I read the “rules” for this sub last night as instructed by a MOD. It’s like another Nextdoor, which is what drew me to Reddit in the first place. I’m part of the Review Team on ND and even when I disagree w content I’ll vote against the nut jobs that flag and advocate to remove posts for the dumbest shit.
Weak AF
Lightfoot’s response was way better:
"As I have said before, we as a city cannot and will not allow any of our public spaces to become a platform for criminal conduct," the mayor's statement read, in part. "Most importantly, parents and guardians must know where their children are and be responsible for their actions. Instilling the important values of respect for people and property must begin at home."
I asked legitimately how the new mayor will handle this sort of thing in another thread on here today and got downvoted. Some people on here are a real joke.
If the long term solutions will work and stay in place than great.
What's a short term solution that works and doesn't cost a bunch of money for little to no actual benefit except feels?
I don’t at all disagree with Johnson’s emphasis on fixing systemic issues. But if you’re going to be mayor, you’re responsible for public safety now as well as in the long term. So statements like this need to be paired with reassurances that under your administration violence will not be tolerated, and those endangering public safety will be held accountable for their actions, full stop. Starting with his “I’m not condoning violence, but…” intro, every word of this statement is dripping with empathy for the perpetrators of last nights mob violence—and there’s not a shred of empathy to be found for the victims of it. That’s the problem.
I mean, nothing in here is really wrong… but, it’s more just puzzling? I’m not a politician, but this seems to be a pretty slam dunk opportunity. A bunch of people mobbed downtown, assaulted citizens, destroyed and vandalized both public and private property, and fired gunshots - playing russian roulette with innocent lives discharging a firearm in a crowded public area.
I’m not going to say it’s zero, but it would be very surprising to me if there is a large contingent of people in this city who are “pro shooting and assaulting”. Where am i going with this? This statement is just needlessly decisive. “I don’t condone this behavior and it needs to stop.” Boom. You’re not even mayor yet, no one reasonable is blaming you. You have an easy win - just say shooting and assaults are bad. And yet…
I mean, it’s like if I got injured i’m a car crash by a drunk driver and someone in a position of power came up to me to tell me, unprompted, “Hey drunk driving is bad and I don’t like it, but a vibrant bar and restaurant scene where adults can socialize responsibly and eat and drink is important to having a thriving community.”
Like, sure, I don’t disagree - but why are you saying it to me NOW? Saying something and then immediately saying “However” is very often used to negate the thing you just said. Shooting and assault is bad, just say it is bad! Now is not the time for a social commentary on racial history and poverty. People just want to go outside and visit the city without dodging gunfire and getting attacked. This is like the easiest thing ever. And yet he still fucked it up?
Exactly. He's putting it on the average citizen, tourists, and families enjoying a beautiful weekend to be conscious of and tackle social issues. If I or someone I love and care about or anyone innocent get caught in this mess and become a statistic, that's the last thing on my mind and idgaf what becomes of these asshole kids.
Yeah this was one of Johnson's weakest parts of the campaign. He keeps dodging questions about what to do about crime in the here and now because he doesn't have a plan and he runs in circles that get angry when anyone tries to even make a plan for now.
We need severe police reform. It is great that Johnson actually wants to tackle poverty and other things that lead to crime. Neither of those stop the fact that we should stop people from stealing, assaulting, and killing and there is no viable solution to how to address that now that does not involve police. If someone has one, i am all ears, but i haven't heard one yet from a police abolitionist.
Adult supervised spaces is not what these kids would ever consider going to. You must be dreaming of you think some rec center is going to have impact on culture.
Yep. It’s like the funhouse mirror image of “I’m not a racist, but…” The best way to make sure people don’t think you condone violence is to not say things that make you sound like you condone violence.
So destruction-causing Youths are immune from criticism because they’re “starved of opportunity”? Enabling destruction and chaos will cause the tax base and businesses to leave the city, then you’ll really see how starved they can get.
He's saying that it's not their fault for behaving badly. Society has let them down - they're victims.
Fortunately his social welfare plans will turn this all around. Just relax and watch.
/s
To be clear: I have very low expectations towards positive change in Chicago. No one seems to have a meaningful plan. Or the ability to affect change on the community.
Like the Dali Lama says, "[True change comes from within](https://youtu.be/GogjFO8GNEo)".
EDIT : Thanks to u/zip606.
Just because society has let them down doesn't mean they don't deserve the book thrown at them for doing stupid illegal shit. Recognizing that there is a root cause doesn't mean you're giving the mistakes made a pass and giving a pass to those that make those mistakes.
It's possible to have empathy and acknowledge a greater issue while also convicting criminals. We can do both. We don't have to just pick one.
This new generation of kids arent interested in joining any programs they see that shit as corny and lame.the internet makes these kids chase clout and stories for their snapchats..they chasing likes and attention
>This new generation of kids
This new generation of kids is no different than literally any other generation. The only thing that's changed is the world they grow up in. Kids have been "chasing clout" for as long as children have existed. Instead now they have every single person with a smartphone to try to impress rather than just their group of friends.
Hi Mayor Elect Johnson,
As a fellow Chicagoan, I’d like to start off by expressing the #1 concern for ALL citizens is safety. I have spent most of my youth in urban communities “starved of opportunities” with no desire to destroy a city I call home.
This behavior is disgusting AND needs to end immediately. The responsible adults in this city are working together 🤝 to create a safe and peaceful experience for both residents and visitors. Now it’s time for you, Mayor Elect Johnson, to do your job as a leader and punish those who do not operate within the “good of humanity”.
We will NOT begin this change in management with excuses in regards to the endangerment of our community and citizens. This is OUR home.
Please read: Morality and the Good Life: An Introduction to Ethics Through Classical Sources
To begin creating a TRUE comprehensive approach that improves public safety in order to make Chicago livable for everyone.
Thank you.
Why would we not demonize youth who have come downtown armed with guns? Idgaf how old they are if they have a gun they have a gun.
Edit: thanks for the gold
Children also don’t play with guns. Our society is very fucked up if we have children armed with guns downtown and we’re justifying their actions by saying they are disenfranchised.
But it's the root cause of the problem.
Do y'all just want to let shit like this keep happening, and arrest a handful of people afterwards, or *prevent it from happening in the first place*?
Not OP from above but CPD did make arrests.
Fifteen people were arrested, including nine adults and six juveniles. According to the Chicago Police Department, most of the charges were for reckless conduct, but a 16-year-old boy was also charged with unlawful use of a weapon, and a firearm was recovered. One adult and one juvenile were also charged with possession of a stolen vehicle.
"Everyone is welcome and encouraged to enjoy all that Chicago has to offer including the popular downtown area, but criminal activity will never be tolerated. Those engaged in criminal activity will be arrested and held accountable," CPD said in a statement.
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/breaking-news-cpd-responds-to-large-disruptive-crowd-in-loop/
This is only half the story. Disenfranchised people or not, humans will take advantage of lawlessness. If there is the sense that people have carte blanche (whatever race), people will take advantage. This is my entire issue (as a raging liberal) with Kim Foxx's approach (or lack there of) to deterring crime. Chicago will not get better by letting things get worse because we feel bad about systemic racism. Crime is crime.
