# Cicadas, Muslim politicians, and AI art spark debate > Chicago readers weigh in on louder insects, political barriers, and creative gatekeeping. - Title: Cicadas, Muslim politicians, and AI art spark debate - Summary: Chicago readers weigh in on louder insects, political barriers, and creative gatekeeping. Late-emerging cicadas created an unusually loud September in… - Keywords: cicadas, chicago, cook county forest preserves, negin almassi, abdul el-sayed, zohran mamdani, muslim politicians, michigan senate race, haris tarin, artificial intelligence, artists, raina kubinski - Source: Chicago Sun-Times — https://chicago.suntimes.com/letters-to-the-editor/2026/09/16/cicadas-chicago-forest-preserve-muslims-el-sayed-mamdani-art-ai - Published: 2026-09-16T11:00:00+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: cicadas, chicago, cook county forest preserves, negin almassi, abdul el-sayed, zohran mamdani, muslim politicians, michigan senate race, haris tarin, artificial intelligence, artists, raina kubinski ## Cicadas are louder this year Dog day cicadas emerged later than usual in Chicago area forest preserves. More arrived at once, creating a noisier September. ## Weather delayed their arrival Early season temperatures and rain fluctuations pushed cicada emergence back. Instead of staggering throughout summer, they all showed up late. ## Think of a crowded restaurant If traffic delays everyone until 7 p.m., the rest of the night gets busier and louder. Same thing happened with cicadas this year. > Think of dinner service at a popular walk-up restaurant. Customers come in waves: the after-work crowd, friends wanting to catch up, after-show audiences. ## Decibel levels reached 60 to 70 Volunteers measured dog day cicadas at 60 to 70 decibels near homes and preserves. In 2024, they were drowned out by human noise at 40 to 50. ## Join a sound walk in October The forest preserves are hosting one last sound walk of the season on October 3. You can register online or volunteer for next year. ## Muslim leaders break political barriers Young Muslim politicians like Abdul El-Sayed and Zohran Mamdani are refusing to stay in boxes. They're rattling the establishment. ## El-Sayed's win mirrors JFK's moment His Michigan Democratic Senate primary victory represents a breakthrough for Muslims, like Kennedy's 1960 win did for Catholics. ## Post-9/11 suspicion targeted Muslims An entire generation saw their faith become synonymous with extremism. Mosques were surveilled and loyalty was questioned. > Post-9/11, a cloud of suspicion was systematically cast on Muslims. ## Political opponents still use tropes Muslim public figures face Trojan horse accusations and demands for public disavowals. Their loyalty to America comes with an asterisk. ## El-Sayed focuses on policy, not identity He campaigns on universal healthcare, money out of politics, and affordability. He's not asking permission to belong anymore. ## The glass ceiling is shattered The next generation of Muslim children will see no contradiction between being deeply Muslim and deeply American. > A new generation of American Muslims has decided it will no longer allow prejudice to determine what is possible. ## Artists are shaming AI users Small businesses using AI for logos or graphics face horrible names and exclusion from creative spaces. The backlash is intense. ## Small businesses can't always afford artists There's a difference between corporations replacing paid artists and broke businesses needing a quick flyer. Money and time matter. > If we can create what we need in 20 minutes using the tools available to us, sometimes that's what we have to do. ## Gatekeeping looks like elitism Deciding who's worthy of creating based on access or money is problematic. We need realistic ways to hire human artists instead. ## A directory connects artists and businesses Forever Feral Habitat is creating a free public directory. It connects small businesses with human artists across different prices and turnaround times. > Bullying and exclusion aren't solutions. ## Key takeaway Late-emerging cicadas created an unusually loud September in Chicago's forest preserves this year.