These two Mayors sold off Chicago, because we sold out.
re·demp·tion
rəˈdem(p)SH(ə)n/
noun
1.
the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil.
"God's plans for the redemption of his world"
synonyms: saving, freeing from sin, absolution
"God's redemption of his people"
a thing that saves someone from error or evil.
"his marginalization from the Hollywood jungle proved to be his redemption"
2.
the action of regaining or gaining possession of something in exchange for payment, or clearing a debt.
I believe in redemption. I'm a Catholic; I gotta beleive in it. As a person, I know that I owe a debt to those who gave me a comfortable life and to those who will follow after, when I shed this mortal husk. a place worth my time on the terra.
We cashed in Chicago, years ago. When Harold Washington became mayor, too many whities got the willies, but soon learned that the Mayor was a pretty decent leader. Harold reached over the Jesse Jacksons, the Michael Pflegers and the Judge Pinchams to ask the Polish, Mexican, Croatian, Lithuanian and Irish ethnics to give him a chance. Harold was no race baiter.
Too many of us whities sought comfort with States Attorney Richie Daley, still a Bridgeport Boy and an easy laugher.
Harold Washington's death happened shortly after whitey agreed with the Mayor's leadership and direction.
We cashed in Chicago with Richie Daley. I know I did. His laugh became forced and he -Richard M. Daley, not Richard J. Daley.
My bad. I refused to believe what I witnessed: the direction Richie Daley was allowing himself to travel on the University of Chicago automated beltway to power via Progressive Policy. As I watched from the sidelines of citizenship, Daley chucked away people like Ald. Pat Huels, Terry Teele and Oscar DeAngelo at the mere suggestion of impropriety in the Sun Times and Tribune. Then he chucked his entire neighborhood of Bridgeport, all while closing scores of neighborhood taverns in Canaryville , Bridgeport and Back of the Yard. When I asked one one gent whose bar supply business on 47th & Canal went belly up as result why Daley would close those historic joints owned by neighbors and friends, I was told, " No crowd of beer drinlers; no talk; no talk, no complaints." That was in 1998.
We went along for twenty years. We, the Richie Daley accolytes of the 1980.'s cashed in Chicago. Mea culpa.
CHICAGO — No city in America beats Chicago when it comes to selling public assets - garages, bridges, even parking meters - and contracting with private companies to supply traditional public services.Over the past five years, the Windy City under Mayor Richard M. Daley has sold or leased out public institutions such as the Chicago Skyway ($1.83 billion), underground garages beneath Grant and Millennium Parks ($563 million), and, more recently, city parking meters ($1.15 billion).
We cashed in the Skyway, Meigs Field, tavern licenses, street parking, wide throughfares like State Street, for $5 Tolls, A Band Venue, Yuppie Zinc Bars, or stay at home with your quart of Old Milwaukee, $28 a half hour warehouse, and concrete planters full of growth obstructing the view of everyone but Double Decker Tour buses. Oh, we a go a huge ass Silver Bean.
Rahm went even further - we Daley Acolytes created Rahm - The CTA was given to Ventra, Red Light Camera Robbery, Charter and Faux St. Ignatius Preps like Gwendolyn Brooks Academy proliferation and the closing of Catholic and neighborhood public schools. Yep, Rahm hates Catholic schools more than he hates CPS. His first act as Mayor was to tax Catholic schools for water.
Now we can make things better. Now we can act to redeem Chicago -A City of Neighborhoods and Neighbors
We have a chance to talk to one another again and to get back something of our selves.