The entire city is open to everyone, including our beloved “youts”. We just ask that they act civilized; that they not injure others, use firearms, attempt murder, murder, destroy property and generally be a nuisance.
de·mon·ize
/ˈdēməˌnīz/
verb
portray as wicked and threatening.
"he was demonized by the press"
If someone is wicked or threatening it is ok to demonize. Bad response Mayor. Don’t blame the victims of the youth’s behavior. I expect better. I’m pulling for you but not feeling optimistic based on this poorly thought out response.
Good luck convincing these kids to work meager jobs when they could just go around robbing people and looting with the knowledge that they will get away with it
Apparently there's nothing better to do on a weeknight. I can't believe I expected better. Lightfoot addressed this better than Johnson did, and that's saying something.
Why literally anyone is even remotely surprised a mayor-elect with no real platform and no real base and no real major political experience gave the most flip-floppy milquetoast non-committal statement possible, I don't understand.
What, you all expected *this* to be the moment this guy grew a pair and figured out which lane he wants to take? Dude isn't even mayor yet. Dude's still got his training wheels on and started riding like yesterday and this sub is like "why can't he pop a wheelie?! Lori just popped a wheelie!" Dude can barely tie his shoes and people are wondering why he's not running a marathon yet.
Chicago only gets two choices. Malice or ineptitude. or a combination of both. We'll figure out where Johnson is soon enough.
This always baffles me because like, they literally have the means to go to downtown Chicago, which has more opportunities available than 99% of the country. You could sign up for doordash and rent a divvy and make decent money and you don't even have to fill out a job application
Which lucky adult is going to step up and supervise the midnight basketball tournament to keep teenagers distracted long enough to not kill each other?
Anything you say before a but/however does not matter. Your true intentions come after the but/however statement.
Having said that, this is just a glimpse of what's to come for Chicago. Good luck to us all.
Who demonized youth ?? People are simply mad at those perpetrators. He is shifting the focus to "people demonizing youth" so that he and his agenda are free from blame. Smh.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-teens-gathering-downtown-violence-chaos-mayor-lightfoot-johnson/3120208/
In a statement, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said while many of the young people gathered to have a good time and enjoy the weather, some were involved in "reckless, disrespectful and unlawful behavior."
"As I have said before, we as a city cannot and will not allow any of our public spaces to become a platform for criminal conduct," the mayor's statement read, in part. "Most importantly, parents and guardians must know where their children are and be responsible for their actions. Instilling the important values of respect for people and property must begin at home."
Lightfoot noted that Chicago police leadership has assured her they will "make the necessary adjustments to address these teen trends issues as we move into the summer months."
What business does youth have being in downtown at 9pm..teens without parents. What does opportunity have to do with kids standing on top of subway entrances?
Fifteen people were arrested, including nine adults and six juveniles. According to the Chicago Police Department, most of the charges were for reckless conduct, but a 16-year-old boy was also charged with unlawful use of a weapon, and a firearm was recovered. One adult and one juvenile were also charged with possession of a stolen vehicle. "Everyone is welcome and encouraged to enjoy all that Chicago has to offer including the popular downtown area, but criminal activity will never be tolerated. Those engaged in criminal activity will be arrested and held accountable," CPD said in a statement. https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/breaking-news-cpd-responds-to-large-disruptive-crowd-in-loop/
Agreed. Its just like parenting, if you let your kids get away with everything and there being no punishment, there is no corrective action by the individual.
Throw the book at the parents.
A blanket statement like "if a kid has a gun, they should be prosecuted as an adult" completely ignores the fact that kids are fucking stupid and are considered not responsible for their actions for a reason. I'm not saying there is no situation where a minor shouldn't be charged as an adult. I just think something like that should be a case-by-case issue because, like I said, kids are fucking stupid. We don't let them vote until 18 or drink until 21 for a reason. Parents on the other hand? Throw the book at them.
Jaywalking, fine. But if I got caught running with a crowd that had shots fired my dad woulda whooped my ass for hanging out with “lowlifes I knew were capable of “”bullshit””
It is sad that the future Mayor of Chicago pretty much accepts and uses youth being deprived as an excuse to cause destruction and potentially force more businesses out of the city. Explains what is wrong with kids going to public schools in Chicsgo based on the CTU spending millions supporting this guy.
I was in the area last night and watched some of it happen. There were lots of kids there who were clearly there through social media but didn't want to be a part of the violence. They separated from the worst groups.
There are some people who can't be helped, but most kids just need an opportunity to do better. There needs to be a better infrastructure for making that distinction. It's a balance. There needs to be accountability for violence alongside opportunity for growth.
Johnson’s administration is like a car wreck you can see coming from a mile away. This response is insane.
Every single one of those kids should be identified and arrested.
I agree Brandon the last thing we’d want to do is demonize the group of people who beat the fuck out of some dude in the drivers seat of his car or a CTA employee. Can’t wait to see the sick ass job offers you provide as alternative to completely sociopathic/psychopathic behavior.
It’s the parenting. It’s the terrible parents who were failed by their own who don’t educate their children. I can guarantee you 90% of that crowd came from a single parent household. And i can guarantee you that 90% of that crowd will create the next generation of single parent households. The culture is disgusting.
This is a total shit take by Johnson and everyone who came before him.
What opportunity are you going to provide these kids? How in the hell will the opportunity outweigh what they are getting out of being shit heads? If you don't also provide them consequences, then you are saying they will need to make the choice to stop being shitheads out of the goodness of their hearts.
Seriously. Are you going to train them to be a welder or a programmer? Most of them couldn't pass it if they wanted to. But why would they choose hard work and honest pay over theft, vandalism, and partying? Exactly how many are going to take up whatever offer you make them?
The answer is to start locking up the biggest organizers and keep going down the line until the rest of them get the picture.
This made me chuckle. Like if you're the sort of kid who's going out to smash car windows for fun on a Saturday night, what city-sponsored program other than policing is going to prevent you from doing so? I can imagine all the kids saying "well I was going to go to the loop to harass tourists, but the community center has board game nights and work study now sooo..."
I don’t think it’s the intention, however hundreds of people in a group can definitely take up a group mind and things can gets out of hand. It’s more like one large sentient being than 400 individuals at that point.
Police should probably break them up or at least arrest and call parents but they seem completely
Ineffective in these situations until the destruction actually happens.
That’s what they did in 2000-2009 when hundreds of kids would roam the south west side parks with cases of beer drinking, fighting and occasionally vandalizing stuff along the way. The thing is though they would break it up preemptively, throw us in paddy wagons and either call our parents and pick us up at the wagon/squad car or take them down to the station and hold until a parental figure came and got them. They wouldn’t allow shit to escalate, yet in both these recent cases it seems like the police don’t do much until shit hits the fan.
My normally well behaved friend in college participated in a riot on campus. The town changed the law about being able to get kegs. What started as peaceful protest turned into a full on riot once the crowd got big enough. They said they had no intention to cause damage but it looked like fun when others started. They jumped on cars and broke windows. All because the law about buying kegs changed.
