July 9th, 2009
Let’s not get too crazy with the scandal over influence-peddling in University of Illinois admissions. A major Chicago newspaper — you know who you are — has published day after day about powerful politicians’ relatives who got into U of I even though their applications and test scores shouldn’t have made the cut. The latest story is the former law school dean, who told state lawmakers of her frustration over being forced to let in a student favored by former Gov. Blagojevich. Now, I’m as eager as the next person to castigate Public Official A-Rod, but something the former dean said enraged me. She said they were dead-set against letting the applicant in because an older sibling had been such a lackluster student at the school. Oh, and THAT’S fair? College admissions is arbitrary and capricious — and it will ever be thus.
July 9th, 2009
Kevin Thompson of Rockford wrote the Register Star about his rude surprise at Rockford’s Fourth of July parade this year. The small flags handed out by the local political parties were imprinted with the words “Made in China.” Typically, I pass over such letters because I can’t verify them. (I wasn’t at this year’s parade and our reporters can’t be everywhere.)
But I called Jan Klaas, head of the Winnebago County Republican party, and she confirmed that indeed the flags were from China. Klaas said she didn’t know when the flags were ordered that they came from China. The supplier gave them no clue, she said. Once they were bought and paid for, Klaas felt stuck. I sympathized. Do you cover up the words with Magic Marker or Wite-Out? Wouldn’t that be defacing the flag? And how wasteful!
Political Editor Chuck Sweeny envisioned the Chinese manufacturer having a lot of fun sneaking in the words “Made in China” on these flags. As if the trade imbalance is not insult enough! Take a look at the photo Thompson submitted. Do you share his ire? Here’s his letter:
“The Fourth of July parade this year was wonderful as always, but one issue needs comment.
“The political parties handed out American flags to everyone in the crowd. This seemed wonderful until I looked closely at the flag.
“There, printed on my flag–the flag of the United States of America–was not a sticker but the imprinted words, “Made in China.”
“I immediately thought of the many friends and others in my community, my country, who are out of work because we sent our manufacturing jobs to everywhere but America.
“Families are losing homes, unemployment is still rising and our political parties purchase and hand out American flags with “Made in China” on them. Even beyond the jobs and the people affected, what about respect for our national flag itself?
“I cannot believe anyone, especially an elected official or a person working for a political party, would think this is acceptable — to purchase these, and then have the nerve to hand them out to American citizens on Independence Day.” — Kevin Thompson, Rockford
