Public Safety
Quote For The Week
What I found ironic about this, tragically ironic, is that teddy bears face more stringent regulations than guns do in our country. Teddy bears are tested for sharp edges, points, loose parts and flammability. And you know the number of children who were killed by teddy bears in our country last year?
-Illinois State Senator Dan Kotowski (D-Park Ridge), while meeting with a number of Newtown parents in downtown Chicago Sunday as they joined Chicago-area Democrats in their push to ban standard-capacity ammunition magazines statewide (Chicago Tribune, May 19, 2013)
By the way, according to the Child Injury Lawyer Network website:
Teddy bears and other toys account for twenty two deaths each year, and nearly one hundred and fifty thousand injuries. Most of these deaths and injuries happen to children.
(Editor’s note: Italics added for emphasis)
In Chicago, there’s only been a total of 37 homicides involving rifles- “assault rifles” included- over 9 years, from 2003 to 2011 (Source: Chicago Police Department).
By Christopher E. Hill, Editor
Survival And Prosperity (www.survivalandprosperity.com)
Illinois Senate Could Vote On Right To Carry Legislation Friday
In Illinois, right to carry legislation emerged today from the state’s Senate Executive Committee, and could be voted on by the entire chamber as early as tomorrow. Lauren Leone-Cross reported on The State Journal-Register (Springfield) website this afternoon:
A Chicago Democrat’s restrictive concealed-carry legislation made it through a Senate committee Thursday, with opponents vowing again to fight its passage.
The measure, which gives local law enforcement veto power for permits and home-rule municipalities additional say over where people can carry a weapon in public, passed the Senate Executive Committee by a party-line 10-4 vote.
Dave McKinney blogged about Illinois House Bill 183 this afternoon on the Chicago Sun-Times website. On the Sun-Times Politics blog, McKinney wrote:
Within Chicago, [State Senator (D-Chicago) Kwame] Raoul’s legislation would require police Supt. Garry McCarthy to sign off on all concealed-carry applicants before they could get permits from the Illinois State Police, setting up what gun-rights advocates fear would be a choke-point that could keep city gun owners from getting licenses…
Raoul’s bill, which could be voted on by the Senate Friday, also would permit Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart and other sheriffs to lodge objections to any concealed-carry applicants that the State Police would have to consider along with 17 other qualifying hurdles.
Among those requirements are the broad standards of whether an applicant demonstrates “good moral character” and whether the issuance of a concealed-carry license to that person is “consistent with public safety.”
Rather than “shall-issue” right to carry, Illinois residents as a whole would be left with “may-issue” right to carry, which some say will result in only a small number of permits being issued- outside of those for family, friends, and campaign donors, according to scuttlebutt. A prominent pro-2nd Amendment group is going so far as to declare the new legislation not even a right to carry bill. Monique Garcia, Rafael Guerrero, and Ray Long reported on the Chicago Tribune website tonight:
Leading the opposition was the National Rifle Association, whose lobbyist delivered a clear message that the bill was so restrictive it could not be properly called a “carry bill.”
“This is a bill to discourage people and prevent people from carrying firearms and exercising their constitutional, fundamental right to keep and bear arms for self-defense in public,” [National Rifle Association's Illinois lobbyist Todd] Vandermyde testified.
Sounds like if this legislation is passed in the Illinois General Assembly and signed by Governor Pat Quinn, it will probably be heading back to the courts. A federal appeals court required Illinois to put a concealed-carry law in place by June 9.
House Bill 183 could come up for a vote in the full Senate tomorrow, Friday, May 17.
By Christopher E. Hill, Editor
Survival And Prosperity (www.survivalandprosperity.com)
Sources:
Leone-Cross, Lauren. “Senate panel OKs restrictive gun bill; full chamber could vote Friday.” The State Journal-Register. 16 May 2013. (http://www.sj-r.com/carousel/x1039442731/Illinois-Senate-committee-to-consider-gun-bill). 16 May 2013.
McKinney, Dave. “Senate panel OKs concealed-carry bill over NRA opposition.” Sun-Times Politics. 16 May 2013. (http://blogs.suntimes.com/politics/2013/05/senate_panel_advances_concealed-carry_bill_over_nra_objections.html). 16 May 2013.
Long, Ray, Guerrero, Rafael, and Garcia, Monique. “Concealed carry rules for Illinois emerge but face uncertain fate.” Chicago Tribune. 16 May. 2013. (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-illinois-concealed-carry-0517-20130517,0,1062260,full.story). 16 May 2013.
