* I physically winced yesterday when I read this Twitter post by Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica…

Here comes the race card: Comm. Sims Receives Racially Based Phone Threats

Cook County Commissioner Deborah Sims, of course, was the one who reversed her vote on repealing the county’s sales tax hike the other day.

I winced because I figured Peraica was being stupid and would have to backtrack once Sims played the answering machine audio for the media. Soon enough, NBC5 had a partial transcript of the disgusting, racist and homophobic message…

“I wish you had an email address up on your site,” the tape begins, before lurching into a profanity laced tirade.

“I understand why you don’t because you don’t want to hear anything from your constituents. I’m very disappointed in your vote. You flip-flopped. Actually, you lied. And I hope you get **** AIDS and die. I pray to God you get AIDS and die. You **** liar. You’re a **** liar.”

The tape ends with racist remarks.

And here’s both messages left by the same clown with the profanity deleted…

If you’re on a mobile device and can’t see the video, click here for the shortened ABC7 version that I’ve posted on YouTube.

* Right on cue, after it became apparent that this probably wasn’t some politically correct stunt to garner sympathy, Peraica did, indeed, backtrack…

Please read my statement regarding the racist, cowardly threats made against Commissioner Sims: http://ow.ly/nYSZ

Oops.

* But then Cook County Board President Todd Stroger called the messages “assaultive and nakedly threatening” and the Cook County Sheriff’s department began an investigation…

Sheriff’s deputies are investigating harassing phone calls aimed at a Cook County commissioner. […]

The sheriff’s department stops short of describing these calls as threats. But investigators will attempt to trace the identity of the caller on these messages. They have not said what if any crime the caller could be charged with.

And Sims and others blamed Peraica and Commissioner Larry Suffredin for creating the atmosphere which prompted the call…

“Both of them called me a liar, called me a flip flop; in the same vein of the call,” Sims said. She acknowledged that none of the other commissioners used racist comments when they criticized her.

“I think they fueled the phone call. Anytime someone feels comfortable enough they can call you and call you a “N-word” … twice,” Sims said.

Pastor Walter Turner said, “It is because of what our commissioners have done on this board to flame the fires of racism to have allowed these people to say what they want to say.”

Peraica said it was “absolutely ridiculous” to suggest his criticism of Sims sparked the racist rant against her. He also repudiated the racist messages left for Sims. […]

Suffredin also condemned the messages. He said he has fought to support civil rights and said it was absurd to put him in this situation.

* Look, there’s no doubt that Stroger’s race has played a major role in both the media coverage of his tax hike and the public’s reaction. And there’s no doubt that the same thing happened to Sims when she changed her position.

I thought both of them did a pretty good job early yesterday morning (before the messages were discovered) defending against the criticism. Watch it…

The rest of the interview, however, wasn’t so hot. Stroger, for instance, gave himself an “A+” for handling the adminstration. Yeesh.

* Anyway, my point is that it never ceases to amaze me how the Chicago area has always been on such high racial alert, both black and white. Peraica’s immediate “political correctness” assumption, Sims’ blame-game, Stroger’s insistence that the repugnant call was a direct threat and the resulting county sheriff’s investigation, the media’s outright sensationalism and Eric Zorn’s belief that everything should’ve just been hushed up is all just way over the top.

The worst part is, there doesn’t seem to be anybody in the region who regularly takes the high road and urges that calm, honesty, empathy and reason prevail.

It’s discouraging.