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* 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.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Sep 4, 09 @ 1:40 pm
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There kinda was, but he moved to DC.
Comment by Concerned Observer Friday, Sep 4, 09 @ 1:57 pm
I think Liz Gorman has stepped up and taken a leadership role….without becoming harsh or over-the-top
Comment by raising kane Friday, Sep 4, 09 @ 2:07 pm
Certainly it would have been much better had the caller said something like:
“Commissioner Sims, I hope you spend the next five months preparing a really memorable concession speech, because on the night of February 2 you are going to need it.”
Of course, I have been around the political block long enough to imagine that either Sims or Stroger put up that caller, just to let her take political advantage of the backlash in her community. Perhaps that wasn’t the case, but I wouldn’t put it past them.
Comment by fedup dem Friday, Sep 4, 09 @ 2:21 pm
===Perhaps that wasn’t the case===
Gawd, you can be a moron.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 4, 09 @ 2:29 pm
I know Sims changed her mind, but it wasn’t like she was the only vote — hey, I love Jerry Butler (another no-override vote) as a singer, but he flies so far under the radar that he has dirt on his clothes from scraping the earth.
Comment by lake county democrat Friday, Sep 4, 09 @ 2:36 pm
Stroger gets an A+? Man…. Illinois must have one heck of a grading curve….
Comment by TJ Friday, Sep 4, 09 @ 2:41 pm
I support the penny or rather half a penny tax hike. That paltry amount prevents a structural deficit that would radically increase each year. The half a penny tax hike was the fiscally responsible thing to do.
Comment by molly Friday, Sep 4, 09 @ 2:56 pm
The problem with people like Rangel and Bobby Rush who flippantly play the race card is that people are automatically skeptical even when real cases of racism occurs. Yes, racism still exists, put the “crying wolf” by others only helps people numb themselves to it.
Comment by John Bambenek Friday, Sep 4, 09 @ 3:26 pm
The County budget is balanced unlike the state or federal gov’ts. Essential services are are being provided to citizens who need them. Union contracts are being honored. The number of county employees has been significantly diminished with no decrease in services. I smile and gladly pay my county taxes knowing that the money is being used for the common good. President Stroger is doing an admirable job and should be re-elected. So should Deb Sims who is very popular in her district. Let Palatine secede if that’s what they want as long as they quit sending their indigent to Stroger hospital and pay more to use the beautiful county forest preserves, golf courses, and recreational facilities.
Comment by Bill Friday, Sep 4, 09 @ 3:33 pm
=Stroger gets an A+? Man…. Illinois must have one heck of a grading curve….=
He may have been polled recently by the Chicago Teachers Union.
In 140 words you can highlight the Sims flip-flip and point out the county hospitals are likely to request less funding in 2010.
Comment by Brennan Friday, Sep 4, 09 @ 3:33 pm
Ditto to everything Bill wrote.
Bill, can I buy you a drink sometime?
Comment by molly Friday, Sep 4, 09 @ 3:58 pm
Brennan, the County owes $118 million to it’s pension funds which it is legally required to pay. Would you rather the county shirk it’s responsibilty like the state has done? Because you know the state is in great fiscal shape, right?
Comment by molly Friday, Sep 4, 09 @ 4:05 pm
Bill,
Or should we call you Todd.
Comment by dupage dan Friday, Sep 4, 09 @ 5:03 pm
Bill and Molly, I agree….and thank you for sticking with the facts.
Lake County Democrat, are you the one sending your county residents over the border into Cook County for “free health care”?
Comment by just the facts, please Friday, Sep 4, 09 @ 6:51 pm
Not to split hairs, but the caller only wished her bad health, he did not actually threaten her.
Also, he didn’t call her the n-word, I don’t see a racial aspect of the call. Just saying.
Comment by Shart Friday, Sep 4, 09 @ 10:22 pm
==Bill wrote==
“I smile and gladly pay my county taxes knowing that the money is being used for the common good.”
Sure, like Tony Cole; like Dr. Robert L. Simon’s $300K salary to be Stroger’s personal physician and “consultant” to the Health System which is so crummy that John Stroger wouldn’t even use it; like James Ramos, Chris Geovanis, Eugene Mullins and Sean Howard, 4 spokespeople for Cook County who do the work of ONE; like the Juvenile Detention Center which has lawsuit after lawsuit, and couldn’t even provide the kids underwear during their time there.
This County is in great fiscal shape? Then why did Stroger request new bonds to be issued?
Face it, Stroger, Joan P Murphy, Joseph Mario Moreno, Larry Suffredin, they are all going to be going out of office.
And, Bill and Molly, get ready to start looking for new jobs after Cook County gets a new President and the real downsizing begins.
Comment by ziggy Sunday, Sep 6, 09 @ 7:05 am
How come Comm. Sims accepts the news that the clinics wil be closed instead of trying to make cuts through job elimination (ever been to the County Building, you can’t tell me all the people there are actually working), attrition, furlough days, etc. All politicians immediately go with the worst case scenarion (Quinn saying that prisoners will be let out of prison if taxes are not increased), it is sickening.
Comment by Jim Sunday, Sep 6, 09 @ 9:34 pm
Small correction. I never argued that this bilge should be “hushed up.” I argued that it should be ignored. It was one (apparently) flaming racist jerk with access to a telephone. Are we surprised that there’s a flaming racist jerk out there? Is his call significant, telling, portentous…anything other than an attempt to get attention? No. So why do we give him the attention he craves by playing his phone messages and conferring upon him some power and some importance?
Comment by Eric Zorn Monday, Sep 7, 09 @ 9:45 pm
- John Bambenek - Friday, Sep 4, 09 @ 3:26 pm:
The problem with people like John Bambenek, who on Friday injected Reps. Rangel and Rush into a dialogue about Cook County officials, is that HE will forever refuse to cleanly acknowledge racism without minimizing it by bringing something/somebody else into the equation.
Comment by stan Tuesday, Sep 8, 09 @ 2:13 pm