Chicago ‘Magnificent Mile’ Robbery Latest In Series Of Criminal Incidents By Young People Downtown
(Editor’s note: According to the Chicago news media tonight, the Chicago Police Department is saying the following robbery story is unfounded. How much is untrue still remains to be seen.)
Here’s a headline that’s sure to make Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel cringe today:
“Woman robbed of $200K worth of jewelry on Mag Mile”
From the WGN Chicago Web Desk last night:
A 69-year-old woman was robbed of as much as $200,000 in jewelry, cash and other items by a group of young men in front of a North Michigan Avenue department store this afternoon, authorities said…
The woman… was robbed by a group of at least three and as many and eight young men, law enforcement sources said…
The woman told police the group surrounded her, and demanded her money and jewelry.
John Garcia added on the ABC Chicago website this morning:
It happened around noontime in the middle of a crowded sidewalk…
Authorities say there were as many as ten young men in the group. They reportedly threatened her, but she gave up the valuables and was not hurt.
It is the latest in a series of criminal incidents involving groups of young people on North Michigan Avenue.
In March, police arrested dozens of young men and women who gathered in the area and were allegedly attacking shoppers and police.
(Editor’s note: Italics added for emphasis)
WGN Chicago is reporting that the Chicago Police Department is not classifying Wednesday’s incident as being a “flash mob.” But like I blogged Tuesday:
Still, if I were an urban dweller/visitor in that part of the city, I wouldn’t let my guard down for an instant. They shouldn’t be doing that anyway, especially as the more-established criminal element in the city is probably well-aware of the ongoing manpower shortage in the Chicago Police Department.
As for City Hall? They’re probably wishing May 19 had already arrived.
By Christopher E. Hill, Editor
Survival And Prosperity (www.survivalandprosperity.com)
Sources:
“Woman robbed of $200K worth of jewelry on Mag Mile.” Chicago Tribune. 15 May 2013. (http://wgntv.com/2013/05/15/woman-robbed-of-200k-worth-of-jewelry-on-mag-mile/). 16 May 2013.
Garcia, John. “Woman robbed of jewelry, thousands in cash on Michigan Avenue.” ABC Chicago. 16 May 2013. (http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=9104284). 16 May 2013.
Major Terrorist Attack On U.S. ‘Within Weeks’?
I stumbled on the following article on the website of WND (formerly WorldNetDaily), an independent news company. Reza Kahlili wrote Monday:
Iran has given the go-ahead to operatives of three terrorist groups that have infiltrated the United States to carry out missions, including what is expected to be a Mumbai-style attack on a hotel where innocent bystanders would be killed, WND has learned…
Three targets have been chosen within America for imminent attack, and the terror teams have now cut communications with the operational center in Iran, a sign that they are moving ahead with the attacks, according to a high-level intelligence officer within the Islamic regime.
According to an update to the piece Tuesday, Kahili’s “source” revealed the major attack would take place “within weeks.”
Interesting reading (can’t speak for how reliable the information provided is though), which can be viewed in its entirety on the WND site here.
By Christopher E. Hill, Editor
Survival And Prosperity (www.survivalandprosperity.com)
Chicago Flash Mobs/Mob Attacks/Wildings Derailed This Summer?
South Side youths intent on carrying out a flash mob/mob attack/wilding in downtown Chicago may find themselves unable to get to their destination this summer.
From the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) website this morning:
Coming: May 19, 2013
Faster. Smoother. Better.
Beginning May 19, 2013, the CTA will rebuild the tracks along the south Red Line, from Cermak-Chinatown to 95th/Dan Ryan—a project that will provide faster, more comfortable and more reliable service for Red Line riders.
From just north of the Cermak-Chinatown station to the 95th Street station, crews will replace everything in the track bed: ties, rail, third rail, ballast (the stone material that holds the ties in place) and drainage systems. Some stations will also receive improvements ranging from new canopies, paint and lighting upgrades to new benches and bike racks. Additionally, the stations at Garfield, 63rd and 87th will get new elevators, making all stations on the South Side Red Line accessible.
The south Red Line, called the Dan Ryan branch, is more than 40 years old and needs a full replacement…
The work is part of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s Building a New Chicago program, which is updating infrastructure that’s critical to the city—and includes improvements that will help ensure that CTA continues to serve customers as effectively as possible.
The project is made possible by $1 billion in state and local funding announced in late 2011 by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Governor Pat Quinn for the Red and Purple Lines.
The Red Line will completely close from Cermak-Chinatown through 95th/Dan Ryan. The closure is expected to last 5 months, until late October 2013.
