Democrats' refusal to give Palestinian Americans a voice at convention was a glaring omission

Thanks for your outstanding coverage of the four days of the Democratic National Convention, including Sunday’s highly comprehensive articles and columns summarizing the DNC’s multiple successes — politically, culturally as well as historically.

I would like to especially congratulate Rummana Hussain for her brilliantly composed column, “Gaza protesters will keep speaking up.”

Hussain elegantly and quite compellingly reminded readers that the DNC could have been completely flawless if, in addition to inviting the Jewish parents of an American hostage in the hands of Hamas, its organizers had honored a fair request to include in the DNC program a Palestinian American who could speak about the pain and suffering in Gaza, as Hussain noted, from the perspective and voice of “an actual Palestinian on prime time.”

Given the brutal killing early on in the Hamas-Israel conflict of 6-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume in one of our own suburbs, I completely agree with Hussain and the thousands of Palestinian Americans in the Chicago area that handing the microphone to someone of Palestinian descent at the DNC would have made a world of difference for the only major American party that currently identifies itself as the party of inclusion, diversity and justice.

Alejandro Lugo, Park Forest

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McMaster, Kelly, Mattis should have joined Kinzinger at DNC

Retired Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster has said he cannot understand Vladimir Putin’s hold on Trump.

Retired general John Kelly has said Trump is a person who has no idea what America stands for and has no idea what America is all about, a person who admires autocrats and murderous dictators, and a person who has “nothing but contempt for our democratic institutions, our Constitution, and the rule of law.”

Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis has said Trump is the first president in his lifetime who does not try to unite the American people — “does not even pretend to try.”

“Instead, he tries to divide us,” Mattis said.

These distinguished military officers all served in high positions under Trump. Why did none of them follow the example of Republican politician and lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard Adam Kinzinger and tell the country watching the DNC in Chicago of the danger posed by Trump, and endorse the only possible alternative to this awful man — Vice President Kamala Harris?

Where, for that matter, were the other “principled conservatives” like Chris Christie? Surely, these gentlemen cannot lack Kinzinger’s courage?

Michael Gorman, River North

Hat tip to Duckworth, Durbin, Pritzker, Lightfoot

I am so happy that the DNC in Chicago came off as a five-star event! Yes, we had protesters. Yes, we had some arrests, but for the most part protesters and law enforcement behaved themselves and thus made this convention an absolute success for the city of Chicago.

Mayor Brandon Johnson is taking a victory lap. I would like to remind people that Brandon Johnson was sworn in as mayor in May 2023. The DNC announced in April 2023 that Chicago would be the host.

Here are the people who really carried the ball: Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Sen. Dick Durbin, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot. The former mayor has not been given her proper thank you for all she did to get the convention to Chicago (not to mention so many other people who were involved in touting and showcasing Chicago as the best place to host this convention).

Johnson was involved and happened to be at the right place at the right time. Don’t get me wrong. He faced a lot of challenges, especially with security and logistics.

But let’s not forget the above-mentioned people who were the ones who really should be congratulated for a fantastic convention that showed Chicago to be a world-class city!

Mark Warchol, Palos Hills

Thank you, CPD

Who needs Beyonce? The real stars of the DNC were outside all week keeping the peace, confronting ugly hatred from the leftist crowd whose purpose was to disturb the peace and agitate cops. Kudos and thank you, Chicago Police.

Jim FitzGerald, Edgewater

Get some perspective

I’m glad the DNC went smoothly. Chicago looked good on the national stage (even though no policy specifics were offered — just flag waving, hope, freedom and joy).

Mayor Brandon Johnson and Supt. Larry Snelling, aided by much of the news media, have been patting themselves on the back for not having a repeat of 1968.

Let’s keep in mind that CPD was not tested as the police were in ’68. If we were in a foolish war now, with thousands of our boys coming home in body bags, as they did from Vietnam, I guarantee you the 2024 version of the Weather Underground would have shown up at the DNC. It wouldn’t have been pretty.

We can also thank Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas for not sending migrant buses here, as threatened. All’s well that ends well, but really, let’s keep it in perspective.

Blaise J. Arena, Des Plaines