BRING CHARGES
This poor child never had a chance in the world, and now he's dead ("DCFS finds foster parent negligent in death of 7-year-old boy," July 3). And the state's attorney hasn't decided if criminal charges are going to be filed? The foster parents weren't home to supervise – what more is there to review? So this poor child died in vain, and no one may be held responsible? This just makes me sick.
Stephanie Campbell-Goebel
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
WAS LICENSE A MISTAKE?
Doesn't DCFS have to do home inspections on foster parents to make sure there are necessary safety precautions for pools at the house? I am asking because my friends were denied a foster care license because their pool was deemed unsafe. The mistake of somehow licensing someone near a non-secured pool is odd to me.
The foster system itself is limping along by overworking their social workers. The turnaround of social workers is high. It is too stressful and not nearly enough pay. It wouldn't surprise me that it was a mistake they got licensed because someone was new at their job or placing those kids was some kind of emergency.
Catherine Black
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
ANOTHER PARK NEEDS LOVE
It would be nice to see some love to Kennedy Park – ground work to fix the drainage issues, revamping the playground (and highlighting the rocket) and adding a walking path would be awesome ("Park upgrades planned," July 3).
Alan Franklin
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
NOT AN IMPROVEMENT
Splash pads seem like a downgrade, actually, from a full-size community pool.
Tim Moore
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
GREAT COLUMN
Thank you, Rabbi Marks, for this beautiful column on Independence Day ("Independence Day reflections," July 4).
Cathy Schwartz
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
THANKS FOR CONTINUING IT
So glad to see these writings continue! I salute Illinois Times.
Jan Conrady
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
Editor's note: The weekly beliefs columns, which previously appeared in The State Journal-Register, are now online at illinoistimes.com under the "Community and Lifestyle" section. Rabbi Barry Marks, Sr. Beth Murphy, Rev. Samuel Hale, Rev. Blythe Kieffer and Nancy Flood-Golembeck will provide columns about faith and spirituality.
GREAT RESPONSIBILITY
I want to state that I found Catherine Wells' article on gun ownership – not gun control – extremely well-written and balanced, a great achievement when it comes to a topic as highly politicized as gun ownership ("Practice responsible gun ownership," July 3). As this has become so conflicted, voices of reason have gone silent a long time ago. We need to give thanks that Ms. Wells was able to step away from party politics and laid this out before us as the problem it really is.
In the end it comes down to what we learn from Spider-Man: With great power comes great responsibility. And we need to give thanks that the constitution of the U.S. gave to its citizens the power to own guns. Now it is our obligation to handle this power with responsibility.
Johannes Poetschner
Springfield