Violent weekend in Chicago ups the homicide rate

In what is another regrettable entry into the logbook of Chicago violence, last weekend saw the heretofore lowered homicide rate, increase, when 7 people were shot dead in one day last weekend.. Making headlines on the local and national media, of course, but overall changing little in what is seen as tragic, and now accepted as an inevitable fact of life in certain city neighborhoods.

As the death toll increases, it sweeps indiscriminately of young and old alike, toddlers and teenagers, bus drivers as well as honor roll students; as this Northernmost city becomes almost synonymous with gratuitous gun violence.

Here are the numbers from the Chicago Tribune: “As of Monday morning, the city had logged 103 homicides, compared with 101 this time a year ago, according to data compiled by the Tribune. At least 513 people have been shot this year, compared with 466 over the same time last year.

President Trump has said he will send in the feds, if things don’t improve; yet according to Chicago Police Superintendent, Eddie Johnson, that help has failed to materialize. Blaming the ease of guns, especially those from neighboring states, and especially Indianna, most if not all local lawmakers, right down to Mayor Rahm Emanuel have wrung their hands in despair.

Johnson wants to have more assistance from the FBI, the DHEA and the ATF, yet even if their help is received there needs to be a plan written to target their help. Right now, most of those plans, seem to be aired only in meetings. Many are looking to see if the Trump’s joint address to Congress on Wednesday, can give solidity to his tweets: “Can you believe what’s happening in Chicago?” and “. . . this is totally out of control.””

Centered in three poverty stricken areas, mostly populated by poor blacks, areas that Sen Dick Durbin defined as being responsible for 50 percent of the murders in January of 2017. In Englewood, and on the South and West sides, the communities of Harrison and Austin, the unemployment rate is 21 percent compared to 11.1 in the Chicago, overall.

Since the violence does not exist in a vacuum, it has created public health problems, in addition to one of social and economic behavior, and the increase in unemployment, foreclosures, and other factors has led to a gnawing self-devaluation among those area residents.

The situation, seems to not abate, as myriads of opinions flow, especially faulting the lack of jobs, weak schools, and lack of community resources. And, while these assessments are correct , the solutions that they offer: mentoring, job development, enhanced or new resources, these will all take more time than most realize. Even the mayor's promise of hiring more policeman, will take time as class instruction is only the beginning of the learning curve; the real lessons are to be learned on the street.

Time is what Chicago really doesn’t have, to give this city, on what was once a prairie, and its residents -- all of its residents -- a sense of hope. As Johnson noted, somewhat plaintively, in an interview, “The mayor made the request in person as recent of last week and we are hopeful the Administration will finally respond.”

Possible steps to resolution might include a greater attention to illegal gun acquisition, as the arsenal increases outside of the standard sources of gun shows and dealers. Joined with narcotics, this duality might increase the police the power to raid ,as they have done recently, and when Chicago Police gave the stats, the mind boggled.

What stood out? 61 previous convicted felons, 49 documented gang members, 19 priors on drug related charges, 14 currently on parole, and 65 identified by police as being  high risk.

Of the weapons confiscated, there was a machine gun that could roll out 40 to 50 rounds in seconds

When we take a closer look at the behavior of those involved, the detail may surprise some. Last year, NPR reported, in an interview with a reporter from The New York Times, who had been embedded with a local gang, some surprising news on the changes in gang behavior.

“Gunfire was so common in their lives that to me, it seemed like they were not necessarily traumatized by it anymore in the sense that a lot of times, if there were - if someone was killed, of course they were talking about it. You would go on their social media page, and you'll see them grieving about it openly.But if someone gets shot in the hand or the foot and they're alive, in some ways, they actually joke about it,” said John Eligon, the reporter.

He also noted, “For them, it's because it's not necessarily something that's uncommon or traumatic. In Chicago, in the part that I hung out in, the ambulance comes. They put the people in the ambulance. Police come. They try to talk to people. They put up police tape. It goes down, and then life just kind of continues.”

The desensitization may be just as damaging as the behavior, especially since in this racially divided city, it affects mostly black.people, a fact that is equally corrosive to the lives of the city’s black residents, especially its elders, who after the Black Migration, brought homes in these areas, alive with hopes and dreams for a better tomorrow, than the yesterdays of their lives in the Jim Crow South.

