Posted by
NightBeatChicago on Thursday, September 27, 2007 12:45:46 AM
Since I am pretty much a night owl in the sense that I work the so-called third shift overnight on a daily basis, I often find myself ruminating on the sights and sounds of Chicago from dusk til dawn over a few cups of coffee when I am on breaks. Each night finds me thinking about different things, but there are certain things that I keep coming back to night after night. Below you will find my commentaries on some of those recurring thoughts.
SOCIAL PROFILING-If I walk outside of the building where I work in downtown Chicago, and I am accosted by someone with the intention of mugging me, the odds are that the mugger will be "african-american." It is not politically correct to say such things, but it is a fact. The same goes if I were to be on the street on the southside or the westside of this city during the wee hours of the morning. That is why one of my cardinal rules of urban survival has always been that I do my best to engage in any sort of banter or conversation with "african-americans" between sundown and sunup. This despite the fact that I am an "american of color" myself. I learned many decades ago that whenever anyone I don't know approaches me on the street at night saying something along the lines of, "hey, brother...," there is slightly more than a 50% chance that there is impending danger behind that question. The same goes for the "brothers" who shuffle towards me on the subway late at night asking me some jive about, "hey, man, how can I get to the southeast side of town on this train." Those el-train riding jive talkers know more about the CTA and its routes than the average CTA employee because they usually spend all night, every night riding the trains and looking for someone to jive-talk, scam, pick-pocket, mug, or kill (if worse comes to worse). They come towards you on the street or on the subway trains with that knuckle dragging, shoulder bouncing, swagger that is meant to intimidate you or me before they even get close enough to either ask a phony "set-up" question or simply cut to the quick and say something like, "I need five dollars, man!" The idea is to read your response and go on from there. If they are in a pack of two or more, things can escalate rapidly to a conclusion. Same thing goes if it is a single thug who is physically imposing, or brash enough to be openly brandishing a pipe, knife, gun, or beverage bottle. And, make no mistake about it, those "moonlight gamblers" can smell the slightest bit of fear that you may exude. They will rob you of your wallet, jewelry, and sometimes your clothing or shoes. They will beat you to a pulp if there are few or no onlookers. They will kill you for "sport." And, in most cases, they will be "african-american." Not only that, but some of those "midnight ramblers" are teenagers who have the physiques and attitudes of middle-aged professional criminals. Anyone who thinks otherwise is welcome to do a little moonlight strolling with me in the loop or in any 'hood that they think is free of human vermin, or take a ride with me on the CTA Red, Green, or Blue Lines at night (isn't it ironic that the "PINK" line shuts down at around 1am or so...something about the name of that line will never go over easy in my mind). If you want to get mugged by a caucasian or hispanic thug you will have to do your moonlight strolling on the southwest side of town or in the Pilsen area. The thugs are out there in open sight like sharks in the ocean waiting for a tasty meal (you or me), but the difference between you and me is that the way they react to me is different than the way that they would react to you because Ilearned a long time ago how to give off that "scent" that says, "IF YOU START SOMETHING WITH ME I WILL DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO TAKE YOU TO WITHIN AN INCH OF YOUR LIFE, OR FURTHER, WITHOUT EVEN BLINKING!" And that scent or aura is fact. I do not believe in "brotherly love" or being passive on the street or on the subway. I think that so-called "subway vigilante," Bernard Goetz, was a great American who didn't pump enough bullets into those thugs who tried to mug him on a NYC subway on the afternoon of December 22, 1984. I won't tap dance around that issue with anyone who wishes to take issue with me about it for a variety of reasons-primarily because when I am faced with a choice between compassion (or political correctness) and survival, survival always trumps compassion. I have no intention of becoming another statistic on a police blotter because of letting my guard down in a midnight confrontation with a malevolent "african-american" (or two, or three, or...) in my hometown. I love life too much. Unfortunately, I live in a town where the illustrious mayor, Richard M. Daly, has made a personal crusade of keeping personal protection weapons (firearms) out of the hands of law-abiding, hardworking, god fearing citizens so that criminals always have the upper hand (unless you have my mentality, mindset, and weapons training experience).
