Leo High School Veterans Observance 2015 - God Bless All Who Serve!

" Busted!" Jim Wilkins '44 showed Darius Branch '16 the 1943 Tribune article showing him ditching classes at Leo to join the Navy in WWII

This year Leo High School corrected a wrong.

17 year old Jim Wilkins ( Leo '44) ditched school during his Junior year at Leo High School ( an act of bravery in itself, given the watchful eyes of the Irish Christian Brothers at that time) and enlisted in the United States Navy.

Jim Wilins is the blond gent in the 1943 Tribune article ( lower Left and Large!) 

From 1943 until the end of WW II, Jim Wilkins served on many combat patrols aboard submarines.

Jim returned from the war and was denied his diploma . . .he did not have enough academic credits.

Then, in a few years, Wilkins went back into the service to fight in the Korean War.

He still did not have enough academic credits to merit a diploma.

Seventy one years later, Leo Alumni President Emeritus Rich Furlong and his heroic brother Jim Furlong who saved his company commander, his squad and his mission by leaping in front of a North Vietnamese hand grenade, sacrificing his left leg in that bloody bargain, heard that Jim Wilkins had been wronged by educators.

The best people who work in schools, really use that term 'educator,' because they are teachers.

There is a huge difference. In my forty years plus of teaching in Catholic high schools, 'educators' are the persons who can not discipline a class, lead kids to learn, or merit the respect of people who do; they become educators.

Teachers teach no matter what their 'academic' job description tags them to be and try to make every experience a learning one.

Yesterday, Leo High School taught Chicago a great lesson.  Credentials mean little.  Capacity means everything.  James Wilkins has capacity a plenty.

Mr. Wilkins and Mr. Jack Schaller ( Leo '43) an Army Purple Heart veteran of New Guinea and the Philippines laid the wreathes at the Leo War Memorial to taps played by Mr. Jim Gould of Bugles Across America.

More than three hundred people including Jim Wilkins family,  four serving combat veterans of Chicago's Own 2/24 Marines, Tinley Park VFW members, eleven combat decorated veterans of Vietnam from the Leo High School Class of 1965, scores of Leo High School veterans of WWII, Korea, Lebanon 1959, Berlin Occupation, Cuban Missile Crisis, Dominican Republic, Vietnam, Grenada, Lebanon 1980's, Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan  and the entire student body of Leo High School witnessed Jim Watkins accept his diploma.

I would like to thank the Chicago Tribune Suburban Branch, ABC 7 Chicago's Ravi  Biachwal, 2/24 Marines, Bugles Across America, Windy City Veterans, Tinley Park VFW Post, Steuber Florists, Pat Roberto of Calabria Imports, Miss Mary T. Burke, Bill Figel '73, the Leo Alumni Association and the Officers of Chicago Police District

Chicago's Ed Kelly: Kids Come First and Damn Policy to Hell!

“Oh, Mr. Mayor, I’m not really interested in politics, I want to run sports, coaching and that.” - Ed Kelly to Mayor Richard J. Daley

I was blessed to know the difference between what the Irish call Shite and the once popular protective wax application for shoes.   What actually takes place is truth.  What some people say intended policy happens to be is shite. When a man teaches little boys and girls about the physics involved in shooting a basketball through a hoop, or learning to keep one's protective 'left up' in a schoolyard scrap, or how to successfully fill out a job application for summer employment is Shinola - a no longer used commodity in public education, government and discourse.

Government was at one time merely a means of protecting an old lady from starving in a cold-water flat, an access to entry level jobs skills, a protector of public parks and sports programs and point of reference about one's personal character for soul less human resource bureaucrats.

Then came Shakman, the DNC, and the endless parade of talentless takers, jumping from government appointment to appointment to that multi-pension Promised Land.  Chicago today.

I have been blessed to know the difference, between a public servant and a power grabbing grifter.

There are a few public servants still walking around, but they have traded Addidas running shoes for  Shinola applicated Johnson and Murphys.

In our times, a  public servant can no longer be like Ed Kelly.

This summer Mr. Edmund L. Kelly turned 91 years old.

Edmund L. Kelly was born and raised on Chicago's north side in a neighborhood now known as "Cabrini Green."  From an early age, Ed excelled in sports spending most of his free time in neighborhood parks-a foreshadowing of his future when he would one day lead the Chicago Park District.
Ed graduated from St. Philip's High School in 1942.  While attending St. Philip's, his basketball talent earned him positions on the All-Catholic, All-City and All-Star Basketball teams.  Ed attended DePaul University and the University of Iowa, majoring in Physical Education.
In 1943, Ed enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps.  Serving as an aerial gunner with a divebomber squadron, he saw action in the South Pacific and served in China from 1945-1946.  During his Marine career, Ed was elected to the All-Service Basketball Team and won the welterweight boxing championship.  He later played professional basketball with the Oshkosh All Stars in the National Basketball Association. The Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame

Ed Kelly ' ran the Parks' when I was a kid.  O'Halleran Park, Dawes Park, Foster Park, Hamilton Park Ogden Park, Sherman Park . . .you name a Chicago Park had a program staffed by college athletes, like Mount Carmel Hero of my youth  Bill Trapp . Ed Kelly staffed Chicago's Parks with solid people of great character who taught us to throw a spiral football, hit a three point shot, jab, hook and duck when necessary.  Ed Kelly protected kids, because he kept on eye on who would be teaching kids sport techniques, but more importantly character.

Ed Kelly did not use policy as a mandate - policy is for the pusillanimous.

Ed Kelly is a man.

Then came the idiotic and evil Shakman decision which took 'character' out of politics.

Name an elected politician who does not hide behind 'That smooth'd faced Gentleman, tickling' policy to paraphrase Shakepeare's greatest moral character The Bastard from King John. 

On November 14th, Edmund L. Kelly will be inducted into the Chicago Boxing Hall of Fame for his work with kids.

