* Uh-oh…
No location? The kid is wearing a Cubs hat.
If you click here and read the mentions, the reaction was pretty harsh. And the Radical Candor IL account fired off a sharp projectile.
* Rep. Christian Mitchell (D-Chicago) threw down…
Not to mention that TIF districts don’t take money from black and brown kids.
* Rep. Mitchell then went on a tweet tirade. He posted much of it to his Facebook page…
PI: I’m going to do this in a series of tweets, so please bear with me. First: we have had a series of policy disagreements. That’s expected.
But I am extraordinarily disappointed in your organization and your leadership for the way you’re handling this situation.
1st) I disagree with your point, but that is not the issue here. You could have drawn a CPS building, You could have put CPS on the cap. You could have drawn another kid. You could have drawn an african american child without exaggerated features (ie lips), like the white male in the same photo. But you made a different choice, one that links to a dark and troubled history, and when confronted with it, decided to double down. It’s a choice, but not a great one.
2nd) A group whose staff looks like a Trump Org. photo, with minimal front facing diversity, a group who sued to block same day voter registration, with a disproportionate impact on minority voters, a group whose budget book slashed programs with a disparate minority impact, a group who is right now, despite data and evidence, attempting to take $500 million from predominately poor, minority kids around the state, Lacks both the credibility and should, in theory, have too much shame, to be the arbiter of what is fair to black kids in Chicago. You have made your choice. But understand that that choice - especially this week - is incredibly tone deaf and provocative.
…Adding… The cartoon was the topic of House floor debate today…
*** UPDATE *** Â Mayor Emanuel…
âAt the same time the President of the United States is throwing his arms around neo-Nazis and Klansmen, Governor Raunerâs brain trust at the Illinois Policy Institute weighed in on the SB1 debate by publishing an unambiguously racist cartoon. The critical debate over education funding in this state should be about ensuring a better future for students in every corner of Illinois, regardless of race, income or zip code â and not as an opportunity to divide us further. Itâs particularly frustrating because CPS students are making historic academic gains. In fact, three CPS high schools were recently recognized among the top 10 in the country, and seven of the top 10 in the state. Over the past five years, virtually all of Illinoisâ academic progress is attributable to Chicagoâs students.
Weâd call upon the Governor to use his influence as IPIâs largest funder and alumni-employer to demand this tasteless cartoon be taken down, but whatâs the point? Instead, it provides a useful window into his outlook and determination to continue punishing poor and minority children instead of grasping the opportunity in front of him to right decades of unfair and unequal funding for school districts across Illinois. What a disgrace.â
- molly maguire - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:31 am:
bring it, Rep. Mitchell
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:32 am:
This is the messaging that so captivated Mrs. Rauner?
- Amalia - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:33 am:
If you are a Republican or a Conservative, you might just want to take a breath and check before you tweet or post cause this one is pure blindness. Is the racism just so deep in the pores that you can’t see it IPI? even if you don’t recognize the Cubs logo, it’s a C, hmmm. we know what you meant. Can’t wait to hear what Sessions says today about Chicago. seems to be all from one playbook.
- HoneyBadger - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:41 am:
Hope all those wealthy individuals who support (finance) the IPI reflect on what they have done and start to withdraw their funding. So disgusted with the IPI and hope they get ripped apart by the media.
- Blue Bayou - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:41 am:
IPI just a more obvious racist messenger than their Governor, who does it with “style.”
Watch what Rauner does, not what he says.
- City Zen - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:42 am:
The hat should say Make America Great Again.
- pet project - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:43 am:
===Not to mention that TIF districts donât take money from black and brown kids.===
What? In Chicago, those are hundreds of millions of dollars that would go to CPS.
- Ahoy! - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:44 am:
Eh this reaction seems to be a political in nature of trying to make a racial issue where there is not one. Maybe they should have drawn a white kid to make a couple blow hard legislators feel better, I don’t know. I dislike the IPI just as much as the next person, but I get the just of the cartoon. TIF districts in Illinois are abused by politicians and insider businesses. Since 60% or more of property tax dollars go to schools when this abuse happens, it takes money from kids. Yes, you can argue that it does not because the State just makes up the difference in TIF funds, but those are all public dollars that are essentially being diverted in a shell game with the money going to political pet projects. If those shell games are not being played, could more money go toward education?
