Activists want to ruin postcard-perfect image of O'Hare -- for a day |
THE ACTIVISTS SAY they want to make it difficult
for motorists to drive to O’Hare on Monday, which is Labor Day (a holiday
weekend with a significant boost in travel traffic). They hope that such an act
will offend the sensibilities of people whose economic well-being relies upon
the airport that they will then pressure Mayor Rahm Emanuel to do something to
address the problem of urban violence within parts of Chicago.
There may be some people who have that reaction.
Although I also wouldn’t doubt there will be many others whose reaction will be
to order Emanuel about to have the Chicago police do an encore, of sorts, of
their behavior during the 1968 Democratic Convention protests.
What with all the attention the activity of 50
years ago has received in recent weeks, I wouldn’t doubt the idea would crop up
into at least a few heads.
I do find it interesting that these activists
at least have the sense not to try to interfere with airport operations proper.
That, after all, would constitute a federal offense. Which would mean the
federal courts and prosecutors getting involved.
Could this be O'Hare's easiest access on Monday? |
So what should we think of the activity, where
protesters say they’re going to gather around Noon to try to interfere with
traffic using the Kennedy Expressway westbound from Cumberland Avenue to East
River Road.
Which is the path that takes motorists into the
airport grounds.
Is offending these peoples' sensibilities the goal of Monday activity? |
REGARDLESS, IT WILL be interesting to see just
how law enforcement behaves on Monday – a day that I’m sure they will wish they
could focus on the usual inanity that tends to take place during holiday travel
weekends.
Because they’re going to venture onto the
Kennedy, this becomes an Illinois State Police matter – rather than one for the
Chicago Police Department to address. Just think if they ventured a little
farther west onto airport property and all of a sudden it became an issue for
the FAA, the FBI and any other federal agency that could be dragged into the
alphabet soup.
It would be a jurisdictional nightmare.
Although I couldn’t help but notice reports in
recent weeks urging people who have to travel to O’Hare on Monday to consider
using the Chicago Transit Authority to get there.
SPECIFICALLY, THE BLUE Line trains that run from
downtown through the Northwest Side and wind up all the way at the airport.
Or is it all about embarrassing Rahm? |
In theory, you can ride your train in to the
airport, and wave bye-bye to all the protesters who think they’re causing chaos
and bringing our society to a shutdown. I suppose activists could try blocking
train tracks, but that would be insane on account of the legendary “third rail”
(the electrified one that feeds power to the rail cars).
I’d hate to think there are people determined
to die for this cause, which is supposed to be about reducing the level of people
who are killed in Chicago.
Because they’d learn pretty quick just how
apathetic many Chicagoans can be about this particular issue, which really
reeks of a strong overtone of “It’s not my problem” for those who don’t live in
the neighborhoods where the violence tends to focus upon.
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