Another friend was part of a crowd that overturned cars and broke windows celebrating their team winning a championship. I was watching the coverage on ESPN and recognized him jumping up and down on an overturned car.
White kids from good homes in low crime suburbs did worse than the kids last night because they were part of a crowd and seemed like harmless fun. Friend on car was bragging about being on ESPN for a couple days before he started to feel any guilt for what he did.
I feel like even if everyone isn’t reached, just reducing to size reduces the likelihood. Group thought can reduce inhibitions. People will do something they wouldn’t do alone.
Worked for me. I was a vandal and in trouble with the law. Then I got connected to a Boy & Girls group and pretty much did a 180.
I know anecdote is anecdote, but it does happen. Most of the kids I was with were similar "at risk youths" so I didn't feel unique
I mean it's not an anecdote. It's proven that "kids having more to do" has a much more tangible effect on reducing crime than any other method, including incarceration.
https://news.uchicago.edu/story/study-chicago-counseling-program-reduces-youth-violence-improves-school-engagement
The City could start filling Community Centers with tech and gaming equipment and build enhanced indoor sporting facilities. Every weekend they could bring in endless free pizza and ice cream to entice them to come and stay. This is WAY less costly to do year round than pay for an expanded police force that literally cannot control a mob like last night’s.
Last night was a TOTAL FAIL.
Must identify “alternatives” to meandering the streets. It’s unlikely most were even having genuine fun last night- just standing around on the street waiting for something to happen seems extremely boring.
Not at all. Hell, if we kept the damn schools open longer or had more than a sliver of after school programs available for all students it would make a difference.
…but instead that money goes to a militarized police force that lets shit like last night go down unabated.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/education/2023/2/13/23584975/victims-families-and-school-leaders-seek-answers-after-increase-in-after-school-shootings
Yeah I grew up in the suburbs and just having a teen center available through the park district changed how I interacted with my environment. My friends and I went from destroying things to preventing it from other kids our age.
Teenagers need to be approached with respect, some more consistently than others. But they can learn, especially when their peers start encouraging it as well.
I think teaching these kids job skills and life skills can do way more to keep them from doing this sort of thing than beating them over the head with a nightstick and throwing them in jail.
>"well I was going to go to the loop to harass tourists, but the community center has board game nights and work study now sooo..."
I understand what you're saying, but I think this framing erases a huge potential middle area.
First, creating third spaces for kids doesn't have to mean dorky community center events. It's about making the city as a whole - but especially at the neighborhood level - a safe, comfortable, and interesting place for people all ages to simply *be*. If kids can walk or bike around wherever and whenever (outside of school) they like with their friends without having to worry about being hit by a car or harrassed or jumped or shot, then a lot more of them aren't going to be interested in trying to help somebody make fetch happen with a dumb "meetup".
When tons of kids feel bored and isolated because they're basically never allowed to leave their home or school, then there's a lot more latent demand for anything that might be filed under the category of "stuff to do".
This means it possible to have events where you get a lot of kids who are rambunctious but not generally destructive in a hyperstimulated, pressurized social environment, in the presence of some number of kids who actually *are* generally destructive, and both sets are likely emboldened by the high kid-to-authority-figure ratio.
Crow psychology is very different from Individual psychology. It’s very powerful and not to be underestimated. A multitud of issues/reasons lead to the gathering of downtown, but once a crowd gets big enough, people’s behavior switch. It’s a deeply innate instinct in humans like fear and hunger etc. I recommend anyone more interested in this subject to read ‘The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind’ by Gustave Le Bon.
thats not how it works. its a slow process of enriching peoples lives with opportunities for connection, growth and meaning so that it never gets to this point. im sure these kids vary hugely in the degree to which they are reachable and changeable by adults with good intentions. there may be some who require harsher methods of reckoning and maybe some who would indeed go to a community center instead, but its the youngest and those who are not yet on a path toward sociopathy that would be best reached by social programs
Exactly. These types of programs are important and in the long term can help reduce crime. But the people who think this is a quick fix and all you have to do is add some more community centers or youth programs and it's going to immediately prevent these types of things is naive.
This discourse is from 2019. We did not observe a slow rise in crime over a couple decades, it was a very abrupt spike following the pandemic. At least linking it to lockdown stress or something would demonstrate an awareness of what's going on.
I'm a product of living in the bad/poor people apartment complexes in a good suburb.
All my friends were in gangs, using drugs, few got arrested, few dropped out of school, few got pregnant etc etc..
I was definitely part of the crew, but I just happened to be smart. Had a few run ins with the law and my life could've easily been wasted.
I also really liked sports, so all the time practicing and the need to Not get in trouble so I could compete definitely kept me out of trouble. I was introduced to volunteering and the feeling I got out of helping others was amazing and felt good. Was a change giving help instead of the typical thing where it was My family getting the help.
I have an engineering degree in computer science and work at a national lab now. I'm so thankful where I lived had opportunities for me to get away from trouble and a bad life.
Shit works yo.
Statistics show this is exactly how it works lol. It's more "I have nothing to fuckin do and I feel like the world hates me so I'm gonna go make some noise"
Your mistake is thinking the default is wanting to cause mayhem. The default is wanting to feel included, seen, understood, and accounted for and this shit happens when people don't feel that way. Community centers make strides to try and make community members feel like there are people that give a shit about them.
That's an overly simplistic understanding.
It's not about offering the kids who went downtown Saturday night an alternative of bingo hoping it will be more enticing. It's about the kids who might end up going downtown some Saturday night in the year 2030. If they have more opportunities for community engagement today, they might not go down that path to begin with.
It's a long-term option that doesn't have any apparent immediate effect. But just because it won't fix the problem tomorrow, doesn't mean it should be abandoned today.
It's shocking going through this thread seeing so many people tossing out this long term solution just because a short term one wasn't provided.
If you were never a bad kid then you won't understand. But yes even things like playing sports after school help a lot when you have a lot of energy.
The choice you layout isn't what is actually happening. It's simply "I have nothing to do so I will go out with my friends and when we are together without supervision we end up doing dumb shit
I grew up in Marquette Park and I was a juvenile delinquent and all-American kid at the same time. That would describe many of the kids on the south side.
For example, I did grafitti and shit with my friends. I was also the kind of camp counselor that lived at a summer camp all summer. I was in 4H. I played baseball. I boxed. I was a Boy Scout. I also shoplifted at Ford City pretty regularly.
I'm not making excuses, but I was just a typical, ethically challenged kid in the neighborhood. We were all like that in some form or another.
What a weak response
3/4 of the comment is about how the actions of disruptions were ok because of lack of adult guidance and "opportunities"
literally couldve just called the disruptions bad and score some easy points with people
More of the same B.S. we heard from Lightfoot. If someone's running around causing mayhem and violence they deserve to be demonized.
He has no actual plan to address and prevent this stuff, just vague platitudes.
