reference the Wadsworth Elementary School in Woodlawn, which was shuttered in 2013. While residents envisioned it as a job training center or recreational space, it became a migrant shelter, reinforcing the painful reality that Black needs are too often not prioritized.
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But we cannot lose sight of a crucial truth: The struggles of Black communities did not begin with the arrival of recent newcomers. Wadsworth School sat vacant for nearly a decade, and yet, no one in power invested in the revival of this building. Many migrants were shipped to this community as a part of political posturing. Black communities asked for equitable funding, safe housing and job opportunities long before conservative states began sending buses of migrants to sanctuary cities. The migrants themselves are not the reason these investments never happened.
History has shown that progress comes when marginalized groups unite, not when they are pitted against each other. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. understood the power of collective action to create change. His Poor People’s Campaign brought together Black, Latino, Indigenous and white working-class communities under a shared cause. He understood that when oppressed people turn on each other, those in power win. And he realized that by coming together for a shared, mutually beneficial cause, they had the strength in numbers to create real, lasting change. The same is true today.
The Chicago Urban League is working to make sure collective conversations don’t end. We are conducting surveys to understand where tensions lie and how we can best navigate them. But the CUL cannot do this alone. We are also a leading voice with Marty Castro of Casa Central in Two Thirds United, underscoring the numerical strength of our Black and Brown communities. Chicagoans should have open discussions about their needs while recognizing that other groups’ needs can coexist with their own. And through concrete actions, like reporting ICE sightings to local organizations like The Resurrection Project and the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights, we can work together to protect our neighbors.
Our leaders also bear responsibility. They need to meet this moment not with short-term solutions for migrants at risk but with tangible, long-term policy reforms that invest in all disinvested groups. Protecting our migrant communities is essential but should not preclude increasing funding for community-driven projects in Black communities.
By uniting, we honor Dr. King’s vision — fighting for a future where all marginalized communities have a voice in government, a stake in the economy and a rightful place in this country. Divided they will continue to attack or ignore us. Together, we are unstoppable.
Karen Freeman-Wilson, president and CEO, Chicago Urban League
Trump administration treats Americans like waste
It appears that “waste” is the new favorite word for the new administration and go-to reason for slashing federal programs. I’m sick of it. Trump officials are cutting programs, firing dedicated researchers and educators, making life more difficult for us all.
Waste, to them, translates to too many Department of Health and Human Services employees. Ten thousand out of 82,000 will be fired as part of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s plan to restructure our Health Department. That’s a total of 20,000 employees who will be leaving through firings, buyouts severance packages and early retirements.
Waste, to the Trump administration, equals public health and substance abuse programs in Illinois. The administration has cut $153 million of federal money that was coming to our state.
Waste equals veterans who need services, so there have been cuts to Veterans Affairs hospitals and the services they provide.
Waste equals people who are hungry.
Waste equals children who depend on public education.
Waste equals those who depend on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
Waste equals upkeep and stewardship of our national parks.
I think this administration would just prefer that we Americans did not exist at all.
Carmel Callobre, Skokie
Musk needs to take his own medicine
Anyone wonder why Elon Musk didn’t consider showing the American people some good faith by starting with himself and cutting the waste out of his billions of dollars in government contracts? Are we to believe there isn’t any?
Steve Koppensteiner, Vernon Hills
An open letter to the Democratic National Committee
As a lifelong Democrat, I have decided not to give another dime to the Democratic Party or any affiliates until you come up with a plan to win elections.
After the most disastrous defeat in modern history, you have the gall to ask for more money “to stop Donald Trump” without a single word about what you are going to do differently from what you have done for four years.
The first thing you need to do is look at what the Republicans are doing. As Bill Clinton said, quoting his strategist James Carville, years.ago — “It’s the economy, stupid.”
Stop talking about how Trump is ignoring the Constitution, destroying the rule of law, alienating our allies, adding to the deficit, mistreating innocent immigrants, etc.
I know — it’s all true, and it’s terrible. Get over it: Over half of Americans obviously have.
