For the past 10 years, the arrival of the Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw has marked the beginning of winter and Christmas for me. As the daughter of a Cold War-era Navy captain, I’ve always appreciated the quiet professionalism of the Coast Guard and the community spirit of the volunteers from local charities, the Chicago Yacht Club and nearby parishes. Every year, they unload more than 1,200 trees for families who need a little help during the holidays. It’s one of Chicago’s most heartfelt traditions — simple, generous and rooted in Christmas spirit.
This year was different. When I arrived at Polk Brothers Park, I saw an admiral, more than a dozen captains, rows of uniformed personnel on deck, color guards, the Secret Service and more than 50 Chicago police officers. This scale has never been part of this event.
The Coast Guard handled everything with complete professionalism. The concern is not the military — it is the unintended consequences of a political visit. When Kristi Noem, the secretary of homeland security, chose to attend, most civilians wouldn’t know that military protocol obligates senior officers to appear alongside her. Their presence automatically triggers expanded security, multiple agencies and a much more complex environment.
And that shift has real consequences. A tradition designed for volunteers, families and children was suddenly surrounded by layers of law enforcement and protective protocol and protest. In effect, the event became a high-security, high-risk atmosphere — which is utterly absurd for a beautiful and quaint charitable Christmas event. No one acted improperly, but the ripple effects were undeniable.
The next morning, Polk Brothers Park was clean again in a fresh half foot of snow. Without cameras or motorcades, the cutter and its crew looked like themselves again: steady, solid and serving Chicago in its unwavering way.
I hope future Christmas Tree Ship events remain rooted in community, not political staging. Chicago doesn’t need spectacle for this tradition to matter. Deserving families need the volunteers, parish members, club partners and Coast Guard men and women who make their Christmases meaningful — without needless security escalations.
— Kathy Gregg, Chicago
‘All … are citizens’
The opening text of the 14th Amendment of our Constitution seems clear. “All persons born or naturalized in the United States … are citizens of the United States” Once again, politicians are deciding to interpret laws to suit the results they would like to achieve. In this case, the word “all” seems relatively easy to understand.
Here’s hoping our highly educated but clearly divided Supreme Court can help us understand what the word “all” actually means. Of course, as we are constantly reminded, there are Democratic and Republican dictionaries that have drastically different definitions of even the simplest words.
Another approach might be to follow the constitutional rules on modifications and seek to alter this great body of work by seeking an amendment approved by 38 states to redefine the Constitution regarding birthright citizenship. Let the people decide how they want the laws interpreted. However, as our elected leaders prove time and time again, they simply do not have the time or patience to do things the proper way when it interferes with their personal agendas and schedules.
— Ken Stead, Aurora
Investing in children
The new Trump Accounts for children will provide financial protection in the long run.
Long-term financial prosperity and wealth depend on a person’s creativity, hard work and luck. But society must take action to ensure a safety net for future young adults.
Trump Accounts are investment accounts for qualifying children, with an initial contribution of $1,000 from the U.S. Treasury for those born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028. Children age 10 or younger who do not quality for the federal government’s seed money may receive a $250 Dell family grant.
These small initial amounts potentially could grow to thousands of dollars by the time the children turn 18, at which point the recipients can use the funds to further build their future, such as by investing in education, starting a business, etc.
Many children grow up in poverty and are left without resources when they become adults. Trump Accounts will provide a safety net for the young adults of the future. I believe that they will be key to ensuring financial security for future generations.
— Tawsif Anam, Madison, Wisconsin
Barriers to babies
The Trump administration has done a surprisingly positive thing by creating a savings account program that is “designed to promote saving for a child’s future,” according to a Dec. 5 editorial (“‘Trump Accounts’ give babies a boost, but do nothing to help parents with today’s costs”). It sounds like a pretty progressive idea if parents actually take advantage of the program.
Ironically, though, because of Republican policies such as abortion restrictions and inadequate health care coverage, more than 30% of counties in the U.S. (it’s even higher in red states) do not have labor and delivery services. So, for a large segment of the population, simply having a baby is almost impossible. And for them, this great savings account program is irrelevant.
As with most of what President Donald Trump’s administration has done, this is extremely shortsighted and damaging, especially for disenfranchised Americans.
— Judy Weik, Oak Park
One-note cartoons
I often enjoy reading the opinion pieces and editorials, including both sides of various issues. However, the political cartoons could be summed up this way: “We hate Donald Trump, his administration and everything he stands for.”
Print it once, full page, and move on. Then direct readers to the actual cartoon section that often is humorous and might leave us with a smile for the day.
— Joe Juszak, Sugar Grove
Targeting disabilities
I want to point out that the article “Local parents, disability advocates condemn Trump’s use of ‘R-word’” by Angie Leventis Lourgos, published in print Dec. 8, only appears to focus on people with Down syndrome. I just want to note that there are many other people with intellectual and physical disabilities for whom that slur is used to separate and make less of. That should be condemned too.
My daughter has a genetic mutation and is considered on the autism spectrum. The R-word does not describe the sweet, loving girl and young woman she is becoming. My family and I are fortunate to have her in a school that works to bring out her potential, including ways to communicate better.
Life can be hard, even cruel, for people with disabilities and their families. Traveling with our loved ones can be hard at airports and public rest stops, especially around the holidays. People are often uncomfortable around people with disabilities because they act and sound different. Small kindnesses due to awareness and understanding are appreciated and make a huge difference. Lack of awareness and small slights hurt deeply. It’s very sad to see our loved ones made less by leaders in our society.
Where does this trend take us? No place good, I’m sure.
— Stephen Davidow, LaGrange Park
My father’s example
My father served in Europe during World War II and came home with a Bronze Star. He never talked about the battles. When I asked if he ever killed anyone, he got quiet. He said, “I may have wounded someone, but never killed anyone.” He didn’t want his 8-year-old daughter to think of her father as a killer.
However, once when he and I were driving, he told the story of clearing an area when he came across a badly wounded German soldier. He didn’t kill him. He stopped to check on him and tried in broken German to tell him that he would return to help. After the fighting ended that day, after dark, he convinced a medic to go with him, slowly driving a Jeep through the woods to find the soldier. He and the medic loaded the solder into the Jeep and took him back to the unit to get medical help.
They returned to a celebration of their courage; the other men made sure that they got extra rations. As he told the story, tears ran down my father’s face. He always felt that moment defined him as a decent man, a true man, a good man. He was 21. After he returned, even as a farm boy and thus a hunter, he never picked up a gun again. He had enough of the “fog of war.”
I was raised by a real man. A man of courage and decency. So I recognize posers when I see them. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is an incompetent, pompous ass, and President Donald Trump is a draft-dodging, vicious bully.
— Karen Evans, Glen Ellyn
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