Strangely, even when things are illegal, people still do them.
I know, right? It’s shocking. Clearly the answer is to make things like murder, assault, and shooting bullets at people more illegal. That’ll get ‘r’ done.
CHICAGO (CBS) ― A violent and deadly weekend continues in Chicago. At least 12 people have been shot, two of them killed, since Saturday morning. Two others were stabbed in a home invasion. This comes after at least 20 people were shot, four of them killed, from Friday night through early Saturday.
A 28-year-old man was shot and killed at an auto body repair shop on the Southwest Side Saturday morning…making him the sixth person killed in Chicago since Friday night…Also Saturday morning, Michael Giles, 26, was shot and killed inside his home at 336 N. Avers Aveunue…
In another case, a suspect toting an AK-47 has been charged with murder and three counts of attempted murder after allegedly killing a man and shooting at police….Police say the gunman opened fire on them Friday night…They tracked him down after he allegedly shot and killed [a man] a few blocks away.
[Another guy] died after being shot just blocks from a police-involved shooting on the Far South Side.
…Friday night, two teens were gunned down in front of a church in the 7500 block of South Phillips. Police say gunmen jumped out of a car and opened fire in front of the Free Salvation Methodist Baptist Church. One of the teens suffered a gunshot wound to the chest and back, the other was shot in the neck…
Other shootings included a 65-year-old man being shot dead outside his home on the Southeast Side during an attempted robbery.
[Another man] was pronounced dead at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn…
Sunday morning, two people were critically injured when an intruder broke into their apartment in Ravenswood and stabbed them both…
Three men were shot at about 10:50 p.m. near the intersection of Latrobe Avenue and Madison Street… About 40 minutes later, three more people were shot less than a block away…
Also Saturday night, a 19-year-old man was driving down the street in the South Side…when shots were fired at his vehicle and he was hit in the arm…
On the Far South Side, a 34-year-old man suffered a gunshot to his shoulder while standing in his yard Saturday night.
And that’s not all! There are sixteen more paragraphs to that article detailing all the other attacks.
It’s a real shame, too. Maybe you wouldn’t have all these cowboys with small-penis-compensation issues running around like the Wild West, shooting people out of bitterness over economic hardship, if Chicago would simply make handguns illegal and require registration of all long guns.
OH WAIT. THEY ALREADY DO.
But don’t worry, Chicagoans. If a bunch of high school kids get their way, you’ll have even more gun laws soon, which will be just as effective as your current ones, which is to say, about as effective as a law banning Sunny from enjoying the taste of pork. Behold the article that will make you want to punch someone in the face more than any other article you’ll read today:
Three hundred anti-violence activists and Chicago Public Schools students joined local leaders in their fight for gun control this morning following the shooting death of an 18-year-old Simeon Career Academy student over the weekend.
“It’s up to the children to tell the adults to do what’s right,” Mayor Daley said while standing outside the Thompson Center next to 20 empty desks representing the 20 CPS students killed in shootings so far this school year.
…“Too many teenagers getting killed. It’s ain’t right,” added Simeon junior Jarod Henderson as students chanted, “What’s the solution? A youth revolution.”
Well Jarod has just nailed the whole issue in a way only a genius can. It’s ain’t right. Revolt! Revolt! The Children (TM) know best!
Jesus.
Just, Jesus.
You’re right, I definitely want to punch someone.
April 20th, 2008 at 7:52 pmESTWould these be the same ‘children’ that shot up Columbine? Or the ‘children’ who beat up that girl on YouTube? If children ran the world, like Sally Field’s women friends should rule the world, the world would be exactly like it is now - screwed!
April 20th, 2008 at 7:55 pmESTRichie Daley is a bigger dick-face than I had thought. No, Mr. Mayor, I won’t be taking my marching orders from children.
April 20th, 2008 at 7:59 pmESTI love how they’ve re-branded themselves “anti-violence activists” rather than “gun control activists”. It cleverly implies that anyone who disagrees with them is in favor of violence.