Ed Kelly could very well stand on the Shakspeare Stage at  Navy Pier and pronounce

Mad world! mad Mayors ! mad composition!
 . . .
With that same purpose-changer, that sly devil,
That broker, that still breaks the pate of faith,
That daily break-vow, he that wins of all,
Of kings, of beggars, old men, young men, maids,
Who, having no external thing to lose
But the word 'maid,' cheats the poor maid of that,
That smooth-faced gentleman, tickling ( Policy for Commodity) ,
 POLICY , the bias of the world,
The world, who of itself is peised well,
Made to run even upon even ground,
Till this advantage, this vile-drawing bias,
This sway of motion, this  POLICY,
Makes it take head from all indifferency,
From all direction, purpose, course, intent:
And this same bias, this POLICY,
This bawd, this broker, this all-changing word,
 . . .
And why rail I on this POLICY?
But for because he hath not woo'd me yet:
Not that I have the power to clutch my hand,
When his fair angels would salute my palm;
But for my hand, as unattempted yet,
Like a poor beggar, raileth on the rich.
Well, whiles I am a beggar, I will rail
And say there is no sin but to be rich;
And being rich, my virtue then shall be
To say there is no vice but beggary.
Since kings break faith upon POLICY,
Gain, be my lord, for I will worship thee. ( changes and emphases my own with profound apologies to the Bard)

Ragoût de boeuf à la manière d' Epstein- Not Much More to Do: Cook Using Readings from Joe Epstein as a Timer

No Leo Football; bugger all on TV; it's cold; I'm Tap City, until pay day. I took out my 1947 Wagner Ware dutch oven and gave it s good washing and let dry overnight and thought of making a weekends worth of good eatin' ragout - chili, goulash, or maybe stew.  Yeah, stew.

Not just stew, but Ragoût de boeuf à la manière d' Epstein - Joseph Epstein.  Last winter, I made this concoction and used Joe Epstein as my timer. No kidding.

Ergo, I defrosted two pounds of County Fair stew meat and roasted six red potatoes and put the spud back in the icebox overnight.  I cut stew quality onions, carrots, celery and a small stalk of fennel and did the same.

So I'm making stew.

I use Tony Cachere's Creole Seasoning instead of standard season salt.

I will brown the beef once I shake the bovine cubes in black peppered flour - one pound at a times in cooking oil and once browned up nicely take the meat out with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Then I add the five cups of vegetables the 1947 Wagner Ware dutch oven gave scald the hell out of them.

After a sound scalding, or roots, stalks and bulbs, I return the browned beef and two tablespoons of Tony Cachere and mix well with a wooden spoon.  After that I pour cold tap water three cups and 1 1/2 cup of beef stock and bring to a rolling boil uncovered.

I reduce the flame in the stove top to simmer and cover and will read from Joseph Epstein's Essay's in Biography - George Washington, Henry Adams. ( forty minutes) 

That should be about time to give the wooden spoon another workout and make sure I am getting the 'good stuff' scraped off the bottom.

Return to Essay's in Biography - George Santayana and Adlai Stevenson.( forty minutes)  

At this point in my process I take the cut and roasted potatoes chilling in the icebox and add them to the mixture.

More wrist work with the wooden spoon.

Read the rather longish essay on Henry Luce ( twenty to twenty five minutes) and then taste what I have wrought.  Add appropriate seasonings and water.

Turn off the heat and allow to cool.

Put the stew in a tupperware container and place it in the ice box for Saturday's enjoyment with biscuits that I pop out of the cardboard can, because I am one lousy baker. 

Moms, Bundle Up Those Little Guys

Today is one windy and cold twenty four!  Even my old chill friendly pelt feel the sting of winter's slap on this October 29th of the year of Our Lord 2015. At Leo High School, Sangamon Street seems to act as a concrete HVAC -winds blow particularly strong south to north and getting the damn door to open with my key (attached to my identity lanyard and a stout pound or so duplicate and out-of-date keys to whatever) was daunting task.

I almost, almost mind you,  turned on the boilers at 4:30AM.  Nah, these brawny stalwarts can take it and it will be warmer by class time.

Out in the neighborhoods, Moms, or widowed Dads like your humble correspondent. should start boiling the water for oatmeal and hitting the cedar chest of winter togs.

One of my favorite parenting obligations was getting the bairns bundled wrapped and hatted to meet the challenges of Chicago's Hawk.




" You're gonna be warm . . .too bad about you. Now, get!"

Leo High School's 20th Veterans Observance Friday, November 6th 2015

 

In 1995, Leo High School Principal and later President Robert W. Foster began the annual recognition of all who serve our country, especially those members of our Armed Services.

Since then, on the Friday immediately before our National Veterans Day ( November 11th) the entire Leo High School convenes in the courtyard of the school on 79th Street at the marble maker engraved with the names of Leo Men who died defending America.

This event allows no speeches by politicians.  It is a simple and dignified ceremony honoring the people who sacrificed their youth, blood, limbs and lives protecting all of us.

Doing the Color Honors will be the team from Chicago's Own and Leo Hall of Fame 2014 Honorees the Second Battalion, Twenty-Fourth Marines and Taps will be performed by members of Bugles Across America.

• Steuber Florist  provides the wreathes for honors

• Calabria Imports provides post-ceremony refreshments

• Chicago Police Sixth District provides event coverage and security

This year, Leo High School will present a diploma to a combat veteran of World War II and Korea who was denied that piece of paper, because he entered the service in his junior year.

Mr. Jim Wilkins of Tinley Park, IL will get what has for far too long been denied him.

Joining Mr. Wilkins in laying wreathes at the Leo War Memorial will be Mr., Jack Schaller a Purple Heart Veteran of World War II combat in the Philippines and a Leo High School Hall of Fame man.

This event welcomes the public.

Contact - Mr. Pat Hickey -Director of Development (773) 224-9600 ex. 208
When – November 6th 2015 at 11AM
Where – The Courtyard of Leo High School 7901 South Sangamon Street Chicago 60620
What - Leo High School, Leo Alumni Association welcomes all veteran to the Memorial Observance at the Leo War Memorial in the school’s courtyard. , Leo High School Principal Phil Mesina (USAF ret.) r & Vice Principal Frank Wilson (USMC ret.)
Who - Leo High School erected a memorial in 1965 to the many Leo men who have died serving America in World War II , Korea , and Vietnam and the Windy City Veterans of Chicago updated the engraved names and constructed permanent lighting for the memorial. Last year more than two hundred persons joined the 150 Leo students in honoring America ’s war fallen. 

 

Leo High School Speakers at War Memorial 11 A.M.
1.  Leo Principal Mesina and Vice Principal Wilson - Call to Order
2. Prayer by Alumni President Larry Lynch and Introduction to the ceremony by Alumni President Emeritus Richard Furlong and will read the biography of Mr. James Wilkins Leo Class of 1944 who was denied his diploma because he entered the service.
3. Leo High School  President Dan McGrath will introduce Mr. Jim Wilkins and present him with his long-overdue diploma and Mr. Jack Schaller ’43 Purple Heart, Leo Hall of Famer.
4. Color and Honor of the 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines – Posting of the Colors -Chicago’s own & Wreathe Laying by Leo Veterans & Purple Heart Veterans.
5. Our National Anthem by Leo Choir
7. Taps by Bugles Across America and Dismissal & Refreshments in Leo Cafeteria

 

My Silent Screams at Woody Allen Movies

Woody Allen made one great movie "Take the Money and Run" - 1969 - it was and remains brilliant.

