Chicago Bashing

Mark Jacob’s article in the Chicago Tribune 25-Dec-2016 “ ‘War-torn,’ ‘out of control’: What a year for Chicago bashing” (https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chicagoinc/ct-chicago-bashing-2016-chicago-inc-20161223-story.html) is an interesting read for all Chicagoans – and also for those who think they know Chicago - its pluses and its problems. Mark Jacob doesn’t take Chicago to task but rather points out a few people who think they have quick answers or simply feel a need to bash a city and its people.   While I don’t know Jacobs political leanings the Chicago Tribune has never been known as a bastion of ‘Liberal Leaning’.  His last sentence in the article “The Chicago Way is in danger of getting Chicago waylaid” seems to me at least to be maybe a bit critical of Chicago’s overall political leanings. Mr. Jacob’s political leanings are not the point of this post by the way. 

The point of this posting is the listing supposed expert opinion of exactly what needs to be done to fix Chicago’s ‘ills’. And the list is long and includes well known and for the most part not well informed ‘celebrities’.   Starting with our esteemed President-elect Mr. Trump himself. Mr. Trump didn’t like it much when protesters decided to demonstrate and he cancelled a rally during the presidential campaign. And we have been exposed to what happens when you cross Donald Trump. He calls you and most everyone you know names and attempts to attach a label to you. So he described the city as "war-torn country," with violence "out of control,". Mr. Trump went on to describe "It's terrible what's going on in Chicago," he said, describing the city as "worse than some of the places we're hearing about like Afghanistan" as far as public safety goes.” But in true fashion Mr. Trump realized that maybe he doesn’t want to completely ruin the prospects for his ‘wonderfully fantastic Trump Hotel’ in Chicago so in the next breath he exclaims "I love Chicago. I have big investments in Chicago, and I think it's a great city." So I guess he hates protesters who don’t like him – but he ‘loves Chicago’ whatever that means.

Then you have the always enlightening ‘Newt Gingrich’ who thinks the ‘feds’ need to determine a solution for Chicago. I always thought the Newt abhorred federal control or action on most anything? But I guess in this case the ‘feds’  know more than the people living in and responsible for Chicago. And the political pundit ‘Sean Hannity’ who thinks Chicago needs the ‘Rudy’ as in Rudy Giuliani to ‘fix’ things like Giuliani evidently  did in NYC. I will venture that Mr. Giuliani had an easy time fixing NYC problems in a week or so. I don’t know much about NYC and the issues facing the city but my guess is Newt has spent all of probably twelve hours in Chicago in his entire lifetime and knows little about the city, its people and its issues. Which leads directly into Mr. Giuliani himself who had major reservations that elections in Philadelphia and Chicago could ever be fair? Why election fraud ‘proof’ is right there on the ‘Internet’. And we all know that if it is on the ‘Internet’ it must be true? Right? Of course Fox News main man Bill O’Reilly is convinced that the National Guard should be brought in. 

Then you have Trump fellow billionaire Peter Thiel of PayPal fame who advises when speaking to Roosevelt University students to go to New York or Silicon Valley if you are a ‘talented person’. I guess there are only opportunities in Chicago for non-talented folks? Everyone in Chicago knows Kristin Cavallari’s thoughts on the city. And you have lesser Celebes such as Rush Limbaugh, Fox News Greg Gutfeld with various slams and simplistic suggestions to fix perceived ills we residents and business owners know intimately. And we all remember The Donald’s famous talk with unknown ‘top’ Chicago police who informed him that the crime (supposedly the homicides) problems could be solved in ‘a week!’ Well damm, let’s get Trump and these unnamed top police  together and fix the problem if it is that simple.

I have doubts that any of the people Mr. Jacob points out in his well-written article have spent much if any time in Chicago. They have little to no idea of what is great about this city and what problems we struggle with every day.  As a business owner deep in the heart of Chicago I am well aware of what I perceive as Chicago problems. And as an informed adult I am acutely aware that the problems are complex and solutions are not simple. Fixing the issues our city faces will not be quick but they can be fixed. If I didn’t think so I would not have opened a business in the city. Those of you who reside and do business in Chicago appreciate all this city has to offer. So for the Trumps, Gingrichs, Giulianis and other minor players if you are going to offer opinions at least educate yourself before opening your mouth. Worry about the issues in your city and we will worry about ours. And you notice I didn’t slam any city or state in writing this post. Because I know that before offering a solution you have to at least have a basic idea what the issues and the under lying causes are.