Chicago’s suntimes.com reports that two Illinois legislators are calling on Illinois Governor Quinn and Chicago Mayor Daley to order the National Guard to invade deploy to Chicago to combat gun violence. Mind you, Rep. John Fritchey and Rep. LaShawn Ford did say that the governor and hizzoner should coordinate any such action with Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis. “As we speak, National Guard members are working side-by-side with our troops to fight a war halfway around the world,” Fritchey said in a statement. “The unfortunate reality is that we have another war that is just as deadly taking place right in our backyard. Is this a drastic call to action? Of course it is. But is it warranted when we are losing residents to gun violence at such an alarming rate? Without question.” So what’s the body count that justifies this way the f out there subversion of state’s rights and city self-government? So far, 113 people have died in firearms-related violence. So . . .
“Gang activity and its resulting violence has taken a toll on my community for far too long,” Ford said in a statement. “The Military Code of Illinois specifically states that it is the duty of the Governor to deploy such force as he deems necessary in order to suppress individuals acting together and committing violence in violation of our laws. Enough is enough. We’ve already lost too many lives. We need action now.”
C’mon. Really? The National Guard? Wait; don’t tell me: the feds should take over because it’s all about civil rights!
“Candidly, I think that if these shootings were taking place on the north side, we’d be seeing more of an outcry from the community and a more heightened response,” said Fritchey. “But regardless of where you live, or where the shootings take place, we must never lose sight that every one of these children that gets shot is somebody’s son or somebody’s daughter.”
Candidly in a statement? These politicians really are a breed apart. Why would an elected official sworn to uphold the constitution of the United States (or at least Chicago’s city charter) sacrifice their citizens to federal military control?
“If they can save even one life, one child, in my community, I would welcome the National Guard with open arms and I am confident that my constituents would as well.”
UPDATE: Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weis today responded to the suggestion that he’s a lame ass Police Chief that needs the National Guard to bail him out: “I don’t think the National Guard is the solution” ’cause “when you mix military functions with law enforcement functions, there is sometimes a disconnect.”
Noting that the military does not operate under the same constitutional constraints as the police, he questioned how Chicago residents would react to soldiers raiding homes without warrants, and said that in his 25 years of law enforcement experience, he had never seen an example of military personnel working under local civilian command.
So that’s that then. Or is it?
“I’d have to see what the mayor’s position on this is,” he said. “If he’s open to it, you know, of course, I’d be open to it. I have certain concerns, based on my time in law enforcement and the United States military.”
please don’t tar all of Chicago with the same brush! Call a spade a spade….its the south side, with the exception of Mayor Daley’s neighborhood which is protected like Fort Apache! This has been an ongoing problem since I was a kid growing up on the NORTH side! Guess what, the mayor had the same name then too.
Posse Comitatus much, Illinois?
And Mr Mayor, so how’re those gun restrictions doin’ for you, and the rest of us residents of Illinois, in lowering gun violence?
The answer, it would seem, is self-evident.