![RayHanania Ray Hanania](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/RayHanania.jpg)
Ray Hanania
Readers keep newspapers vibrant
By Ray Hanania
At a time when newspapers are dying, it is gratifying to hear from so many people in the southwest suburbs and in the city who read our important community newspapers.
So, I want to say thank you to our readers. Community newspapers are so important to the viability of our communities. You can judge the health of a community by the health of its local newspaper. Some communities, unfortunately, don’t have community newspapers and you can see how that hurts them.
I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.
It doesn’t matter what your political allegiances are, or your ethnicity or race or nationality. We’re all Americans and we live in the greatest country in the world.
Of course, I wish there were a little less hate from both sides. We can have discussions, disagreements and even passionate debates without hating each other.
I avoid most of the news and talk shows on television these days. They are driven by anger and fuel the hatred that divides this country.
![Readers keep newspapers vibrant 1 RayHanania](https://www.southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/RayHanania.jpg)
Ray Hanania
If we don’t do something about it, to stop the hate, end the animosity over politics and focus instead on how to help each other, we might find ourselves in a lot of trouble, folks.
My trip to Dubai
I traveled to Dubai last week to attend a journalism conference hosted by Arab News, the Gulf newspaper I work for as the U.S. special correspondent.
While the American news media continues to deteriorate, the Middle East news media is growing. They had more than 160 journalists there from 10 bureaus in Saudi Arabia, the UAE (Dubai), France, Pakistan, Japan, England, Asia and, with me, the United States. All anyone talks about overseas is the polarization that has crippled America and the fragile leadership that is so divided, angry and unproductive.
But that’s not the worst thing that shocked me during the trip. The absolutely most shocking thing I experienced was the deterioration of O’Hare International Airport.
O’Hare was filthy. The bathrooms were disgusting. The process of moving passengers through customs and to their planes is bogged down in laziness and poor employee service.
Honestly, the place smelled. It was a pit. I wanted to take a shower and use an in-hand sanitizer when I was out of there.
The parking system is broken. The shuttles they use to pick up passengers from those parking lots were filthy and broken. The shuttle seats were so dirty. The speaker system was inaudible. The road signs directing motorists to the parking lots were few and far between.
It was the worst experience of my life. Customs was terrible. On returning from Dubai, I had to stand in a line of people that zig-zagged through a maze of 22 roped areas (walking back and forth) for nearly three hours. The place smelled. I wanted to barf it was so bad.
The attitude of the customs officials was so terrible. Like they were angry I was returning to this country.
The baggage area was a mess with luggage piled on top of each other. The conveyor belt was jammed with bags because they couldn’t process the travelers quickly enough. It was crowded and the room was small.
I couldn’t wait to get out of there.
Contrast that to Dubai, where the system was so clean, efficient and fast. They were welcoming to everyone.
Is Dubai that much better than America?
Worse is that through all that filth at O’Hare, I had to walk past dozens of TV terminals broadcasting an expensive advertisement over and over again promoting Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
Even worse is that while I struggled to enter this country as a law-abiding, legal traveler, I couldn’t stop thinking about how much more attention and support those who sneak into this country illegally get when they cross the southern border.
Next time, I’ll enter the country illegally and avoid customs. I am sure I will be treated better and even given a free ride to my home with so many benefits: food, healthcare, insurance, education for my kids and even money to make my illegal experience productive.
Check out my Tiktok video comparing O’Hare to Dubai on my page at Titktok.com/@RayHanania. (Even if you don’t like politics, you can see the videos of me making Middle Eastern foods, which I hope you will enjoy.)
Check out Ray Hanania’s columns and political podcasts at hanania.com.
