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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPresident Obama may have gotten our troops out of Iraq, but the gunfire in his hometown of Chicago
http://news.yahoo.com/chicago-became-chiraq-094500160--politics.htmlOn Easter weekend, 45 people were shot in the city, six of them children.
Five youngsters under the age of 15—four girls and a boy—were shot in a playground where they had gone after Easter services at a nearby church.
Until we do something about guns, don’t expect things to change overnight,” McCarthy said at a press conference that same day.
McCarthy noted that Chicago cops have seized 1,500 illegal guns so far this year, but the people caught with the weapons are all too often back on the street all too soon.
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MohRokTah
(15,429 posts)The second largest city in Illinois which is just forty miles west of Chicago had an even bigger gang problem per capita than Chicago. They worked with federal authorities to target the specific people causing over 90% of the problems. All of those people are now in prison and the problem has gone away.
Meanwhile, babies get shot in Chicago while Emmanuel courts outsourced schools. When they shut down public schools in Chicago, the promise was no charter schools would be moving into those buildings. Now, Emmanuel is going back on his promise.
oneofthe99
(712 posts)and they are released . They should be doing hard time for something like this.
We have our jails filled with non violent drug offenders that could be released now!
MohRokTah
(15,429 posts)Illinois politicians keep tehir distance from the feds due to how corrupt Illinois politicians are.
Obama wasn't in Illinois politics long enough to get to that level of corruption, thankfully. Emmanuel, however, was and is a majorly corrupt Illinois poltiican and has been for some time.
oneofthe99
(712 posts)
Tarheel_Dem
(31,234 posts)choose Emanuel? AFAIK, he's been brought up on no "corruption" charges, and if you & the poster you reponded to have any evidence of RE having broken some laws, please present them. Otherwise, your feelings about his alledged "corruption" should be treated as routine smears.
oneofthe99
(712 posts)As to my post about illegal guns , as far as I know all these can be charged federally by the BATF if the President instructed Holder
to do so.
nomorenomore08
(13,324 posts)
warrant46
(2,205 posts)to "Get their life together" they often get----
A Second Chance
A Third Chance
A Fourth Chance
A Fifth Chance
A Sixth Chance
ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC
ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC ETC
frazzled
(18,402 posts)You'd better get some facts straight, not just make stuff up; Homicides (85% of which are gun related), since 1990:
1990: 851[34]
1991: 927
1992: 943
1993: 855
1994: 931
1995: 828
1996: 796
1997: 761
1998: 704
1999: 643
2000: 633
2001: 667
2002: 656
2003: 601
2004: 453
2005: 451
2006: 471
2007: 448
2008: 513
2009: 459
2010: 436
2011: 435
2012: 516
2013: 415
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Chicago
Aurora has a population of 199,932; Chicago has a population of 2,175,000
And yes, McCarthy and Emanuel have been avidly addressing gang activity and arresting gang members and putting special units in gang neighborhoods. It is a much more complex situation in a city this large.
ON EDIT: Additionally, Chicago doesn't even come close to being the most dangerous city:
That pales in comparison with Detroit at 54.6 or New Orleans at 53.2 or St. Louis and Baltimore, both over 35.0. Chicago isn't even first among cities with a population over 1,000,000. That dubious distinction belongs to Philadelphia with 21.5 murders per 100,000.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-07-11/opinion/chi-20130710-foys_briefs_1_murder-rates-new-orleans
The Magistrate
(95,247 posts)This flogging of normal events for political advantage grows tiresome. Crime, even murders and shootings, are on decline in Chicago, and are mere fractions of what they were in the past.
malaise
(268,993 posts)JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)The gun homicide rate in Chicago has been cut in half since the 90's. Hope to see it cut in half again soon.
oneofthe99
(712 posts)MohRokTah
(15,429 posts)Emmanuel isn't doing much of anything other than trying to bust the police union.
Skidmore
(37,364 posts)The President is also Mayor of Chicago too?
Let's get to work on some reasonable gun ownership legislation with Congress. How does that work for you?
Cali_Democrat
(30,439 posts)Ever since Obama became President, a number of folks keep bringing up violence in Chicago as if there's something Obama can do about it,
Obama tried to bring to the table some form of gun control, but the Republicans and conservative Dems rejected it. They even rejected background checks when the majority of Americans supported those checks.
What can Obama do about Chicago?
Nothing.
oneofthe99
(712 posts)1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)
4now
(1,596 posts)
Cha
(297,210 posts)made me laugh a little. I'd say Welcome to DU but since you've been here since 2008 .. it's a little late for that. 
Tarheel_Dem
(31,234 posts)
oneofthe99
(712 posts)This could be done by the Obama administration when it comes to stolen or illegal firearms involved in a crime.
McCarthy noted that Chicago cops have seized 1,500 illegal guns so far this year, but the people caught with the weapons are all too often back on the street all too soon
Tarheel_Dem
(31,234 posts)lature; 2 US Senators; countless Reps in the US House, and Chicago has its very own Mayor. 
Obama & Holder are not stand-ins for every "activist" wetdream you guys come up with. Place the heat & the blame where it belongs. 
oneofthe99
(712 posts)get caught with stolen and illegal guns alone.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)is not a Federal crime, unless the gun is sold or travels across state lines.
oneofthe99
(712 posts)if illegal
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)and you will no doubt find; unless the stolen gun crossed state laws (and was involved in a crime in the second state) or was sold across state lines, or was stolen from a federal facility, and a couple other circumstances (like the type of weapon), the mere possession of a stolen weapon doesn't trigger federal jurisdiction.
