Chicago -
By Steve Rhodes
Here are some new Beachwood posts to divert your attention while I continue to burrow into the fast-moving developments surrounding the Laquan McDonald case. I also catch us up on our recent Facebook posts.
* Wayne’s World vs. Public Access.
Featuring Chicago’s very own CAN TV.
Posted on December 3, 2015
By Steve Rhodes
The most prevailing theme of media criticism I’ve seen of Rahm Emanuel’s press conference on Tuesday was his inability to specifically point to what he believed Garry McCarthy had done wrong to warrant his firing.
That’s because Rahm Emanuel doesn’t believe Garry McCarthy did anything wrong – just as I’m sure he doesn’t believe he did anything wrong, seeing as how they both were in lockstep regarding the Laquan McDonald case.
“[At this point and this juncture for the city, given what we’re working on, [McCarthy] has become an issue rather than dealing with the issue, and a distraction,” Rahm said.
In other words, it’s nothing that McCarthy did wrong, it’s the way everybody reacted to the wrongs McCarthy didn’t do.
Posted on December 2, 2015
By Steve Rhodes
TUESDAY UPDATE: All of the action is on Twitter for now, what with Rahm firing Garry McCarthy, announcing formation of a task force on police accountability, and holding a press conference this morning. More here later.
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While I work on some Laquan McDonald material for today [some now below], here are some fresh posts elsewhere on the site as well as posts you may have missed over the long holiday weekend.
ADDED 4:31 P.M.:
* Song Of The Moment: 16 Shots.
From Sherm N Demand.
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ADDED 3:41 P.M.:
* The Weekend In Chicago Rock.
Featuring: Health, Baroness, Bumsy & The Moochers, King Diamond, Cathy Richardson, AM Taxi & The Ike Reilly Assassination, Exodus, Joseph Arthur, Larry Hernandez, Car Seat Headrest, The Faceless, Houndmouth, Modern Baseball, Northlake, Tink, and Winter Jones.
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ADDED 1:36 P.M.:
* The [Laquan McDonald] Papers Pt. 1: Where’s Rahm?
Playing dodge ball.
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ADDED 12:51 P.M.:
* The Political Odds.
Now reflecting recent developments.
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ADDED 11:11 A.M.:
* Amazon, CyberMonday & You.
Add wage theft to a sick and abusive corporate culture.
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* Stinky Seaweed Spurs Invention.
Elastec, a downstate Carmi company that specializes in oil spill response, has made a seaweed barrier, the “Beach Bouncer,” after receiving calls from resorts in Antigua and the Dominican Republic plagued by the stuff.
Posted on November 30, 2015
Posted on November 28, 2015
By Steve Rhodes
Malcolm London explains it all.
Posted on November 26, 2015
By Steve Rhodes
Wednesday Programming Note: I’m gathering material for a post (or more likely, posts, plural) on Laquan McDonald, one or more of which may come today or later in the long holiday weekend. I’ll have a bunch of other material too between now and Monday, but not necessarily on a traditional schedule. So check back or follow us on Twitter and/or Facebook to stay in-the-know. (Twitter is where the action really is; I’ve been commenting there on the McDonald case pretty heavily since Tuesday.)
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The [Tuesday] Papers
“Mayor Rahm Emanuel called together a number of community leaders Monday to appeal for help in keeping the city calm [upon the release of the Laquan McDonald video],” AP reports.
“Some attendees of the community meeting said afterward that city officials waited too long after McDonald was shot to get them involved.
“You had this tape for a year and you are only talking to us now because you need our help keeping things calm,” one of the ministers, Corey Brooks, said after the meeting.
Right. He only calls at election time and when he thinks the city is on the verge of blowing up. It’s like a mayoral booty call.
Posted on November 24, 2015
By Steve Rhodes
“Chicago Public Schools Board Vice President Jesse Ruiz, who in recent months has become the Board’s most outspoken member, will be leaving that post at the end of the calendar year,” Catalyst reports.
“Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s office announced on Friday the appointment of Ruiz to the Board of Commissioners of the Chicago Park District, where the mayor is recommending that he be elected president by the other commissioners.
“Ruiz did not respond to messages on Friday afternoon.
“While technically a move up, Ruiz’ transfer from the School Board to the Park District is being viewed by close observers as a demotion because of the lesser prominence of the Parks board.”
Now here’s the fun part:
Insiders say CEO Forrest Claypool and City Hall have been increasingly frustrated with some of Ruiz’s lines of public questioning about charter schools and the need for more transparency.
We take this as politics as usual – especially around here – but the implications are profound. Ruiz has been removed from the school board for asking too many questions – which around here means more than zero – and his (apparent) desire for transparency.
Posted on November 23, 2015
By Steve Rhodes
Well, whineter is here.
— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) November 21, 2015
Posted on November 21, 2015
By Steve Rhodes
“Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration on Wednesday refused to say if it has cut off services to Syrian refugees following his announcement that Illinois would temporarily stop accepting those fleeing the war-torn country, even as other states have pulled the plug on resettlement services,” the Tribune reports.
Sometimes there’s just no comment I can make to clarify the absurdity of someone’s behavior. This is one of those times.
Posted on November 19, 2015
By Steve Rhodes
Just as I wanted to hug every black person I saw on the day of Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2008 (see The Cashier), despite all my criticism of him, today I find myself wanting to hug every woman in a hijab.
I hope that, as a white, male, lapsed Reform Jew, agnostic, disheartened and not particularly patriotic American, that isn’t offensively privileged or condescending.
In 2008, I wanted to scream, “We have a black president! Kill Whitey!”
Posted on November 18, 2015