Good morning, Chicago.

I used to live in the Ukrainian Village neighborhood, and I recall the passionate commitment to Ukrainian culture that is its beating heart. The president of the Ukrainian National Museum there explains in her op-ed today why Ukrainians and members of the diaspora are so proud of their people’s history and culture and why Vladimir Putin is so foolish to discount those things. I highly recommend reading it.

Also in commentary, foreign affairs columnist Elizabeth Shackelford writes that the Trump administration has resurrected the “Red Scare” by stirring up fear over democratic socialism, which, as she astutely explains, is not communism. And Monique Carroll, head of intercollegiate athletics at Chicago State University, goes into detail as to why the South Side’s first Division I football program matters.

In editorials, the Tribune Editorial Board argues that it’s unfair for Gov. JB Pritzker to take swipes at Big Oil over gas prices considering those companies didn’t start the war in Iran, and the board concludes that merging the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund with the state-run Teachers Retirement System would put Chicago Public Schools on solid financial ground.

In letters, we have some stirred-up readers who have thoughts to share about state government. If you’re stirred up, too, about that or other things affecting our state or city, I encourage you to write us a letter! Click on the link below.

Have a great weekend. Still plenty of summer left to soak up the sun.

— Colleen Kujawa, opinion editor

Submit an op-ed | Submit a letter to the editor | Meet the Tribune Editorial Board | Subscribe to this newsletter