Perhaps if Derrion had been arrested by a white police officer, the President would have found that worthy of comment.
mightyright
Great Falls, MT
Tribune
Ed, good, thoughtful blog as always. I couldn't agree with you more.
richiephx
Phoenix, AZ
Arizona Republic
A visit from Obama would be a nice gesture, but it would be a mistake to think that this is a problem limited to Chicago.
Contrary to a national trend of increases in violent crime, partly as a result of funding cuts for police and juvenile offender programs, Chicago actually had a decrease in teen homicides in the 2001-2007 period, according to a Northwestern University study published last December. The study is worth looking at,
and includes a comparison of cities on page 22: http://www.jfox.neu.edu/Documents/Fox%20Swatt%20Homicide%20Report%20Dec%2029%202008.pdf
It's a serious issue.
KRidge
Des Moines, IA
Register
[You and I are on the same page this time around, KR. Part of my point, however, is that this would be a most valid use of the president's bully pulpit for a Chicago-oriented cause. -ED]
This kid decided to not join the local gang and was punished. I said it once and here it is again - the war is here in the U.S. and on our borders. No parent should have to bury their child. The Anointed One is keeping a low profile after all his failures and I do not blame him for not going - this tragedy is getting enough press for all concerned.
boned
Great Falls, MT
Tribune
It is absurd statements
like this which make it increasingly difficult
to take conservative commentators such as
yourself seriously. Chicago has its problems
but to compare it or any American city to
Afghanistan is ridiculous.
Ford
Phoenix, AZ
Arizona Republic
[I assume that as a liberal
(only a neo-kom would say it is "increasingly
difficult to take conservative commentators such
as yourself seriously") that you are anti-war.
Well, this is a war regardless of how
exaggerated you may think my comments
are. Sadly, it appears that your fellow liberals
are just as afraid to fight it to a victory as
they are those in those other battlegrounds in
the War on Terror. -ED]
Yep, it's a bad scene.
Until those people demand their leaders change
the model for inner city culture development,
inner city culture will not change.
"Much learning does not teach a man to have
intelligence."--Heraclitus
GreyCaravel
Montgomery, AL
Advertiser
Very good post eddo.
And I won't ask you to defend the right wing
noise machine, but when Obama spoke to school
kids to encourage them to stay in school, the
wingnuts had a cow - how dare he! What
would be different this time? Would Hannity and
Beck praise him? (Not that it really matters - I
agree with you that it's more important than
Afghanistan...)
Craig51
Des Moines, IA
Register
[Thanks for the attaboy, Craig. I honestly don't
have a clue how those FOX guys would react to
this story but I assure you that my comments
came directly from my heart. I am busted up over
what happened to Derrion Albert and I grieve
deeply for his family.
The hypocrisy that I (and many others) saw
through in the Obama Back-to-School Address was
that it was concocted and scheduled for a moment
when the subject needed to be changed for
political reasons. There was absolutely nothing
wrong with the content of that speech -- I'm on
record here saying so -- but it is likely that
it was toned-down somewhat as a result of the
pre-speech "noise".
I don't even blame the Dear Leader for being the
subject of those mmm mmm songs. I blame him for
not being humble enough (big surprise) to say
that he doesn't deserve such adulation, even if
he is doing such a world-saving job. Also,
I never said that the Chicago War was "more
important" than the one in Afghanistan. I said
that it should be a very high priority. -ED]
Listed below are the top
10 large cities for murder rates in the
U.S.,according to "geocities". I have looked
closely,and i don't see Chicago listed...
[17 lines of outdated statistics deleted -ED]
YelloDog
Montgomery, AL
Advertiser
[Now run and look up the stats for the cities in
which honor students had their skulls crushed by
blows from railroad ties while en route from
school to home. This is exactly what I meant by
'addressing Chicago's problems using PC,
legalistic, backroom conferences that the USAG
and his entourage will be attending.' Plus, it
appears that your stats are outdated.
Coincidentally, things apparently have gotten
much worse since Obama served as an Illinois
legislator and late as US Senator. hmm hmm hmmm
-ED]
"Since the academic year
began three weeks ago, five Chicago children
have been killed, says Phillip Jackson, founder
of the Black Star Project, which is working to
strengthen violence-stricken communities in
Chicago. In 2008, more than 30 students were
killed, according to the Associated Press,
citing district figures."
Has anyone in the media
asked Obama what his thoughts are on this? Obama
calls Chicago his hometown, but not even a
statement to condemn the violence? Mr. Obama was
reportedly “concerned about the incident.” Obama
loves to make speeches, now would be a perfect
time.
Buzzard77
Phoenix, AZ
Arizona Republic
Is it possible the IOC
considered the crime and gang activity in
Chicago before reaching their decision on
awarding the Olympics to Rio? Nah, they are
probably just a bunch of racists according to
the losers.
letsgetsensible
Palm Springs, CA
Desert Sun
We should pull out of
Chicago.
Howard41
St. Cloud, MN
Times
Bravo very well said.
What ever happened to our values of the past. Oh
that's right we can't talk about Jesus or church
or the Ten Commandments. I am sure the likes of
Farrakhan and Jackson...showing their heads will
do wonders for raising values in Chicago when
they get done beating up on society for not
making things better for these inner city kids.
There won't be any talk of personal
responsibility or morals. They will be sure to
tell how our evil society is to blame for this
murder. It won't be the fault of the animals who
brutally beat this beautiful young man to death.
How utterly senseless.
Grandpa2743
Lansing, MI
State Journal
I'm sure that forcing
your religious beliefs on everyone else, no
matter what they believe in, would solve
everything.
Draco
Lansing, MI
State Journal
Forcing religious
beliefs, especially the one where you worship
political correctness, on others is what the
current regime seems to be engaged in.
Chicago and Detroit are typical of examples of
abject failure when compared to places like
Hiroshima, where work is allowed to have the
upper hand over welfare. Comparisons of the city
'scapes are quite striking. But then Detroit is
a liberal utopia. 'nuff said.
BilBala2
Lansing, MI
State Journal
There are places like
Cabrini Green and similar parts of Chicago,
where the Marines would be concerned about
entering. The city is out of control, and the
Daley machine has no idea how to move forward.
the schools are a failure, and they are only
getting worse.
spebak
Palm Springs, CA
Desert Sun
[How could this be,
spebak, when Barack, Michelle, Oprah, Jackson,
Farrakhan, Duncan and the rest of the folks who
never argue with each other politically have
been there for all these years? Haven't they
ever thought of OVERHAULING the system? -ED]
Funny how
Chicago has some of the strictest gun laws in
America...and is one of the most dangerous
places...huh?
EngineersLogic
Phoenix, AZ
Arizona Republic
Well, if Obama does to
Afghanistan what he did to Chicago, we are all
in trouble.. Oh wait, he IS doing to Afghanistan
what he did in Chicago.. NOTHING..
repub21
Jackson, MS
Clarion-Ledger
Home of the obama the
most effective senator chicago has had or will
have. now coming to a country near you.
Geogumby7
Wilmington DE,
News Journal
[You can't blame it on him.
He voted "present". -ED]