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.
hHw many will be killed by black terrorist on the weekend?
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1000 new targets for Holder’s “people”
Chicago is broken. I go though LA...NyC...New Orleans. ..all sho signs of some recovery. At least some building cranes. Chicago is in a permafrost resession due to filthy politions.Unemployment unless you have a degree in analytics from the University of Chicago is non existant.Then they tore down Cabrini Green and the Robert Talyor projects sending rival gang members throughout the city. No jobs. Sky hightaxes and regulations. Man this place is a tinder box.
Rahm grew up in Wilmette. He has no concept of Chicago being on the Gold Coast and Lincoln Park.
More targets for Emanuel’s gangbangers to shoot at.
... unaccompanied immigrant children fleeing violence in Central America....
BS. Their parents, illegally in the US, paid coyotes to bring these “Dreamers” here. They are Obamagrants.
From the author of Never let a crisis go to waste.
“Hispanics despise black Americans”
That is very true. And conversely black Americans despise Hispanics.
I can’t for the life of me imagine what Rahm is thinking. Chicago is a war zone from what I read.
So I guess Rahm (a) resides in the same bubble Barack floats around in, oblivious to reality or (b) is going to set the stage for a very near future turf, race war on purpose.
Damn bigoted RATs.
Voter replacement!
Yep, that’s all we need here is more “diversity.” What’s another thousand or three when you already have the 2nd largest population of the locusts?
Chicago is a gun free zone, so no problems!
You bet they’re going to spread themselves out to the suburbs, better arm yourselves well to,p protect your homes & family!
Not a big deal for Chicago, with their history of violence, most of these kids won’t live to be 15-20 years old.
Here is one case where I sympathize for the children.
The very definition of a limousine liberal.
The social services community in Chicago is not prepared for this influx in any way, shape or form. This is going to be a disaster.
Of course Rahm won’t be one of those with a “Big Heart”. He gets to go home to his gated community.
1,000 = .04% of the population of Chicago? Wow ... how generous of you, Rahm.
*Interesting* the Admin consulted with Rahm when many Governors (primarily Pubbies) have not been consulted with, were told that none would be shipped to their state, found about the fact that they held illegals, and are still trying to get quantities, etc. from the Admin.
“Boy are they in for a big surprise.”
They should feel right at home.
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