 |
| Will the plans for Obama memorial move forward now? |
WHO’S
TO SAY when actual construction will begin on the South Side to build what
supporters argue will be an attraction bringing global tourism to a part of
Chicago many wouldn’t bother paying attention to.
That
is, unless they want to check out the Museum of Science and Industry nearby,
while refusing to venture much further away out of fear what they would
perceive as a hostile neighborhood.
Yes,
I think there are many distortions of fact related to the project, also tied
into the nitwit thoughts of ideologues who want to think they can diminish the
historic significance and reputation of the Barack Obama presidency.
For
all I know, they dream of the day when the Donald Trump presidency makes plans
for its own memorial museum and library. Maybe they’ll dream of building it
nearby in Chicago, with their structure towering high over the Obama building.
MY
POINT IS it’s hard to take seriously much of the criticism that is being spewed
about this project, and it is encouraging that U.S. District Judge John Blakey
felt compelled to dismiss the lawsuit challenging the Obama facility after
hearing only about one hour of legal arguments.
He
easily could have taken the case under advisement, and spent several weeks
pondering what he wanted to do. Before then issuing an obtuse legal opinion
that likely would wind up confusing many of those who attempted to peruse it.
Instead,
he instantly said he was dismissing the lawsuit against the Obama facility, and
would issue an explanatory legal opinion at a later time.
 |
| OBAMA: Paying tribute to his memory? |
Which
means the critics already are saying they’re going to appeal. But they have to
wait until they see the legal reasoning for the ruling before they can say on
what grounds they think Judge Blakey is being a nincompoop.
OR
WHATEVER LEGALISTIC term they choose to use to imply that Blakey is wrong!
Now
I know there are people who object to the use of Jackson Park – which
theoretically is one of the prime pieces of parkland on the Lake Michigan
lakefront in Chicago. They think that letting a private entity like the Obama
Foundation use public land borders on criminal – if not immoral.
Then
again, there are others who object to anything celebrating the Obama memory
because they want to believe that HE bordered on criminal AND immoral.
I
know one self-proclaimed Sout’ Sider who argues against Jackson Park, and says
that Washington Park to the north of it (the site where former Mayor Richard M.
Daley once talked of erecting an Olympic Stadium – IF he had been able to
attract the 2016 Olympic Games to Chicago) would make more sense.
ALTHOUGH
I WONDER if many people who don’t specifically live in the South Shore or Hyde
Park neighborhoods could tell the difference between the two parks. They may well
view the two as one continuous piece of parkland on the lakefront – located in
neighborhoods they’ve never actually ventured into.
I
almost feel like Judge Blakey chose to dismiss on the grounds that the people
most critical didn’t have a true stake in the project. Or else they’re the ones
who live around the park and want to think of it purely as their neighborhood
playlot.
Keep
all those outsiders away from their homes, instead of them realizing they live
in a place that has great potential to be a showcase for Chicago. One from
which they could financially benefit – if they played their cards right, so to
speak!
So
now we move on to the appeal process. With people perhaps looking for a judge
who’d be inclined to overturn Blakey’s ruling just because it favors the Obama
reputation. Meaning the Obama reputation will continue to divide us into those
of us with a tad bit of sense, and those ideologically-inclined to want to
shriek “no” every chance they get!
-30-
No comments:
Post a Comment