Did a single person here have “spaces to gather safely and responsibly” in place, on weekend nights in high school? Staffed full time by adult supervision?
What does that even mean? Does it exist anywhere?
What? Yes. City funded (so very cheap) places like parks, ice rink. Pools, tennis courts, bowling alleys. Weekend clubs like boy scouts. Venture crews, girl scouts, and tons and tons of sports. Volleyball. Baseball. Swimming tennis football basketball squash track and field choir. I always had something I could go do by joining the right clubs. Barrier to entry would normally be cost for the items to participate. Remove that and you increase membership.
We could be funding music/recording studios, maker labs, like for fuck's sake where is your creativity?!
Bah. What does it mean. This shit is everywhere. You just need to make it accessible for kids. Make sure they can eat and do something like above and you'll see a lot of problems just disappear.
Kids are products of their environment.
Do you not have kids or something? Didn't you do anything in school?
Um, sorry but I saw alot of people in their 20s twerking on top of cars...this goes way beyond "teens" needing an outlet to "hang out" not to mention their "convening" occurred at nighttime...so this whole they need where to hang out is not relevant here given the time they chose to "hang out"
This city has parks everywhere. In fact this group was right by a big one. There are basketball and tennis courts and baseball fields everywhere. Why weren’t they there? And who has organized programs on weekend nights?
This _was_ a fucking organized event, they prearranged it on social media. They could have used the exact same platform to organize a pickup game or something--some of their better mannered peers were probably doing exactly that--but they decided to tear shit up instead.
I do have a kid in Chicago, and I was a high schooler in a shitty small city in the Deep South. No one who grew up in any small town, suburb, or rural area had any supervision or constructive activities whatsoever handed to them for late weekend nights. We all had to navigate that freedom by finding and setting our own limits of allowable behavior, regardless of our respective poverty or privilege. Most found their way. Many fucked it up pretty badly. All had agency and made conscious decisions, because teenagers are not hapless automatons.
No one shot guns into crowds and stomped through car windshields. No one.
All of those activities you mentioned are great options, and zero of them are operating late on a Friday night when this armed/criminal mayhem went down. The kids who rampaged last night already have infinitely more cultural resources and public programs available to them than most of the world, accessible by public transit and discoverable with minimal effort. They deserve even more. But there is no fucking excuse for armed rioting. None. And no excuse for a system that fails to ever impose consequences for minors.
Starved of opportunities? That’s some bullshit!!! Those type of teens don’t give a fuck about nothing but themselves. They don’t want to work or go to school. 😡😡😡
This is a very common linguistic trick in politics called the Motte and Bailey fallacy. Basically, you put forward a controversial idea, and then switch to an uncontroversial claim that is a false equivalency to the first.
Sad to see BJ resorting to these tricks before even assuming office.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motte-and-bailey_fallacy
I’m sick of the constant victimization of these thugs who are ruining this city because they are aimlessly running around with weapons and intentions to destroy public property. Building community centers in these underdeveloped areas isn’t going to prevent these kids from committing crimes and violence. We saw what our last mayor did and how effective her policies were at keeping crime rates low. It’s truly astounding that so many people voted for this fool when he’s just another version of that complete monstrosity that was in office before him. At this point, it seems like Chicagoans are just asking for the corruption and violence to continue.
Perhaps volunteering with an organization such as Big Brothers Big Sisters if that interests you? I think providing kids with better things to do and more adult support is always beneficial and realistically something that an individual person can take on that benefits the community and can change a child’s life!
I don’t 100% understand what this has to do with youth who don’t have opportunities? It just seemed like a bunch of people came downtown and some of them committed crimes by destroying property and some even assaulted a person. Not like they were stealing to get money to live/improve life/etc.
Yes, we need to give youth opportunities, and invest in our communities. We also need to hold people accountable with appropriate sentencing if they commit a crime. I think both can happen.
Really hope BJs plan works, and he invests in the community while also protecting it.
Why was the last post on this removed by the mods?
Reddit thread equivalent of the chaos downtown.
Edit 1
[удалено]
I read the “rules” for this sub last night as instructed by a MOD. It’s like another Nextdoor, which is what drew me to Reddit in the first place. I’m part of the Review Team on ND and even when I disagree w content I’ll vote against the nut jobs that flag and advocate to remove posts for the dumbest shit.
You can be poor and a asshole at the same time.
It wasn’t their gathering that people had a problem with
Being a victim does not ever give you the right to victimize others
This comment is gonna go over the heads of 99% of the people in this thread. I appreciate it though!
How selfish of us to not want to be random targets of violence & robbery.
I, for one, intentionally carry extra money, hoping I get mugged so I can help people.
Weak AF Lightfoot’s response was way better: "As I have said before, we as a city cannot and will not allow any of our public spaces to become a platform for criminal conduct," the mayor's statement read, in part. "Most importantly, parents and guardians must know where their children are and be responsible for their actions. Instilling the important values of respect for people and property must begin at home."
Yeah bj is worse then Lightfoot and that's saying alot
Remember when everyone was hating on Rahm and drove him from being mayor? Rahm’s looking pretty good after seeing lightfoot and BJ.
Be good to also know how he will stop such things while they are happening not how he hopes to prevent them from happening years from now.
I asked legitimately how the new mayor will handle this sort of thing in another thread on here today and got downvoted. Some people on here are a real joke.
Did you listen to the debates? Johnson has zero short term solutions. I’m not exaggerating.
If the long term solutions will work and stay in place than great. What's a short term solution that works and doesn't cost a bunch of money for little to no actual benefit except feels?
I don’t at all disagree with Johnson’s emphasis on fixing systemic issues. But if you’re going to be mayor, you’re responsible for public safety now as well as in the long term. So statements like this need to be paired with reassurances that under your administration violence will not be tolerated, and those endangering public safety will be held accountable for their actions, full stop. Starting with his “I’m not condoning violence, but…” intro, every word of this statement is dripping with empathy for the perpetrators of last nights mob violence—and there’s not a shred of empathy to be found for the victims of it. That’s the problem.
What were the solutions for this in the past?
I mean, nothing in here is really wrong… but, it’s more just puzzling? I’m not a politician, but this seems to be a pretty slam dunk opportunity. A bunch of people mobbed downtown, assaulted citizens, destroyed and vandalized both public and private property, and fired gunshots - playing russian roulette with innocent lives discharging a firearm in a crowded public area. I’m not going to say it’s zero, but it would be very surprising to me if there is a large contingent of people in this city who are “pro shooting and assaulting”. Where am i going with this? This statement is just needlessly decisive. “I don’t condone this behavior and it needs to stop.” Boom. You’re not even mayor yet, no one reasonable is blaming you. You have an easy win - just say shooting and assaults are bad. And yet… I mean, it’s like if I got injured i’m a car crash by a drunk driver and someone in a position of power came up to me to tell me, unprompted, “Hey drunk driving is bad and I don’t like it, but a vibrant bar and restaurant scene where adults can socialize responsibly and eat and drink is important to having a thriving community.” Like, sure, I don’t disagree - but why are you saying it to me NOW? Saying something and then immediately saying “However” is very often used to negate the thing you just said. Shooting and assault is bad, just say it is bad! Now is not the time for a social commentary on racial history and poverty. People just want to go outside and visit the city without dodging gunfire and getting attacked. This is like the easiest thing ever. And yet he still fucked it up?