Trump won because he promised that he would lower the price of eggs, of gas, cars, etc., and yet all of these prices are going up since the day he was sworn in. He promised he would lower unemployment, and yet he and Elon Musk are systematically creating the greatest increase in unemployment in the shortest period of time in modern history.
Where are your nationwide TV adds with a “Trumpometer” every week showing the increase in egg and gas prices and unemployment? Joe Biden passed the largest infrastructure bill, creating the most new jobs since the New Deal, and your media people said virtually nothing about it.
Fire the idiots running your media operation, stop asking for more money, and give some indication that people running your show know what they are doing. Until then, you’ll get no money nor any support from this lifelong Democrat.
Tom Shannon, Lincoln Park
Durbin vouched for the worst
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin voted for Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe. Both men were on the Signal call about the attack plans against the Houthis. Durbin claims he is fighting Donald Trump, but he voted “aye” for Trump’s nominees — men and women who are shutting down the government. He says he has fought polluters for 40 years, yet he voted “aye” for Doug Burgum, who is polluting our water and air as secretary of the interior. Durbin raises his hand for the worst in the Trump administration, but his fist is not raised in defiance of the obvious harm to America.
Mary Greenwald, Lake View
Good time to retire, Senator Durbin
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin has done a herculean job since 1996 for Illinois and our country. But as I commented recently to others, “Senator Durbin looks exhausted. Has Donald Trump’s dangerous shenanigans worn him to a frazzle’?!” His vote for the GOP budget, like Chuck Schumer and others — instead of against it — has reinforced that opinion. Our days of “If they go low, we go high” by necessity are long gone. We need a vigorous Congress that promises to its constituents: “If they go low, we dig a ditch under them and go lower.” Senator Durbin, please retire with our good wishes for a job well done.
Barb Tomko, Edgewater
Music can speak truth to power
I agree with John Vukmirovich’s recent op-ed, music does have an almost limitless power to uplift, transcend and yes, even unify when the cause is right. I think “United We Stand” could be our country’s unofficial anthem, as we fight Donald Trump’s attempts to dismantle America, top to bottom. How powerful a song can be, if it inspires us to keep fighting and never give up.
Anna DiVietro, Des Plaines
Picture placement
I found the picture in the “Money” section of Thursday’s print edition of the Sun-Times interesting. The current president signing another of his executive orders placing tariffs on autos and parts made in other countries while the smiling face of the Republican president — Ronald Reagan — who made it OK to send all those jobs out of the country in the 1980s looks over his shoulder.
Linda Caliendo Naperville
Sad over the cessation of Sun-Times editorials
As a cub reporter at a daily near Chicago, I spoke with the newpaper’s lone editorial writer. I told him that in college we learned that editorials were based on what the ownership wanted. He said that is true. But he said there was more to it than just that. He said his job was to learn what were the concerns of the community, to evaluate those concerns and to offer the newspaper’s opinion. He also said editorials could also act as a community cheerleader, praising when something goes well. Or when things do not go well, shouting out the newspaper’s — and public’s — displeasure.
Opinion is necessary. But I am sad that the Sun-Times’ voice will no longer be a cheerleader or a naysayer via an editorial page .
Bernard Biernacki, Aurora
‘Sorely’ missing editorials
Your editorials will be sorely missed and, while there are countless bright people in the city, I disagree that Chicagoans can give your readers the same thorough, responsible and well-researched views that the Sun-Times has provided over the last several decades.
The Sun-Times’ editorials have given many of your readers a quality of insight that, for many reasons, cannot be gleaned from friends, family and colleagues. Your commentaries have not only been intelligent but, in some respects, more informative than news articles put out by other media sources.
Now more than ever, your readers need the neutrality that the Sun-Times’ editorials have brought to the table. While they are of course opinions, unlike some essays found in other local periodicals, they are seldom biased.
Please reconsider and continue with your editorials. If this is not possible, thanks for your thousands of insightful editorials over the years.
Terry Takash, Western Springs
Not a ‘true’ newspaper without editorials
I understand that nonprofit organizations cannot endorse political candidates, but editorials are a different matter. A newspaper without an editorial department just doesn’t feel like a true paper. I’m very disappointed with that decision.
Dan Kuska, Palos Heights