Much of the violence stems from episodes of “dissing” be it on social media, or in person, retribution becomes routine. As Eligon remarked, “And I think that that's why you see this kind of continuation, this perpetuation of it. So I think that's one thing. And a lot of them tried to tell me, how would you feel if your brother, uncle, father, cousin was shot and killed? Would you let that go? And for a lot of them, it's really hard to let that go.”

Coupled with a sense of helplessness that delivers a hopelessness, then these actions almost make sense. Almost.

While we can agree that there is no single solution, to the problem, it solutions cannot begin without money, a plan, and a commitment; and with so many thinking of the violence as a black problem, political will may be lacking.

In other areas, there has been a decrease - Oakland, California has a 41 percent decrease in violent crime since 2012 -- and much was centered on recalibrating the systemic problems of employment, opportunity, and self-esteem. There was also the use of psychological techniques such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, gun control and mentoring, and one essential ingredient:, police and community reconciliation.

Can it be done in Chicago? Only time, along with will can begin to stem the tide of violence. Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent - a period of both holy self-denial, and also self-reflection for Christians. Can we add to the list the prayers of hope, and the prayer of commitment for a reduction of violence? Let us pray.

Chicago Public Schools sue Republican governor citing racism

For Chicago Public schools, the intersection of money, race, and class has entered the  political picture with a new twist -  born from one part desperation, two parts public relations, and one part spin; as it emerged with a lawsuit on Tuesday with CPS suing Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Illinois School Board of Education, that the current school funding formula violates the civil rights of its mostly black and Hispanic students, who make up 9 out of every 10 students.

The move is more symbolic, than anything lawful, but it allows CPS make one last grand attempt at wresting more money for the nation’s third largest school system. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that it was influenced by the “landmark education civil rights case Brown v. Board of Education, CPS railed against the state of Illinois for maintaining what it calls “two separate and demonstrably unequal systems for funding public education in the State: one for the City of Chicago, whose public school children are 90% children of color, and the other for the rest of the State, whose public school children are predominantly white.’”

Gathering together five Black and Hispanic families, as plaintiffs, the suit represents an enduring frustration with the formula which benefits wealthier and whiter schools, which been well documented over the years. While the inequity is not new, neither is a lawsuit, because a similar one was done by the Chicago Urban League, in 2008 and the ISBE alleging civil rights violations of minority students throughout the state While it is still is pending in Cook County Court, it does not deal with pensions, said the Sun-Times.

As we have seen, and possibly will continue to see, especially on the national level is symbolic politics - and this action is part of that.. Left out of the loop was the Chicago Teachers Union, whose president Karen Lewis, who had this to say: “Why aren’t we co-plaintiffs on this? Why didn’t they ask us or talk to us about it? Because CPS does stuff on their own. They don’t bother to think that we may have some value,” Lewis told reporters at CTU headquarters Tuesday afternoon.

Characteristically, she said that she had no faith in CPS, and emphasized that “They don’t hold up their end of the bargain,” and “I don’t trust them. I have no trust in what CPS will do. I have no trust in what they’ll ask for. And I have no trust in what they’ll do when they get the money.”

In the absence of notification by CPS; Lewis called the legal battle “a fake fight” between Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Rauner’s education secretary, Beth Purvis, issued a statement saying “it is important to remember that the bipartisan, bicameral school funding commission just issued its report, which recommends an equitable school funding formula that defines adequacy according to the needs of students within each school district. The Governor remains focused on moving forward these recommendations and hopes that CPS will be a partner in that endeavor.”

That plan while revealing a need for more funds for minority students and those well below the poverty line, did not specify details, or deliver a plan to be debated,  and there is still the question of who would write the new formula?

With an unrealized windfall from the state government, which was more hopeful thinking than reality, “Chicago’s schools system has slashed about $104 million with furlough days, spending freezes and other cuts, and expects to pass another version of its $5.4 billion operating budget later this month that likely still will be short $111 million.”

"I want to reinforce the urgency of what's happening today, and that this really is our last stand," CPS Chief Education Officer Janice Jackson said. "We have hoped for a legislative solution, and that has not happened. Therefore, we're left with this as an option,” reported the Chicago Tribune in their coverage.