I am a heterosexual male; as such, I was forced by social convention to sit through a thick part of the Woody Allen canon.

Remember, this is me talking.

I would rather endure a nice periodontal marathon at the hands of a lesbian with the shakes and breath like Gary, Indiana in the 1960's

The world thinks that Woody Allen is a genius and that Barack Obama is a great President.

Me? Not so much.

Woody Allen's korpo de laboro irritates me, but Not anywhere near as much as the ubiquitous immediate question asked by every woman ( lover, wife, companion, obligatoy 'take her out, Hickey') who dragged me silently screaming to Annie Hall, Hannah and Her Sisters, Manhattan, & etc. ad finitum, " That was brilliant! Don't You Think?"

I am as yellow as a duck's foot and my reply was usually a nod, or an Uh-Huh.

The nebbish keeps making them movies, but I'll have no more!

I will scream, "No" in thunder!  I am almost Sixty Four Years of Age for Chrissakes!

I must change, or risk bursting my aged tripes in frustrated anger!  Not to mention the abject @#$%ing boredom. 

President Obama Brings it Home to Insult Cops and Do the Work of Gamaliel

President Obama detests cops almost as much he does the military.  It is part of his political and maybe even helix-ed to his physical DNA.

He spent his post college days here in Chicago insinuating himself into the political melange of  The Windy City's Progressive-wing of the Devolving Democratic Party that had already been moving from meat and potatoes goulash to its current Vegan Curry.  The hearty stew of sensible legislation and ordinances that kept nickels in pockets and compounded interest daily for the middle class that had once whetted the appetites of working women and men became a global directed spice rack of tax-funded exotic policy mandates that to this day makes life miserable for all people, as well as pits neighbor against neighbor.   Obama honed his spice knives with the Gamaliel Foundation which schooled him on methods to do just that -

 Gamaliel of Metro Chicago (GMC) is regional member of the Gamaliel Network. GMC’s mission is to develop new community leaders through building networks of “core teams” and alliances with other community groups to build an organization capable of responding to issues of education funding reform, economic development, civil rights of immigrants, universal healthcare, older adult economic and social well being, and workforce development. The Gamaliel Network is made up of affiliates in 18 states, South Africa and Great Britain. President Barack Obama was a community organizer with Gamaliel in the 1980’s.

This is a very secularized quasi-religious ( they take money from Catholics) group of radicals who have perched themselves above the people they claim to 'want to help' and attract some of daffiest do-gooder-wannabe's it has been my personal and professional waste-of-time bed-of-nails  in my three score and change time on the terra.  This group counts on goofs and creeps. Goofs are individuals with a limited experience in getting along with people, a very stunted sense of literary discernment, but a great capacity for telling people how morally repugnant they happen to be, if they disagree with Gamaliel's dictum of what exactly God's Commonwealth happens to be.  Creeps are career takers.

Gameliel attracts goofs to do the nuts and bolts stuff and creeps to take credit for the work the goofs have done.  Barack H. Obama took an incredible amount of credit. Via Gamaliel, young Barack Obama learned the pathways tp God's (or something omnipotent - government) Commonwealth.

The four pathway's to God's Commonwealth

• Create Structural Racial Equality. ( Racial Quotas) 
• Build Peoples Control of Government ( No Fault Voter Registration)
• Build Community Control of the Economy - (Occupy/Minimum Wage)
• Expand the Public Sphere ( Black Lives Matter)

Cops and the military preserve, protect and defend the races, the government, the economy and the public within the frame work of the United States Constitution which is not a global frame work and it must go.

Today, Barack Obama comes home to Chicago a.k.a Chiraq - a place he more than helped develop.

He will address Police Chiefs - most of whom were nominated, appointed, or selected by local governments. His message to them is to think globally.  Think exactly the way Barack H. Obama, a Gamaliel disciple, thinks.

• Force more gun laws
• Don't arrest approved minorities
• Don't Make Him Tell You Again

More importantly, President Obama will do some fundraising.

The speech is part of Obama's cross-country travel to meet with people working to fix the criminal justice system, from law enforcement officials endeavoring to lower crime and incarceration rates to former prisoners "earning their second chance," the official added.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch is scheduled to address the conference earlier in the day.
While in Chicago, Obama is to attend a fundraising dinner being hosted by Robbie Robinson, managing director of BDT & Co., and his wife, D'Rita, founder and CEO of Chatty Guest.
Co-hosts are being asked to contribute $33,400 and guests, $10,000, according to an invitation.
The first $2,500 of each contribution will go to Obama for America — the president's principal campaign committee — for 2012 general election debt retirement. Any contributions above $2,500 go to the Democratic National Committee.

President Obama is a creep and a Gamaliel disciple.  What are we?

Rahm Emanuel's Sophisticated Snow Finances

Mayor Rahm Emanuel wants to raise fines against businesses that don't shovel sidewalks as part of his 2016 budget.
The proposal, part of the annual city management ordinance, would hike the potential fine from $50 to $500. Emanuel also wants to increase fines for anyone piling snow in a fashion that blocks the public way — including bike lanes and racks, bus stops or building entrances — from a minimum of $25 and a maximum of $100 to a minimum of $50 and a maximum of $500.
Such penalties are rarely enforced, however. The city issued just 226 tickets for snow removal issues during the winter of 2014-15, according to the Department of Transportation. Ninety percent of those were issued to business owners or multiunit residential buildings.
Emanuel also introduced language to tie fees for heavy truck permits to the consumer price index, so they would increase or decrease each year depending on the rate of inflation. Currently, the cost for an overweight truck permit is $50 to $150 for a single trip or $500 to $2,250 monthly, according to city records.
The full City Council is set to vote on Emanuel's overall budget plan Oct. 28.( emphases my own) Chicago Tribune

Last Spring Chicago had an opportunity to bid Rahm Emanuel a hearty and genuine God Speed!  The Chicago media, Axelrod Productions, The Shakman Blessed  Exempted Executive Appointees City and County level and their families ans retainers  at command, ginned up a perfect storm of I AM WITH RAHM beat down on the opposition candidate for mayor, Jesus Chuy Garcia. 

So egregious were these Axelrodian memes and tropes that even the complacent and complicit Chicago Tribune seemed shamed enough to offer this non-apology.

The mayor and his allies have criticized Garcia for not offering enough specifics on how he'd lead the city. Despite that, the ad opens by claiming Garcia has "made $1.9 billion in spending promises," suggesting that amounts to "$1,900 in additional taxes for the average homeowner." The commercial then raises the question of how Garcia would pay for the alleged promises and ends with clips of Garcia saying his campaign was conducting research on city finances and would look at "creative sources of financing."
The ad closes by flashing the text, "Creative sources of financing? Uh-oh."

