Our sorry state
Wednesday, Mar 22, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* 17 acts of violence at funerals in the past year has prompted this proposed legislation…
June Williams, director of a Gresham neighborhood funeral home, worries about getting shot at work.
In the last two years, Golden Gate Funeral Home has seen several acts of violence, including an instance where a staff driver was shot.
Williams said she’s had to turn over to the police funeral home guest books signed by gang members who were attending funerals of their rivals. […]
“Regardless of what caused the death of a loved one, I have mothers and grandmothers that are standing with me. … We deserve to be safe at a funeral,” said Bishop Larry Trotter, senior pastor of the Sweet Holy Spirit Church, 8621 S. Chicago Ave., in the South Chicago neighborhood, where a Tuesday press conference was held calling for legislation to keep violence out of funerals.
Chicago funeral home directors and activists at the conference said they are working with Sen. Napoleon Harris, D-Harvey, on writing a bill that proposes tougher consequences for offenders who commit crimes involving a weapon at funerals. The bill will mirror the stiffer penalties for certain gun crimes near schools and along designated Safe Passage routes, Trotter said.
- @MisterJayEm - Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 8:51 am:
It’s as if the cycle of violence is cyclical.
– MrJM
- Rocky Rosi - Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 8:56 am:
The question is why does this only happens in some communities? I feel so bad that people live like this. It’s human nature to be peaceful I thought. Let’s hope it gets better.
- Shemp - Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 8:58 am:
Once again, no reason a violence penalty should be stronger in one place and not another. Whether it’s my work, my school, my home, my daycare, my gym or my funeral, if you shoot me, the penalty should remain the same. I want to be shot the equal amount at all those places. Well, ok, some days at work it might not seem AS bad.
- Anon - Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 9:05 am:
If they have no respect in the first place, I don’t see what this accomplishes.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 9:09 am:
– It’s human nature to be peaceful, I thought.-
Not so you’d notice. Cain slew Abel, and he was about the only other dude around.
Back in the day, Al Capone would send huge flower arrangements to the services of those he clipped. I don’t know if that’s more civilized or not.
- don the legend - Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 9:12 am:
This proposed legislation is addressing the symptom and not the disease. Why do legislators take this easy path instead of keeping the spotlight on the problem? Oh yeah, the easy path!!
- Would the last one out turn off the lights - Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 9:14 am:
A graveyard in Forest Park, Illinois appears to be a popular resting place for gang bangers who have gone on to their eternal reward. I have observed two funeral processions to same. Each featured cars with blaring music, people literally hanging out windows shouting and flashing gang signs and swerving in and out of lanes. It seems there would be probable cause to stop every car in the procession. It appears however the police at least in Oak Park and Forest Park simply watch and I guess make sure nobody gets shot but tolerates all else. I know the Chicago police have gone fetal, but why suburban policemen too? After the first couple of processions get stopped perhaps the behavior will improve. Why should the majority be terrorized by outlaws who have no desire to conform to anything remotely similar to civilized behavior?
- cdog - Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 9:15 am:
Why do some groups of people/individuals behave this way?
I don’t think this can be explained by a lack of equal opportunity to better one’s self. These behaviors get to the core of a person’s moral code. If there can be a public labeling of this, and then talk about fixing it, then maybe some progress can be made.
Theory is that a “contract” supposedly exists between the “state” and the citizens so that this cycle of violence isn’t necessary. I guess these citizens that shoot people during funerals didn’t get that memo.
To be a hopeful person, one has to have the belief that another law to protect innocents from this “state of nature” will be effective.
sigh……
Would it be logical to blame it on liberals controlling the public education system?
- Cubs in '16 - Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 9:46 am:
What don the legend said. Stiffer penalties are no deterrent whatsoever to gang members.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 9:49 am:
CDog, would it be logical to blame “liberal educators” for urban violence in Dickens London? NYC in the Civil War era? Capone’s Chicago? The attacks on the Klan against Catholics in Southeren Illinois, and their counter–attacks?
Were “liberal educators” also responsible for the steady 20+ years decline of violence in Chicago until late 2015?
Or dId you just start with an unsupported conclusion and are trying to backfill some rationale for it?
- Puddintaine - Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 10:22 am:
Seems that there are definitely efficiencies to be gained with this behavior.
And a silk screened tshirts tax on site would generate far more revenue than a sugary drink tax.
- Who is it - Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 10:46 am:
Shemp it’s called a deterrent.
- Slippin' Jimmy - Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 11:08 am:
What word said.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 12:19 pm:
=Theory is that a “contract” supposedly exists between the “state” and the citizens so that this cycle of violence isn’t necessary.=
Hobbes belief is that we entered into a contract with each other (other citizens) to move from the state of nature to civil society. Locke said we gain civil rights in return for he obligation to defend the rights of others.
=Would it be logical to blame it on liberals controlling the public education system? =
Word nailed it.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 12:39 pm:
CDOg, if my post was “violent, ” your definition of the word is rather broad.
I’d suggest that history has shown that chronic and high concentrations of urban poverty can cause some living in those conditions to conclude that the social contract is irrelevant to their lives, producing crime and violence at times, rebellion or revolution at other times.
That’s true on the West Side, and was true in Dickens London, 1863 NYC, 1916 Dublin, 1917 Moscow, and countless other examples from history where “liberal educators” or even “moral codes” weren’t in play.
- Shemp - Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 1:38 pm:
===- Who is it - Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 10:46 am:
Shemp it’s called a deterrent.===
I would like one to be equally deterred from firing a gun whether it was my neighborhood/school/work/funeral/etc. If the punishment should be harsher at one, why should it not be harsher at all?
- cdog - Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 2:38 pm:
Word, as always I appreciate the depth of your knowledge. Regardless of history repeating itself due to personal economics, this funeral culture is still wrong, uncivilized, unacceptable, unamerican, and expensive. Many disadvantaged people find a way to go through life without being so awful.
- cdog - Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 2:53 pm:
JS Mill, interesting — “Hobbes belief is that we entered into a contract with each other (other citizens) to move from the state of nature to civil society. Locke said we gain civil rights in return for he obligation to defend the rights of others.”
So this is definitely in Hobbes arena, but why the regression into such a cycle of violence in this particular socio-economic situation? It seems that something, besides personal economics has gone wrong here; there is nothing civilized about this.
To be poor in America, is to be relatively rich compared to historical and other current situations in the world. Acting crazy and shooting people at funerals is such a misuse of American freedom.
- crazybleedingheart - Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 3:31 pm:
The Tribune headline is irresponsible.
“to reduce violence”
No.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 3:38 pm:
–Many disadvantaged people find a way to go through life without being so awful.–
The great majority, actually. I questioned your trying to pin the actions of a few individuals on something you called “liberals controlling the public education system.”
Seemed like a stretch.
- Nikolas Name - Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 3:46 pm:
If someone has intentions of murdering at a funeral home, do they really think any more laws will make some maggot reconsider his actions?