I don't know if it's grandstanding if a group of Alderman want more action on the current issues affecting our city right now. Four Alderman which includes two Mayor Lightfoot foes Ald. Anthony Beale (Ward 9) and very vocal critic of the mayor Ald. Raymond Lopez (Ward 15) in addition to Ald. Leslie Hairston (Ward 5) and Ald. Anthony Napolitan (Ward 41).
BTW, I found an article from the Hyde Park Herald that stated that Ald. Hairston had removed her name from this letter calling for a special city council to discuss the proposals by Ald. Beale and Lopez to not only call for a special city council meeting on public safety and calling on the state to declare a state of emergency due to the increasing violence and threat of civil unrest to call for a four-month deployment of the Illinois Nat'l Guard.
I will share a tweet from Ald. Lopez sharing his proposals.
With this said this was covered at CapFax on Wednesday. Probably the first time I saw grandstanding in regards to this proposal.
What is reasonable is what our state's Adjutant General Richard Neely - overseeing both the Army and Air Nat'l Guards - stated as far as using the Nat'l Guard in something of a law enforcement role:
I've even seen Cook County Sheriff help out with some of this civil unrest, especially a Sheriff Deputy was blocking traffic from getting off the Dan Ryan when 87th Street was beset with looting.
However, as Rich Miller state's simple solutions are usually neither, but to keep the peace in the city in this uncertain time we need to get to work.
BTW, I found an article from the Hyde Park Herald that stated that Ald. Hairston had removed her name from this letter calling for a special city council to discuss the proposals by Ald. Beale and Lopez to not only call for a special city council meeting on public safety and calling on the state to declare a state of emergency due to the increasing violence and threat of civil unrest to call for a four-month deployment of the Illinois Nat'l Guard.
I will share a tweet from Ald. Lopez sharing his proposals.
The two resolutions associated w/ the Special Meeting. One requires monthly hearings to ensure police funds match the will of our residents. The other asks Illinois to declare a state of emergency to deal with the uptick in violence, rioting. How is action on either a bad thing? pic.twitter.com/Ymoy1mvwAO— Ald. Raymond Lopez (@RLopez15thWard) August 19, 2020
Simple solutions are usually neither https://t.co/kDWrwUEPKn— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) August 19, 2020
“We’re not law enforcement officers,” Neely told the Tribune after the Guard’s mission ended earlier this summer without incident. “As guardsmen, we’re military. We go to war and we do not need to go to war in our cities. ... It was important to me (troops) were not putting their hands on civilians. So we didn’t do riot control and some of those other missions. We focused on supporting law enforcement, allowing them to do the things they’re best trained to do.”Using the Nat'l Guard to help support the Chicago Police is nothing new. It's been proposed often over the years and the suggestion of martial law seems very defeatist in solving the issues that really require a law enforcement response with a respect to an individual's rights. I've said we should have more state police assistance in the city.
I've even seen Cook County Sheriff help out with some of this civil unrest, especially a Sheriff Deputy was blocking traffic from getting off the Dan Ryan when 87th Street was beset with looting.
However, as Rich Miller state's simple solutions are usually neither, but to keep the peace in the city in this uncertain time we need to get to work.
I don't know, because I can't read their minds.
ReplyDeleteI do know, the alderpeople have issues in their wards. Hairston and Beale have been in office, for twenty years.
National Guard Protocol requires the mayor asking the governor, who requests the president. This isn't happening.
I don't think it's grandstanding. The alderpeople are concerned, but they have no real say on the National Guard. 😐
ReplyDeleteJay Bob doesn't want them and neither does Lori. Jay Bob has the ultimate say. 😐