In the stalemate, or rather standoff between the Republican governor and the Democratically controlled state legislature has been fought with name calling, mudslinging, and everything but a budget, as Rauner wants to hold hold the state to an agenda of union busting, workmen compensation changes (for the worse) and a deregulation menu. While the interim provided some stopgap measures, for some budgetary costs, schools in particular have suffered, not only grammar schools, but colleges and universities.

Neither side has refused to budge and Chicago schools face more and more of a financial burden. The future seems less bright, than ever before. But, the results are even more disturbing, and the erosion of social capital, more dire every day, as students and administrators are forced to make more budget cuts, in every way, every day.

The lack of political will for black and brown children makes it more galling for social progressives, but also shows that race and economic class holding sway, make the effects even more debilitating. In fact, the inaction helps no one, and will increase not only reverse migration among black families, headed South, but also an increase in overall population shrink for Chicago.

Added to the mix is the politicization of education that has educators pitted against politicians, Emanuel against the teachers, the teachers union, and Lewis, against the mayor; and the whole crazy patchwork quilt of bureaucracy, where no one seems to know the end result, giving credence to the old baseball adage, “can’t tell the players without a program.”

In Wednesday’s budget address, Rauner’s attempts at portraying the truth - not saying that he is as much to blame as the Dems, was missing. In a disingenuous manner he said: “This isn’t about pointing fingers or assigning blame. We are where we are. It’s not about the past; it’s about how we move forward together. It’s not going to help us move forward if right after this speech, Democrats run to the media claiming we’ve never proposed a plan to balance the budget. And it’s not going to help us move forward if Republicans run to the media to point out that the Democratic legislature’s never passed a balanced budget.”

Specific references to education abound, but the governor noted, “We propose a record level of funding for our schools. We supported our K-12 schools at an unprecedented level in the last school year, and then we came back and did even more for this school year. Let’s begin to implement the recommendations of the school funding reform commission to make sure every child gets a shot at the American dream, no matter where they live.” But, yet again, no real plan, only reports to gather dust, and no real money for Chicago schools? He vetoed much needed funds before, so what makes this statement different?

With the addition of support for the earned income tax credit and broad support for the Senate leader, John Cullerton and minority leader Christine Radogno “grand plan,” and coming together in earnest,  it is apparent that the needle has not moved and neither has the governor. So, we are back at square one, with mostly retreads from previous speeches and positions.

Carville and Matalin square off on the Trump era at Northeastern Illinois University

Mary Matalin and James Carville

Tough times call for tough measures, so bringing veteran political strategists James Carville and Mary Matalin, both with long resumes, and opinions, for a free-wheeling political discussion, on Thursday evening, seemed a wise decision by Northeastern Illinois University to launch the new Daniel L. Goodwin Distinguished Lecture Series.

Moderated by award-winning Chicago journalist and Northeastern alumnus Thomas Corfman, the evening provided insights, often pointed, and barbed, at both the current Trump administration, and that of Barack Obama. It also showed that age had not dimmed the opinions of this marriage of a liberal and a conservative.

Carville is America’s best-known political consultant, having managed numerous successful political campaigns, including the election of President Bill Clinton in 1992. In recent years, he has focused on campaigns in more than 23 countries around the world.

For Matalin the evening was aso a homecoming; as a native of Illinois; she is one of the most celebrated and popular conservative voices in the United States. After successful work in Illinois campaigns, Matalin moved on to Washington, D.C., where she served under President Ronald Reagan, and was campaign director for President George H.W. Bush.

Tackling the opening question was temporarily waylaid by some of the marital pokes and jabs, that seemed reminiscent of the old Elaine May and Mike Nichols skits, of the 60s, as they parried and thrusted, in sidebar comments, that gave the audience a few chuckles, and even gasps. But when Carville questioned why Trump, even before his inauguration would “agitate China”, and especially in these “tumultuous times” take the risk, the seriousness began.

Matalin countered that his was a “cynical view” and that there was a “new paradigm” afoot, and it was a time to “incentivise democracy,” Carville then countered that the country had “war fatigue” and that beginning something that might end with aggression would not be welcomed. Her rapid response was that any actions would be symbolic of strength [and promote] an image of strength.”

She also remarked that in the 10 days that Trump has been in office, he has not been given even a “scintilla of a honeymoon,” that other newly inaugurated presidents have received.  And while acknowledging that she is no longer a Republican, but a Libertarian, and that criticism by Sen. John McCain, and others, is premature.