Also, why do I get the distinct feeling that the teachers are covertly manipulating these kids?
A “youth revolution”? God, that is just precious.
Little bugger probably believes it, too.
April 20th, 2008 at 8:00 pmESTMaybe the teachers should spend more time teaching proper English instead of attempting social engineering…
April 20th, 2008 at 8:06 pmESTWhat. the. hell? They already have gun control. You are not allowed to own a gun in Chicago - how much more gun control can they possibly need? They cannot make it any more illegal.
Chicago has a violence problem because they have a culture problem - a culture that doesn’t value education, parenting, or personal responsibility. When you have generations of people raised without morals or values, you will have violence - with or without guns.
April 20th, 2008 at 8:16 pmESTYeah, because Children’s Crusades have such a great record of success.
April 20th, 2008 at 8:19 pmEST(Did I forget to close the sacasm tag?)
It’s a quagmire, and we can’t win in a native civil war. US out of Chicago!
April 20th, 2008 at 8:42 pmESTSorry, all that comes to mind is “Thompson Center Arms”… is that where the blowhard Daley was located?
April 20th, 2008 at 8:51 pmESTWhen’s the last time an adult taunted you and said, “You’re dead after work!”
Children are wonderful, but sagacious on diplomacy there are not.
April 20th, 2008 at 8:58 pmEST*
the thing is rachel… you’re thinkin’ things couldn’t possibly get worse,
but try throwing in a little ‘politically correct white-man guilt’.
*
April 20th, 2008 at 9:00 pmESTAnd what, exactly, is it that these juveniles are going to “teach” us? I’d warrant that most - if not all - of these shootings and stabbings were committed by “people” (and I use the term loosely) under the age of 21. What I want these little savages to show me is that they can ever develope some sort of moral code, work to attain an education worthy of the name, try getting married before having children, stay married when they do have children, find and keep a regular job (that doesn’t involve the sale of prohibited substances), and most importantly, stop trying to excuse every transgression by pissing and moaning about their damned “victimhood”.
April 20th, 2008 at 9:06 pmESTPerhaps, if these two-faced little monsters would just suck it up and act somewhat human, regular people would treat them with a little respect. As it stands now, the only use I can see for these little jackasses and their gangbanger friends is for target practice. The fact that they have cell phones does not elevate them one iota above their cannaballistic cousins in Rwanda. And they deserve no better treatment.
Me, I’m up for a spot of regime change—in Chicago. And Illinois in general, now that I think on it. And metro DC. And Massachussetts. And New York (city and state) And…
It’s like potato chips. You know you can’t eat just one.
April 20th, 2008 at 9:30 pmESTHere’s a phrase I use when I hear Liberal-Socialists like Dickie Daley:
Yet another situation where political expediency trumps common sense.
Just Jesus indeed.
April 20th, 2008 at 9:31 pmESTThey youts in Chicago are giving the youts in Memphis a run for their money, and that is saying something.
Parallels to be drawn between violence/inner cities and political leadership in same?
Nah, can’t do that - it’s not fair.
April 20th, 2008 at 9:47 pmESTObama must have really sucked as a “community organizer” for this to happen in his adopted city.
April 20th, 2008 at 9:48 pmESTAnd what do police blame for the recent spat of shootings? Do they blame the failed democratic policies of Chicago which have failed generation after generation of inner-city minorities? Do they blame the continued demise of the nuclear family resulting in more and more children growing up without the parental guidance of their fathers? Do they even blame the thugs and gangsters themselves for the shootings?
Nope.
They blame the heat. I shit you not.
April 20th, 2008 at 9:58 pmESTBecause, as we all know, guns are liable to just pick themselves up and start firing without notice. I mean, jeez, when I lived with my parents I learned to duck and roll because the damn guns just wouldn’t stay in the closet.
April 20th, 2008 at 10:32 pmESTOf course they do. It’s a convenient and technically-correct scapegoat (heat waves are associated with increases in violent crime) that removes all responsibility from the Chicago government.
By blaming an act of God they can pretend to care about the problem without having to actually do anything to fix it.