Tarheel_Dem
(31,234 posts)
Adrahil
(13,340 posts)SevenSixtyTwo
(255 posts)I think the last sentence spells out the problem correctly.
So sad that we let violent criminals mingle amongst us while docile pot smokers sit in prison. Two people are dead and two more seriously injured by violent criminals in a Tampa park filled with Easter celebrations Sunday. Disarming me wouldn't have prevented that. Locking up violent criminals could have.
joeybee12
(56,177 posts)I don't see the connection...seems like it's placing blame...if there's any blame, corporatist Emmanuel is to blame, who has ignored this in favor of making himself even wealthier.
oneofthe99
(712 posts)President Obama may have gotten our troops out of Iraq, but the gunfire in his hometown of Chicago is still earning it a searing nickname coined by young people who live there... Chiraq..... (Iraq)
joeybee12
(56,177 posts)Does seem like it's placing blame...seriously...the two issues reallya ren't related...yahoo is crap, though, so it's to be expected.
spanone
(135,831 posts)randys1
(16,286 posts)therefore rational, mature, adult gun laws arent possible at this time
vote out the America hating rightwing terrorist teaparty this Nov, then we can really make some good gun laws
oneofthe99
(712 posts)1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)just possessing a stolen fire arm does not trigger federal jurisdiction ... unless it's a stolen rocket-launcher.
oneofthe99
(712 posts)QUICK REFERENCE TO FEDERAL FIREARMS LAWS
I. POSSESSION OF A FIREARM OR AMMUNITION BY A PROHIBITED PERSON:
18 USC § 922(g) & (n). Punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment. May receive minimum sentence of 15 years without parole if offender has three or more prior convictions for a felony crime of violence (e.g. burglary, robbery, assault, possession of offensive weapons) and/or drug trafficking felony.
Elements
A. Possession or receipt of a firearm or ammunition;
B. By a subject who falls within one of the following categories:
Felon - (Additionally, persons awaiting trial on felony charges are prohibited from receiving firearms.);
Drug user or addict - (Often shown where paraphernalia seized, subject tests positive for drugs and/or subject claims drugs were possessed for personal use.);
Alien - (Includes illegal aliens and aliens lawfully admitted under non-immigrant visas, i.e., those aliens not admitted for permanent residence. This provision does not prohibit aliens who lawfully possess a so-called “green card” from possessing guns or ammunition.);
Is subject to a domestic restraining order - (The order must prohibit contact with an intimate partner, or child of the subject, and must have been issued only after a hearing of which the subject was notified and at which the subject had an opportunity to participate. The order must also find the subject poses a threat to the physical safety of the intimate partner or child or must prohibit the use, threatened use or attempted use of physical force.);
Has a prior conviction for domestic assault - (Includes a prior conviction for any assault or threatened use of a deadly weapon against a present or former spouse or partner or child or guardian of any such person. The subject must have been entitled to a jury trial and been represented by counsel in the prior proceeding or be shown to have waived those rights.);
Fugitive from justice - (Fled any state to avoid being prosecuted or to avoid testifying in any criminal proceeding.); or
Dishonorably discharged from the military; AND
C. The firearm or ammunition was transported across a state line at any tim
McCarthy noted that Chicago cops have seized 1,500 illegal guns so far this year, but the people caught with the weapons are all too often back on the street all too soon.
This is happening because they are not being charged federally ...
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)the state charge proceeds on fire arms possession cases unless there is some aggravating factor like inter-state trafficking.
Okay?
oneofthe99
(712 posts)The state can make the law tougher but never make it less than what federal firearm laws are.
These federal laws are being broken but the feds are refusing to charge .
The law is the law , it does not have to be aggravating when it comes to BATF firearm laws.
They can charge them in federal court and have them locked up for a long time instead of the state
and city revolving door system according to the police chief of Chicago.
It should be a number one priority to lock up people who use these illegal weapons or are caught with them.
If the administration is going to talk tough on gun laws then it needs to look at their own failure of refusing to enforce
these VERY TOUGH laws already on the books.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)I'm telling you ... the Feds do not come in on mere criminal possession cases.
But I will leave my legal background and experience at the door and let you argue from ... what?
oneofthe99
(712 posts)This is federal law being broken by these criminals.
Holder can certainly come in have federal charges brought against these criminals who are breaking federal firearm laws
The only argument you seem to keep using is now they just won't.
Before you said it wasn't federal , you asked for me to cite the law and I did.
Now your argument has changed and it's well....they just don't want to charge or they just never do......
The point is they can but refuse , and that is exactly what I have been saying all along.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)Dictator Obama to the rescue!
oneofthe99
(712 posts)This isn't just in Chicago it's happening nation wide in every city and small town.
People that use a firearm in a crime or caught with an illegal one , need to have the full force of the state and Federal government come down on their ass.
Drunken Irishman
(34,857 posts)
Agnosticsherbet
(11,619 posts)This is ridiculous.
AlinPA
(15,071 posts)Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)A strained attempt to graft gun-control issue onto Obama. Chicago, as with many urban areas, is plagued by homicides committed by jerks with criminal records, who are nevertheless on the streets. Chicago's problems are compounded by gang violence.
