Posted on 07/30/2014 6:27:04 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
Citing his immigrant grandfather’s frightening flight from the pogroms of Eastern Europe, Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday defended his decision to open the city’s arms to 1,000 unaccompanied immigrant children fleeing violence in Central America.
Some have suggested that the humanitarian effort funded by the federal government is a diversion and that Emanuel should concentrate all of his efforts on protecting Chicago’s children from the gang violence that has claimed far too many innocent victims.
But the mayor argued Wednesday that a city of big shoulders with an even bigger heart can walk and chew gum at the same time. In other words, Chicago can do both.
“This speaks to the values of a city. I reject the notion that it’s either-or,” the mayor said, pointing to his plans for more summer jobs, full-day kindergarten and a longer school day and year.
“You have a thousand kids fleeing violence in Central America. This speaks to who we are as a city in welcoming them,” he said.
“My grandfather left Moldova in Eastern Europe. His parents put him on a boat to get away from the pogroms [and] leave the violence. Thirteen-years-old by himself. Not a word of English to come to a place called Chicago. He left the violence of Eastern Europe.”
The mayor added, “These kids are leaving violence. There are 1,000 kids. We are not only a city of big shoulders. We’re a city of big hearts, and we welcome them and get ‘em on their way. And we will also make sure that the city of Chicago has universal pre-K, universal kindergarten, expanding after-school programs, expanding summer jobs, because the test and measure of this city is how we treat our children.”
Emanuel said when he met with the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. to discuss the humanitarian effort, Jackson “made a point that I had not thought of: when [then President Franklin Delano] Roosevelt turned away the St. Louis and sent the Jewish kids back to Nazi, Germany.”
Earlier this month, the Obama administration approached Emanuel, a former White House chief of staff, about the possibility of housing 1,000 immigrant children in Chicago facilities bankrolled by the federal government, complete with federally-funded security and support services.
City Hall responded by consulting with social service organizations that already house and care for migrant children. The Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago has asked for federal authority to join the humanitarian effort.
The Emanuel administration has also asked Chicago law firms to donate their services.
MS 13 wants no part in taking on Chicago’s Gangster Disciples or Latin Kings. Easier pickings in smaller towns.
“And we will also make sure that the city of Chicago has universal pre-K, universal kindergarten, expanding after-school programs, expanding summer jobs, because the test and measure of this city is how we treat our children.”
It’s all about how much money can be skimmed off the top.....
Just imagine Rahm is sending reinforcement to MS13 and the 18th Street gangs.
You are spot on. It will be no contest and MS-13 will win.
Machete control will be needed next.
In Chicago? Cannon fodder...
Will there be demands for the registration of all machetes. Perhaps blade length will determine the need for registration or not.
That’s absurd. I work on the South Side and West side.The idea of a foreign gang coming into Chicago and taking over is laughable.
Really??? The man who hung around nude at the Congressional gym snapping towels at Congressmen he didn’t like was just garden variety? Obama’s freaky-deaky right hand man and enforcer is only garden variety? The Man’s Country fan boy who faked living in Chicago to steal an election is just garden variety? Boy, do we have a different set of standards!
When recounting his immigrant ancestors, he leaves out that that was through legal processes, not through the dictatorship of El Presidente.
You may be right but time will tell.
Yeah, to replace the 1,000 people who get gunned down in Shi’a’cago each year.
Well ok, so he is a homo too... and what’s the point. Obama found him so indispensable that the two said goodbye fairly early on. Holder is much more rotten, IMHO. Rahm is more garden variety liberal.
Sure, they'll take the slush money to pad themselves.
You know, it's really time pols of ALL persuasions stop invoking their parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, uncles on their step-mother's cousin's father's side, etc. Just tell me who YOU are and what YOU have done. That's all that really matters right now.
How many of the 1000 will be boarding at Casa Emmanuel?
That is to really miss Rahm’s typical-liberal fallacy.
Well Rahm, given your culture kills 20 a week, I guess a 1000 new naive ways of the city won’t be to much of a burden.
Hispanics despises black Americans.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.