Of course all of this seems disingenuous because it’s the IPI but either way it’s just political non-sense by both the IPI and some Chicago legislators.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:45 am:
===hundreds of millions of dollars that would go to CPS===
And replaced by state dollars. The Policy Institute, however, would take those state dollars away.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:47 am:
==The hat should say Make America Great Again==
Or “Make BTIAmerica Great Again”
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:48 am:
Infatuating use of social media. They’re a real force du jour.
- Annonin' - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:48 am:
Somehow the words pigs & bigots comes to mind. Same terms applied to Trump and his ilk nearly ewvery day. BTIA
- @MisterJayEm - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:48 am:
Someone at the IPI has a black friend so their cartoon can’t possibly be racist.
– MrJM
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:50 am:
===a racial issue where there is not one===
Right. Publishing a cartoon featuring an obese black kid with thick lips panhandling in the street is NOT racist in the LEAST.
Sheesh.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:51 am:
==The Policy Institute, however, would take those state dollars away.==
Perhaps a cartoon showing their bearded anti-TIF person, as shown in their previous cartoons, taking money away from kids would be more appropriate, then.
- Sonny - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:52 am:
It’s straight up offensive. That they don’t have the good sense to edit themselves, especially in light of the racists’ resurgence this week, shows total recklessness. These are the people “graduating” to run the Governor’s office and the state. Gross.
- Juvenal - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:53 am:
Rich nails it.
The only wealthy white folks trying to take money from black and brown kids at this point are Bruce Rauner and John Tillman.
- northsider (the original) - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:53 am:
——From what I understand, both the governor and Mrs. Rauner were infatuated with the Illinois Policy Instituteâs social media presence, particularly its Facebook page. They âunderstoodâ messaging the same way the Raunerâs did. And now here we are.—-
So here we are.
Renounce it or accept the racists you see in the mirror.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:54 am:
You just know the cartoonist was giggling the whole time he was drawing the child.
- Rogue Roni - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:54 am:
The silver lining is the covert racism of the right is being brought out into the light
- cdog - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:54 am:
I would like to hear what a conservative African-American pundit or politician has to say about how cronyism affects inner-city AA children.
- Glengarry - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:54 am:
This comes as no surprise to me. The IPI deserves what it gets for this.
- From the 'Dale to HP - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:55 am:
One thing that popped into my head reading IPI’s responses… did Lucci run IPI’s twitter? And is he still doing so?
- Anon E. Moose - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:57 am:
I did a search for this cartoonist. Here’s another one of his gems: https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9VGZjBQHr0s/TDMHPzWGufI/AAAAAAAAFUs/i4V6jN8ONto/s1600/black-panther-case.jpg
- Perrid - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:58 am:
Agree with Rep. Mitchell, even if you want to think IPI’s motivation is good (which I don’t) this was just stupid, at the very least, and probably caused by at least unconscious bias/racism. And that’s me trying to be VERY nice.
- A guy - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:59 am:
At the very, very least…bad taste.
- pet project - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:59 am:
Rich,
State dollars for the TIF subsidy account for around $200M+ to CPS. By eliminating TIF, CPS is entitled to about $300M+ in annual revenue. Chicago EAV has been growing and that number will grow as well. And that doesnât even account for the one-time cash infusion that would come from surplusing the money that currently exists in TIF accounts.
TIFs take money from black and brown kids. A shell game doesn’t make that any less true.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 11:01 am:
Anon E Moose, is the example you posted racist? Gee, it’s so hard to tell these days…..
- Wensicia - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 11:05 am:
Perhaps the IPI and their supporters need the definition of racism explained to them.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 11:05 am:
Has the Gov renounced this deplorable act by IPI??
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 11:06 am:
Racist and sad. Just sad…
- Flapdoodle - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 11:08 am:
Ahoy @ 10:44 — “I get the just of the cartoon”
What an ironic typo — nothing about this cartoon and the mindset behind is “just”. The racial stereotyping is blatant and offensive. The IPI is increasingly showing its true character,
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 11:10 am:
== By eliminating TIF==
You can’t just “eliminate” existing TIF agreements. At least not without many lawsuits and millions of millions of dollars spent to defend….that you’ll likely lose.