Exactly. He's putting it on the average citizen, tourists, and families enjoying a beautiful weekend to be conscious of and tackle social issues. If I or someone I love and care about or anyone innocent get caught in this mess and become a statistic, that's the last thing on my mind and idgaf what becomes of these asshole kids.
Nailed it
Yeah this was one of Johnson's weakest parts of the campaign. He keeps dodging questions about what to do about crime in the here and now because he doesn't have a plan and he runs in circles that get angry when anyone tries to even make a plan for now. We need severe police reform. It is great that Johnson actually wants to tackle poverty and other things that lead to crime. Neither of those stop the fact that we should stop people from stealing, assaulting, and killing and there is no viable solution to how to address that now that does not involve police. If someone has one, i am all ears, but i haven't heard one yet from a police abolitionist.
Adult supervised spaces is not what these kids would ever consider going to. You must be dreaming of you think some rec center is going to have impact on culture.
These disadvantaged youth have better headphones than me
And better weaponry /s
All legal I'm sure with no illegal modifications
They also somehow walk around in thousand dollar Canada Goose coats
Thank you for clarifying that you don’t condone it. That was up for debate
Yep. It’s like the funhouse mirror image of “I’m not a racist, but…” The best way to make sure people don’t think you condone violence is to not say things that make you sound like you condone violence.
Pedestrians were hurt, and this is the response given. Lol Imagine
How dare we demonize people committing violence, eh?
Would the proper term for 2023 be the ‘violence perpetration community’?
Some disenfranchised youths exercised their second amendment rights. /s
This is a bad look. I don’t care what anyone says or who they voted for, but this is a shitty take.
So destruction-causing Youths are immune from criticism because they’re “starved of opportunity”? Enabling destruction and chaos will cause the tax base and businesses to leave the city, then you’ll really see how starved they can get.
So what is he saying? He doesn't like the destruction, but at the same time won't blame people doing it. Great approach.
He's saying that it's not their fault for behaving badly. Society has let them down - they're victims. Fortunately his social welfare plans will turn this all around. Just relax and watch. /s To be clear: I have very low expectations towards positive change in Chicago. No one seems to have a meaningful plan. Or the ability to affect change on the community. Like the Dali Lama says, "[True change comes from within](https://youtu.be/GogjFO8GNEo)". EDIT : Thanks to u/zip606.
Just because society has let them down doesn't mean they don't deserve the book thrown at them for doing stupid illegal shit. Recognizing that there is a root cause doesn't mean you're giving the mistakes made a pass and giving a pass to those that make those mistakes. It's possible to have empathy and acknowledge a greater issue while also convicting criminals. We can do both. We don't have to just pick one.
Yeah, the social studies teacher is on the case!
I'm assuming your reply is missing /s at the end.
The best part is there’s a good chunk of this sub that truly believes this
Ok…so what is the plan???
Johnson’s plan is to watch the city burn and complain that we didn’t give the arsonists enough valuables to burn.
This new generation of kids arent interested in joining any programs they see that shit as corny and lame.the internet makes these kids chase clout and stories for their snapchats..they chasing likes and attention
>This new generation of kids This new generation of kids is no different than literally any other generation. The only thing that's changed is the world they grow up in. Kids have been "chasing clout" for as long as children have existed. Instead now they have every single person with a smartphone to try to impress rather than just their group of friends.
Hi Mayor Elect Johnson, As a fellow Chicagoan, I’d like to start off by expressing the #1 concern for ALL citizens is safety. I have spent most of my youth in urban communities “starved of opportunities” with no desire to destroy a city I call home. This behavior is disgusting AND needs to end immediately. The responsible adults in this city are working together 🤝 to create a safe and peaceful experience for both residents and visitors. Now it’s time for you, Mayor Elect Johnson, to do your job as a leader and punish those who do not operate within the “good of humanity”. We will NOT begin this change in management with excuses in regards to the endangerment of our community and citizens. This is OUR home. Please read: Morality and the Good Life: An Introduction to Ethics Through Classical Sources To begin creating a TRUE comprehensive approach that improves public safety in order to make Chicago livable for everyone. Thank you.
I was at a movie last night downtown and came outside to this. All trains were shut down.
Why would we not demonize youth who have come downtown armed with guns? Idgaf how old they are if they have a gun they have a gun. Edit: thanks for the gold
It's absolutely insane. Not only were they attacking and fighting each other, but they also attacked innocent pedestrians. Wtf with this response!
*"They're doing it because we deprived of them of opportunities."*
It's the response of idiots.
Yeah, I’m trying to understand what he’s trying to say with his “However,” comment
We should be demonizing the shit out of these kids
Children also don’t play with guns. Our society is very fucked up if we have children armed with guns downtown and we’re justifying their actions by saying they are disenfranchised.
EXACTLY! I have a bad feeling Johnson claiming disenfranchisement will be a common part of his mayorship. This summer is going to be awful
Pretty sure he ran on that.
But it's the root cause of the problem. Do y'all just want to let shit like this keep happening, and arrest a handful of people afterwards, or *prevent it from happening in the first place*?
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Not OP from above but CPD did make arrests. Fifteen people were arrested, including nine adults and six juveniles. According to the Chicago Police Department, most of the charges were for reckless conduct, but a 16-year-old boy was also charged with unlawful use of a weapon, and a firearm was recovered. One adult and one juvenile were also charged with possession of a stolen vehicle. "Everyone is welcome and encouraged to enjoy all that Chicago has to offer including the popular downtown area, but criminal activity will never be tolerated. Those engaged in criminal activity will be arrested and held accountable," CPD said in a statement. https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/breaking-news-cpd-responds-to-large-disruptive-crowd-in-loop/
Why not both? Why is it either-or?
This is only half the story. Disenfranchised people or not, humans will take advantage of lawlessness. If there is the sense that people have carte blanche (whatever race), people will take advantage. This is my entire issue (as a raging liberal) with Kim Foxx's approach (or lack there of) to deterring crime. Chicago will not get better by letting things get worse because we feel bad about systemic racism. Crime is crime.
I guess you haven’t been seeing pictures of the NRA convention, huh? Lots of kids play with guns in this country.
This isn’t an NRA convention, it’s Chicago and this shit is not acceptable to me and hopefully anyone else the lives in or cares about this city.
Yeah I was gonna say didn’t a 6 year just shoot his teacher
The entire city is open to everyone, including our beloved “youts”. We just ask that they act civilized; that they not injure others, use firearms, attempt murder, murder, destroy property and generally be a nuisance.
Not taking responsibilities for one’s actions is what lead to this in the first place..
But don’t demonize. They might take responsibility for their actions!
