
I have vivid memories of my hundreds or perhaps thousands of visits to the Cook County jail and Morgue. The numerous bodies being posted on the autopsy tables were overwhelmingly African-Americans. The jail was a sea of dark faces. Both facilities handle the populations of the city and all its suburbs. Violence and crime is a huge part of Chicago’s African-American culture.
Putting an overwhelming crowd of jubilant, frustrated or angry young Chicago African-Americans in one place like they are doing at the Grant Park Obama celebration is both dangerous and reckless. Any and all deaths resulting and property damage from the very predictable violence should rest directly on the shoulders of Mayor Richard M. Daley and Senator Barack Obama. As for those emotional triggers, I know before the night is over we will experience all of them.
Since the crowed will vastly outnumber police, the temptation to engage in violent misbehavior will be answered in a very tragic way. This disaster will detract from what should be a grand celebration of our democracy.
When I saw that Chicago press conference with that group of older African-American clergy members urging people to stay home and celebrate there it was obvious they knew just what to expect. Those men were as serious about their message as a heart attack. Don’t listen to me; instead listen to those members of the African-American clergy because they know!