"Uh-oh" indeed.

I never once heard Garcia offer to increase taxes on City services, much less do away with them.

Nor, do I recall his, in Bruce Rauner's mewling sop to his wine-purchasing pal Rahm, offer of 'sophisticated financing' via our Parks, natural resources, or human caused terrorism against Bike Lanes.

Rahm Emanuel won, after telling each and every mope in Chicago that he was a changed man.

Yep, changed up a storm.

Chicago's Lake Michigan Lake water costs us much more to drink, wash, rinse and flush.  Our Parks were handed over to Marty Nesbitt, George Lucas and other corporatist bundlers of Rahm and Obama to come and snow that avoids the manual labor and sweat of eighty year old Mrs. Wanda Skutnik owner of Pierogi Queens' Eats of 1440 N. Greenview, Apt Z-Frank will cost old Wanda a lung.

Violations will be ZipCode Cited and fines will be politically analyzed for activist blow back.

For the last twenty years, my route to Leo High School has been the same - from Morgan Park to Gresham - via north on Western Ave. to 87th Street; east on 87th Street to Racine; north on Racine to 79th Street; east on 79th to Sangamon and a sharp right hand turn into the Leo Faculty and visitor parking lot,  after I unlock the gate, of course.

Racine from 87th Street to 79th Street is the home of no less than twenty eight (28) churches located in buildings that used to house businesses.  There is a smattering of businesses ( two bars: The Junction and Holloway's Hideaway) a dollar store, a liquor store, two car washes, an auto repair shop, an urban clothing store, a gas station, and the Paul Cuffee Elementary Academy) - all of the remaining buildings house churches and most only offer services on Sunday.

In winter, the sidewalks disappear under snow and ice until the Spring thaw.  Residents walk between the east and west curbs of Racine - at their peril and if the 17th Ward managed to plow Racine.  I am very careful not to hit people trying to get to the CTA bus turn-around on east side of Racine at 86th Street in the cold, windy dark of a Chicago morning.  Very often I will offer pedestrians a neighborly ride to 79th Street ( Hookers/Trannies and ne'er-do-wells of unaffiliated gang membership excluded) - working folks.

The reason why, the sidewalks remain uncleared of snow is due to the fact that the Pastors of the 28 store-front churches do not live in the 17th Ward.  Their parsonages are in Flossmoor, Orland Park, New Lennox, Matteson and the less-successful in Country Club Hills. If it snows on Monday, there is good chance that there are six layers of frosty precipitations layering the sidewalks and easements on Racine Avenue.  Snow removal? Not until the pastor, or his sons have an opportunity to check in on the church.

These Pastors will be considered business owners? Uh-Oh!  Churches comprise the bulk of this Racine Avenue Business community.

Well, Rahm is sophisticated enough to parse "businesses" with homeowners - "Chicago is ALL of Our Business!"  I can hear Coon-eyed Mayor hiss.  " Ticket 'em all!" He will and shortly.

You can make book on the fact that the 50 City Council Nodders and Windbags never gave a thought to Racine Avenue ( 87th-79th Streets inclusive), nor could care less.  Rahm wants the tax and the tax will happen, because Chicago was With Rahm.

I would venture to say that  the 28 pastors of the Racine Avenue churches ( 87th-79th Streets inclusive) will remain un-ticketed for Rahm's new Force Majeure  Taxation on Snow.

No, I fully expect that business owners and very shortly homeowners from what deemed to be middle class-ish Zip Codes will be ticketed and summoned to court.  TS, as Chicagoans are wont to say.

Justice has nothing to do with Progressive Global Sanctuary City like Chicago.

This is My Friend Sharon J.and She is Welcome Any Day

Miss Sharon J____ kept me happy while I parked cars for the Stanley Cup visit to Leo High School - Leo's North Lot (09/15/2015)

On the day, the Chicago Black Hawks Organization and our great Defense Man #7 Brent Seabrook brought the Stanley Cup to Leo High School, I was busy outside of school building arranging parking and security for the event with officers of the Sixth District and Leo High School seniors who volunteered.

I ran back forth between the faculty and visitor parking lot on the southwest side of 79th & Sangamon and the big student/parent/visitors lot on the northeast side of the street.

One person who helped keep me centered and happy through the day is a little lady who became my pal seven years ago,  Her name is Miss Sharon J----.

Sharon has had a tough life, but is a remarkably chipper lady.  She walks all over the 17th Ward and lives in a small apartment near 87th and Carpenter.

Sharon graduated from the now closed Visitation Girls Catholic High School in the early 1970's and went to Jackson State University where she became friends with the great Chicago Bear legend Walter Payton. Like Payton Miss Sharon is a Mississippi gal and her chats with me always segue to 'homecoming'  near Columbia with all of her cousins.

Miss Sharon's nephews went to Leo High School and she is always asking me if I came to know so-and-so, or knew what they were up to.

Sadly, Miss Sharon is out of touch with some in her family.  After Jackson State University, life went off the rails for Miss Sharon.  Miss Sharon is neither down, nor out.  Miss Sharon struggles.

Her very sweet and thoughtful heart was never damaged by anything that harmed her otherwise. Some people say heartless things about and to her.  That is all too human. Aldermen, State Senators and even school teachers can thoroughly rotten bastards who would take the last chair, or the parking spot of a disabled person and say some of the warmest and nicest things. Some people never see past the resume, the title or the human tinsel. I like to tear into gifts, be human or boxed.  I get excited about opening new gifts and enjoying old ones.  I love the gift of speech.   I like words.  I like deeds better. Me, I take people as they act toward me and Miss Sharon is and has been my pal.

On the day, of the Stanley Cup Visit, Miss Sharon refused my offer to escort her into the event.  " No, thank you, I don't want upset anyone.  One teacher told me 'Stay away, Crackhead,' one morning, 'the boys don't need to see you hanging around.'  I don't want anyone upset."

Miss Sharon and I stayed out and had some laughs.

I wish I knew who said that to this lady, or anyone.  Miss Sharon is always welcome.

My Interview with Donald Trump at the Old Evergreen Plaza on 95th & Western Avenue

The Donald at the PlaZoo on Western, in Evergreen Park, IL.  He said pretty much the same tripe to Chris Wallace.  Hell, why not?


PAT HICKEY: Mr. Trump, good to see you again. You took care of the dandruff problem you had when I sat behind you at the Gary, Indiana Gambling Hearings in 1994,

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Thank you.

HICKEY:  What was it Selsun Blue, a full-court press of Zinc Pyrithione, or some organic shampoo?


TRUMP: I felt it. I mean I felt it from within. We have tremendous discontent in the country. We have tremendous problems in the country. And I felt it early on or I wouldn't have done this. But I see tremendous discontent.

