66 Comments - wordslinger - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 11:19 am: Pretty boilerplate, lacking in specifics, like they had to say something. How about naming names of the violence interrupters, services, etc.? Also, it’s Aug. 7. Should have been banging the drum way back in winter/spring. Shooting spikes on hot summer days aren’t a big surprise around here. - Andrea Durbin - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 11:22 am: I agree with this approach. - Flat Bed Ford - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 11:22 am: Recreational programs? How about jobs and workforce training. - Jocko - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 11:27 am: Why are they not begging the community for names (anonymously)? Anyone who ever attended high school knew who the bad dudes where. - BlueDogDem - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 11:28 am: When are we going to stop blaming the govt for this? We all know it’s a very small segment of Chicago’s population. Let’s start naming the thugs by name. Let’s advertise where they live, who they associate with, give out their cell numbers. Anything different. Seems like the same old fixes don’t work. - Not It - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 11:29 am: The best solution to crime is jobs. Unfortunately the State, County, and City governments frequently enact anti-job growth policies such as high taxes, business fees, and business regulation, including higher minimum wage requirements which encourages businesses to automate and/or not invest in Chicago at all. - Phil King - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 11:30 am: Spot on. Strengthen the communities. Programs like READI need to be dramatically expanded as well. If you really want to improve their job outlook, look to programs like Sen. Rand Paul’s proposed Economic Freedom Zones. Remove regulations and wage controls and reduce taxes in these arreas. Businesses will flock there. - JS Mill - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 11:34 am: =Businesses will flock there.= Really? Why didn’t/don’t businesses flock to Kansas, Missouri, and Missippi? - Shelby Thomas Weems - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 11:34 am: ==give out their cell numbers.== BREAKING: BlueDogDem ends violence in Chicago with foundation shattering idea of giving out armed killers cell phone numbers so upstanding citizens can now text or Snapchat the murders to let them know they do NOT approve of what they are doing. Seriously man, if The Onion’s cartoonist ever quits you should send in a CV. - wordslinger - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 11:39 am: –Let’s start naming the thugs by name.– Go right ahead, you apparently have all the information. If the cops knew who the shooters were, don’t you think they would arrest them? - City Zen - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 11:40 am: ==Economic Freedom Zones== You might want to clear that first with the IUOE Local 150 and its $130M in net assets or the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters and its $100M in net assets or the Laborers District Council and its $48M in net assets or the IBEW Local 134 and its $28M in net assets… In other words, start saving up. You’ll need every penny. - BlueDogDem - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 11:41 am: …programs like READI. I read the article last week. Average participant charged 6 times? Do we really think these folks are retrainable? I dont. I found out a long time ago that some people are rotten to the core. I know I sound angry, but having a daughter that teaches in a CPS, MAKES ME one nervous parent. I don’t have the answer for sure, but we gotta try different things. And creating more job training programs,social services, interventionist are apparently failed practices.l - wordslinger - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 11:41 am: –…like Sen. Rand Paul’s proposed Economic Freedom Zones. Remove regulations and wage controls and reduce taxes in these arreas. Businesses will flock there.– For example? Where has this been done? - Amalia - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 11:43 am: do a map of the park buildings and libraries in the neighborhoods where there are the shootings. believe you will find that there are adequate facilities for recreational use. the argument that kids have to cross gang lines can only go so far because you can’t build something just because the gangs decided on a line. the issue is the gangs and how they can be disrupted. many take things the gangs provide. if so, you are part of the cycle. stop. - City Zen - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 11:44 am: =Why didn’t/don’t businesses flock to Kansas, Missouri, and Missippi?== For the same reason they don’t flock south of I-80 in Illinois. Lots of birdies in Tennessee, though. - Veil of Ignorance - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 11:47 am: If the Black Caucus ever really got self-organized, they could force the Mayor to prioritize investmemt in the south and west sides of Chicago…rather than pouring millions downtown/near Loop, Navy Pier, and trying to give millions more away to Amazon, George Lucas and sadly I suspect the Obama Center as well. Budgets are moral documents and tell a story of priorities. - Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 11:48 am: “How about jobs and workforce training.” From the Black Caucus statement: “We need to significantly increase investment in recreational programs and opportunities for our young people to be employed.” So it looks like they’re talking economic investment. I think it’s unfair to pin too much of the problem on African-American politicians. A friend of mine absolutely raged against President Obama and blamed him not doing anything about the violence problem, because he’s black. Lots