Chamber events not funded
by special service area taxes

On the front page and on page 4 of last week’s Glen Ellyn News, a statement was made under the photos of Autumn Daze that are totally incorrect. The front page caption reads, “Events like Autumn Daze are funded with the help of special tax districts” and on page 4 the caption reads, “Special events such as these are funded with the help of the tax districts.”

The Board of Directors of the Glen Ellyn Chamber of Commerce wishes to state categorically that the chamber has never received any tax dollars from any special service area taxes or the village of Glen Ellyn to support any of its events. The chamber relies on its membership dues, sponsors and event income, which underwrites the funding for all of our events.

Paul Sivak, president; Georgia Koch and Mike Formento, co-executive directors, Glen Ellyn Chamber of Commerce

South Carolina has history
of congressional misdeeds

Maybe there is something in the water served up in South Carolina that makes their congressmen act so strange.

South Carolina Congressman Joe Wilson became an instant national ogre last week when he interrupted President Obama’s health care reform speech with a very audible “You lie.” A stunned gasp was heard throughout the congressional chamber, and Obama blanched in disbelief at such a rude and indefensible interruption.

One must go all the way back to May 22, 1856, for a worse example of congressional etiquette and yes, it was another South Carolina congressman, Preston Brooks, who was involved. Brooks entered the Senate chamber to confront Massachusetts Sen. Charles Sumner over an anti-slavery speech Sumner gave three days earlier, and beat him into unconsciousness with his gutta-percha wood walking cane.

Obama fared a lot better than did Sumner over misbehavior by a South Carolina congressman. It took the president only about three seconds to regain his composure and continue his oration. It took Sumner three years before he returned to the Senate.

We shouldn’t be too hard on Congressman Wilson. Apparently, he was just following a state congressional tradition.

Walt Zlotow, Glen Ellyn