Staff Reports
When politics transforms into theater, should the curtain at least rise on some semblance of fact? That seems to be the question echoed by many after Brandon Johnson, the current mayor of Chicago, declared that “slaves built Chicago” while rallying against resources being sent to help stem the city’s rising crime rates. In a city overshadowed by tragic violence rather than tutelage honors — with recent reports of 58 people being shot during Labor Day weekend — conversation seems to have skidded off the tracks into a realm of theatrics.
It’s undeniably entertaining, isn’t it? Perhaps we should all be seated with popcorn as city leaders spin tales that, if you squint a bit, don’t even align with basic historical facts. Contrary to the article’s claim, Illinois did have a history of slavery. It began with the French settlers and persisted even after Illinois became a “free” state in 1818. The 1818 constitution allowed limited slavery in salt mines and permitted current slaveholders to retain their slaves.
For extra flair, we’re treated to a visual reality check: Did Chicago sport skyscrapers and bustling streets pre-1837, or was it a humble tumbleweed town awaiting its urban glow-up well after slavery was abolished? Chicago’s early black community, established in the 1840s, included many former slaves and freedmen.
As amusing as this all is, there are practical matters on the line. Former President Trump, never one to sidestep controversy, announced intentions to send in the National Guard. While Chicago’s mayor and leadership address these issues, citizens continue to watch as safety concerns persist. Isn’t the real focus here meant to be on reducing crime and ensuring public welfare rather than engaging in fervent debates over historical inaccuracies?
The icing on this layered cake of drama is the particularly low approval ratings currently haunting Mayor Johnson. With pressing issues such as requesting hefty amounts for undocumented immigrants and an evident crime surge, his administration appears to favor pageantry over pragmatism. Sparking opposition from both residents and federal leadership alike, it seems the curtain on this act might be inching closer to a close.
So, while the mayor stalls for time on the stage of “hyperbolic rhetoric,” the citizens of Chicago await a script with solutions. Because when the razzle-dazzle fades, real lives still hang in the balance, caught between policy, protection, and a perplexing narrative of what truly built their legendary city.