To prove my point, I have been taking notice lately at a regular column in the Chicago Sun-Times titled 24/seven:
A DAY ON THE CHICAGO CRIME AND FIRE SCENE. On Monday, September 24th, 2007, there was listed a "man shot during argument" in Pilsen, a "man shot, criticall hurt" in South Austin," and a "man wounded in thigh" in the Gresham district. On Tuesday, September 25th, 2007, there was listed, a "man shot in drive-by (shooting) in the Little Village neighborhood, and a "man stabbed in the abdomen," as well as mention (on a different page of the paper that day) of a "man (hispanic) found hanged hanged from a billboard" on the southside of town. today, Wednesday, September 26th, 2007, there was a "man shot in abdomen who died" in the Grand Crossing District, a "man shot in the head while inside a car (who died on the scene)" in the West Englewood District, and "two shot-1 in arm, 1 in leg" in the Roscoe District. Am I living in Baghdad, Iraq or some suburb of the Twilight Zone? I'm not sure. But I am sure that most of the shooters and the people being shot over that three day period were most likely of "african-american" descent. Will more gun laws and gun law lip service take the guns out of the hands of people like those shooters. Most likely not. So, what I ask you, are civilized, hard working, law abiding americans (of all colors) to do in order to avoid being shot here in the city of Chicago? Pray, become more vigilant 24/7, and take self-defense courses? Good luck! You know there is an interesting new film out currently starring Jodie Foster, titled THE BRAVE ONE. I suggest you check it out. And for you fashion fanatics out there, it can't hurt to add a "Glock Perfection" t-shirt to your casual wardrobe. And always remember tht it is illegal to own a handgun in the city of Chicago, primarily due to the ever diligent efforts of "King," whoops, I meant Mayor Richard M. Daly (who strangely is never seen in public without a bevy of well armed plainclothed Chicago cops at his side ( same goes for that paragon of gun control...when there is a photo op...Jesse "Action" Jackson ).
I know that some of you are probably boiling mad because I mentioned the words "african-american" several times in the above comments. I am simply a man of simple words who calls it like I see it. Have you ever taken a moment to notice that quite often when you see a young "african-american" in urban america today, you see a scowl-faced, swaggering, knuckle dragging, ill-tempered, ill-mannered, malcontent, wearing a "do-rag," a oversized baggy t-shirt/sport jersey, pants with the beltline below the butt and the crotch area around knee height, and wearing expensive athletic shoes as if life were a perpetual hoops game. Some call it "baddass bling." I call it a generation prepping itself for the ubiquitous felony conviction / rap sheet development / hardcore hip-hop self-destructive lifestyle that is unfortunately both the "way and the power" for too many of today's inner-city urban youth. Is it any wonder that the police chief of Philadelphia recently admitted that he could not control the rampant crime in his jurisdiction's ("african-american") communities, and suggested that 10,000 responsible "black men" volunteer to assist the police in policing those communities. So far not many "responsible" black men have signed onto that crusade which leads one to wonder why any intelligent black ( or "african-american" ) male with an ounce of functional brain tissue would volunteer to walk mean streets where it has long been taught that anyone who sides with the police is going to get the same "street justice" that the criminals have in mind for the police and law enforcement departments of Philly? Don't look for 10,000 (or even 1000) responsible black men to risk their lives in Philadelphia, or any other major urban american city, protecting their communities from the drug dealers, the gang bangers, the thugs, and the perverts that live amongst them. They are not going to play Don Quixote and fight those malicious and potentially deadly windmills that shoot back at anyone, ANYONE, who opposes or defies them....better to leave that stuff to Sancho (Quixote's squire...you know, like Jesse Jacksons sidekick, Catholic priest, Michael Pflager), eh, senor? Besides, the law abiding Philly black men are too busy working hard each day and trying to protect their families and possessions, while the rest of Philly's able-bodied black men are the ones who are out causing the social chaos in the first place. According to law enforcement authorities there is something called the BLACK MAFIA that is controlling crime and criminality in Philidelphia. Ha, one more good reason to never visit that terrible city again in this lifetime.
I can hear the outcries of, the white man caused all this, the white man put drugs in the community, the schools don't have enough money, the neighborhood needs more community recreation centers, the government does not give the community enough handouts or housing, etc, etc, blah, blah, blah! It's all a load of self-serving crap from a community and a culture which by and large had become virtually "genetically" addicted to federal, state and local welfare handouts, government entitlements, and an arrogant acceptance of "second class citizenship" as a badge of honor. Is it any wonder that in downtown Chicago you can't walk five feet in any direction without some teen, young adult, adult, or disabled person (some real, some fake, but all probably also raking in a decent buck through social security or some other disability entitlement that you and I, dear reader, pay for through taxes) holding and shaking an empty McDonald's beverage cup in your face. Oddly enough, a good number of those ever present panhandlers and glad-handers don't appear to be starving or in need of better clothing. Hell, I can't afford some of the baseball cap, do rag, athletic warmup top and bottom, and expensive, top of the line, athletic shoes many of those people wear while begging. And, judging by the waistlines and enormous butts on some of them, they also eat better than I do ( or at the very least they eat more than I do ). What a city! What a country. What a sham!
