Archive for January 28, 2024

By John Ruberry

On Friday afternoon, just blocks from Chicago’s City Hall, two students–Robert Boston and Monterio Williams–were shot to death on a crowded street outside Innovation High School. It was like a scene from the old Untouchables television show.

Yesterday on X, Chicago Progressive Staffers, which describes itself as a “coalition of progressive staffers from the Mayors [sic] Office and [the] City Council, posted this troubling message. “WOW! Thousands of @ChiPubSchools students are organizing a walk out on Tuesday in support of @AldermanLaSpata & @RossanaFor33’s Ceasefire resolution that’s being voted on Wednesday Jan 31. The youth will always lead us.”

Yes, “The youth will always lead us.” That’s the messaging that was drilled into Mrs. Marathon Pundit when she was a Young Pioneer in the Soviet Union.

Like Washington DC, Chicago is built on onetime swamp land. Think of the Chicago Progressive Staffers as part of the city’s Deep State. As for the two alderpersons mentioned in that X post–Daniel LaSpata and Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez–the sponsors of the Gaza ceasefire resolution, both are members of the Democratic Socialists of America.

Leftists nationwide, nearly to a person, are calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war because Hamas, which attacked the Jewish state on October 7, is losing.

Back in Chicago, so far this weekend—as of 3:00pm CST on Sunday–two people have been shot to death and at least 12 others have been wounded

And Gaza ceasefire resolution–or no ceasefire resolution–however Chicago’s City Council votes won’t make a difference. Just as the countless resolutions approved by the City Council condemning communism in Eastern Europe had no effect on America winning the Cold War. 

Tuesday of course is a school day in Chicago, so essentially, Chicago Progressive Staffers, this anonymous group of city hall leftists, is cheering on students cutting class.  

On the flipside, it’s easy to say that Chicago Public Schools students who play hooky on Tuesday won’t miss much. Not even one-quarter of them are proficient in reading or math at grade level. And nearly half of CPS students missed 18 days of class during the 2021-22 school year. 

So, what’s one more day away from school, right?

Chicago might be a better place if the Chicago City Council plays hooky–indefinitely. Last month, Edward Burke, who was a Chicago alderperson for a record 54 years, was convicted on corruption charges. In the last five decades, 38 members of the Chicago City Council have been found guilty of federal crimes, which averages to one aldercritter heading to the House of Many Doors every 16 months.

Perhaps Hamas might reply, “Thanks, but no thanks” if the Chicago City Council’s Gaza ceasefire resolution passes. Hamas deservedly already has a very bad reputation.

But as bad as the Chicago Public Schools system is, its students belong in school on Tuesday. And the Chicago City Council needs work on improving life in the city.

Such as aiding law enforcement so it can adequately protect Chicagoans. Or bringing back school choice to Chicago.

John Ruberry regularly blogs at Marathon Pundit.

You might recall that when ranking Donald Trump as the 4th best president of all time it was really a question of him vs Teddy Roosevelt who I consider Trump the most like in terms of temperament and effectiveness. TR also had a reputation for physical fitness and mental acuity which Trump also processes and was loved by the common people while hated by many of the elites.

That was best illustrated to me on a trip to Lancaster County PA a few years back for the a Catholic Marketing Network event when a waitress was simply enthralled by the idea that I had met Trump and he had publicly complemented me on my reporting (you’d be surprised at how many doors that closed for me over the years, I sure was at the time.) Given Trump’s success as president that type of admiration is not odd and even justified.

What I object to and still object to has been the almost messianic worship of Trump to the point where if you merely treat him as an effective ex-president or as a candidate to consider for re-election you are not considered sufficiently worthy.. I suspect this is one of the reasons why my friend that I wrote about this week has said in no uncertain terms that however bad Biden is he will not be voting Trump. (I strongly disagree with his position). Some of his followers take this to absurd lengths and frankly it’s reached the point were it’s a violation of the 1st commandment.

That being said let’s cut to the chase. I submit and suggest that a lot of people would not be treating Donald J. Trump as their messiah or a messiah and an object of worship if the left in general and the Biden Justice Department and the various deep blue states did not insist on treating some of his supporters like the early Christian martyrs and trying to publicly crucifying Trump himself for our sin of supporting him and electing him in 2016.

The treatment of Donald Trump has been beyond anything I’ve seen in my lifetime and the irrational hatred of him and the bending of judicial rules and changing of laws in an attempt to destroy him is a disgrace to the republic. The folks at flopping Aces who are declaring the Trump-Carrol case “The biggest miscarriage of Justice in Modern American History” are not far off. I’m rather sure if they could get away with killing him they would. Seriously we’ve reach the point were someone protesting his innocence is considered defamation? Please.

People see how Trump is being treated for his actions which have been in support of the American People and they react viscerally. If Trump was treated like the normal president that he governed as none of this would be the case and frankly if the last election had not been stolen we would be seeing the back of him at the end of this year and those who hate him would be done with him.

That is the source of the over the top Trump worship I see. I understand the source of it. Trump could have led an easy and comfortable life but he decided to fight because he loves America. He came at the right time at the right place to make a difference and the country should be grateful for it, but for me that doesn’t include taking a knee.

As I’ve already noted I’ll be happy to vote for Trump in the general and with DeSantis out will vote for him in the primary as he was my 2nd choice but if anyone expects anything beyond that let me repeat what I I already have already said to those who feel I am not sufficiently adoring of him: “I’m voting for a President, I already have a God.”