The Sun-Times reported last week that a “new Uber Shuttle service” will offer fans leaving events at United Center “rides to various stops across the city for only $5.” I am glad to learn that Uber has rediscovered one of the great innovations of the 19th century: the public bus.
Uber’s new service promises to shuttle 23 passengers at a time from the United Center to the Magnificent Mile, Ogilvie, Union Station and Old Town at an “introductory rate” of $5. To catch these buses — sorry, “shuttles” — riders need only reserve a spot ahead of time and walk five minutes from the arena to the “Uber Zone” in Lot E.
What the article does not mention is that an almost-identical service already exists. The CTA runs an express bus, No. 19, after United Center events. A string of #19 buses await exiting fans directly outside the arena on Madison Street, with no reservation needed. They each seat over 40 passengers and make eight stops, including near Ogilvie, Union Station, all major CTA train lines and the Magnificent Mile. They also have the remarkable advantage of a $2.25 fare and free transfers to other CTA buses or trains.
I encourage my fellow Chicagoans leaving United Center events to take the cheap, fast, and convenient #19 express bus. After all, why should we pay twice as much for a private corporation’s glorified reinvention of a public good?
Kumar Ramanathan, Uptown
A Canadian’s plea to his American ‘cousins’
Canada and the United States are more than neighboring countries that through geographical happenstance share a border. Our relationship has been more of family than neighbors. Familial ties run deeper and are stronger than superficial connections between neighbors.
Within family connections, there is support, encouragement and love, but there may also be times of tension or disagreement. Issues need to be addressed in measured ways, rather than lashing out with vitriol and anger. This type of response could lead to a breakdown in the relationship that has been strong for over 150 years.
Over the decades, the support between the two countries during challenging times is unrivaled. Following natural calamities like hurricanes, ice storms and wildfires, each country has sent much-needed support to help restore power or prevent flames from consuming homes and businesses.
Canada is a large country geographically, but small in population. What we lack in population is more than made up with heart and soul, which we willingly share with our American cousins. Numerous Canadians voluntarily signed up to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Americans during the Korean and Vietnam wars. Following 9/11, Canada, in support of the U.S., had boots on the ground in Afghanistan alongside coalition forces.
In 1979, as militant students overran the U.S. embassy in Tehran, Iran, six U.S. embassy employees evaded capture and were hidden in the homes of Canadian embassy officers. This was extremely dangerous for the Canadians, but it was the right thing to do, supporting our family in need. Eventually the six staff made it safely back home.
Following the attack on the Twin Towers on 9/11, Canada allowed 238 U.S. inbound flights to land here. The 27,000 passengers, many of whom were American, were welcomed and supported by locals for the duration of their stay. It’s what we do to support family in times of need.
We all need to look back at our historical relationship during these days of amped-up rhetoric and threatening comments made towards Canada. We need to demand from our respective leaders to remember that strong relationship, and meet to resolve areas of disagreement in a meaningful manner. To fail at this will result in irreparable damage to our longstanding relationship.
Paul Boscariol, Nelson, British Columbia, Canada
Flagging down a point
It’s been widely reported that Illinois voters overwhelmingly voted to keep the existing Illinois flag. That’s a misrepresentation of what happened. Yes ,165,000 people voted to keep the existing flag, but 220,000 people, a substantially larger number, voted to change it. Running against 12 opponents, the existing flag was a shoe-in by splitting the opposition in much like the long, well-honed style of Chicago aldermanic races.
Rick Vogt, Norwood Park
‘Troubled times’ with Trump in charge
I have lived through the administrations of 16 American presidents. Some were good, some bad, but none like Donald Trump. George Orwell’s “1984” has finally arrived. All allegiance to Big Brother. Truth is bad. Lies are good. Revision of history: Slaves lived a happy plantation life. Banning of books. Suppression of a free press. Unqualified flatterers appointed to important posts.
All of our former presidents, in spite of their individual foibles and campaign puffery, put service above self and tried to do what was best for our country. They followed our Constitution. They did not bend a knee to, or seek the favor of, foreign dictators. These are troubled times. We as citizens of our wonderful country must speak out and continue to fight for our ideals.
Philip S. Witt, Northbrook
Another call for a wall
If Mexico is concerned enough about guns from America infiltrating their country, brought in by Mexican gangs, that they seek to change our Second Amendment through lawsuits, I have a suggestion: Build a wall.
Ronald Burke, Downers Grove