In a near incendiary exchange Matalin was concerned that some of these criticisms, at this stage was like “going down the briar patch” and her husband quickly and sarcastically commented that if that were so, then men like James Farwell, was “a real visionary.”

With a rapidly increasing pace, Carville sped into a full throated critique that the “wall is a terrible idea, as well as a fight with the Chinese,” and, furthermore, that these moves “are impulsive and that we have “a right to be scared” and warned against “undoing alliances [would have effects] that would last a long,long time,” and that all of these actions by the president “frighten the Dickens out of me.”

Like many Americans who heard Trump on the campaign trail make fun of the physically disabled, relate crude stories to previous sexual exploits, disparage women’s looks, ridicule war heros, and make xenophobic remarks about other ethnicities, Carville stated that because of these Trump “does not embody the values we have,”as Americans..

Echoing one of the many reasons for a Trump ascendancy Matalin said that there had been a “despondent electorate,”  and bemoaned the “absence of diversity on college campuses, where conservative voices were not heard, or given a forum, and that Trump was not “an overnight phenomenon,” and that the antecedent in many ways was Obama whose losses did serious damage to the Democrats.

There is some truth in what she said, and while not all of it can be attributed to Obama, Democrats in the previous years, did not capture the so-called down ballots in statehouses, city councils, school boards, and governorships that make a political power base, but one that Republicans wisely embraced.

Thomas Corfman

In an interesting segue, the conversation turned to the electoral college votes that gave “touchdowns” to the victor. While many would disagree and say that the game has been rigged with the college, (the second most recent popular win vote by Democrats, but losing in the electoral college) the point to be be taken, Matalin emphasized was that to the victors come the spoils.

Carville made perhaps the better point, that many others have said, and that is the Democratic message has to be better articulated; while the fact remains that all must be considered;, including revamping the down-ballot elections where political power is solidified.

One area that was not discussed were Democrats that failed to work harder in black neighborhoods,during the campaign. This cost them much needed support that could have turned into votes for Clinton, especially since the Hispanic firewall melted away. The black vote remained the same as it did for Obama, in the last two elections, just over 60 percent, but a greater margin might have helped towards a Clinton victory.

In an era of intense partisanship, many of the audience might have been surprised to hear Matalin heap praise on former president Bill Clinton, who she gave her imprimatur as a grassroots hero when she praised him as “a political genius” and asked, rhetorically: “Where are the rustbelt redneck Bill Clintons?”

Her point, while in the aftermath of the Democratic loss, did point to a hole in the Democratic effort, especially with retail politics, because as she noted, “The Democrats ceded populism to the Republicans.”

Returning to the current efforts from the White House, Matalin emphasized the need “for an empiricist” to take the reigns of health care effort that has traversed 25 years and that she was taught to “measure twice and cut once,” and that there was a role for cross state cost shifting, health savings accounts. To which Carville said simply, “Do it. Get it done!”

Getting it done may prove to be problematic with the paradigm shift that Matalin has defined, but it’s also worth summarizing that this type of bipartisan effort, genuine, bracingly honest, and directed, is a scarcity in Washington now, and that veteran stalwarts like Matalin and Carville may be an endangered species.

Illinois governor urges lawmakers to work together for a greater illinois

Gov. Rauner

Taking a softened tone in his annual State of the State address, Illinois governor, Bruce Rauner, on Wednesday, made the case for a stronger, better, and united Illinois one that might make other states envious of its schools and economic success. To reach that enviable status the Republican governor, of this very blue state, said that all Illinoisans had to participate, but also to make the state competitive. And, to achieve this, he said, “Through bipartisan cooperation, Illinois can once again be the economic engine of the Midwest and the home of innovation and prosperity for everyone.”

If the tone seemed rosy and even optimistic, then the last 18 month long absence of a budget, complete with name calling, mudslinging, accusations, and stonewalling made some wonder if this is the same governor that has held out against a budget unless his so-called “Turnaround Agenda” was incorporated, made up of reution on workmen's compensation benefits, term limits, and deregulation of unions.

To no one’s great surprise he said, “We haven’t had a full year budget of some kind in a year-and-a-half– and we haven’t had a state budget that is truly balanced in decades. We have more than $11 billion in unpaid bills, a $130 billion unfunded pension liability, and the worst credit rating in the nation. We have the 5th highest overall tax burden and one of the lowest rates of job creation of any state.”