Knowing all this, I won’t be surprised if it’s a “quiet” summer along the “Magnificent Mile” and in other tourist hotspots downtown. Still, if I were an urban dweller/visitor in that part of the city, I wouldn’t let my guard down for an instant. They shouldn’t be doing that anyway, especially as the more-established criminal element in the city is probably well-aware of the ongoing manpower shortage in the Chicago Police Department.
You can read more about that CTA project beginning this weekend here.
By Christopher E. Hill, Editor
Survival And Prosperity (www.survivalandprosperity.com)
Illinois Prepares For Summer Mob Attacks
Just in time for the flash mob/mob attack/wilding season in Chicago. Monique Garcia reported on the Chicago Tribune website this morning:
People who use social media and other means of electronic communication to organize mob attacks could face tougher penalties under legislation House lawmakers sent to Gov. Pat Quinn on Friday…
Under the measure, which was approved 102-6, a judge would have the discretion to impose a more severe sentence on anyone who used social media, text messaging or email to orchestrate a mob attack.
According to the website of Chicago AM radio station 89 WLS yesterday:
During debate, Chicago democrat Monique Davis said this goes too far.
“Sometimes something occurs that creates what people see as mob action when it’s really just a bunch of young people with nothing to do! They can’t afford to go to the park because it costs money for a five or six week program. They can’t go free like I used to do!”
Try selling that that to the residents and tourists who’ve been assaulted, attacked, and injured, and downtown retailers who’ve had their wares shoplifted en masse, by these “young people with nothing to do.”
I suspect that when these residents, tourists, and businesses call in a flash mob/mob attack/wilding to the Chicago Police Department, it’s the real deal. If not, then I challenge Representative Davis and/or her staff to share those “sometimes something occurs” instances with Survival And Prosperity readers, at which time I’ll happily amend this post.
In the meantime, as summer rapidly approaches, residents and tourists would be wise to exercise situational awareness and be prepared to avoid or defend themselves as necessary when in downtown Chicago in the event such criminal activity occurs.
By Christopher E. Hill, Editor
Survival And Prosperity (www.survivalandprosperity.com)
Sources:
Garcia, Monique. “Flash mob attack bill before Illinois governor.” Chicago Tribune. 11 May 2013. (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-flash-mob-crackdown-20130511,0,5034826.story). 11 May 2013.
“Illinois House approves crack down on violent flash mobs.” 89 WLS. 10 May 2013. (http://www.wlsam.com/common/page.php?pt=Illinois+House+approves+crack+down+on+violent+flash+mobs&id=37413&is_corp=0). 11 May 2013.
Glenn Beck: ‘We Are The First Responders’
Glenn Beck, the conservative radio/television host, political commentator, and author, gave the keynote address at the National Rifle Association’s 2013 national convention that just wrapped up in Houston. Beck, who I actually met and spoke to briefly when I was in Dallas at the end of March for the FoodInsurance™ “Ready, Set, Prep” Summit, pointed out the following concerning the term “first responders” as he spoke about different firearms that “tell the story and teach the story of the 2nd Amendment.” From his speech:
9/11- Walter Reaver’s Revolver
September 11th, 2001. A moment in history that will define this generation. While victims were running away, men, were running into those buildings. Amazing men like young Walter Weaver, a member of the NYPD and an NRA life member. He was last seen in the World Trade Center trying to rescue people. He was in the lobby trying to free people trapped in an elevator. A servant fighting for the individual’s freedom until the very end.
After the towers fell and the nation mourned, we sifted through the rubble, this is all that was left as a reminder of Walter Weaver. A silent token of liberty.
Walter Weaver, I’m sure wouldn’t want to be called a hero.
He was simply an American.
He was an example of what we all should be—men, who just do the right thing when time calls our name.
When there is an emergency or trouble we are the ones that should run to help. We must be the action on the other end of the 911 call.
I don’t know, but I believe Walter Weaver would tell you that he wasn’t trained to be hero by the police academy.
But he was raised in a culture that taught him about self-sacrifice and to always do the right thing, even when no one else is watching. He had those things long before he wore a uniform.
How many of us can say that.
Good cops, bad cop, it doesn’t mean you take all the badges. It’s the people, not the badge.
As good as the policemen in our country are. When you are in trouble the average police response rate is 8 minutes; most crimes take less than one.
If a responsible citizen with a gun had been in that movie theater in Colorado, or if members in the audience in that theater were allowed to bring their gun into the theater and not leave them locked in their cars, how many lives would have been saved?
How many of the mourning, children would instead have been able to spend time over breakfast with their mom or dad this morning if someone good was allowed to have a gun?