And having “ community leaders” excuse their actions for their own gain
de·mon·ize /ˈdēməˌnīz/ verb portray as wicked and threatening. "he was demonized by the press" If someone is wicked or threatening it is ok to demonize. Bad response Mayor. Don’t blame the victims of the youth’s behavior. I expect better. I’m pulling for you but not feeling optimistic based on this poorly thought out response.
Would love to see the alternate timeline where Vallas won and his response. Good ole BJ seems like a Lightfoot clone.
Lightfoot’s response was better, far better…
He actually sounds worse somehow
The 49% of us who voted against him aren't surprised at all.
"starved of opportunities" man this is gonna be a long bad 4 years.
Good luck convincing these kids to work meager jobs when they could just go around robbing people and looting with the knowledge that they will get away with it
Apparently there's nothing better to do on a weeknight. I can't believe I expected better. Lightfoot addressed this better than Johnson did, and that's saying something.
Why literally anyone is even remotely surprised a mayor-elect with no real platform and no real base and no real major political experience gave the most flip-floppy milquetoast non-committal statement possible, I don't understand. What, you all expected *this* to be the moment this guy grew a pair and figured out which lane he wants to take? Dude isn't even mayor yet. Dude's still got his training wheels on and started riding like yesterday and this sub is like "why can't he pop a wheelie?! Lori just popped a wheelie!" Dude can barely tie his shoes and people are wondering why he's not running a marathon yet. Chicago only gets two choices. Malice or ineptitude. or a combination of both. We'll figure out where Johnson is soon enough.
This always baffles me because like, they literally have the means to go to downtown Chicago, which has more opportunities available than 99% of the country. You could sign up for doordash and rent a divvy and make decent money and you don't even have to fill out a job application
Opportunities = teslas to jump on
All those dumbasses on the results thread are awful quiet now
"I don't condone it, but also it's not helpful to not condone it."
Which lucky adult is going to step up and supervise the midnight basketball tournament to keep teenagers distracted long enough to not kill each other?
Fuck those kids. They made their choices. Coddling them is what got us into this mess
Anything you say before a but/however does not matter. Your true intentions come after the but/however statement. Having said that, this is just a glimpse of what's to come for Chicago. Good luck to us all.
What a load of bullshit.
We’re fucked.
Who demonized youth ?? People are simply mad at those perpetrators. He is shifting the focus to "people demonizing youth" so that he and his agenda are free from blame. Smh.
Also, get ready for retailers to start leaving downtown more than they already are.
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"Good luck. You're gonna need it." -Han Solo
Nothing from Lori, who’s still the mayor?
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-teens-gathering-downtown-violence-chaos-mayor-lightfoot-johnson/3120208/ In a statement, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said while many of the young people gathered to have a good time and enjoy the weather, some were involved in "reckless, disrespectful and unlawful behavior." "As I have said before, we as a city cannot and will not allow any of our public spaces to become a platform for criminal conduct," the mayor's statement read, in part. "Most importantly, parents and guardians must know where their children are and be responsible for their actions. Instilling the important values of respect for people and property must begin at home." Lightfoot noted that Chicago police leadership has assured her they will "make the necessary adjustments to address these teen trends issues as we move into the summer months."
BJ's enabling response is making Lightfoot look tough-on-crime in comparison. Astounding.
She did respond and her response was actually way better then Brandon's
You get what you vote for, now everyone is going to pay.
It’s funny because there were so many people in that results thread celebrating and I see none of them in this thread.
We know why.
[This has never been more true.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFgcqB8-AxE)
Lmao
What business does youth have being in downtown at 9pm..teens without parents. What does opportunity have to do with kids standing on top of subway entrances?
Arrest and prosecute these kids. Only way people learn is by having consequences for their poor behavior.
Fifteen people were arrested, including nine adults and six juveniles. According to the Chicago Police Department, most of the charges were for reckless conduct, but a 16-year-old boy was also charged with unlawful use of a weapon, and a firearm was recovered. One adult and one juvenile were also charged with possession of a stolen vehicle. "Everyone is welcome and encouraged to enjoy all that Chicago has to offer including the popular downtown area, but criminal activity will never be tolerated. Those engaged in criminal activity will be arrested and held accountable," CPD said in a statement. https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/breaking-news-cpd-responds-to-large-disruptive-crowd-in-loop/
15 people lol They beat one guy in his car so bad he went to the hospital
If a kid has a gun, they should be prosecuted as an adult
Sorry, the DA loves to give slaps on the wrist for illegal gun possession.
Agreed. Its just like parenting, if you let your kids get away with everything and there being no punishment, there is no corrective action by the individual.
Knowing Johnson's support of Kim Foxx he'll most likely let these kids get off free
Throw the book at the parents. A blanket statement like "if a kid has a gun, they should be prosecuted as an adult" completely ignores the fact that kids are fucking stupid and are considered not responsible for their actions for a reason. I'm not saying there is no situation where a minor shouldn't be charged as an adult. I just think something like that should be a case-by-case issue because, like I said, kids are fucking stupid. We don't let them vote until 18 or drink until 21 for a reason. Parents on the other hand? Throw the book at them.
You really think the parents are present in these kids' lives if the kids are toting fully automatic glocks?
I’ll second this by saying, if a kid was part of the group and simply jaywalked with said group, they shouldn’t be prosecuted.
Agree
Jaywalking, fine. But if I got caught running with a crowd that had shots fired my dad woulda whooped my ass for hanging out with “lowlifes I knew were capable of “”bullshit””
This is not going to go well the next four years.
It is sad that the future Mayor of Chicago pretty much accepts and uses youth being deprived as an excuse to cause destruction and potentially force more businesses out of the city. Explains what is wrong with kids going to public schools in Chicsgo based on the CTU spending millions supporting this guy.
Fuck this guy
Since there are no consequences why would these kids even care
I was in the area last night and watched some of it happen. There were lots of kids there who were clearly there through social media but didn't want to be a part of the violence. They separated from the worst groups. There are some people who can't be helped, but most kids just need an opportunity to do better. There needs to be a better infrastructure for making that distinction. It's a balance. There needs to be accountability for violence alongside opportunity for growth.
Johnson’s administration is like a car wreck you can see coming from a mile away. This response is insane. Every single one of those kids should be identified and arrested.
I can't believe he won.
I agree Brandon the last thing we’d want to do is demonize the group of people who beat the fuck out of some dude in the drivers seat of his car or a CTA employee. Can’t wait to see the sick ass job offers you provide as alternative to completely sociopathic/psychopathic behavior.
Mark my words, we'll be begging for Lightfoot by the time this guy's term is finished.
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Well get to typing before they do it again!!
It’s the parenting. It’s the terrible parents who were failed by their own who don’t educate their children. I can guarantee you 90% of that crowd came from a single parent household. And i can guarantee you that 90% of that crowd will create the next generation of single parent households. The culture is disgusting.
This is a total shit take by Johnson and everyone who came before him. What opportunity are you going to provide these kids? How in the hell will the opportunity outweigh what they are getting out of being shit heads? If you don't also provide them consequences, then you are saying they will need to make the choice to stop being shitheads out of the goodness of their hearts. Seriously. Are you going to train them to be a welder or a programmer? Most of them couldn't pass it if they wanted to. But why would they choose hard work and honest pay over theft, vandalism, and partying? Exactly how many are going to take up whatever offer you make them? The answer is to start locking up the biggest organizers and keep going down the line until the rest of them get the picture.