- Mama - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 11:12 am:
“Not to mention that TIF districts donât take money from black and brown kids. ”
Are you sure? School districts are not allowed to tax businesses that have TIF. Schools are losing money via TIF.
- Michelle Flaherty - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 11:16 am:
When’s the cartoonist get a Deputy Gov job?
- Mama - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 11:18 am:
Rauner & company have joined Trump’s camp.
- HoneyBadger - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 11:21 am:
Illinois Policy Institute…Only 1 African-American out of the 29 people listed as either staff or leadership and with a few photos missing.
Represents Illinois or just the North Shore?
IPI=Ignorant People Institute
- HoneyBadger - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 11:24 am:
IPI, the farm system for Governor Rauner.
- ZC - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 11:25 am:
Case Example #1,003,471 that largely white conservative groups don’t know how to communicate with African-Americans.
We hear a lot about the linguistic disconnect between urban Democrats and rural conservative white voters - and there’s something to that - but this is also a systemic problem.
- Smitty Irving - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 11:28 am:
Going to be charitable and see it less as a “Sambo cartoon” and more as a “cartoon by a bunch of clueless Omegas and Neidermeyers” playing out of their league.
- Ghost - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 11:28 am:
MrJM more of an acquaintances friends neighbor…. but that still counts right?
The IPI not seeing the racism here explains a lot about the problem. And Honey they wont lose money from the wealthy guys who support them; This is what they all apparently beleive
- Cook County Commoner - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 11:33 am:
I will go out on a limb and suggest that the IPI and the cartoonist are not fools, and they have provoked precisely the reaction they sought. That scares me.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 11:38 am:
I think this cartoon got ahead of itself by trying to go around the edges of being racially and geographically smart.
The problem when you try to ride the edge with a both those triggers to make a point… the line of self-awareness and the line of decency gets crossed without much effort.
They know what the message was. They just didn’t realize the subtlety was passed along the way.
Bad form.
- City Zen - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 11:48 am:
==Illinois Policy InstituteâŠOnly 1 African-American out of the 29 people listed as either staff or leadership and with a few photos missing.==
Would you prefer IPI strive for the abysmal diversity benchmarks of the labor unions instead?
http://www.local150.org/about-us/local-150-officers/
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:11 pm:
City Zen, 5 white union officials out of 23,000 union people? How is that even close to being similar?
- Rogue Roni - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:12 pm:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism
Educate yourself Zen
- Ghost - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:16 pm:
OW so basically forget dog whistle racism, they were aiming for air raid siren racism?
- illini97 - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:16 pm:
I wonder if this will make Diana’s North Shore cocktail party conversations better.
That’s what IPI is for, right? Messaging things to make the First Lady’s cocktail conversations better?
What’s a little racism among wealthy friends?
The sooner the Rauner’s exit politics and take their money with them, the better. Honest question, how many staff does IPI have if BVR and friends stop writing checks?
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:17 pm:
===…so basically forget dog whistle racism, they were aiming for air raid siren racism?===
… they just didn’t realize it.
- Mr B. - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:17 pm:
I didn’t read this as racist or insensitive. I would have thought it was making fun of the rich white guy. I respect Rep. Ammons perspective.
- illini97 - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:19 pm:
I see we have devolved to the “whatabouts.” Neat.
That’s always a sure sign that you have a defensible argument.
- Intentional Usage - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:27 pm:
The cartoon is so out of bounds it’s hard for me to imagine this is isn’t intentional. Same PlayBook as Trump. Disgusting and cynical.
As for TIF, still amazes me that people don’t understand how it works. Ironically, because CTU and others have so successfully demonized TIF Rauner is trying to steal the issue from them and use it to stick it to CPS and it’s teachers. Poetic.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:30 pm:
Is there a link to IPI’s original post? Or did they delete it?
- btowntruthfromforgottonia - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:34 pm:
City Zen:
Show me where labor unions post racist cartoons like your pals at the IPI did.