HICKEY: Before we dig down into some issues,  how about that flatulence problem that seemed to accompany the dandruff?  Man, it was brutal, Don.  I mean, I have a pretty robust constitution and all but I thought, back then, that you must have put away an even dozen Whitey One Bites, a handful of Slim Jims and washed them down with a warm six pack of Buckhorn.

TRUMP: OK.

HICKEY : -- quick answers. Hey, I'm just stoking ya!  Should a prospective Commander-in-Chief tear off a half-dozen odoriferous pew splitters in public, like you did in 1994, or do his level best to tough it out?

TRUMP: I would use the debt limit. I don't want to say -- I want to be unpredictable, because, you know, we need unpredictability. Everything is so predictable with our country.

But I would be very, very strong on the debt limit. And I would be asking for a very big pound of flesh if I were the Republicans. And the problem with the Republicans, they have two sides. The smaller side is very strong and the other side is always agreeing and, you know, you can't do that.

HICKEY:  You were plenty unpredictable in the Gary Conference Center that day! Now, I can't see any of the other candidates GOP, or DEM doing the same with the exception of Bernie and he subsists on Vermont Vegan Alternative Energy Sources which can be as GI toxic as a fully loaded Dago Beef Combo from Al's on Taylor Street.

TRUMP: I do not want to say that because I want to show unpredictability. You have to. You can't just go around and say that.

But Planned Parenthood should absolutely be defunded. I mean if you look at what's going on with that, it's terrible. And many other things should be defunded and many things should be cut.

 HICKEY: You won't do a thing about abortion, Trumpo, no way!  Anyway. . . . How about that wedge of hair?  John Cutrone could take care of that in a nano-second.  Hey, look, this was real nice, Glad to see shoulder snow belt is cleared up and I must say you have exercised great pyloric self-control with me today - unlike that day in Gary, when you matched smelter for sphincter with Gary Works, the still operational LVT and the Dutch ovens of Inland over in East Chicago.  Have a nice campaign, I got pretty much what I wanted from you . . .Hey!  The interview is over and there's no cameras . . .Look.  Go talk to some of the Gummers getting exercise.  Nice.  Adios, Trump!  Beat it!  Go win a nomination.  Jesus, Christ, what is wrong with me?  Never make eye contact.

Truth is as Dead as God ( BTW - HE Ain't) in American Education and the Politics It Serves

The weakness of the philosophy originally advanced to justify the democratic movement was that it took individuality to be something given ready-made, that is, in abstraction from time, instead of as a power to develop. John Dewey

The contingency of all into which time enters is the source of pathos, comedy, and tragedy. John Dewey

John Dewey was a social engineer with powerful friends like John D. Rockefeller - a 1%er who was told by one of his snitches, or close advisers to give away $1 of every $10 he exploited from God's earth and the workers who toiled to extract, process, ship and sell to education, so that he could keep the remaining $9 without the screams and wailing of the likes of Jane Addams and other sapphic women with way too much time on their hands and the long-haired writers who penned muckraking screeds at their commands.

It worked!  John D. built University of Chicago and Columbia University School of Education to grant PhDs to Dewey and Hegel disciples universal and packed billions of spondulix into his purse.

John Dewey was no more a teacher than Obama's gift from 1%-er John Rogers and Secretary of Education and former Chicago Public Schools layabout, Arne Duncan - who wants, now, to be Governor of Illinois.  Hell, he'll win in a landslide.

John Dewey is to truth, as Mrs. O':Leary's cow' s hoof was to Chicago on hot, dry and windy day in Old Chicago.

The majority of folks believed that Kate O'Leary's bossy kicked over the lantern on her barn on Kinzie Avenue and caused the Great Chicago Fire. That is an example of John Dewey Education.  Kate was absolved by a vote in the Chicago City Council. in 1997. That's nice.

Truth, however, is not the possession of the majority, unless you really bought into John Dewey.

You see John Dewey claims that 'inquiry' is the substitute for truth.  It is play. It is a rigged game. Draw a conclusion and convince everyone, or nearly everyone, to cooperate with you and you win.

That, boys and girls, is why our public and even a growing number of private and Catholic schools are producing dummies.  By dummies, I mean those dolls that used be be entertaining, but are now considered creepy, through which a person other than the dummy speaks.  Kids are not allowed to be, much less think for themselves in American Cooperative Education.  Zero Policies and Group Think ( inquiry) trumps truth.

Name an absurdity in our time -

• Barack Obama's Presidency
• Black Lives Matter
• No Score Youth Sports
• Grade Inflation
• No F's
• Ritalin
• Zero Tolerance
• Diversity Mandates
• The Wrongful Conviction Industry
• The DNC
• Senator Mark Kirk of Illinois
• Universal Trophies and Awards
• American Public Education
• American Public Radio and Television
• Howard Zinn
• Kaitlyn Jenner, American Hero

-and you have the collective wisdom of John Dewey.

Truth is shared, observable and most times it is eternal.  One of the greatest defenders of truth and even religion was an aristocratic agnostic mathematician/philosopher Bertrand Russell.  How's that for some irony?

Russell said this on John Dewey and his vandalism of education and democracy - 

The error of democracy lies in regarding all claims to superiority as just grounds for the resentment of the herd. In the modern world, much work which is necessary to the community requires more ability than most men posses sand there must be ways of selecting exceptional men to do this work. In general, if they are to be as well qualified as possible, it is desirable to select them while they are still young - say twelve years old - and to allow them to make more rapid progress than is possible to a class of average boys or girls. The feeling that it is undemocratic to single out the best pupil is one which leads to a great waste of good material 

Excellence, courage and faith are forbidden in John Dewey's Progressive and Secular Public Schools.  Truth is murdered for the sake of cooperation.

 Americans need to be a bit more more disruptive in John Dewey's schools.

The Egyptian Darkness of Progressive Chicago - FOX 32 Chicago's Dane Placko Helps Torch Free Speech

And no power of fire could give them light, neither could the bright flames of the stars enlighten that horrible night. The Book of Wisdom XVII, 5.

"Until FOX 32 started asking questions, he was one of the top officials in the office of Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez. He made $153-thousand a year as chief of the office's civil division." Dane Placko Fox32 

My rule of thumb, when considering a news item from Dane Placko of Chicago FOX 32, is a Progressive Democrat wants someone dead - metaphorically, socially, politically, economically, but maybe not physically . . .maybe not.