Local News
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Fight to save ShotSpotter is still alive
Spread the love. By Tim Hadac Editor Clear-Ridge Reporter & NewsHound (708)-496-0265 . As you have read several times in the Clear-Ridge Reporter & NewsHound, the people of Clearing and Garfield Ridge are clear in their support of keeping ShotSpotter technology deployed in Chicago, to help police fight crime. So I won’t go over old…
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63rd Street getting a facelift
Spread the love. Quinn hails federally funded resurfacing project . By Tim Hadac The old joke about there being not four seasons, but just two in Chicago each year—winter and construction—was apparent late last week as heavy equipment arrived in Clearing. As 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn and other city officials gathered for an outdoor…
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Tabares blasts Foxx over ‘no seizure’ idea
Spread the love. Brands State’s Attorney as ‘pro-criminal’ . By Tim Hadac Twenty-third Ward Ald. Silvana Tabares this week blasted outgoing Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx over a possible change in how crimes are—or are not–prosecuted.Foxx recently said she is considering a plan to decline to prosecute weapons and drug crimes detected by routine…
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School can get messy
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Brother, what a day today is
Spread the love. By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . May 24 is National Brothers Day. The word “brother” comes from the Latin root for “frater” and the Proto-Germanic word “brothar” which itself comes from the Proto-Indo-European root “bhrater.” I’m sure everyone already knows that, but…
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May your Memorial Day be meaningful
Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 517-7796 . I hope we all will have a meaningful Memorial Day. Let us remember that this day is set to honor military personnel who died in service of their country. Memorial Day also marks…
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Boys Volleyball | Sandburg seeks 26th regional title
Spread the loveBy Randy Whalen Correspondent Coming off the worst season in program history in 2023, Sandburg was not going to settle for anything less than better results this year. Past the midway point of this season, however, the Eagles had a record of 11-8. But they closed the regular season strong, winning 11 of…
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Baseball | Red-hot Reavis looks to make noise in postseason
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Reavis is determined to send their head coach Don Erickson into retirement on a high note and will head into the postseason red hot and as South Suburban Red champions. The Rams defeated Oak Lawn 3-0 for the second straight day on May 15 to clinch the conference title.…
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Sports Bits | Rice boats at Carlyle Lake, Hawkeye DB and Do It Stevie’s Way
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Noteworthy sports briefs from May 12-19 • Brother Rice’s No. 1 boat of Joe Hall and Joe Judeh took 31st in the state bass fishing tournament, which wrapped up on May 18 at Carlyle Lake. The Crusaders had a two-day haul of 7 pounds, 12 ounces. The Crusaders’ No.…
Neighbors
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Corey Wolf ‘living the dream’ as new Shepard hoops coach
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent For Corey Wolf, obtaining the ultimate high school basketball prize started in the summer of 2007. Wolf was playing for a Richards team that had showed much promise, having gone 26-3 and winning a regional title the previous season. Then-Bulldogs coach John Chappetto let his players know when summer…
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Staab header helps Red Stars forge draw with KC
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Heading into the weekend, only Kansas City and Orlando were unbeaten among NWSL teams. The teams were tied atop the league standings, with each sporting 8-0-4 records. They now share another common denominator: Both have forged draws with the Red Stars. Red Stars defender Sam Stabb’s header in the…
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Red Stars unhappy with Riot Fest conflict
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Among the bands that will headline the newly minted Riot Fest music festival are Chicago-area natives Fall Out Boy. The annual concert featuring an eclectic mix of musical acts will be held in Bridgeview Sept. 20-22 — and boy, oh boy, there is a lot of fallout from the…
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It’s about time | Illinois high school hoops gets 35-second shot clock beginning with 2026-27 season
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Oak Lawn police target drivers who ignore stop signs
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Volunteers from Brother Rice, St. Rita and St. Laurence help indigent on their final journey
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Riot Fest abandons Chicago park for SeatGeek Stadium
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Comings & Goings: Orland Park Summerfest returns this weekend
Spread the loveBy Bob Bong Back for a second go round this weekend is the Orland Park Area Chamber of Commerce’s Summerfest. The event combines a carnival, live music, an array of dining options and a car show, at the 153rd Street Metra Station location in Orland Park and will run from Friday, June 14,…
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Repair Cafe this Saturday at Township of Lyons HQ
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‘They didn’t have to kill my brother’ – sister of slain Bridgeview man
Spread the loveBy Steve Metsch Arturo Cantu should be celebrating two big events this weekend. He would have celebrated his 40th birthday on June 14. And, a sister said, he would have enjoyed Father’s Day on Sunday, spending time with family and his two young children. Instead, 10 family members and friends gathered in a…