of people could do things to help, and lots of people haven’t. I’m of the opinion that the violence problem and chronic poverty should be among our top national priorities. But instead the current national government slashed taxes for multibillion-dollar corporations, taking away money that could be used to invest people and communities who need help. Our governor tells people in vulnerable communities, in essence, that wealthy corporate interests won’t invest in them unless they agree to give up economic power by weakening unions. That is very wrong and exacerbates problems. - Anon - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 11:49 am: It’s always the fault of the system, isn’t it? We need more money, more programs, more facilities, more services, more government. How about starting at home? Where is the lecture on how these people were raised and that parents failed to steer them down the right path earlier in life? Parents don’t parent. Police don’t police. Prosecutors don’t prosecute. Leaders don’t lead. - Occam - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 11:49 am: The City won’t fix this because it currently is not in the City’s power-brokers’ self-interest to actually fix this. There is more benefit to be recognized by the alderman to partner with the gangs than to eliminate them: http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/January-2012/Gangs-and-Politicians-An-Unholy-Alliance/ This close relationship between the gangs and the aldermen results in legislation like this, from only 2 weeks ago, that actually protects the gangs the alderman are in bed with. https://abc7chicago.com/proposal-aims-to-restrict-use-of-gang-database-used-by-chicago-police/3824168/ - wordslinger - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 11:53 am: –…but having a daughter that teaches in a CPS, MAKES ME one nervous parent.– School massacres certainly have been a problem all over the country, what with nuts and easy access to guns and load, but I don’t recall one in Chicago. Not at 3 a.m. on a hot August weekend night, especially. I don’t believe teachers are in the at-risk group in that situation. - Molly Maguire - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 11:56 am: I have not understood for a long time Rahm’s underwhelming response. I guess he’s afraid of taking on dirty cops and the cop union, and being accused of soft on crime. For an energetic, smart guy, strong programs and intervention and taking on this crisis would seem tailor made. But he’s been mostly invisible. His chief isn’t too impressive either. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 12:02 pm: What about air conditioners? - Oscar - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 12:15 pm: Rahm having to summon tears for this over and over again is one of the finer acting jobs of our time. The CPD has a homicide clearance rate hovering around 8%. Murder is legal in most parts of Chicago. We can blame a myriad of things but plenty of other nations, states and municipalities face the same problems yet have wildly differing outcomes. It’s not a societal problem, it’s a leadership problem. - Alt - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 12:15 pm: Rahm having to summon tears for this over and over again is one of the finer acting jobs of our time. The CPD has a homicide clearance rate hovering around 8%. Murder is legal in most parts of Chicago. We can blame a myriad of things but plenty of other nations, states and municipalities face the same problems yet have wildly differing outcomes. It’s not a societal problem, it’s a leadership problem. - anon - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 12:17 pm: Investing more in jobs and programs that target at-risk youth would be great, but unfortunately most of the money that can be used for such services are prioritized for the city’s debts. And if jobs are a part of the solution, how are you going to convince gang members to take minimum wage or other low-paying jobs when they can make a lot more on the streets? The culture is the No. 1 reason. While poverty and lack of opportunities are undoubtedly major contributing factors, you can’t pin the blame solely on poverty and lack of investment from the city. A family member of mine is a CPD detective, and he’ll talk about how he can canvass a neighborhood for a full day investigating a murder, and not a single person will say anything. At the very least, there is a handful of people who know which gangs are responsible for the shootings, especially when, as one witness from this weekend put it, they walk up, start shooting, then walk away like nothing happened. I’m sure some of these victims or bystanders saw the shooters’ faces, and they know who they are. They also know snitching only gets you killed, so how are they supposed to trust the word of CPD that they’ll be protected when there’s already a lack of trust to begin with? Throwing more money at such a complicated socioeconomic issue won’t solve or even stymie the violence. - Nieva - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 12:19 pm: This is a problem that will take generations to fix. Jobs won’t do it and neither will more places to play. - Responsa - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 12:21 pm: I see nothing wrong at all with the Black Caucus statement. It is especially meaningful that they mention wanting to have a collaborative relationship and community effort with the police. I think too many activists broad brush demonize the police department without acknowledging that there are many dedicated and hardworking Black cops on the force and out in the neighborhoods who worked very hard to get there and who deserve some respect. - Moe Berg - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 12:24 pm: As for the Black Caucus statement referencing hurricanes and earthquakes, why leave out Gov. Rauner? Who is the governor