Bravo for SIU's talent

To the Editor:

Thursday night, Nov. 20, the Southern Illinois Symphony Orchestra, combined with the University Choir and Chorus union, presented their opera gala. The crowd was a little less than what we expected, but who would have thought our Saluki basketball team would be in New York? We should have competition like that more often.

The gala was just grand and all of the selections were true "chestnuts" in that they were the crème de la crème. What a treat it is to be able to go to the SIU campus and enjoy such splendor. I know opera is not everyone's cup of tea and I used to not drink from that same teapot. However, after learning to just lean back and listen, I found that one need not understand the language to enjoy. And enjoy we did as the entire group was truly spectacular; one would have to travel to St. Louis or Chicago to get this level of entertainment.

Southern Illinois, we should be proud of what is given and offered to us through SIU and all of its talent. Bravo for all of them!

Larry R. Mittendorf

Murphysboro

Voters perpetuate problems

To the Editor:

I read your recent article that headlined the Nov. 14 edition titled "Is there an Illinois tax hike looming?" The news about the financial condition of the state of Illinois is depressing, but the thought of more taxes is even more depressing. The state owes $4 billion to its vendors, and the amount is expected to balloon to $5 billion by March. Apparently, the state is very close to financial insolvency. Sadly, this is not an overnight development.

If the state were a private business, it would have declared bankruptcy long ago. What separates the state from a private business is that the state, when it mismanages money, just goes back to the taxpayers for more funds - the people are punished for the inability of government to spend within its limits.

What is disturbing is that in the last election, all the Southern Illinois state senators and representatives who ran were re-elected. We often hear that the governor is to blame for Illinois' financial woes, but the governor is only one branch of Illinois government. The fault lies with the legislators as well.

The question is, how can we expect change when the legislature remains the same? Illinois is already one of the highest tax states in the union, and we are losing population (and businesses) to states that have lower taxes. By keeping the good old boys in office, we just perpetuate the problem at our expense. Go figure.

Alan C. Downen

McLeansboro

'One-Armed Bandit' will be missed

To the Editor:

I was glad to see a proper tribute to Chuck Amati in your paper. Chuck Amati's name is still a household word at our home. My family, including two grown sons, me and my husband, has known Chuck many years, and watched him race many times. When he raced with his broken arm, he was called 'The One-Armed Bandit' because every race he was in, he won, and like a bandit took all the money for winning. Also, fans knew if he didn't win, he would make the show by flipping his racecar.

He was such a nice person, friendly, and he always knew you and would speak any time he saw you. He was regular, down-home people.

He will be missed.

Bonnie Filkins

West Frankfort

Focus should be changed

To the Editor:

The election of 2008 is over. Our country is now focused on the new administration and the economy. Let us not forget that 4,179 soldiers have been killed in Iraq and 30,182 have been wounded.

More than 600 young women and men have been killed in Afghanistan. In this time of transition, let us not let the media focus our attention away from these sacred lives.

Celeste Williams

Murphysboro