Chicago's--and Mayor Emanuel's--Continued Troubles

So Chicago's Mayor Rahm Emanuel fired the Police Superintendent today due to the shooting and killing last year of Laquan McDonald.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel Fires Chicago Police Superintendent

And that's all well and good, at least something is being done about the public slaughter of Mr. McDonald but it certainly also raises questions.

The biggest issue, to me and to a lot of people,

I think, is that it took more than a year for anything to be even examined about this killing. The police had the video. They knew what was on it. They knew it might be a problem, at least. Not only did the police department and the city, in fact, know there were problems with the killing of Laquan McDonald but the city knew so well there were problems, they gave the McDonald family 5 million dollars.

Five million dollars.

The McDonald family hadn't sued at all.

Oh, yeah. The city of Chicago and the Chicago Police Department knew. They also knew the video was a problem and that it was incriminating.

If it hadn't been for one reporter, pushing for release of the video, we wouldn't know to this day how the officer ran up and shot down Laquan McDonald with 16 rapid shots.

Then there's the question of what other shootings and killings by the Chicago police have maybe been covered up?  The fact is, the city of Chicago has more police shootings than any other major US city, according to PBS Newshour. What else don't we know? Who else was needlessly shot down? 1? 5? 20? 100? How do we know? How can we be sure? How can Chicagoans trust their police and police department?

Finally, how long now until Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has to step down, if, in fact, he needs to? What did the Mayor know and when did he know it? And if he didn't truly know anything further about the shooting and killing of Laquan McDonald, didn't he owe it to this citizen of the city and to his family and friends---heck, owe it to all the citizens of Chicago--to be certain this case and this person was handled properly? Doesn't he owe it to every Chicagoan to make sure no one is ever needlessly, unnecessarily and tragically, even criminally gunned down on their own streets by the police?

Is Rahm Emanuel done for?

The shooting and killing of Laquan McDonald is America's problem and troubles, too, let's never forget.

Link:  Chicago Mayor Fires Police Chief in Wake of Video Release

The Latest: Illinois Attorney General Asks for Federal Probe

How Chicago's Police Chief Lost His Job - Video - NYTimes

Cover-Up in Chicago 

Prediction: President Obama is getting his voice

You watch, after the "beating" the President took from political consultant James Carville about the British Petroleum, in which Mr. Carville said the President either needs to somewhat "get tough" or the situation would hand him his ass, so to speak, in a sling, I believe the President is getting his voice. He's getting his strength.

Proof?

From The Huffington Post, late Saturday night/Sunday morning:

Obama Repudiates Bush Doctrine In West Point Graduation Speech

WEST POINT, N.Y. (AP) --The U.S. must shape a world order as reliant on the force of diplomacy as on the might of its military to lead, President Barack Obama said Saturday as he outlined a foreign policy vision that repudiated the go-it-alone approach forged by his predecessor, George W. Bush.

Addressing nearly 1,000 graduating cadets at the U.S. Military Academy, many of whom will likely head to war in Iraq and Afghanistan under his command, Obama said all hands are required to solve the world's newest threats: terrorism, the spread of nuclear weapons, climate change and feeding and caring for a growing population.

The U.S. military is the "cornerstone of our national defense," but Obama said the men and women who wear America's uniform cannot bear that responsibility by themselves. "The rest of us must do our part," he said.

"The burdens of this century cannot fall on our soldiers alone. It also cannot fall on American shoulders alone," the commander in chief told graduates in gray and white uniforms seated on the field at Michie Stadium.

Diplomacy and muscle must work together, he said in calling for "renewed engagement" from diplomats, along with development experts, intelligence and law enforcement agencies, and first responders.


So, yeah, you watch, I predict that, from here out, Mr. Obama s going to, to an extent, take off the "kid gloves" and get tougher. Don't you know Rahm Emanuel is/would push him in that direction?

The times and the situations call for it--the economy, Israel/Palestinian relations, our work with the banks and the oil companies, virtually every corner of his work.

You watch.

Heaven knows I could be proven wrong.

I don't think I will be.

This President is a good student and a learner.

Let's see what happens.

Here's hoping.


Link to original post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/22/obamas-west-point-speech-_n_585988.html