of the State of Illinois, in which the City of Chicago is located? He’s Mr. Johnny-on-the-Spot for a photo op whenever a tornado rips through a small Illinois town causing damage and havoc. Has he no responsibility for the largest city in the state and its economic engine? As for the root cause issue, one word that doesn’t appear in the above comments: slavery. This is still a nation that refuses to confront its original sin. Those days were not that long ago. There are people alive TODAY who could have known someone that was born a slave. Slavery destroyed the black family structure. And 100+ years of Jim Crow (dejure in the South and de facto in the North) denied blacks economic opportunity and the full rights of American citizens. So, for those who want to tsk-tsk about black children not being raised right and communities not doing enough to deal with the problem on their own: you’re making arguments that ignore America’s ugly history and the consequences of centuries of disinvestment in black lives and communities. I say this as a white, middle-aged man of means: reparations are owed because those debts have never been widely acknowledged, much less paid. Last, recognize that the wrongdoing is caused by a relatively few (I would venture far fewer than whites involved in white collar crime). Despite the sandbagging of the white majority, most black Americans have overcome, are law abiding, and make incredible contributions to our state and country. But, even they, as a whole, have lower net worth and shorter life expectancies. So, yes. It’s going to take money to deal with these problems and right historical wrongs. And, in a country where Betsy DeVos owns 10 yachts/boats and Bruce Rauner owns 9 houses, there is plenty of money available. You know what? Some of it could even go to helping poor whites. - Because I said so.... - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 12:30 pm: =Where is the lecture on how these people were raised and that parents failed to steer them down the right path earlier in life? Parents don’t parent.= It’s hard to parent at 14, 16 or 18 when you are a single mother. The head of the household might be grandma who might be in her 20’s or 30’s. It’s a generational problem. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of families in these violence prone neighborhoods that are raising good kids who stay out of trouble. But when you are young and don’t have the support structure at home, you become vulnerable to the gang “family.” There is no denying that education, jobs and economic development in these communities would go a long way to address these problems. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 12:31 pm: ===why leave out Gov. Rauner?=== They didn’t. I only posted an excerpt. Click the link before you comment if you have a question like that. - Da Big Bad Wolf - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 12:34 pm: ==he’ll talk about how he can canvass a neighborhood for a full day investigating a murder, and not a single person will say anything.== Of course not. Unless you want to find the corpse of your teenage child in a 55 gallon drum, you will stay quiet. Illinois has a witness protection program, yet I never hear it mentioned. You would think the mayor and governor would talk it up and promote it. Not everyone wants to leave family and friends, but some people might want to use it. Why the silence? It does no good if people aren’t aware of it. - Pundent - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 12:35 pm: =Where is the lecture on how these people were raised and that parents failed to steer them down the right path earlier in life?= I think you just gave it. Hope you feel better. This is a systemic, multi-generational problem born of poverty and desperation. Lectures aren’t going to fix it and not everyone will “pull themselves up by their bootstraps” to make it easier for you. - Moe Berg - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 12:40 pm: Rich: I did read the full statement. “current administration” is weak. Name names. He’s very much a part of the problem. And, if you don’t identify problems by their names, you can’t fix them. - frisbee - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 12:51 pm: Legalize drugs. It won’t solve all the vioence problems but at least it will take an underground market out of the hands of criminals and put it above the table and have legal regulated businesses producing and distributing these dangerous substances. The 21st Amendment decreased violence associated with alcohol prohibition or at least the last time i checked the Wirtz family wasn’t firebombing the Seagrams family… Make sure that any legalization earmarks funding, training and licenses for those communities that have been hardest hit by the violence. When any controlled substance violation is a felony it is tough to overcome past mistakes and get one’s life back on track. It is also tough to raise a child if you are incarcerated for nonviolent drug distribution charges because there were no other attractive economic opportunities in your community. - Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 1:11 pm: Many or some who are against making big government investments in low-income areas can come up with excuses for not doing so. But the excuses vanish for some or many of these people when it comes to opposing massive tax cuts to those who least need it, like multibillion-dollar corporations. Where’s all the hand-wringing about the richest corporations pocketing the money and making themselves even wealthier, and the growing debt and deficit? - Rod - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 1:33 pm: So the black caucus in the Chicago City Council voted overwhelmingly for Mayor Emanuel’s last budget which included really none of the social supports they are now correctly asking for in response to what is an on-going shooting