April 20th, 2008 at 10:43 pmESTHAPPY BIRTHDAY! (it is already the 21st over here)
April 20th, 2008 at 11:22 pmESTHappy birthday from me, too (I’m in the UK)! I see a mug or T-shirt purchase coming on…
The great and wise of Chicago must be looking to my country as an example. There’s absolutely no use of guns by criminals over here now because they’ve been made ILLEGAL.
I felt so much at risk over in South Carolina a month ago…it was a relief to fly back into Manchester where I could finally feel safe again.
Won’t you all just think of the childreenn?!?!?
(Okay, exiting sarcasm mode).
April 21st, 2008 at 1:24 amESTActually the more I think about it Chicago may be segregationist.
Perhaps the violent people need to be equally distributed throughout the city. Mass transit could be used in an environmentally way.
Senator Obama, Mayor Daley, where is the homicidal maniac in my neighborhood so we can find equality?
Hope…
Change…
Justice…
April 21st, 2008 at 1:44 amESTHappy birthday Rachel.
As for the “anti-violence” activists, its my opinion that kids are stupid. I was largely stupid when I was a kid. I regurgitated a lot of what adults told me. Then around my late teens I started to slowly think for myself. Hopefully they will grow out of their revolution like they do their acne and awkwardness.
No offense to any kids that read this. If you are reading blogs and participating in rational discussion of real world issues, then you don’t qualify as “stupid”.
April 21st, 2008 at 2:57 amESTYes Happy Birthday indeed!:)
This reminds me of the discussion of ‘300′ and how we got into the history of the Spartans,I liked that they had to friggin work before they got responsibility..couldnt get married or have children till 25 I believe?(correct me if I’m wrong)either way I think it should still be that way,very very very few people know what they are doin before 25..if ever lol
April 21st, 2008 at 4:15 amESTonly thing you should be able to do before 25 is join the Military..(it’s nice in my world..no hippies allowed..except when its time for target practice
This will, of course, give the anti-gun nuts more “ammo” in their bid to get the ammo. As I say to folks frequently…
April 21st, 2008 at 7:09 amEST“a lighter does not make an arsonist”
“A knife does not make a slasher”
AND
“A gun does not make a murderer!”
Inanimate objects do NOT kill people… it is the intent of the person holding the object that kills people!
Critters will ALWAYS find ways to maim or kill others. Its what they do. Even if every gun on the planet were melted down, they would STILL find a way to commit mayhem.
Did anyone else feel like they were reading the synopsis for a season of “The Untouchables” up there?
Prohibition era, gangland violence — of course that problem was quickly and effectively solved with gun regulation and the inclusion of high school students on school boards and city councils.
I mean, it’s not like removing a restriction and allowing more freedom would make any difference, would it?
April 21st, 2008 at 7:28 amESTheh … well, at least the “student” got one thing right (and it sure wasn’t his grammar) - children are revolting … at least the ones who make the news.
And how stupid does a mayor have to be to make a statement about how we need to listen to the most brainwashed, clueless, unproductive group in society. Sounds suspiciously like the fascists “childrens rights” crusades.
And Happy Birthday, Rachel. Although I try to confine my birthday gifts to my wife … to keep her jealousy in check … I’ll just trust that you won’t be sending her notes and rubbing her nose in the fact that I’ve made an exception for you. Hope you have a wonderful day!
April 21st, 2008 at 7:44 amESTHey, when did I go back in time and move to China. This is like the Cultural Revolution in China in 1968 and we know how well that worked out.
April 21st, 2008 at 7:51 amESTThere is nothing wrong with Chicago that a couple of JDAMS targeted on the mayor’s mansion at 2AM wouldn’t solve.
April 21st, 2008 at 8:40 amESTBut China is hosting the Olympics. They wouldn’t let a country that is BAD do that would they??
You ever notice that every time the liberals want some draconian law passed it’s always “for the children”?
