Speak Out is a reader-generated column of opinions. If you there’s something you’d like to comment on in Elgin or beyond, send an email to ksorensen@tribpub.com. Please include “speak out” in the subject line.

Facts speak volumes: The Congressional hearings on the Jan. 6 coup attempt are based on testimony from honorable witnesses who told their story of Trump’s corrupt behavior and leave no double of his participation. He refused to accept the 2020 election results by making erroneous, fraudulent statements followed by malicious attempts to overthrow our government. The hearing testimony makes it clear he made numerous attempts to manipulate public violence, Department of Justice findings, the electoral process of seven states, inner party actions, appointed government agents and staff. He called state officials and anyone who might listen to helping to keep him in office. Sad that we have so much ignorance that people are not willing to listen and evaluate the facts or still don’t understand how he betrayed our nation.

Activists weren’t aborted: To all the women that believe in abortion: Your mother didn’t have an abortion and kill you. Do they ever think of that? They are here! How many of these people realize they weren’t killed? There are alive and protesting. Maybe you should hug your mother (because she) wanted you.

Weapon of choice: I find it very disturbing that the Kendall County GOP is holding a gun raffle of a semi-automatic rifle on July 24. Much of the nation has seen a Republican Party that continuously fails to support tough gun laws, which should of include terminating the sales of semi-automatic weapons. These guns are meant to kill people! Yes, the latest gun legislation was supported by a bipartisan Congress but semi-automatic rifle access will remain as the gun of choice of mass killings. When the past semi-automatic weapons access legislation ended in 2004, it started an explosive the increase of mass killings.

Do the right thing: During the Jan. 6 Congressional committee hearings, someone suggested that former Vice President Mike Pence should receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom for not doing the wrong thing. I suggest a much more worthy recipient is Lynn Cheney, who continues to do the right thing even if it means almost certain defeat in November.

Keep dogs in cages: The airlines must be real desperate to allow dogs to be on seats in a commercial airline. The people who bring them should be put in the cage with them.

Can you guarantee this? I will happily agree to support the return of the death penalty if it can be guaranteed and proven that no mistake will ever be made in its application; that no innocent person will ever be executed. Have we forgotten so soon that former Gov. George Ryan commuted the death sentence that had been imposed on an innocent man less than 48 hours before he was due to be electrocuted? Once a human being has been put to death, there’s no going back. How do you remedy that kind of mistake?