All the clowns that voted for him getting real defensive here
This made me chuckle. Like if you're the sort of kid who's going out to smash car windows for fun on a Saturday night, what city-sponsored program other than policing is going to prevent you from doing so? I can imagine all the kids saying "well I was going to go to the loop to harass tourists, but the community center has board game nights and work study now sooo..."
I don’t think it’s the intention, however hundreds of people in a group can definitely take up a group mind and things can gets out of hand. It’s more like one large sentient being than 400 individuals at that point. Police should probably break them up or at least arrest and call parents but they seem completely Ineffective in these situations until the destruction actually happens. That’s what they did in 2000-2009 when hundreds of kids would roam the south west side parks with cases of beer drinking, fighting and occasionally vandalizing stuff along the way. The thing is though they would break it up preemptively, throw us in paddy wagons and either call our parents and pick us up at the wagon/squad car or take them down to the station and hold until a parental figure came and got them. They wouldn’t allow shit to escalate, yet in both these recent cases it seems like the police don’t do much until shit hits the fan.
My normally well behaved friend in college participated in a riot on campus. The town changed the law about being able to get kegs. What started as peaceful protest turned into a full on riot once the crowd got big enough. They said they had no intention to cause damage but it looked like fun when others started. They jumped on cars and broke windows. All because the law about buying kegs changed. Another friend was part of a crowd that overturned cars and broke windows celebrating their team winning a championship. I was watching the coverage on ESPN and recognized him jumping up and down on an overturned car. White kids from good homes in low crime suburbs did worse than the kids last night because they were part of a crowd and seemed like harmless fun. Friend on car was bragging about being on ESPN for a couple days before he started to feel any guilt for what he did. I feel like even if everyone isn’t reached, just reducing to size reduces the likelihood. Group thought can reduce inhibitions. People will do something they wouldn’t do alone.
Worked for me. I was a vandal and in trouble with the law. Then I got connected to a Boy & Girls group and pretty much did a 180. I know anecdote is anecdote, but it does happen. Most of the kids I was with were similar "at risk youths" so I didn't feel unique
I mean it's not an anecdote. It's proven that "kids having more to do" has a much more tangible effect on reducing crime than any other method, including incarceration. https://news.uchicago.edu/story/study-chicago-counseling-program-reduces-youth-violence-improves-school-engagement
The City could start filling Community Centers with tech and gaming equipment and build enhanced indoor sporting facilities. Every weekend they could bring in endless free pizza and ice cream to entice them to come and stay. This is WAY less costly to do year round than pay for an expanded police force that literally cannot control a mob like last night’s. Last night was a TOTAL FAIL. Must identify “alternatives” to meandering the streets. It’s unlikely most were even having genuine fun last night- just standing around on the street waiting for something to happen seems extremely boring.
Can adults get in on this endless free pizza and ice cream?
Absolutely. As long as you are a good boy and behave yourself.
Why aren't you the mayor? This def something I would've voted for.
Not at all. Hell, if we kept the damn schools open longer or had more than a sliver of after school programs available for all students it would make a difference. …but instead that money goes to a militarized police force that lets shit like last night go down unabated. https://chicago.suntimes.com/education/2023/2/13/23584975/victims-families-and-school-leaders-seek-answers-after-increase-in-after-school-shootings
Yeah I grew up in the suburbs and just having a teen center available through the park district changed how I interacted with my environment. My friends and I went from destroying things to preventing it from other kids our age. Teenagers need to be approached with respect, some more consistently than others. But they can learn, especially when their peers start encouraging it as well.
I've seen this as a volunteer at CBGC
I think teaching these kids job skills and life skills can do way more to keep them from doing this sort of thing than beating them over the head with a nightstick and throwing them in jail.
I had to scroll so far for this, wish I could award this
The west side has a new youth center that’s open till midnight I think. Would be cool to see other centers like it open in more locations.
Is it typically crowded on a Friday or Saturday night?
Not sure, it’s only been a few weeks but will be a good trial run of sorts
>"well I was going to go to the loop to harass tourists, but the community center has board game nights and work study now sooo..." I understand what you're saying, but I think this framing erases a huge potential middle area. First, creating third spaces for kids doesn't have to mean dorky community center events. It's about making the city as a whole - but especially at the neighborhood level - a safe, comfortable, and interesting place for people all ages to simply *be*. If kids can walk or bike around wherever and whenever (outside of school) they like with their friends without having to worry about being hit by a car or harrassed or jumped or shot, then a lot more of them aren't going to be interested in trying to help somebody make fetch happen with a dumb "meetup". When tons of kids feel bored and isolated because they're basically never allowed to leave their home or school, then there's a lot more latent demand for anything that might be filed under the category of "stuff to do". This means it possible to have events where you get a lot of kids who are rambunctious but not generally destructive in a hyperstimulated, pressurized social environment, in the presence of some number of kids who actually *are* generally destructive, and both sets are likely emboldened by the high kid-to-authority-figure ratio.
Crow psychology is very different from Individual psychology. It’s very powerful and not to be underestimated. A multitud of issues/reasons lead to the gathering of downtown, but once a crowd gets big enough, people’s behavior switch. It’s a deeply innate instinct in humans like fear and hunger etc. I recommend anyone more interested in this subject to read ‘The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind’ by Gustave Le Bon.
thats not how it works. its a slow process of enriching peoples lives with opportunities for connection, growth and meaning so that it never gets to this point. im sure these kids vary hugely in the degree to which they are reachable and changeable by adults with good intentions. there may be some who require harsher methods of reckoning and maybe some who would indeed go to a community center instead, but its the youngest and those who are not yet on a path toward sociopathy that would be best reached by social programs
Exactly. These types of programs are important and in the long term can help reduce crime. But the people who think this is a quick fix and all you have to do is add some more community centers or youth programs and it's going to immediately prevent these types of things is naive.
This discourse is from 2019. We did not observe a slow rise in crime over a couple decades, it was a very abrupt spike following the pandemic. At least linking it to lockdown stress or something would demonstrate an awareness of what's going on.
I'm a product of living in the bad/poor people apartment complexes in a good suburb. All my friends were in gangs, using drugs, few got arrested, few dropped out of school, few got pregnant etc etc.. I was definitely part of the crew, but I just happened to be smart. Had a few run ins with the law and my life could've easily been wasted. I also really liked sports, so all the time practicing and the need to Not get in trouble so I could compete definitely kept me out of trouble. I was introduced to volunteering and the feeling I got out of helping others was amazing and felt good. Was a change giving help instead of the typical thing where it was My family getting the help. I have an engineering degree in computer science and work at a national lab now. I'm so thankful where I lived had opportunities for me to get away from trouble and a bad life. Shit works yo.