Dane Placko, I have no doubt, got a call from someone in City, or County government and went to work on a man who has been working in the Cook County States Attorney's Office for sometime and has not yet learned that group thought is a 24 hour, 365 days per year unwritten but certainly fully funded mandate. The man, in the cross hairs of Dan Placko's investigation is named Dan Gallagher.  Mr. Gallagher made a comment on Facebook that was deemed 'inappropriate' because First Lady Obama seemed a bit porcine in the photo - Under a Facebook post about the First Lady meeting Pope Francis, a comment by Daniel F. Gallagher says: "I think Moosechelle was hiding a secret service agent in the seat of her dress."

Someone hissed the comment to Dane Placko, a man given to hack journalism only upon people who can be fired in government, but never on anyone who makes  career of lousing up Chicago, Cook County, or the State of Illinois.  FOX 32 has Placko.  ABC7 has Chuck Goudie. Illinois BGA has Andy Shaw ( formerly of ABC 7) protecting the Progressive Democrat Eunuchs ( Proco Joe/Claypool) and Pharaohs (Daley/Rahm/Preckwinkle) who have destroyed our schools, our neighborhoods and our collective safety.

It seems Mr. Gallagher, obviously a white privileged individual and incapable of being a Group Think victim, holds

• Al Sharpton
• Pastor Pfleger
• Hillary Clinton

in scant regard.  Now, had he limited himself to GW Bush, Tea Party People, the Koch Brothers, or the late Cardinal George for criticism, Mr. Gallagher would be receiving support from an obviously gutless Anita Alvarez and a future pay stub.

As it is, Dane Placko has his scalp.

This is Egypt, not Chicago.  If you do not think what you are told to think ( Ain't Rahm Great?  Obama Should be on Mount Rushmore, Bike Lanes Rock! & etc.) you should move to BumTryst, Indiana, Fella.

If work take a check from City, County and State payrolls and you venture a thought critical of a protected Eunuch, much less a Pharaoh, someone will dial up Dane Placko, Chuck Goudie, Andy Shaw, or one of the many purse puppy inkslingers in this sad burg and you will be forced to resign and live out your days in ignominious . . . .light.  Everyone else is way happy in the dark.

James Webb is The Democrat Who Won Last Night's Debate - He was the Only Democrat on the Stage

I watched last night's Democratic Party Presidential Debate after I watched the Chicago Cubs work off the curse of a goat and curses of too many White Sox Fans.  Though I am an unashamedly tribal, let's say Parochial south sider, I was delighted to watch the Cubs take down the tough and canny St. Louis Cardinals.

I do not believe in curses. I believe in God's grace and the Cubs were graceful and Cub Fans gracious.

Growing up, in a grammatical manner of speaking, on the south side of Chicago, I learned to embrace my Catholic Faith, the values of blue collar  neighborhood Chicago and the once proud and fierce Democratic Party that defended labor, fought secularism, Communism, classism and defended America.  Over the last twenty years, I watched labor weaken itself by making bargains with public sector unions and effectively shrink the middle class.  The skilled and industrial trades created the American middle class and the greatest standard of living for more people than any movement or conquest in world history.  When labor took up the redistribution of wealth mantra from SEIU in the late 1980's things went badly for the skilled and industrial trades.

Likewise, during this period, but beginning a bit before, the Democratic Party went from being the political party of working men and women to a platform for eugenics, global corporatism and a cowardly rapprochement with Marxism.  No longer were labor leaders, churchmen and military leaders clarion voices for working people.  Street Hustlers, wealthy Ivy League wet-brains, academic charlatans and pollsters carried the policies of racial division, self-doubt and angry classism in their purses and man-clutches, as well as the billions of dollars necessary to turn Anti-Abortion Democrat candidates like U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and those of his ilk into smarmy, dithering and cowardly puppets for some very bad causes and the people funding them.

To me, the candidacy and Presidency of Barack Obama seemed a Billy Goat's Curse upon the Democrats and I could only vote for local candidates who continued to fight for human life from conception to grave, like my own Congressman Dan Lipinski and Alderman Matt O'Shea of the 19th Ward. That's just me.

Last night, former Senator James Webb rekindled my love of the Democratic Party.  My only objection to James Webb is his continued support of Roe v. Wade.  Webb once said of social issues ( read abortion and gay marriage) " I believe the power of the government ends at my front door unless there is a compelling reason to come inside ..."     There is, Mr. Webb.  We can't have Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness without Life.

That powerful objection of mine aside, I was impressed to see one genuine Democrat of the true stripe defend and hold his position against the flabby, phony and prefabricated plays to the plants in the audience of Bernie Sanders and the odious Mrs. Clinton.

James Webb is the Annapolis Man, the thickly decorated combat Marine, the independent United States Senator, the fierce defender of American exceptionalism ( yes, CNN, America is exceptional) and interests and dedicated Secretary of the Navy who ensured this country's ability to defend itself.  Webb is no author of ghost-written auto-biographies, nor a clip board wielding community activist with billionaire backers.  Jim Webb is an honorable patriot and author of what is considered to be the finest novel to come out of the Vietnam War ,  ten other powerful books, films and an Emmy Award winning documentary on the Scots-Irish contributions to America.

In debate, Webb stood with great honor.

Gloria Vanderbilt's little boy Anderson Cooper tried to collapse Senator Webb from the get-go with this -



James Webb mopped the floor with Cooper.

Webb wrote in 2010 that the White Privilege Myth is a dodge used to divide people.  Last night Anderson Cooper proved Webb correct to millions of Americans.

Later, Cooper offered this idiotic question, "the enemy they are most proud of."  - James Webb answered the Vietnamese soldier who tried to kill him.

The Vegas Casino packed with Sanders and Clinton plants went silent -on demand.

James Webb was the only Democrat on that Stage a man graced by God.

James Webb can have my vote.   A man with this much honor must eventually strangle abortion in this nation and make America great once more.


Go, Cubs, Go!  

Brent Seabrook and Lord Stanley at Leo High School - Hawks and Lions: One Goal

Calvin Frogge (1925-2015) - Illinois Farmer, WWII Naval Aviator and Catholic Gentleman to the Backbone Goes Home to Christ

Calvin Frogge was a pure Illinois Man of the Soil. He suffered no fools gladly, but took them to his heart with charity little found in our current cynical days. Calvin farmed.  He farmed before and after flying for the U.S. Navy in WWII.
 
After the war Calvin had the good sense to woo one of the beautiful McCue girls and the good fortune to manage an 'OK' to his offer of marriage. Calvin and Marietta raised two very talented sons.  Calvin lost his pal and bride, Marietta a few years ago and had been in poor health.  I know that he nearly wore out the kneelers at St. Anne Shrine in St. Anne and also St.Mary's Beaverville.

