Pantagraph.com | News | Moraine View rally draws 1,000-plus people protesting closure

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

My Thoughts... wrote on Sep 22, 2008 5:14 AM:

" To: babsmanilow - Sorry to hear about your cousin. But, just because this person "drown" there, doesn't mean that it is a bad park. Besides, what were the circumstances in this drowning?????? This is a good family park. If someone died at a church would you want to close it down? Didn't think so!
LONG LIVE MORAINE VIEW!!! LET IS STAY OPEN- IT'S A GOOD PARK- VERY BEAUTIFUL AND it would be a waste if it closed! If you want something closed, close down the home that the state pays for Gov. Blago to live in- I mean he has his own residence.......close down his freeby! "

babsmanilow wrote on Sep 21, 2008 10:35 PM:

" I well REMEMBER the evening my cousin drown at Moraine View! Probably something ALOT of you don't remember a thing about-so-if something has to be shut down.....my personal opinion...let it be Moraine View! While the park may have brought alot of joy to thousands....to me......it's an awful reminder of something no family should ever have to experience! "

albundy54 wrote on Sep 21, 2008 6:54 PM:

" Big Brother says it all. I agree with him that we at this time have the power. We wont have six weeks from now so we better get off our asses and take advantage of the timing. We make sure we contact Brady, Ruthorford, and company and let them know, if the services get closed you guys are out of a job. Then on electin day regardless of party affiliates, let's vote out every incumbement we can in the entire state. This is one way of weeding out the ones who supported the closings, and punish the ones who sat on the sidelines for months and did nothing while this transpired. "

real american wrote on Sep 21, 2008 6:27 PM:

" Hey BigBrother, you people didn't like the way the State was being run when the Republicans were in office so, you elected these clowns. Now you want to blame Republicans for their stupidity too? The Republicans can't do a damn thing in Springfield now, just like you wanted. None of you Republican haters have any room to complain. We could have been rid of Blago. 2 years ago but, rather than swallow your stupid pride and vote for the person who could actually beat him, you voted for a communist 3rd party candidate who didn't stand a chance. You all got what you wanted so stop complaining. "

BigBrother wrote on Sep 21, 2008 2:50 PM:

" Kate: Your comment is incorrect! There are thousands of people on public assistance that have children they fully expected to be supported by the welfare system. Don't kid your self in believing otherwise! "

brookian wrote on Sep 21, 2008 1:18 PM:

" To yay:
It sounds like you might be a DCFS employee. I'd fight for my job too. DCFS has been as big a failure as any other government bureaucracy ran by the state of Illinois. Unchecked power in the hands of bleeding heart liberals, all in the name of "the children". Well, I call BS. I'm trying to save the parks "FOR THE CHILDREN". I think my kids learn more, exercise more, and enjoy life more by camiping, hiking and fishing at the park than sitting in front of a TV, Video game or internet chat room.

People in the area of Moraine View have paid their civic dues. We pay HUGE taxes. Our farmers feed the world. Or windmills power Chicago while our rolling landscape now looks like a pin cushen. We give and give and Chicago politicians take and take. IT'S TIME TO STOP!!! "

Karl Hungus wrote on Sep 21, 2008 12:58 PM:

" We go from talking about the park rally to DCFS? I love these little non sequitur tangents.

Hey yay!...if you feel so passionate about what is going on with DCFS, posting your concerns in the comment section of a completely unrelated news story isn't going to solve the problem.

Push yourself away from the computer and go do something about it. "

para wrote on Sep 21, 2008 11:48 AM:

" close all parks, pave the world with asphalt, and sell land to governors friends for favors!!! "

420 wrote on Sep 21, 2008 9:27 AM:

" Kate, you have no clue!

No state worker raises none. How in the world can they be expecting raises yet closing down all of our services. This is corruption as this state is now run by the real criminals who's only desire is to line their pockets with tax dollars they do not earn in the first place. I'm tired of just handing out my money to the taxman just for them to shove in their pockets and for there pork projects for their friends.
Kate's ignorance is a very small example of this nation's citizens lack of knowledge and information about where our tax dollars are being wasted and why we are now closing basic services in our state! "

Bluedog wrote on Sep 21, 2008 9:08 AM:

" Long ago the state parks operating budgets should have been " pay to play " ventures. Legislation could be passed that that keeps this governor and any future governor from " fund sweeping " these designated monies. On the social services side of cuts. Many services besides just those for children are in danger of being cut. A large rally was held in Champaign-Urbana recently condemning these cuts. Those who think they will never need a " hand up " please veiw the video of our county clerk Peggy Ann Milton which aired recently online through the Pantagraph. She acknowledged using the WIC program when a young mother . Oh yes there will always be the abusers in any endeavor ( reference the Wall Street boys and girls ) but many honest foks have been helped by the " common good " . "

simply_kate wrote on Sep 21, 2008 8:01 AM:

" to: anonymous#1
do you have any idea how ignorant you sound? welfare does not exist because of people having "too many kids". and people do not have kids with the intentions of using state help. state help is there for a reason! "

The Original JD wrote on Sep 21, 2008 4:14 AM:

" People talk about closing the part having a negative impact on people, but that is based on the assumption that these people have some inalienable right to the park. If anything, closing the park will just not have a positive impact on their lives. No ones life hangs in the balance if the park is closed. It will not cause people to starve, or the world to end. It is easy to protest something like this, because in protesting they are no sacrificing anything other than time...which some have too much of. "

pontiac24 wrote on Sep 21, 2008 12:17 AM:

" The issue is the state parks. I feel that we pay all these taxes and then can't even enjoy ourselves on our week-ends because they are getting closed by someone who doesn't even use them. Ok, people, maybe we should look into what our governor likes to do in his spare time that would effect him. And take it away from him? That HE pays taxes on. And hey , campers do pay a fee for each and every spot that we place our camper/tents on. Is the GOVERNOR looking down at campers? Like we are trash because he doesn't camp? Some people feel that way and maybe he's one of them. I feel he definately would not make it on Survivor!!! "

BigBrother wrote on Sep 20, 2008 11:34 PM:

" To yay!: ..... Where was the rally to save DCFS? The people at the Moraine View rally are all people that use that park and its services. They pay taxes. They support DCFS with those taxes and 99% of them never need or use the service. They do however use the park and closing it will have a negative impact on thier lives. Don't accuse peoples priorities as being out of sorts because of actions by an irresponsible govenor. Your indignance is directed at the wrong people. You should be directing your efforts toward coordinating demonstrations to support DCFS instead of blaming those that seek to save state parks as the problem. I would not suggest your priorities are wrong , but your direction of attack certainly is! "

anonymous#1 wrote on Sep 20, 2008 11:01 PM:

" Re: truthiness...LOL i question the same thing! Maybe we should start our own rally!!! "

anonymous#1 wrote on Sep 20, 2008 11:00 PM:

" Re: Everybody! What the **** are you talking about? Tell me about how many children will suffer because of the layoffs...maybe people will take there jobs more seriously... and maybe LANDLORD you won't rent to section 8... you know people trying to get something out of the state!!! If everybody stopped having kids, we wouldn't have this dilemna! "

BigBrother wrote on Sep 20, 2008 10:58 PM:

" Its nice to see the republican politicians show up and take an interest in keeping the parks open. They should have been fighting this battle six months ago in Springfield. We as tax payers need to tell all elected officials that if the parks are not funded we are going to vote them out of office. Novenber 4th is election day and if the Senate does not fund the parks before then we need to band together as voters and vote every incumbant regardless of party out of office. No more second chances! Fund the parks or find a new job!!!! "

miskaffon wrote on Sep 20, 2008 10:16 PM:

" I think it is pathetic that so many people who post sarcastic comments about the parks see no value in them when so many do. I don't think that DCFS should be reduced either. BUT all the HUGE projects in Chicago like idiotic sidewalk projects are still going strong. The Chicago Democraps are winning again. "

lincolnlover wrote on Sep 20, 2008 10:14 PM:

" YaY - I don't think people do not care. Its just that those services aren't visible unless you have a personal need for them and most of the population does not have a personal need for them. I think the lawmakers know how important social services are and will reinstate the money, just as they are expected to with parks and historic sites.
While I do support tax money going to social services, I think it is important to point out that the state privatized many social services long ago. They chose to simply buy services from private vendors, just like buying any other commodity. It isn't the state's responsibility to make sure those vendors stay in business. Of course that doesn't appply to DCFS - those are state employees and, you are right, there aren't enough of them to begin with, let alone laying off more. "

landlord wrote on Sep 20, 2008 9:11 PM:

" higher taxes okay "

yay! wrote on Sep 20, 2008 9:10 PM:

" I think it is pretty pathetic that 1000+ people show up to save a park yet no one is doing anything about the possibility of lay-offs and cuts being made to DCFS!!!!!!! DCFS is the agency that services the children that the State is responsible for and investigates abuse and neglect of children in our own communmity. It is disturbing to see where peoples priorities are and their concern is by trying to save a park or lake but ignoring the children in our community or maybe they do not know how many children will suffer as a result of layoffs. Obviously the Governor does not care about the safety and well being of the children of the state and neither does anyone else besides the people doing the work!!!!! "

truthiness wrote on Sep 20, 2008 8:35 PM:

" I still have the question.... how do you close a lake?! "

Not so Political wrote on Sep 20, 2008 7:24 PM:

" I remember cleaning up the grounds with about 300 other boy scouts just before they opened it up as a park to the public. The place has a lot of memories. "

Rolling Eyes wrote on Sep 20, 2008 6:51 PM:

" While I believe that public parks are a valid function for federal, state and local governments, I'm glad to see *something* is being cut from the budget. Too bad it isn't the governors many social programs (like his pet healthcare program) that were illegally enacted without any law to do so. "

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