While our politicians from the local to the federal level have spent us into oblivion, and our public services are being obliterated and our police force is being cut.
I will no longer accept the media falsehood nor reinforce it by calling our brave men and women in blue on our cities and streets first responders. It’s time for America to recognize WE are the first responders.
They are the 2nd responders, we are the first responders.
When there is trouble let us be the first on the scene to help.
Let us be the first responder when someone is sick or hungry or frightened.
Let us be the first to share our bread with the hungry; Let us be the first to open our hearts to the homeless poor; Let us be the first to remove the yoke of injustice.
I don’t know what America will choose. But for me and my family, I choose to stand with courage. I choose to stand with selflessness. I chose to stand with God with Malice toward none and charity to all.
That’s who we are.
Forget what the media says, I know that’s who we are.
You can read Glenn Beck’s entire speech here on GlennBeck.com.
By Christopher E. Hill, Editor
Survival And Prosperity (www.survivalandprosperity.com)
Chicago, Cook County Residents To Be Discriminated Against On Right To Carry In Illinois?
Following the local news as I do, I’ve been made aware of a push to discriminate against Chicago and Cook County residents from the rest of Illinois concerning the coming right to carry concealed firearms in the state. It seems to have some teeth to it, judging from what appeared on the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action website yesterday:
Illinois: Legislature Under Pressure to Compromise on Shall-Issue Right to Carry Legislation
Legislators in both the state Senate and House are under extreme pressure to exempt Chicago and Cook County from any “shall-issue” mandate in the concealed carry law that a federal court has ordered to be adopted by June 9. Such an exemption would allow Chicago and Cook County authorities to deny a concealed carry permit to an applicant even if that person meets all of the statutory requirements used to judge eligibility in the rest of the state. Any exemption for Chicago and Cook County could easily deny 40% of Illinois’ population “shall-issue” right to carry, and put gun owners state-wide at risk of felony prosecution if they happen to travel across Cook County or Chicago lines.
Further, in anticipation of the June 9 deadline, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart is trying to force an ordinance that would allow him to approve and reject licenses for concealed carry in Cook County, and force applicants to cough up a clearly discriminatory $300 fee just for a license to legally exercise their right to self-defense. Please contact your state Senator and Representative TODAY and urge them to support equal right to carry laws for ALL Illinois residents.
Any semblance of an argument for more restrictive gun control laws in Chicago and Cook County falls apart when faced with facts: at a time when gun ownership throughout the country is at an all-time high, the nation’s murder rate has fallen to a near all-time low. Additionally, Chicago has had a long history with the inverse relationship of increased gun control laws and public safety. Chicago imposed a handgun registration requirement in 1968, with no effect on the city’s rising handgun homicide numbers or the percentages that handgun homicides comprised of total homicides. In April 1982, a law prohibiting possession of handguns not previously registered with the police took effect in Chicago. Annual handgun homicide numbers and percentages of total homicides fluctuated, and then rose sharply.
The bottom line is that criminals do not obey the law – but the law-abiding people in Illinois, regardless of where they might live, or what their economic standing may be, have a natural, fundamental, and constitutionally protected right to defend themselves. Any Right to Carry law passed by the legislature in compliance with the federal court ruling MUST recognize this. Given the high violent crime rates in Chicago and Cook County, law-abiding residents of these municipalities have a great need to carry a firearm for self-defense since they are likely to be victims of violent crime, and their local government officials refuse to deal effectively with violent criminals there. It is time for Chicago politicians to face the facts – their ideological crusade against guns has only ensured that criminals are armed and the law-abiding are defenseless victims.
Contact your state Senator and Representative immediately. Urge them to oppose any legislation or amendment that would discriminate among the residents of Illinois, recognizing the rights of some, but not others. Our constitutional right to keep and bear arms and inherent right to self-defense protect all Americans, not just some in a particular state, city or county.
Contact information for your state legislators can be found here.
By Christopher E. Hill, Editor
Survival And Prosperity (www.survivalandprosperity.com)
More Video Surveillance Cameras Coming To A Public Place Near You?
As I watched the television news coverage on the Boston terror attack right after it happened, one of the “talking heads” noted what some person responded with when asked what they thought would come from all this:
Less freedom.
While I support the law enforcement community and their mission “to serve and protect,” I am concerned about what I see is a steadily-developing Police State in America.
Regrettably, there are a number of civil servants who give public service a bad name in their lust for private glory and control over others.
I should know. I’ve met and worked alongside a few of these individuals during my past employment in different levels of government.
