LETTERS

There is protection for subsidence
In the Briefly item in the April 1996 Illinois Issues "Great shakes: Geological survey seeks to bury fears about mine subsidence" (see page 9), you may lure the reader into misunderstanding the problem of mine subsidence. Changes in mining industry technology and in state and federal regulation make the problem of current mining producing mine subsidence minimal. However, underground mining has taken place in Illinois for about 150 years. Many old mines exist, and those are the ones that cause the problem for most property owners.

Mine subsidence insurance is a poor substitute for poor planning in the past. But it may be the only protection a property owner can now obtain.

Edmund W. Murphy
Illinois Mine Subsidence
Insurance Fund
Chicago

Slop promoting hate
I am ashamed of those in our society who failed to support the inclusion of homosexuals in the anti-discrimination ordinance of Normal, as I am of those who sent Senate Bill 1773 (that prohibits same-sex marriage) to our governor. When we fail to protect all from bigotry, we show that some of our human race still have not learned the lessons of the '30s and '40s. The bigotry of the Nazi regime converted humans into ash. In 1935, the Nazis passed anti-homosexual laws. Gays were suddenly criminals. Death camps were constructed to eliminate Jews, homosexuals, Gypsies, Jehovah's Witnesses, the mentally handicapped, immigrants and other unwanted people. Ethnic cleansing and intolerance toward others resulted in 10 million executions. We must remember what can happen when fanatical fundamentalists gain control of a government and launch "wars" against minorities. How many have to suffer and die before we stop promoting hate, bigotry and intolerance toward others?

Helen Ruggieri
Rantoul

What about the hogs?
"Hogs R Us?" by Edward Field in the April issue (see page 16) was most informative. This is the kind of reporting I like to read. Although Mr. Field devotes attention to environmental issues, he failed to address the hog. The photos that accompany the article lead us to believe in (more or less) happy hogs. I am concerned, however, about the quality of life encountered by the hogs.

Roberta R. Palen
Chicago

Correction

John A. D'Arco Jr. was released from prison June 15,1995. In our article on legislative scholarships in the May issue (see page 22), we incorrectly reported that he was still serving time for corruption.

Also, David Dodds Henry was president of the University of Illinois from 1955 until 1971. He did not hold the post in 1905 when the legislative scholarship program was launched. We regret these errors.

How to write us

Your comments on articles and columns are welcome. Please keep letters brief (250 words). We reserve the right to excerpt them. Send letters to:

Letters to the Editor
Illinois Issues
University of Illinois at Springfield
Springfield. IL 62794-9243

e-mail address on Internet:
boyer-long.peggy@uis.edu

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peggy.long@accessil.com or dial: 217-787-6255 for free access

44 ¦ June 1996 Illinois Issues