and murder problem. Fundamentally elected Black aldermen like Emma Mitts, and Walter Burnett Jr. are in Rahm’s back pocket. Really this response was driven by the Mayor’s accusations against the Black communities where most of the shootings took place for not providing information to CPD at a press conference. Mayor Emanuel, and the Police Superintendent where in fact very accusatory in their tones yesterday. I agree in part with the Mayor on this issue, it’s true there is a lack of information being provided to CPD by community members about shooting and murder suspects. It’s not just out of fear of retribution either, there are numerous extended families in Chicago’s Black communities who have been connected with gang activities for decades. They are not going to turn over on their own relatives and if it was a rival gang or drug crew they will settle their own scores by shooting down their enemies. When I taught at a CPS high school located near 79th and May, the families of kids not associated with street gangs called these families the “element.” They desperately wanted their own children protected from recruitment to these gangs and drug crews. Charter schools promised to throw out the gang bangers and educate these “good” kids, but the gangs are in the charter schools now too. We have a mess here with no end in sight, except freezing temperatures to clear the streets and front porches. - City Zen - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 1:45 pm: ==Where’s all the hand-wringing about the richest corporations pocketing the money and making themselves even wealthier== That’s a good question for the state pension systems that are invested in the richest corporations pocketing that money and making themselves (and their pension shareholders) even wealthier. - did you hear the one about.... - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 1:57 pm: the police chief who said there ought to be a law….oh wait there already is. the general assembly who said we should spend more money on the issue….oh wait we already did. the mayor who conveyed thoughts and prayers….oh wait that was done already. the priest who said we ought to march….oh wait we already did. the activists who said it’s someone else’s fault….oh wait we tried that before. the neighborhoods/schools who said help us and got….silence - Phil King - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 2:12 pm: @JS Mill What are you talking about? Did you even take the time to look up what economic freedom zones are? They remove federal restrictions on businesses. No idea what that has to do with Kansas. - Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 2:14 pm: CZ, are you trolling with that comment or what? The pension systems have a fiduciary duty to their members, and secondarily to the State, to earn the maximum prudent returns, not be social engineers. The funds each earned billions this past year, likely exceeding their return assumption, and that will barely make a dent in the ginormous unfunded liability. - Phil King - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 2:15 pm: @wordslinger It’s a novel idea. Hasn’t been tried yet in the US. Hong Kong is probably a good analogy though. - Demoralized - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 2:22 pm: It depends on what sort of regulations businesses are going to be “freed” from? “Economic Freedom Zones” sounds like an opportunity for businesses to take advantage of workers, especially in terms of wages. - denisquared - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 2:25 pm: Sounds as frustrated as everyone is with the problem. It has to come from within. Or the national guard. What’s more palatable? - Phil King - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 2:27 pm: As it’s drafted now the only changes to wage restrictions are lifting the federal Davis Bacon Act requirements in those areas. Otherwise it’s mostly about lifting EPA regulations and lowering federal tax rates. There’s nothing about giving poor black Americans job opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise have thats “taking advantage” of them. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 2:27 pm: ===Or the national guard=== Unless you’re talking military police, the guard is a spectacularly stupid idea. - Demoralized - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 2:31 pm: ==job opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise have == In other words, you wouldn’t normally have this job opportunity so we can pay you less than if you weren’t working here. I call that taking advantage. ==lifting EPA regulations== There’s a reason those regulations exist. I don’t have any qualms with the tax adjustments in those areas. Sounds like a good way to lure businesses there and to give the folks in those areas a change to build up their income by giving them a lower tax rate. Good ideas. - Demoralized - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 2:34 pm: ==Or the national guard.== My dad was deployed with the guard in Chicago in 1968. Most of them weren’t allowed to have bullets in their guns for obvious reasons. Creating a military zone atmosphere isn’t going to solve anything. It will make it worse. - City Zen - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 2:39 pm: ==The pension systems have a fiduciary duty to their members, and secondarily to the State, to earn the maximum prudent returns, not be social engineers.== Wholeheartedly agree. Some are fine with corporate profits so long as they are the ones profiting. Because the pension systems are their participants aren’t investing in the poorest corporations making themselves even poorer. - BlueDogDem - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 2:56 pm: Dem@2:34. Worse than what? - Aokay - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 2:59 pm: Moe Berg, I agree with your entire statement. Thank you. - Demoralized - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 3:03 pm: ==Worse than what?