At weddings and family gatherings, this son of French voyageurs and resident of Martinon, Illinois was last man off the dance floor and usually last man standing. Calvin was never a gabby man, but he was always a witty man and given to rustic saws like , It's colder than a mother-in-law's kiss! and rainin' harder'n a cow peein' on a flat rock!

Calvin was a sweet tempered man, who laughed with the sun rise and got out into the cornrows and got things done.  He specialized in growing pop corn for Popeye PopCorn and knew how to rotate his fields for just the right yield for soybeans to confound the digital grains futures street board on the main drag of Watseka.

My prayers and sympathies to Jim and Margaret Frogge and Jim's brother Tom and grandkids, Jessica, Sarah and Nathan Frogge for the loss of this great man.

They are not growing them like Calvin anymore. 

Telling Yarns - The Germ of Art and Producer Ciara Nic Chormaic

 

Narrator: Europeans who had flocked to 19th Century Chicago for jobs crouched together for survival. They created ethnic enclaves little Germanys, Italy's, Warsaws, and Pragues, glowering at each other with suspicion
Douglas Bukowski, Writer: I think the best way to look at late 19th century Chicago is to think of it as a great boxing ring by the lake. People just didn't get along here. Nobody who was Polish wanted to have an Irish priest. Nobody who was Irish wanted to go to a German church. This whole notion of tolerance for other groups was foreign to people who didn't know any other groups in the old country. from PBS American Experience Series: Chicago in the 19th Century

I had the great pleasure to attend the opening night of Mike Houlihan's Irish American Film Festival at the Gene Siskel Center in heart of the Loop.

I explained the etymology of the Loop to film maker Dave McLaughlin and his wife Mary Beth as we walked from the Siskel Center to The Emerald Loop for the post viewing party.

I pointed above us to the roaring CTA elevated trains  above Lake and State.   The Loop is elevated track fencing much of the Dan Burnham and Louis Sullivan 19th century architecture that once housed capitalists, so detested by PBS and their 501(c) 3 foundation beneficiaries that funding was provided to re-write history.  That is not how stories, yarns, legends and history work . . .except on Public Television, Radio and at Media Matters.

People have been telling yarns and even paint cave walls when words failed them.

The Irish American Film Festival presented Deach An Dorais ( What;s Your Poison?) a documentary based on the Bronx legend of Mike Malloy, the Rasputin of the Bronx, a 1933 alcoholic who just would not die.  Mike Malloy survived more than twenty attempts by four creeps who wanted to cash-in on insurance policies take out in the homeless derelict with no known relatives or friend.  All Mike had going for him was an unquenchable thirst for alcohol and an iron constitution.  He survived poisonings, methonal guzzlings, glass, nail and contaminated sardine and oysters swallowings, freezings in sub-zero temperatures, while soaked with booze and buckets of ice cold water and even a speeding automobile driven over his body.

The story was told by Bronx residents and made it's way into plays, 1950's radio stories like Johnny Dollar -Insurance Investigator and,  most recently, picked up and printed by Smithsonian Magazine and made its way east over the Atlantic on the BBC.

Stories are rooted in human interactions.

Lions, chimps and whales don't tell stories, no matter what PBS tells us.

Story-telling is the germ of art.

When we arrived at The Emerald Loop the stories weaved up a storm.  Irish American News columnists and television producer Mike Morley told of Martin Hogan The Fenian Hero who escaped an Australian Penal Colony on the The Catalpa only to be buried without ceremony at Chicago's Mount Olivet Cemetery, James Sheahan told of Constable James Quinn, the first Chicago cop to be killed in the line of duty and author Rick Barrett's long work to set the record straight.

I had asked a the producer of  DEOCH AN DORAIS, Ms. Ciara Nic Chomaic if she had gathered information from New York's greatest story teller, T.J. English, author of Paddy Whacked.  Ciara had reached out to Mr. English, but he was unavailable.
Producer Ciara Nic Chormaic (center)
You see, Ms. Nic Chormaic build the stories around any given story.  She had attached the undertakers, the academics, the genealogists, the artists, a NYPD detective, GAA Hard Man Anthony Molloy ( the film's narrator) and the wildly entertaining and brilliant criminal pathologist who really stole the film for me.

The director Paddy Hayes and Ms. Nic Chromaic created art from a story.

However it was Ciara Nic Chromaic who vetted the story tellers made the narrative handled by Mr. Hayes possible.

History is a fabric of yarns, sagas. songs and stories - Art.

PBS, Ken Burns, Oliver Stone do propaganda.

I like Art.

Neighbors Celebrate Hickey's Delayed Lawn Work With a Blue Angels Flyover!

This is my Lawn Mower.  It is generated by the will to go out and cut the grass, weeds, dandelions and tree branchlings behind the force of my sixty-four year old frame and , of course,  the time to do it. Hey, I been busy. Really. As the poet said, Time flies like an arrow and Fruit Flies Like a Banana.

Prior to this day's cuttings and pullings, Lawn Hickey was not unlike this!

Homo , Civis et proximum. eum locum te deducas languoribus peresus triturans triturabit!

Time! on whose arbitrary wing
The varying hours must flag or fly,
Whose tardy winter, fleeting spring,
But drag or drive us on to die---
Hail thou! who on my birth bestowed
Those boons to all that know thee known;
Yet better I sustain thy load,
For now I bear the weight alone.

Get your fat ass out to the garage! Lube the damn wheels on the WalMart Special and start pushing!

With rapid Force our sharpen'd Blades we drive,
Strain ev'ry Nerve, and Blow for Blow we give.
All strive to vanquish, tho' the Victor gains
No other Glory, but the greatest Pains.

Here -  and here is what I hath wrought!

WITH Heat and Labour tir'd, our Scythes we quit,
Search out a shady Tree, and down we sit:
From Scrip and Bottle hope new Strength to gain;
But Scrip and Bottle too are try'd in vain.

New-growing Labours still succeed the past;
And growing always new, must always last.

The neighbors are having a Fly-Over by the Blue Angels at noon.   

A Banana Republic of America Is What Pope Francis Warns Against

Corporate statism or state corporatism is a political culture and a form of corporatism whose adherents hold that the corporate group which is the basis of society is the state.

"I spent 33 years and 4 months in active service as a member of our country's most agile military force--the Marine Corps. I served in all commissioned ranks from second lieutenant to Major General. And during that period I spent most of my time being a high-class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and for the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer for capitalism. I suspected I was part of a racket all the time. Now I am sure of it. Like all members of the military profession I never had an original thought until I left the service." General Smedley Darlington Butler 1881-1940

All of the loudest critics of Pope Francis from the Right, Conservatives, GOP Tassled Loafer Go-Alongs, Bow-Tied TV Chirpers and Pot Smoking and Growing Libertarians have one thing in common - they are dead wrong.