April 21st, 2008 at 9:13 amESTWhy didn’t the article mention the race of the victims? Because they are all black, of course, and so are the killers. Black on black crime is a terrible crisis in the inner city, but to acknowledge it would mean placing blame on the black people doing the crimes.
That’s okay, though, all the victims’ families can go to the Rev. Wright’s church and get a good dose of “Gawd d***m America!” instead of hearing the healing words that might lead them into a life that wouldn’t leave their children shot and bleeding on the streets.
Why couldn’t Obama be a young Bill Cosby, with a message of hard work and responsibility, instead of just another racist grievance monger?
April 21st, 2008 at 9:20 amESTIt’s a whole lot easier to talk about ever greater layers of Gun Control than to admit the problem isn’t guns, it’s gangs.
A lot of this talk here in Chicago is coming out of the murders of many Chicago Public School “children”. Most of the deaths are by gunshot(s), but we also had one last week where the victim was beaten to death with a baseball bat. So what now? Ban baseball bats? Ay carrumba!
I think at some level, Mayor Daley gets that this isn’t just about guns. He tried several years ago to get anti-loitering and anti-gathering (of more than four persons on a street corner, etc) laws passed, but they were struck down as unconstitutional.
What I’d like to hear, more than anything else, is an admission that there really isn’t a damn thing the government can do about this. What needs to be done is inevitably going to be ruled as unconstitutional (thank you, Liberal interpreters of the Constitution) and the ‘1st Rule of Politics’ says that one has to, at all times, appear to be doing something, anything. So the insanity is bound to continue.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RACHEL, and enjoy the Book!
April 21st, 2008 at 9:41 amESTAs the Father of 6 I know that the youth are revolting. They need to be taught by their parents, they need their collective butt’s swatted, and sent back to study english, science, and math. What is this stuff about allowing HS students out of school.
The school administrators need their butts kicked (figuratively of course, we can’t be seen endorsing violence).
Jesus on creamed chipped beef. Indeed
April 21st, 2008 at 9:54 amESTJust looking for a thread on which I can wish you happy birthday.
April 21st, 2008 at 9:55 amESTThis’ll do.
Public Housing and Section 8 have successfully ghettoized many cities and Chicago is a prime example. The modern ghetto is a pot of crabs where every time one tries to crawl out, six below reach up and pull him back down.
With not much else to do than to strut their lack of stuff, the streets become overrun with people shooting up, selling themselves and drugs or whatever and filling the role of victim or victimizer. The first season of “The Wire” sums it all up quite nicely.
Even resettlement doesn’t work, because you can take the boy out of the ghetto, but only rarely can you take the ghetto out of the boy. These characters do understand overwhelming police force. If you shine a law enforcement spotlight on them, they run like roaches. However, you must have a tough prison system for them, because they take their wars with them.
The next article in this series needs to look at the intercity emergency rooms and the unbelievable stress they endure.
April 21st, 2008 at 10:00 amEST‘Useful Idiots’ defined. Daley, the chillin, and the people that will swallow this bilge.
Jesús sobre un burrito!
April 21st, 2008 at 10:20 amESTYeah, let “the children” run things. Anyone remember “The Lord of the Flies”
April 21st, 2008 at 10:27 amESTLiberal idiots answer for gun crimes more worthless gun control laws they would put oiut a fire with gasoline
April 21st, 2008 at 10:35 amESTIn the name of humanity, the social engineers/experimenters and utopians have been given their way since the 60s. They have steadily increased their influence and power. They never accept responsibility for their failed strategies, and claim we just haven’t adopted enough of their brilliant ideas. (”We haven’t gone far enough: we need a revolution!”) Citizens now pay the price for these über-liberal policies.
Do those same moral relativists ever recognize the signs that their system does not work? No. They keep on keeping on, insisting that it’s the old values that are causing society’s troubles. (Sigh.)
April 21st, 2008 at 11:02 amESTThe police blamed the heat? The HEAT? It was 55 degrees and drizzling here on Saturday. It’s supposed to be 72 today - guess I should stock up on Kevlar.
