Two worthwhile stories about struggling communities in Chicago -- Cabrini Green and Englewood. The Englewood story in particular, about the 55th Street dividing line between gangs and the funding cut from CeaseFire, seems more detailed and closely reported than many you usually see:
You can go home again Tribune
Miles Warren III, 26, spent seven years of his childhood living in the
Cabrini Green public-housing project then moved around the city with
his family until they settled in Lincoln Park.
Arthur Jones’ legacy may be getting gangs to take responsibility for change Medill
Arthur Jones was the third child to die by gunfire within a week in
Chicago. According to Monique Bond, Chicago Police Department
spokeswoman, 54 people aged 19 or younger have been killed by gunfire
so far this year.
Hizzonner needs to work on his model city!
Posted by: Doc | October 29, 2007 at 08:02 PM
The Mayor was not the one who cut funding to CeaseFire. Talk to Blago about that one!
Posted by: | October 29, 2007 at 10:59 PM
New officials lines to divert Olympic Fantasy attention from Chicago street realities:
1. The killing would stop if Cease Fire were funded. I.e., blame Blago.
2. The killing will stop if guns are gone (not gangsters from drug gangs with guns, just the guns). I.e., Blame the NRA.
3. There are no gangs no more, just "crews" and "cliques" and "posses" with guns. I.e., ignore the GDs, VLs, BPSNs, LKNs, MLDs, LDs, etc., etc., etc. They ain't there no more. In fact, there ain't no there there no more. I.e. Blame the media Style Books, Gang Crimes, and the Chicago Crime Commission for being out of date. Oh, and...
4. Ain't no drugs out there no more neither.
5. And County Jail and the prisons aren't organized by, er., "cliques" unless the guards get really angry with you, in which case you get to bed down near ten guys from an opposing "crew."
That's how you get miracles in Miracle City.
Just close your eyes and pray hard. Keep them closed long enough and you'll see things the Right Way.
Posted by: George Schmidt | October 30, 2007 at 05:36 AM
I was there...
actually, i had to fight the GD's after the boy was shot n watch my back everyday...
ppl say he was on his way for candy...i ask why?
b4 the shooting, there was a big fight after school was out...
(children mainly 13-19)
alot of ppl was by tha store after tha fight not knowing what was in store for them next...
i looked across the boulevard(54th towards 55th)
and i seen alot of ppl coming our way wit bottles, sticks, ect..
Arthur was one of them
(actual children are involved in gangs, good n bad) don't b fooled...
shots was fired, i thought it was coming from them...
everyone ran, but i stuck around bcause i had family and all were to b accounted for...
its not tha gangs, its tha youth... teachers, police, aldermans, priests, ect... can't blame gangs n their leaders, or parents...
LIFE ITSELF IS NOW A CRIME
Posted by: The Wanted Unknown | October 14, 2008 at 09:02 PM
Not so much at all.
Posted by: celebrity tube | December 25, 2009 at 08:07 AM
Yeah, County Jail and the prisons aren't organized by, er., "cliques" unless the guards get really angry with you, in which case you get to bed down near ten guys from an opposing "crew."
James
Posted by: Reduction of Bloodstream Infections | March 08, 2010 at 07:00 AM