Pope Francis is the native son of Argentina - A Banana Republic. Argnetina's last one hundred and fifty years has been an economic train wreck for most of its people.

The very few, oligarchs, do handsomely by staying close to surviving leaders of military coups, or corporation backed 'elected' officials.  A Banana Republic is corportion statism.

From 1899 through 1920's and 1930's, the United States Marine Corps sent officers, non-commissioned officers and enlisted men to build security around the governments of Haiti, The Dominican Republic and Nicaragua with idea of protecting American Interests ( United Fruit, Sugar, Mining and Banking Corporations) from the people they were looting and exploiting.

One of the most salty and on-spot critics of Corporate Statism was the Marine tasked with doing the protection, General Smedley Butler.  Butler wrote War is a Racket in 1935 and that book has in turn been exploited by the Leftists critics of America from Howard Zinn to Noam Chomsky. Ywo-time Medal of Honor recipient General Butler swrote, " Only a small 'inside' group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few, at the expense of the very many. Out of war a few people make huge fortunes."

Name a so-called, government sponsored war and you will see that it is a racket - War on Poverty. War on Drugs, War on Terror and our War on Women's Health ( it ain't. it means abortion is murder).

Pope Francis seems to  have used the word capitalism to decry the exploitation of the middle class and especially the masses of poor people to whom he devoted most of his life as priest.  Immediately, George Will got his panties in a twist and then Hannity and the Mike Gallagher and then the three guys at the end of the bar.

Coporate Statism makes astounding fortunes for a very few, the lucky few, the wired-in few, the few who immediately flocked to President Barcak Obama's George Soros sponsored White House in 2008 and to a Seattle Conference of Corporate Statists no sooner than Pope Francis went wheels-up  to New York City yesterday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed Silicon Valley’s titans, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos and billionaire investor Warren Buffet, in a closed-door conference in Wednesday.
At the event with America and China’s top business leaders, Xi vowed to work to remove barriers to foreign investment and improve intellectual property protections in a bid to crack down on his country’s rip-offs of US products.
But among those missing from the event was Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
In fact, representatives from the social media giant, Twitter and Google were all notably missing and it is telling that China currently blocks those companies’ websites.

That's Harsh, Mark!  Twitter the White House and get a solid!  Viola!

Well, President Banana Republic ( modelled on Chicago, Argentina and Haiti) invited Mark Zuckerberg to join the oligarchs with him greeting the Chinese Reds in split screen MSNBC Time!.

 

Mark Zuckerberg has a friend, not in Jesus, but in Barack.

Pope Francis challenged Congress to fight the very thing that is happening in the White House - coporate statism. He did not attack Free Enterprise. He attacked Coporate Statism.

How, do you think that Mussolini made trains run on time ?   How did an unemployable Austrian-born community activists in Bavaria manage to get IG Farben to build gas chambers for Six Million Jews and other undesirables?

Yep!  Ask Warren Buffet!

Don't ask General Smedley Butler, because he'll tell you, " I helped make Mexico, especially Tampico, safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefits of Wall Street. The record of racketeering is long. I helped purify Nicaragua for the international banking house of Brown Brothers in 1909-1912 (where have I heard that name before?). I brought light to the Dominican Republic for American sugar interests in 1916. In China I helped to see to it that Standard Oil went its way unmolested. During those years, I had, as the boys in the back room would say, a swell racket. Looking back on it, I feel that I could have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents."

Obama hates the military.

Obama is not too happy with Pope Francis either.

“I cannot hide my concern for the family, which is threatened perhaps as never before, from within and without. . . .  Fundamental relationships are being called into question, as is the very basis of marriage and the family. I can only reiterate the importance and, above all, the richness and the beauty of family life.”

The Kennelly Family Lives the Gospels

I raise money for a Catholic High School. We have an Alumni and circle of massively hearted friends who pump dollars to fuel a Catholic education for young men in Chicago.  I am in awe of them

One of Leo High School's historical athletic and bragging rights rivals is Mount Carmel High School.  Their Alumni is awesome.

The families who send their sons to Mount Carmel make huge sacrifices - they, like every Catholic school family in Chicago, pay for Public Schools and huge tuition bills so their sons can grow in the Catholic Faith and learn 2,000 plus years of shared truth.

I am awed.

Yesterday, a family in my neighborhood, having gone the path of so many Chicago families of having to say goodbye to a son and brother, performed an act of love, so out of place in our age of Kardasian and Pat Hickey self pity and direction, that I am stunned in awe.

The family of a Chicago teenager who was killed by a "sucker punch" during an alcohol-fueled beach brawl in Northwest Indiana in 2011 has agreed to a settlement of $1 million in a civil suit against the man charged with delivering the fatal punch.
Jean and Kevin Kennelly, the parents of the victim Kevin Kennelly, said the lawsuit "was never about the money." On Wednesday, they announced they will donate the entire $1 million settlement to Mt. Carmel High School in their son's name.

I learned of this from a neighbor and later listened to a news report as I drove to Chicago's Riverwalk to catch the Skinny & Houli Show at Lizzie McNeill's. I was meeting a local Chicago jazz diva and we planned to enjoy a nice supper and watch Jim Sheahan and Mike Houlihan grill Irish American News Publisher Cliff Carlson.

I sat near the recording booth after being patted down for contraband beverages by Special Olympics Tough Guy William Tang, who acts as Jim Sheahan's muscle and makes popcorn runs for Mike Houlihan. William allowed me near the radio set-up, but told me to 'park it' behind the speakers at table further removed from the Stars of Saturday's Airwaves from 3-4PM on AM 1450.

Park it, I did.

I rubber necked the flow of the Chicago Riverwalkway and saw the exquisite Miss Terry Sullivan making her way my way from McClurg Court.  When I brought Terry to the table, I noticed that seated next to me were Kevin and Jean Kennelly.

I was so moved by the act generous and loving goodness this most Catholic of couples performed that day at Mount Carmel that I nearly bawled like the whiner I am.

I explained to my dinner guest the five years of suffering and anguish Jean and Kevin had endured and the act that these true Apostles had done for young men at Mount Carmel High School.

The Kennelly's donated every nickel of a 'settlement' - the 2016 word for a money miracle that too often is wasted on things, travel  and entertainment- to help young men, like their beloved Kevin, wear the Carmelites Cream and Brown and learn to live Christ's message of forgiveness, giving and nurturing.

From the NBC report - "No amount of money could replace the life of our son, who was a billion dollars, not a million," Kevin Kennelly Sr." This is our intent, is to have something big out of Kevin's time on this earth and do some of the things that Kevin would have done. He was a very good man who would have done great things with his life."

Christ and Young Kevin Approve!

Christ be good to Kevin and Jean Kennelly