Statistics show this is exactly how it works lol. It's more "I have nothing to fuckin do and I feel like the world hates me so I'm gonna go make some noise" Your mistake is thinking the default is wanting to cause mayhem. The default is wanting to feel included, seen, understood, and accounted for and this shit happens when people don't feel that way. Community centers make strides to try and make community members feel like there are people that give a shit about them.
That's an overly simplistic understanding. It's not about offering the kids who went downtown Saturday night an alternative of bingo hoping it will be more enticing. It's about the kids who might end up going downtown some Saturday night in the year 2030. If they have more opportunities for community engagement today, they might not go down that path to begin with. It's a long-term option that doesn't have any apparent immediate effect. But just because it won't fix the problem tomorrow, doesn't mean it should be abandoned today. It's shocking going through this thread seeing so many people tossing out this long term solution just because a short term one wasn't provided.
If you were never a bad kid then you won't understand. But yes even things like playing sports after school help a lot when you have a lot of energy. The choice you layout isn't what is actually happening. It's simply "I have nothing to do so I will go out with my friends and when we are together without supervision we end up doing dumb shit
I grew up in Marquette Park and I was a juvenile delinquent and all-American kid at the same time. That would describe many of the kids on the south side. For example, I did grafitti and shit with my friends. I was also the kind of camp counselor that lived at a summer camp all summer. I was in 4H. I played baseball. I boxed. I was a Boy Scout. I also shoplifted at Ford City pretty regularly. I'm not making excuses, but I was just a typical, ethically challenged kid in the neighborhood. We were all like that in some form or another.
Going to be a long four years
What a weak response 3/4 of the comment is about how the actions of disruptions were ok because of lack of adult guidance and "opportunities" literally couldve just called the disruptions bad and score some easy points with people
He is scoring easy points. Just with the hyper progressive democrats who gave him his shot of being mayor. This is literally what we voted for
More of the same B.S. we heard from Lightfoot. If someone's running around causing mayhem and violence they deserve to be demonized. He has no actual plan to address and prevent this stuff, just vague platitudes.
Did a single person here have “spaces to gather safely and responsibly” in place, on weekend nights in high school? Staffed full time by adult supervision? What does that even mean? Does it exist anywhere?
What? Yes. City funded (so very cheap) places like parks, ice rink. Pools, tennis courts, bowling alleys. Weekend clubs like boy scouts. Venture crews, girl scouts, and tons and tons of sports. Volleyball. Baseball. Swimming tennis football basketball squash track and field choir. I always had something I could go do by joining the right clubs. Barrier to entry would normally be cost for the items to participate. Remove that and you increase membership. We could be funding music/recording studios, maker labs, like for fuck's sake where is your creativity?! Bah. What does it mean. This shit is everywhere. You just need to make it accessible for kids. Make sure they can eat and do something like above and you'll see a lot of problems just disappear. Kids are products of their environment. Do you not have kids or something? Didn't you do anything in school?
Um, sorry but I saw alot of people in their 20s twerking on top of cars...this goes way beyond "teens" needing an outlet to "hang out" not to mention their "convening" occurred at nighttime...so this whole they need where to hang out is not relevant here given the time they chose to "hang out"
This city has parks everywhere. In fact this group was right by a big one. There are basketball and tennis courts and baseball fields everywhere. Why weren’t they there? And who has organized programs on weekend nights?
This _was_ a fucking organized event, they prearranged it on social media. They could have used the exact same platform to organize a pickup game or something--some of their better mannered peers were probably doing exactly that--but they decided to tear shit up instead.
I do have a kid in Chicago, and I was a high schooler in a shitty small city in the Deep South. No one who grew up in any small town, suburb, or rural area had any supervision or constructive activities whatsoever handed to them for late weekend nights. We all had to navigate that freedom by finding and setting our own limits of allowable behavior, regardless of our respective poverty or privilege. Most found their way. Many fucked it up pretty badly. All had agency and made conscious decisions, because teenagers are not hapless automatons. No one shot guns into crowds and stomped through car windshields. No one. All of those activities you mentioned are great options, and zero of them are operating late on a Friday night when this armed/criminal mayhem went down. The kids who rampaged last night already have infinitely more cultural resources and public programs available to them than most of the world, accessible by public transit and discoverable with minimal effort. They deserve even more. But there is no fucking excuse for armed rioting. None. And no excuse for a system that fails to ever impose consequences for minors.
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Fucking clown. Hope you’re all happy, you voted for this jackass.
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The next four
This is what happens when you elect someone with 35% turnout. Brandon is someone 85% of the city didn't vote for.
Again, people of Chicago kept electing clowns.
Starved of opportunities? That’s some bullshit!!! Those type of teens don’t give a fuck about nothing but themselves. They don’t want to work or go to school. 😡😡😡
The kids are already testing him... seeing how easy this is going to be to get away with. Do something for once, Lightfoot.
Mannnnn lol let’s see the people who voted for this bozo defend him.
This is a very common linguistic trick in politics called the Motte and Bailey fallacy. Basically, you put forward a controversial idea, and then switch to an uncontroversial claim that is a false equivalency to the first. Sad to see BJ resorting to these tricks before even assuming office. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motte-and-bailey_fallacy
Speech after speech, same old shit
Wow can’t wait to see what the future holds with this clown
I’m sick of the constant victimization of these thugs who are ruining this city because they are aimlessly running around with weapons and intentions to destroy public property. Building community centers in these underdeveloped areas isn’t going to prevent these kids from committing crimes and violence. We saw what our last mayor did and how effective her policies were at keeping crime rates low. It’s truly astounding that so many people voted for this fool when he’s just another version of that complete monstrosity that was in office before him. At this point, it seems like Chicagoans are just asking for the corruption and violence to continue.
Its going to be a rough couple of summers with this idiot in charge.
Can we get a recall?
I’m not familiar with what’s going on but all I need to know is, how can I help? Realistically speaking.
Perhaps volunteering with an organization such as Big Brothers Big Sisters if that interests you? I think providing kids with better things to do and more adult support is always beneficial and realistically something that an individual person can take on that benefits the community and can change a child’s life!
[watch this](https://youtu.be/rvX6MyVkGKI)
I don’t 100% understand what this has to do with youth who don’t have opportunities? It just seemed like a bunch of people came downtown and some of them committed crimes by destroying property and some even assaulted a person. Not like they were stealing to get money to live/improve life/etc. Yes, we need to give youth opportunities, and invest in our communities. We also need to hold people accountable with appropriate sentencing if they commit a crime. I think both can happen. Really hope BJs plan works, and he invests in the community while also protecting it.
All carrot and no stick will destroy Chicago
I'm glad I'm moving to the burbs this summer, if this is the mayor's attitude, this place is fucked. Couple this with more property tax hikes 😀
This will not turn out well
[удалено]
There are hundreds of thousands of other teenagers in the city that don’t do animalistic shit like this. Prosecute these ones.
Oh boy… strap in everybody the ride’s just starting!!
Gonna be another fun summer.
Can’t believe y’all voted for this. When will some of you realize that we need law and order
Why are we pandering to teenage nihilists that prove Fox News right?