All true, but the stalemate and the standoff especially between the powerful Speaker of the House MIchael Madigan, was not mentioned, nor the frustration that residents have experienced, and their exasperation at the continued fights and name calling, between he and the Speaker; nor the pleas to stop the insanity, and to start governing were acknowledged.

At one point, he nearly pleaded with the majority Democratic lawmakers, who control both sides of the General Assembly, when he asked, “I ask you today, on behalf of all the people of Illinois – Democrats and Republicans – please do the right thing and pass the bills to put term limits and fair maps on the ballot. Let the people decide these issues for themselves. End the power of incumbency and special interest groups, and give power back to the people of our state. Illinois turns 200 in 2018.

In a nod to the new direction in Washington, Rauner’s populist tone, was again a departure from his normal focus on business empowerment.

Pointing to past successes, Rauner gave a laundry list of successes, and said, “We closed the revolving door on Executive Branch employees leaving government to become administration lobbyists. We tightened the gift ban loopholes that lobbyists and contractors used to influence regulators and win favor with decision makers. We increased transparency, so that any resident of the state can now go online and review state spending on contracts and at-will hires. “

If it seemed like a campaign speech for re election, then the observations of both critics, and fans, were joined in their assessment. A millionaire, Rauner is also aided by some of the state’s wealthiest persons such as financier Ken Griffin. So, if this is the rallying point, it also might be a warning, that all things being equal he is in the game to win.

With President Trump threatening Chicago city government to “stop the carnage” of violence, or he would send in the Feds, Rauner hitched onto the tag line when he noted, The violence occurring in Chicago every night is intolerable; we’ve got to bring it to an end,” but also acknowledged as many lawmakers, Chicago police leadership, and others have noted the multiple causes, when he acknowledged, that “Violence experts say there’s no single cause and no single solution. But with the right mix of policies – with a joint commitment between the city, the county, the state and the federal government – we can and must find solutions to curb the violence.”

While offering assistance to Mayor Rahm Emanuel in that effort, he also said that “Law enforcement plays a critical role in violence reduction – but in the end, it’s a treatment, not a cure. Addressing the roots of this plague will take much more: to restore hope where hope has been lost, to build a long-term future of quality education and good jobs for communities that need it most. Tearing down the barriers to good jobs and economic opportunity. Getting rid of blight and incentivizing redevelopment.”

Meanwhile hovering in the background was the effort by State Sen. John Cullerton and Minority Leader Christine Radogno to get their package of tax increases, reduction, and other compromises off the table and to to a floor vote, but despite the days and weeks of their efforts, it all came to nought on Wednesday, with not a single vote recorded, but Cullerton said that next month,  "Then it's going to come time to make a decision," and furthermore, during a brief session, "The problems we face are not going to disappear; they're going to get more difficult every day. When we return Feb. 7, everybody should be ready and prepared to vote."

"It's incredibly complicated, and the more you try to refine it, the more things crop up," Radogno said. Their plan raises the income tax and creates a service tax to beat down the deficit; includes cost-saving measures to the workers' compensation program and a property-tax freeze sought by Rauner; pension- and school-funding overhauls; expanded casino gambling and more,” reported the Beloit Daily News.

While the Chicago Tribune noted that “Supporters furiously tried to make last-minute changes to keep the measure alive, but prospects for quick action dimmed on the complex package of tax increases and pro-business changes.”

As they neatly noted, “Business groups usually aligned with Rauner and his Republicans and unions normally allied with Democrats went to work against the plan. Retailers argued they could not support tax increases without major cuts in spending, manufacturers contended changes to workers' compensation rules were superficial, teacher unions said property tax freezes would starve local school districts, and education groups warned that outsourcing janitorial jobs could jeopardize student safety.”

All in all, a package that while designed to hang together, could also fall together, despite the heroic efforts of Cullerton and Radogno.

Here are some of the  details: A raise the income tax rate from 3.75 percent to 4.95 percent was altered, with new plans resetting the personal rate at 4.99 percent —just under the 5 percent rate that was in place when Rauner was elected.  Deleted was the penny-per-ounce tax on sweetened beverages, replaced by a so-called “opportunity tax” that would “charge companies for the "privilege" of doing business in the state, and a new tax on various services such as car repairs and dry cleaning. A plan to raise the minimum wage to $11 by 2021 also was set aside.”