- don the legend - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:35 pm:
I’m waiting for Governor Junk to say “There are racists on both sides. The IPI and this cartoonist are good people.”
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:36 pm:
“MrJM more of an acquaintances friends neighborâŠ. but that still counts right?”
You know — that guy down at the Kinkos — I think his name is ‘Bill’…
– MrJM
- City Zen - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:40 pm:
RR - Thank you for the lecture. I can only imagine the irony given the lecturer. What time is the selective outrage seminar?
Keep ignoring inconvenient truths if it suits your narrative, which can be summarized as such: diversity for three but not for me.
- anon - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:48 pm:
No doubt another Diana Rauner branding idea.
- City Zen - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:49 pm:
brown - IPI are not my friends. I don’t condone the cartoon at all. My point goes back to OP who called out the lack of diversity in IPI leadership which is far more diverse than private sector labor unions, particularly with female representation.
If you have an example otherwise, I’d be thrilled to concede the argument. Do you?
- Yo - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:54 pm:
The only possible way is for complete disavow of IPI and dismissal of all of the recently employed IPI folks- otherwise this is something the governor “approves of”
- Tuesday Group - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 1:00 pm:
Yeah, they’re just straight up racists. I went in for an interview (no intention of taking the job, just needed interview practice), and the guy led off with a joke about Mexicans.
“It’s ok, I am one myself.” Sure, buddy. Whatever you say.
- Jolly1 - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 1:04 pm:
It should’ve been a White Sox hat.;)
- justpeachy - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 1:19 pm:
==Ahoy! - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 10:44 am:==
I’m not a Chicago legislator, I’m not black or brown but I find this cartoon disgusting. There are many ways the point could have been made without being racist, but I wouldn’t really expect anything better from IPI or apparently from you.
- JohnSchmidt - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 1:25 pm:
Come on, if the point is that TIF is taking money from Kids — shouldn’t the guy be taking the kids money instead of showing an empty pocket and saying I have none for you???
- Anon III - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 1:51 pm:
Should have hired Bart Simpson for the cartoon gig. Bart has a nice ambivalently yellow complexion.
- ste_with_a_v_en - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 1:56 pm:
“Publishing a cartoon featuring an obese black kid with thick lips”
The lip thing I can see, but I don’t see the kid as obese. He has a big head, but most of the body is covered by the sign and the backpack. And the bigger head on the kid is commonly used in cartoons to emphasize age (as big head and smaller bodies are associated with youth in general).
To the substance of the cartoon, if the IPI drew a white kid as well, would that really make a difference? The point of the cartoon is to emphasize that there is funding in Chicago for schools while the city cries poor. That isn’t a new thing. Ask Karen Lewis about it.
Intent really does matter. Go and watch the video for Jay Z’s The Story of OJ. It’s a cartoon based on the old Sambo style cartoon to emphasize certain features. Compare it to the IPI cartoon. When Jay Z uses it, he’s doing to show how the community can rise above what sad stereotypes may have been forced upon them.
Ask yourself if the idea of an old white guy pocketing TIF funds for “economic development” at the expense of poor kids in Chicago isn’t real. It is. Look at the TIF funds for Navy Pier. That money could have gone to schools.
Lastly, look at the people who went to the United the right rally in VA. Look at the awful things they say and share and ask yourself is this cartoon from the IPI falls into the same category. It doesn’t.
It is amazing to see so many jump at the IPI and Rauner for being racist when there are real racist who clearly are full of hate. It’s racist that the media coverage focused on white nationalists in VA when people continued to be gunned down in Chicago. This cartoon isn’t racist. The people who helped perpetuate segregation in Chicago are racist.
- Honeybadger - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 2:10 pm:
I wonder how all of those AA clergymen feel about Rauner and his IPI ally now?
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 2:14 pm:
===âPublishing a cartoon featuring an obese black kid with thick lipsâ===
You forgot “panhandling in the street.”
- don the legend - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 3:12 pm:
- ste_with_a_v_en-” Itâs racist that the media coverage focused on white nationalists in VA when people continued to be gunned down in Chicago.”