== Dumb question. - Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 3:15 pm: Why hasn’t Dear Leader Donald John-Trump solved the problem yet, since only he can fix it? - Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 3:55 pm: CZ, please explain how pension “investing in the poorest corporations” is both fiduciarily responsible and a solution to gun violence in Chicago. I’m all ears. - wordslinger - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 4:46 pm: –Hong Kong is probably a good analogy though.– “Economic Freedom” in Hong Kong has often meant paying off the triads that control much of the economic activity — legal and illegal — in the city to stay in business. Rand Paul has lots of novel ideas. He came up with PB&J in the same jar. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/2067890/brief-history-hong-kongs-triad-gangs - Dee4Three - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 5:03 pm: I cringe when powerful elected officials like the Mayor who have the ability to alter policy, talk about stuff they don’t control, like the lack of morality of those “raising the shooters” and those who know who the shooters are and aren’t telling the police. Not only is it offensive victim-blaming, it’s non-data based, utterly unprovable conjecture…. But more importantly, it’s just a sign that you’ve given up on controlling the things you have the power to move, to get us to where we need to go with safety. Because, if you really think all these selected folks have a dire lack of morals, your speeches from downtown that 3000 people watch from the Ivory Tower and a handful of campaign offices aren’t going to help people find said morality. So the critical question is, what are you going to do about things you can control? But again, this morality theme is just a continuation of the series of excuses this administration has made. Remember, last year? It was the courts not holding gun offenders accountable. So they pass the Repeat Gun Offender Bill last year that was supposed to cut gun violence 50% and now here are the results…. It’s always pass the buck with this administration. I grant this is hard stuff. And I’m not in the camp that they don’t care, I’m 100% sure they do. But with each passing day, it becomes clear they are both out of ideas and don’t have the proper perspective/expertise to produce the results New York and LA achieved with safety. - Da Big Bad Wolf - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 5:48 pm: ==It’s non data based.== We don’t even know who the perpetrators are. We can’t catch them. So how do we know about their family life, employment, health, blood type, etc? It’s all the conjecture of armchair sociologists that pop out after each tragedy like mold spots on the drywall after a rain. - wordslinger - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 6:36 pm: Something strangely missing from the discussion of the weekend’s shootings. Where’s the “thoughts and prayers” gang? I thought that was good enough after massacres. Or the “it’s-too-early-to-talk-about-it-that’s-politicizing-the-tragedy” crowd? Why don’t they show up for this one? What’s the difference? It’s not like mass shooting massacres are uncommon. Shot is shot, dead is dead. - blue dog dem - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 7:27 pm: The heck with the thougjts and prayers. When we catch these bad guys/gals we should take away their FOID cards. - wordslinger - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 7:35 pm: No, they’d be charged with crimes. Revoking FOID cards can be the way to legally confiscate weapons from the mentally ill or those who’ve entered their dotage, make no sense and are a threat to themselves and others. - cc - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 7:53 pm: Nearly 25 years ago I was talking to a friend who was at that time a father of 2 very young kids.He’s a professor of statistics at a major Midwestern University. He told me that he struggled with decision to have children after he had completed his latest published study.He determined that in our lifetime the increased number of young men and the violence of these young men could be one of the greatest threat to America. And he was greatly worried for his family in the future. - cc - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 8:03 pm: I forgot to mention in last comment that the professor never ever brought up nor intimated that race took any part of his study in any way, shape, or form. His only description was “young men”. - wordslinger - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 9:41 pm: CC, I bet your friend feels pretty silly about his research today. Because violent crime in the United States has declined dramatically over the last 25 years. In fact, it hit its peak about 25 years ago. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/01/30/5-facts-about-crime-in-the-u-s/ - striketoo - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 9:49 pm: Carrying an illegal gun in Illinois is only a misdemeanor largely because the Black Caucus objects to making it a felony. This is the single biggest difference between Illinois and states with strict gun laws like New York. - puzzled - Tuesday, Aug 7, 18 @ 11:20 pm: Seems similar to what Trump said when he took office. The use of “carnage” and “warfare” in particular. He was criticized heavily by the left for a “dark” speech. Can we get a WP writer to look into this statement? - Da Big Bad Wolf - Wednesday, Aug 8, 18 @ 6:40 am: cc: If your friend had just talked to the history professor on campus he would have found out that human beings everywhere have always been violent since history was recorded. - BlueDogDem - Wednesday, Aug 8, 18 @ 6:52 am: Rahm to the rescue. 600 extra cops. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.