“Underscoring the uphill nature of the Senate proposal, the House canceled Thursday's session, announcing it would head home a day early as lawmakers there focused their attention not on the budget but bickering over the partisan rules Democrats, led by Speaker Michael Madigan, use to maintain control over the chamber,” was also noted making some observers wonder what the focus of the legislators were.

Rauner did say, despite his lack of input, or approval, that “It’s heartening to see the Senate coming together on a bipartisan basis to acknowledge these changes are needed. Let’s build on that cooperation to achieve a truly balanced budget and changes that really move the needle on job creation and property tax relief.”

U.S. Dept. of Justice accuse Chicago police of civil rights violations

Friday’s release of the U.S. Department of Justice report on the Chicago Department, after a 13 month investigation, prompted largely by the shooting of an unarmed black teenager, Laquan McDonald, who was shot 16 times by a white police officer, after the fallout over the court-ordered release of the video has prompted a wide variety of responses from both public officials such as Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the police superintendent, Eddie Johnson, and local leaders. Some have breathed a sigh of relief that the investigation has occurred, and others remain suspicious that there will be true change, at least in a generation.

U.,S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, made the announcement, accompanied by U.S. Attorney Zachary Fardon, and Vanita Gupta, the Justice Department head of civil rIghts.

The three held a news conference at the Dirksen Federal Building in Chicago's Loop, Lynch said the report “found “reasonable cause” that the police department engaged in a pattern of using excessive force in violation of the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. She blamed that partially on “severely deficient training procedures” and “accountability systems.”

“Chicago police have shot at fleeing suspects who weren’t an immediate threat, failed to address racially discriminatory behavior within the department and put their own officers at risk”, reported the Chicago Sun-Times..

The 164 page report comes after an initial rejection by Emanuel, calling it “misguided,” but facing a mountain of criticism, including calls for his resignation, he relented. And, in response, he said that he would, in breaking a long-held pattern of police overtime, ask for 970 new police officers, although not specifying how he would pay for them in a city that is beset by previous practices of financial mismanagement, mostly over pension payments to city workers, and mandated by state and city laws. Some aldermen have said that they would support another property tax increase to pay for them.

Rushed ahead of schedule, due to the incoming administration of Donald Trump, there is some concern that if Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) is confirmed as successor to Lynch that there will not be support for the actions. Not only has Sessions a dubious past for the civil rights of Black Americans, after certain statements prevented him from taking a federal judicial post, many are worried that the situation in Chicago may then remain stagnant.

Sessions also remains suspicious that this type of report and specifically consent decrees that mandate specific changes are effective in changing police practices. In a meeting with Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) he would not agree to implement the report, saying that he wanted to understand it better.  And, in his confirmation hearings last week, he said: "I think there is concern that good police officers and good departments can be sued by the Department of Justice when you just have individuals within a department that have done wrong," Sessions said. "These lawsuits undermine the respect for police officers and create an impression that the entire department is not doing their work consistent with fidelity to law and fairness, and we need to be careful before we do that."

Preceding the report Emanuel, in addition the proposed hiring of more officers, he also  added a youth mentoring program at low-income minority youth, and a police accountability plan, by replacing the Independent Police Review Authority with a multi-tiered system, that some have criticized as a “recipe for failure” since it would not be truly independent from CIty Hall says University of Chicago Law professor Craig Futterman. He also says the budget is woefully inadequate.

Against the long held racial and economic segregation, the problem of racial injustice and lack of trust by black communities, has increased the polarization between them and the police. In fact, Gupta said the neighborhoods hardest hit by the “CPD pattern of unlawful force and breakdown in the city’s accountability system” include those on the South and West sides,” where many black residents live.

“Police misconduct will not be tolerated anywhere in this city and those who break the rules will be held accountable for their actions,” said Emanuel, on the dias with Lynch and later, Police Supt. Johnson, who said that some of the findings in the report “are difficult to read” and that “unconstitutional policing has no place in the CPD or the city of Chicago,’ reported the paper.

This is not a new problem either for Chicago, or the nation (as President Obama has often noted) as smartphone videos show the abuse, and its coverup -- the code of silence -- and one that Johnson said, when first appointed that he was unsure of existed and which in an interview that I held with Chicago Urban League head, Shari Runner scoffed at, in near disbelief.