Really. Not linking the two in the same story is your definition of racist.
I hope your MAGA hat is the red one so it matches your confederate flag shirt.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 3:24 pm:
==ask yourself is this cartoon from the IPI falls into the same category. It doesnât==
“C’mon, man, the cartoon doesn’t show any swastikas or hoods, so it’s not racist”
- Nikolas Name - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 3:26 pm:
The IPI live in an ivory tower in their collar county suburban McMansion completely disconnected from Illinois not realizing that their are kids that are important outside of their little ultra wealthy school districts. If their(IPI’s home disctricts) pool chlorine budget was cut by 10% so a deep southern Illinois district could get textbooks they would be howling like a bunch of angry chimps.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 3:29 pm:
House unanimously denounces the cartoon as racist. Another legislative win for the Rauner close friend Tillman and the BTIA
- ste_with_a_v_en - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 3:35 pm:
“Really. Not linking the two in the same story is your definition of racist.”
Not what I meant. I think the plight of people who are affected by gun violence in Chicago deserves more attention than nazis. Why should anyone care about them? They are garbage. There are innocent people suffering in our own backyard.
- Soccermom - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 3:38 pm:
Rich, you can fact-check me on this one. But I thought that, with TIFs, the schools lose the increment and the other property owners make up the difference; i.e.,because of PTELL, any rapid growth in property values in the TIF district wouldn’t have much impact on the levy.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 4:32 pm:
To Rahm Update…
===”…Instead, it provides a useful window into his outlook and determination to continue punishing poor and minority children instead of grasping the opportunity in front of him to right decades of unfair and unequal funding for school districts across Illinois. What a disgrace.â===
Think what this will do to “Diana’s Brand” too.
Maybe that will make IPI take it down.
- Ron - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 5:01 pm:
- Soccermom - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 3:38 pm:
Rich, you can fact-check me on this one. But I thought that, with TIFs, the schools lose the increment and the other property owners make up the difference; i.e.,because of PTELL, any rapid growth in property values in the TIF district wouldnât have much impact on the levy.”
Correct, TIF does not take money from CPS. It is an extra tax.
- itsmyopinion - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 5:02 pm:
Oswego Willy - That was my first thought too. Is that one of Diane Rauner’s preschool kids expecting his early childhood education to be properly funded or is one of those pesky k-12 Chicago kids expecting their schools to be fairly funded? At the basic level a kid asking for his school to be funded drawn as a beggar is just unbelievable.
- Ron - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 5:02 pm:
“There are innocent people suffering in our own backyard.”
The vast majority of those being killed are not innocent.
- Soccermom - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 5:31 pm:
Ron —
You literally took my breath away. May G-d forgive you.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 5:41 pm:
==Why should anyone care about them? They are garbage.==
Because they’re the President’s base that he played to his entire campaign.
- Lester Holt's Mustache - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 5:56 pm:
==Ron â
You literally took my breath away. May G-d forgive you.==
Soccermom, give Tone a little while - he’ll top it. That’s not even the most offensive thing he’s said this summer.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 6:00 pm:
– The vast majority of those being killed are not innocent.–
Ron, do you have anything other than your sunny disposition to back up your claim? Like facts and such?
And what do you mean by “not innocent?”
- Ron - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 7:29 pm:
Drug dealer and gang bangers are not innocent.
- red raider - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 8:34 pm:
Ron, they may not all be innocent, but you are truly ignorant.
- Ron - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 8:42 pm:
I have little sympathy for gang bangers killing each other. You may not like that but it is not ignorant.
One thing we should do is legalized and regulate drugs destroying the illegal drug trade.
- Glengarry - Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 11:20 pm:
Enron, just go away back to Trumpland.
- My thoughts - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 6:26 am:
Does the cartoon not resemble the CTU presidents (Karen Lewis) quote of “Yes. If you look at a majority of the tax base for property taxes in Chicago, theyâre mostly white, who donât have a real interest in paying for the education of poor black and brown children.”
- Ron - Thursday, Aug 17, 17 @ 7:22 am:
Glengarry, I voted for Clinton. I can’t stand Trump. Be t I see you can’t refuse what I’m saying.