BTW, there seems to be a real “thought process” problem in this city. City Council recently proposed to make tiny plastic-bags illegal because they’re used to portion out drugs. Yes! The tiny bags are the problem - let’s get rid of the tiny bags! Then everything will be just fine. (And don’t even get me started on how I can’t buy spray paint in the city. Every asshole ‘banger has the material to tag my garage door, but if I want to freshen up the patio furniture, I’ve got to drive to Skokie.)
Finally, my Alderman is the person who wrote/passed the City Council ordinance calling an end to the war. Um, sir? Could you please make sure the garbagemen come on a consistent basis before you start dabbling in international politics?
April 21st, 2008 at 11:09 amESTWait - if the problem is the heat, why not just ban heat? It’d make about as much sense if you think about it… especially when existing gun laws did nothing about the AK-47, the stabbings, or any of the rest of those wonderful incidents.
Heck, I’d vote for someone that promised to ban heat. I hate heat. Give me a nice, solid 70 degrees and leave it there.
April 21st, 2008 at 12:34 pmESTOatworm:
(Snicker.) They could declare Chicago a ‘heat free’ zone.
April 21st, 2008 at 12:46 pmESTThat’s it! Call Al Gore — it’s caused by Global Warming, which, as everyone knows, is George Bush’s fault!
April 21st, 2008 at 12:55 pmESTJen: I’m sorry to hear you’re in Joe Moore’s ward. He’s one of those Blagojevic-type, “I-legislate-because-I-care” asshats.
April 21st, 2008 at 1:05 pmESTNothing covert about it! We no longer have public education, it’s public indoctrination.
Maybe they can get Sting to do the soundtrack.
April 21st, 2008 at 2:14 pmESTIs it just me, or does anybody else find it interesting that AK-47’s seem to be fashion statements?
And it only seems to apply to AK-47’s. I’ve never seen, for example, “a shotgun-toting renegade” or “Elton John is wearing Prada and is toting a Smith & Wesson.
So what is it that the media are trying to tell us? AK-47’s are cool?
April 21st, 2008 at 5:57 pmESTThere was no violence in Chicago this past weekend. This is all a big hoax.
How do I know? Because they have already banned guns. Therefore, everyone knows their streets are safe.
April 22nd, 2008 at 2:10 amESTHappy (belated) Birthday, Rachel.
Three of my favorite quotes from Iron Mike at Texas Tactical.
April 22nd, 2008 at 9:01 amEST.
“A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer’s hand.” — Lucius Annaeus Seneca, c. 4BC - 65AD
.
“There are no such things as dangerous weapons. There are only dangerous men.” — Robert Heinlein, Methuselah’s Children
.
“An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life. ” — Robert Heinlein
This is another example of why I cannot stand society sometimes. Let’s outlaw everything. I hate violence too however if someone wants you dead, they are going to find a way to do it whether they have a gun or not. Maybe we should start talking about how kids can learn to build bombs on the internet instead. That’s much easier to gain access to than a gun is.
April 22nd, 2008 at 10:37 amESTNo hippies allowed-Target practice
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:58 pmESTPlease I am a 51 year old right wing conservative gun carrying Regan loving Hippie at least that is what I am told so please don’t shoot, and of course mayor Daley wants the kids in charge who else will vote for him. Gun control takes common sense thats whats wrong with the idea there is no more common sense, and the wrong people are in control of the guns. Mine don’t bother anyone
I just read all the comments that I didn’t have time to read earlier. I am happy and relieved to know that I am not the only person who is completely disgusted with the direction our society is headed in. The question is: what do we do about it?
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:32 pmESTAnd guns did this. Shot all those folks up. Oh the knives joined in also? Sounds like an uprising to me!
Everything I want to say has already been said. If the folks that got knifed in their own house had a gun, the intruder would have been dead. I lived in Houston for most of my life and the police once said “We can’t protect you. It takes seconds for someone to break into your house and our response time is quite a bit longer than that. You will have to protect yourselves!”
Now don’t you think these thugs know that? No weapons, no problem!
April 23rd, 2008 at 7:36 amEST