The report also noted: “When officers falsify reports and affirmatively lie in interviews and testimony, this goes well beyond any passive code of silence; it constitutes a deliberate, fundamental, and corrosive violation of CPD policy that must be dealt with independently and without reservation if the City and CPD are genuine in their efforts to have a functioning system of accountability.”

It also decries the inadequate training that CPD officers received and thus their inability to de-escalate tense situations. One “solution” in the past was the torture of more than 200 black men arrested by the notorious Police Cmdr. Jon Burge.

Last year, the Guardian, a U.K. newspaper uncovered the existence of a black hole detention center, in Homan Square,where primarily black and Hispanic prisoners virtually disappear.

With the incoming Donald Trump administration ready to begin, those supporting a true reform remain dubious; and in the past, he said Chicago was out of control and suggested that “stop and frisk” be a remedy; one that was used in New York and that was condemned by the New York Civil Liberty Union as racial profiling.

As columnist, and member of the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board, Steve Chapman, said last year, “The biggest source of racial tension is also the oldest one - the divide between whites and blacks, manifested in economic disparities and broadly different views of law enforcement.”

When Dept. of Justice investigators held public forums,last July, to gain public input,more than 200 black residents gave their opinion, and one woman related an incident when an elderly friend had asked police to help rid her West Side community  of its drug problem, she was told by a white officer, “Well, I thought out you all liked that.”

Former police superintendent Garry McCarthy, fired by Emanuel after the public hue and cry over the delayed release of the McQuan video, decried the report, and before its release, said that there was no racial profiling by some officers, “they’re wrong,” he stated.

Initially receptive was Chicago Fraternal Order of Police President Dean Angelo “But, he soured quickly when he heard about the allegations of “systemic violations of civil rights and abuse by the police” that, he believes, mirrors an “anti-police” narrative.” said the Sun-Times.

Lynch has said the federal government and Chicago officials have signed an “agreement in principle” to keep negotiating what comes next. The Justice Department currently has agreements in place with 20 different law enforcement agencies, including 15 consent decrees.

It seems that with all of the objections, defensive cries, that this measure to ensure equal treatment for minority residents, using best practices of policing, may not go anywhere at all despite the protests of many, the DOj report, and evidence that supports the allegations, making one wonder can true justice be given the “turning point” that Fardon said on Friday, or will it continue to be business as usual with the Chicago Police Department? Only time can tell.

Reaction to the report from law enforcement officials and city police officers have been largely dismissive of it. Even the most serious of accusations: systemic dysucntonal practices, detailed in the report have been met with scorn. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that on Second City Cop Blog, the comments have been stark: "scam", a "crock of shit", and perhaps the mildest "garbage." Seen as being unfairly maligned, even with serious allegations, one of the comments, noted, "Hopefully the DOJ run by adults under Trump will re-examine the report." The paper also reports many racist and anti-Muslim statements, will undoubtedly see hopes for a change in direction, and indeed change in general, an uphill battle.

In an unrelated court action attorneys for long-time National Lawyers Guild legal observer Jerry Boyle filed suit in federal last week to challenge the sweeping use of “Stingray” cell phone spying devices by Chicago Police.

The suit, which aims to be certified as a class action, alleges that the stingray devices are frequently used without warrants or any official guidance, indiscriminately sweeping up cell phone data from innocent people, including attendees at political rallies, demonstrations and other 1st Amendment-protected activities.

Stingrays have the power to obtain identifying information about cell phones, access the content of phone calls and texts made on the phone, reveal website browsing histories, and track a phone’s cumulative movements.

The suit alleges that the Chicago Police Department’s use of cell site simulators “is secretive and widespread…and [CPD] has long refused to disclose information about its use of cell site simulators to the public and fought attempts to obtain such records in the courts, choosing to conceal its use of the technology.”

“The Chicago Police Department can’t give its officers weapons that have the power to search and seize our most personal information without any instructions about how to use them,” said Craig Futterman, a Clinical Professor of Law at the University of Chicago Law School and one of the lawyers representing Mr. Boyle. “That’s like giving officers guns and telling them to go get the bad guys, without even teaching them how to shoot. We've recently seen how this lack of surveillance oversight has played out at the NSA, where employees abused surveillance tools to spy on their spouses.”