Ah, but I have a solution to at least part of the "problem" that I have explicated above. I believe that if the absurd entity that calls itself the Iraqi government actually does can the BLACKWATER SECURITY USA group from doing business in Baghdad, the BLACKWATER SECURITY USA group should be contracted to enter, secure, and help civilized citizens and educators begin the process of "americanization" of certain communities in at least a few big USA cities ( LA, NYC, Chicago, Minneapolis, etc ). Until such a time as that sensible suggestion is taken to heart, I will personally thank (in my daily evening prayers) the writers of the Constitution for their inclusion of the second amendment giving me the right to bear arms and defend my home, my family, and myself (something which jive talking politicians like "Da Mayor," and governor "Blago" would take away from me if they could).
And, before I sign off tonight, I would like to mention that it always bothers me when I read local papers and see local news media begin foaming at the mouth whenever some rogue cop is accused of, or is caught redhanded doing something that is either above or beneath the written law of the land. Law enforcement work is a difficult profession by any standard. It takes special people to make the grade and pass muster. It also takes a special person to survive the stresses and duties of such a profession for a protracted period of time without at some point cracking uner the stress of the job. Yes, sometimes bad people do manage somehow to sneak through and make it into our police forces, and sometimes even "good" people do bad things, but that is not the norm in the CPD by any stretch of the imagination. Whenever you read about some police officer who "cracked under pressure," or who sided with the bad guys under the table, remind yourself that those corrupt cops number far less than "bad" doctors, "bad" teachers, "bad" public officials, and "bad" public servants in general ( hell, there are even more "rogue" priests, ministers, and reverands than there are "rogue" cops). And any sane person would know that were it not for the many fine police departments around this country who have intelligent, well-chosen, and well-trained officers behind the badge, we would have chaos on the streets not unlike that seen in fictional movies like THE ROAD WARRIOR or ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK. That is a fact that is self-evident. Only a fool or a self-serving demogogue rabble rouser would argue otherwise. I respect cops and the job they have to do. They keep the peace whether you like them or not. And, for that alone, what's not to like.
As a final note...how about this great politically incorrect dictum given recently by the Prime Minister of Australia:
Prime Minister John Howard - Australia
Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia , as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.
A day after a group of mainstream Muslim leaders pledged loyalty to Australia and her Queen at a special meeting with Prime Minister John Howard, he and his Ministers made it clear that extremists would face a crackdown. Treasurer Peter Costello, seen as heir apparent to Howard, hinted that some radical clerics could be asked to leave the country if they did not accept that Australia was a secular state, and its laws were made by parliament. "If those are not your values, if you want a country which has Sharia law or a theocratic state, then Australia is not for you", he said on National Television ..
"I'd be saying to clerics who are teaching that there are two laws governing people in Australia : one the Australian law and another Islamic law that is false. If you can't agree with parliamentary law, independent courts, democracy, and would prefer Sharia law and have the opportunity to go to another country, which practices it, perhaps, then, that's a better option", Costello said.
Asked whether he meant radical clerics would be forced to leave, he said those with dual citizenship could possibly be asked to move to the other country. Education Minister Brendan Nelson later told reporters that Muslims who did not want to accept local values should "clear off. Basically people who don't want to be Australians, and who don't want, to live by Australian values and understand them, well then, they can basically clear off", he said.
Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques. Quote: "IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali , we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians."
"However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled when the 'politically correct' crowd began complaining about the possibility that our patriotism was offending others. I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to Australia ." "However, there are a few things that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some born here, need to understand." "This idea of Australia being a multi-cultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity. And as Australians, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle."
"This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom"
"We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society . Learn the language!"
"Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture."
"We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us."
"If the Southern Cross offends you, or you don't like "A Fair Go", then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet. We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don't care how you did things where you came from. By all means, keep your culture, but do not force it on others.
"This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom,
'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'."
"If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted."
Maybe if we circulate this amongst ourselves, Canadian citizens will find the backbone to start speaking and voicing the same truths.
If only there was some way that we could impress upon certain malcontent communities here in the USA the same sentiments...and I am not talking about the Muslim communities here, although certainly those communities should read the above and "get with the program if they want to continue to enjoy the program." Love it or leave it, baby!
Goodnight all!