(Editor’s note: It’s been my experience that the majority of public servants are good, hard-working people who realize they answer to and work for you. Unfortunately, there are plenty of “rotten apples” in the barrel as well.)
One of the features associated with the Police State is the proliferation of video surveillance cameras in public places. Here in Chicago, these monitoring devices now number 22,000 according to an AP piece that was published earlier today.
Rather worrisome are the results of a recent poll conducted by The New York Times and CBS News asking Americans their views on security issues after the Boston Marathon bombings (April 24-April 28, 965 people surveyed), which could be construed as Americans being open to the increased use of surveillance cameras. From The New York Times website Tuesday:
Some people think installing video surveillance cameras in public places is a good idea because they may help to reduce the threat of terrorism. Other people think this is a bad idea because surveillance cameras may infringe on people’s privacy rights. What do you think?
Survey said…
• 78 percent good idea
• 16 percent bad idea
• The remaining 6 percent replied “both,” “don’t know,” or didn’t answer
In the wake of this poll, the Associated Press’ Tami Abdollah reported this morning:
Police and politicians across the U.S. are pointing to the example of surveillance video that was used to help identify the Boston Marathon bombing suspects as a reason to get more electronic eyes on their streets.
From Los Angeles to Philadelphia, efforts include trying to gain police access to cameras used to monitor traffic, expanding surveillance networks in some major cities and enabling officers to get regular access to security footage at businesses.
(Editor’s note: Italics added for emphasis)
Abdollah added the following:
Dozens are said to sit today around the house of George Orwell, the author of “1984,” a story that foretold of a “Big Brother” society. Privacy advocates in the U.S. are concerned that the networks proposed by officials today could grow to realize Orwell’s dystopic vision.
I’m no “privacy advocate,” but the danger of these cameras being used for purposes other than fighting crime (monitoring political opponents and so-called “enemies of the state” comes to mind) probably isn’t too far of a stretch of the imagination.
When it comes to the continued proliferation of these video surveillance cameras, it’s wise to remember what Orwell penned in 1984:
The end was contained in the beginning.
By Christopher E. Hill, Editor
Survival And Prosperity (www.survivalandprosperity.com)
Sources:
“Americans on Terrorism Threats.” The New York Times. 30 Apr. 2013. (http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/04/30/us/poll-terror-graphic.html?ref=us). 2 May 2013.
Abdollah, Tami. “Police, politicians push surveillance post-Boston.” Associated Press. 2 May 2013. (http://news.yahoo.com/police-politicians-push-surveillance-post-boston-084307887.html). 2 May 2013.
Tinley Park, Illinois, Site Of Urban Warfare Training Exercise
A little over a year ago, I blogged about Chicago hosting one of these military training exercises that since have popped up with increasing frequency in the news. From that April 16, 2012, post:
The City of Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) released the following statement about the scheduled urban warfare training exercise today:
The City of Chicago is providing support for a routine military training exercise in and around the Chicagoland area on April 16 -19. This routine training is conducted by military personnel in cities across the country, designed to ensure the military’s ability to operate in urban environments as service members meet mandatory training certification requirements and prepare for upcoming overseas deployments.
The training sites have been carefully selected to minimize the impact on the daily routine of residents.
The training is not open to the public.
“The training is not open to the public.”
I guess downtown Chicago residents and workers were supposed to close their eyes and pretend the helicopters that buzzed them during last year’s event didn’t exist.
Anyway, last week, another one of these exercises took place in the Chicagoland area- in the southwest Chicago community of Tinley Park, Illinois. From the Chicago Tribune website today:
Department of Defense training exercises that included explosions heard miles away and helicopters flying over Tinley Park angered residents.
Residents said they heard “bomb” noises from about 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. on April 23 during what was an urban warfare training exercise at the former mental health center. Tinley Park police received about 25 calls from residents who were either fearful or angry, especially in the wake of the bombings in Boston the previous week.
Defense officials followed up with another exercise April 24 involving helicopters that flew over Tinley Park for much of the night. Residents reported hearing them from 8:30 p.m. until about 12:45 a.m…
Local police were not involved with the training, said Pat Carr, Emergency Management Agency director.
Like the Chicago urban warfare exercise last year, the public was not allowed to view the training. But that didn’t prevent a few from trying.
By Christopher E. Hill, Editor
Survival And Prosperity (www.survivalandprosperity.com)
Source:
“Urban warfare exercise rattles Tinley Park residents.” Chicago Tribune. 2 May 2013. (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/suburbs/tinley_park/ct-tl-tinley-park-dod-exercise-20130502,0,7645588.story). 2 May 2013.
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