What’s Speak Out? Speak Out allows readers to comment on the issues of the day. Email Speak Out at speakout@southtownstar.com or call 312-222-2427. Please limit comments to 30 seconds or about 120 words and give your first name and your hometown.

The city of Markham, the Cook County judge, the Cook County Land Bank, the social workers and the religious all turned their backs on this poor woman. Show some compassion, kindness and understanding, not to mention justice. Shame on all of you. At least give her the land at the value in place when it was illegally taken from her so she can afford a roof over her head and resources for safety and food.

Terry, Crestwood

Now that theCook County Board voted to recognize Juneteenth as an official paid holiday for county government employees starting next year, they should approve May 18 to honor all the legal immigrants who came over to our country from Europe.

Robert, Homewood

Now I read in the Southtown how all of a sudden June 19 is a paid holiday for government workers in Cook County. What a joke. Government employees don’t need anymore days off with pay. They get the whole day off and paid to go vote, they get Veterans Day off and I’m willing to bet 95% of them aren’t even veterans. I’m a 20-year Army veteran, in 26 years of driving a semi I never got Veterans Day off. Government again. Union workers and government workers are so important but everybody else is just a pawn in the game.

Dave, Beecher

I thought Notre Dame was a school for smarter people. Brian Kelly is nowhere near smart. Doesn’t he realize what a pandemic is? He threatens to pull the football team out of a meaningless game because his prima donna players can’t play in front of their families. He should realize that people’s safety is more important than his blackmail attempt.

Bruce, Chicago

To Carol from Orland Park, I know it’s a tough pill to swallow, but police officers, 9 out of 10, would never raid a white woman’s home and disrespect her the way they did the Black victim in question. This is the way the apple has been crumbling for all these years showing no respect for women of color. It’s a shame that they tried to hide their botched up raid. Mayor Lightfoot said she was sorry and would try to make things better. Her excuse was she was busy with the budget. Enough excuses for Chicago.

BJ, Hazel Crest