The final frontier for Barack Obama, it all began in Chicago

Eight years ago a young Senator made a speech outlining a unified dream for America, where there was no blue or red states, just simply, Americans united in a common goal. That goal, and that man Barack Obama, became both president and aspirant in an attempt to bind the the social and economic wounds of the nation that had been rent by war, and factionalism. Now, after two terms in office as president of the Unites States, Barack Obama brought the end of his administration home to Chicago, on Tuesday night for his final speech to the nation.

In less than 50 minutes the president gave his vision of an America, one that has turned the corner of the economic downturn of the early years and has seen the Big Three automakers turn a profit, and stabilized the nation’s banking system in a series of regulatory aims that would not allow a repeat of the financial crisis that had a domino effect on the global economy.

As the nation’s first African American president he became both a lighting rod and a whipping post for a wide range of hopes, dreams, fears and even abject hatred. He took all of this in stride, and kept his cool, his cerebral and managerial cool as he trudged through the slog that is characteristic of Washington.

Towards the middle of his course, his opposition grew stronger and more vocal, at his attempts a immigration reform and health care; both of which were fought tooth and nail, so much so that former president Jimmy Carter had to note that had Obama been white, the sustained donnybrook might not have occurred.

He faced great obstacles including an unemployment rate of 10 percent at the end of his first year in office and leaves with one at 4.7 -- yet the progress was slow as the unfettered hands of capitalism gave slow ground to progress; and only then after 75 long months, causing some to say that not much was done.

He acknowledged as much when he said,it's not “that our nation has been flawless from the start, but that we have shown the capacity to change and make life better for those who follow. Yes, our progress has been uneven. The work of democracy has always been hard. It's always been contentious. Sometimes it's been bloody. For every two steps forward, it often feels we take one step back. But the long sweep of America has been defined by forward motion, a constant widening of our founding creed to embrace all and not just some.”

Obama foiled his critics with an often light wit, and hard work and obfuscated plans for being a one-term president, as long sought by Sen. Mitch McConnell of being a one term president. This was accomplished with reelection to a second term, and the 18,000 strong gathered at McCormick Place, a lakefront convention center, and gave him roars of approval and standing ovations, throughout his speech, on a cold Chicago evening.

The blend of rhetoric reflected both his deep knowledge of constitutional law and American history as he made frequent allusions to Lincoln,and at length to George Washington, the nation's first president.

With a quick turn to the present, he also upheld the notions of racial equality that still need to be met, when he noted, “it means acknowledging that the effects of novelty and Jim Crow didn't suddenly vanish in the 60s, that when minority groups voice discontent, they're not just engaging in reverse racism or practicing political  correctness . . . but demanding equal treatment that our founders promised.”

For one electrifying moment, there was the magic of that first speech, when he noted, “as citizens”, we “must remain vigilant against external aggression, we must guard against a waking of the values that make us who we are,” Obama said. And when he he noted the patriotism of all with this line: “That's why I reject discrimination against Muslim Americans, who are just as patriotic as we are,.” he got a standing ovation.

While he stuck mostly to national concerns and not those of the city of Chicago, the setting and the local rooted both he, his wife, the First Lady Michelle Obama, and their two children firmly in their roots,  as he wiped away a tear, as he paid tribute to the woman who stood, by his side, along with their two daughters, Malia, now 18 years old, and her younger sister, Sasha, now 15.

A significant role for Obama has been that of husband, and he acknowledged this by saying: “Michelle — Michelle LaVaughn Robinson, girl of the South Side — for the past 25 years, you have not only been my wife and mother of my children, you have been my best friend. You took on a role you didn't ask for and you made it your own, with grace and with grit and with style and good humor. You made the White House a place that belongs to everybody. And the new generation sets its sights higher because it has you as a role model. So you have made me proud. And you have made the country proud.”

A true family man, Obama addressing his daughters: “Malia and Sasha, under the strangest of circumstances, you have become two amazing young women. You are smart and you are beautiful, but more importantly, you are kind and you are thoughtful and you are full of passion. You wore the burden of years in the spotlight so easily. Of all that I've done in my life, I am most proud to be your dad.”

In the end of this era,  revisionist historians will soon begin the game of taking this history and assessment apart, and its direction might reveal lots that was previously acknowledged, but one thing is certain: the work of the Barack Obama administration “helped so many Americans, it has inspired so many Americans — especially so many young people out there — to believe that you can make a difference — to hitch your wagon to something bigger than yourselves.”