Chicago, upside down (again)

"2022 is picking up just where 2021 left off. Murder and mayhem in many of our large cities. Does anybody care? Can anybody stop it? Meanwhile, Joe Biden will keep searching for the bogymen, called 'white supremists'."

As most of us have heard by now, last year in Chicago was their bloodiest year in 25 years. That news was met with women wailing in the streets, people gnashing their teeth, a firm resolve to get this fixed. Okay - not really. It was met with a large, collective yawn. Why? Unless a young black man is shot by a white cop, this sky high death toll in Chicago is just a cost of "doing business". Some even say, this benign shock of having so many young black people killed by shooting each other, is nothing more than eugenics.

Already this young year, a real travesty happened in Chicago this past weekend. Two young boys, both 14 years old, were killed. Murdered in Chicago. One would think the outrage would be loud and non-ending, from sea to shining sea. That the Justice Brothers would be in town, organizing SOMETHING. But no. Hardly a word. Just the cost of "doing business" in Chicago over another weekend.

Fifty years ago, if you could have told someone that in 2021, the murder rate in Chicago, would be many times greater the murder rate in all areas of conflict the United States is involved in - they would laugh in your face. Then if you could have told someone, that in 2021 the number of people killed in Chicago would be 797 - they would laugh in your face even louder. Why? They would not believe you. Not a bit. But today? When people hear those statistics, they are met with a collective yawn.

Here is a news flash. When a young person is gunned down in Chicago (or any other large blue city for that matter), that person is a son or daughter, brother or sister, grandchild, or friend to some people. Their lives mattered to somebody. Their lives sure mattered to God. But many times, in the twinkling of an eye, that life is snuffed out. And for what? Usually, nothing. Drugs, territory, respect - you name it. A cheap excuse to take out a life which is also considered cheap - but it is not.

This country needs someone with courage and vision to stand in the gap. To stop this madness. Nationwide, we had over 20,000 people murdered last year. Many of them, young people of color. That number of people killed in 2021, is 16% more than in 2020. We are going in the wrong direction. We have out of touch mayors in many of these cities, along with "woke" DAs, who refuse to prosecute many egregious crimes. Cops are vilified, and stripped of much of their authority and honor. What we are left with, are hollowed out cities, that many residents are fearful to enter.

2022 is picking up just where 2021 left off. Murder and mayhem in many of our large cities. Does anybody care? Can anybody stop it? Meanwhile, Joe Biden will keep searching for the bogymen called "white supremists". Scotty - beam me up!

Postscript: Since today is MLK day, I just wonder how Dr. King would accept or not accept the mass killings of young black boys. I tend to think, unlike the two faux "reverends" who always get the press, Dr. King would have been greatly bothered, and his voice would have been heard above all others.