Terrorism on our own soil

It appears the nightmare in the vicinity of Beecher, IL and Lowell, IN is finally over. The suspect pictured in an artist's rendering at left, has been caught. 

It is not over if you are a friend or family of the men who have been shot by a psycho shooter. My heart goes out to the people who have been harmed by this latest shooting rampage.

For anyone not invested in this tragedy who might be unaware of the events, the nightmare began to unfold Tuesday morning in the quiet, rural community outside of Beecher, IL, about 40 miles south of Chicago.

Some guy came up to three construction workers who were rehabbing a house in the country that had been damaged by fire. The stranger started chatting with them about raising honey bees. Nothing extraordinary here; that is what rural folks do. But this one pulled out a gun and shot one of the guys dead, critically injured another, while a third took off running for his life through the corn and bean fields.

Then the shooter apparently got into his pickup truck and headed east toward Indiana where he drove up to a farmhouse, spotted a farmer and began talking to him about honey bees. He then pulled out his weapon and shot him, three times in the arm and shoulder.

The man was on the loose until this morning, causing three days and four nights of terror for the families in the area, and one mother/grandmother in Arkansas. That would be me. I used to live in Beecher. I have family in Lowell. I'm grateful that everyone I care about is safe.

According to the news, this guy has been caught in Lynwood, IL, a few miles north of Beecher.

What disturbs me almost as much as the incident itself, is something that someone posted as a comment to the story. He said if everybody had a gun in his pocket they could have simply shot the psycho.

If that isn't backward thinking, I don't know what is. If this psycho didn't have a gun, none of this would have happened.

I'm sorry to tell all the professed gun lovers out there, but it is no longer good enough to wave the constitution in the faces of law-abiding citizens who don't happen to share your love of weaponry. When the constitution was written, our forefathers had no idea inkling of the kind of future technology that what create assault rifles or a .357 Magnums, cop-killer bullets, or a myriad other death machines. They probably didn't even envision shooting to kill on a whim.

I am not advocating anything, at this point, and I don't have all the answers, or even any of them, but isn't it time we start thinking about the number of innocents that are murdered and maimed by guns in this country?

These killing machines have nothing to do with hunting. Of all the people that harangue about protecting themselves with their guns, how many of them really have been used for protection? How many of those guns have gotten into the hands of children resulting in accidental deaths of siblings and friends? How many of those guns designed to protect have become weapons in domestic disturbances where husbands and/or wives shoot their spouse in a fit of anger? How many nut cases have gotten their hands on a weapon and gone to McDonalds or a college campus or an elementary school to do damage to human beings? How many suicides have been fast and easy because of access to a gun? How many accidental shootings are there?

Isn't this terrorism? Isn't this what we are supposedly fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan, and probably one day, in Pakistan? Citizens in our own country are being terrorized by crazy people with guns every day. Isn't it time we do something about terrorism in our own country, on our own soil, and in our own small towns?

Let's look at this incident in Beecher? Would my commenter friend advocate that construction carry a gun on the job, just in case a nut walks up to them? C'mon. Isn't it time for some rational thoughts on this subject. Too many people are dying. Too many people are injured. And too many people are tormented by the what-if's. There needs to be some kind of gun control.

Can't we at least start a rational conversation about this irrational activity?

Jury still out in Illinois' Ex-Gov. Blagojevich case

Illinois Ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich

Illinois Ex-Governor Rod Blagojevich looks just as dapper today as he did when this picture was taken in 2003 while he was still Illinois' governor. He made an appearance at Union Station in Joliet, IL to speak to an enthusiastic crowd of supporters.

Today, Blagojevich awaits a verdict by a jury of his peers after weeks of testimony was delivered in a federal court room in Chicago. Blagojevich stands accused of 24 charges, including racketeering for allegedly trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama when he won the Presidential election.

It is amazing that a man who is accused of acting in his own best interests over and above the very people he was supposed to represent, can still appear as cool as Blagojevich does during television appearances and in interviews.

At the time I took these photos, I was one of the people Blagojevich was supposed to represent, though I didn't feel very adequately represented. 

I was among a small group at Union Station that afternoon, in an effort to lobby, and I use that term very loosely, against the state's plan to build a new airport, the South Suburban Airport, near the small town of Peotone, some 40 miles south of Chicago.

C.J. Ogalla lobbies Gov. Rod Blagojevich

We did get noticed, thanks to the adorable C.J. Ogalla, shown at right, who was just 7 at the time. She wrote a letter to Blagojevich. It was heartfelt and touching as it echoed the feelings her mother has expressed for years.

C.J. lives with her family on a working farm near where they want to build the airport. Her mother Judy has been an avid fighter for a long time, vowing she and her husband will never give up their family farm for a project that isn't needed. Blagojevich continued to support the airport while in office.


Blagojevich's latest criticism stems from the fact that he brought his daughters into the courtroom. Why not, he has consistency claimed he is innocent? It is not odd that he would want his family by his side to show their support for him. Besides, it would look good to members of the jury. And looking good is what Ex-Gov. Rod is all about.

Jesse Jackson, Jr. his latest woes

Headlines are filled with allegations of ethics violations and potential wrongdoing by Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. in connection with the vacated U.S. Senate Seat formerly held by President Barack Obama. The congressional ethics probe was placed on the back burner upon request from federal prosecutors who are investigating former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.

By all accounts, Jackson appears to be in some hot water. Perhaps that would explain his uncharacteristic silence of late.

Coincidentally, Jackson and Sen. Roland Burris, who was appointed to fill the vacant Senate seat from Illinois, are named two of the 15 most corrupt congressmen in Washington. Coincidentally, Illinois has just escaped from the scrutiny of a similar allegation. Another Illinois Congressman, Jerry Weller, who decided not to run for re-election in 2008 was also labeled one the most corrupt congressman.

But why should Illinois' congressional delegation be the only offices mentioned. Illinois governors are not immune to prosecution, accusation, or going to the slammer. Take Blagojevich, who was impeached as governor and now awaits a 2010 trial in federal court for allegations of wrongoing. Then there is his predecessor, George Ryan whose home address is a federal penetentiary.

Ryan follows in a long line of corrupt governors. In the last 35 years, two other Illinois governors have served time -- Otto Kerner and Dan Walker.

So, is it any wonder that Jackson has been silent of late?

A story published last December addresses this very topic. Perhaps it is time to revisit it here.

* * *

Jesse Jackson, Jr.

Is he a hero or is he scrambling to save his political life?

originally published in Dec. 2008 at http://chblog.ozarkattitude.com

Last December news reports indicated that Jesse Jackson, Jr. had long been cooperating with federal prosecutors’ investigation of Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s alleged “pay-to-play” schemes.

Jackson was identified as ‘Senate Candidate 5’ soon after the criminal complaint in accordance with Blagojevich’s arrest was released last week. The complaint alleged that ‘Senate Candidate 5’ was implicated in Blagojevich’s alleged plot to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.

Jackson denies allegations


But Jackson has vehemently denied he was involved in trying to buy the position, despite his immodest efforts to win the appointment.

Jackson’s aides intimate that Jackson is not only innocent of trying to trade campaign cash for the senate seat, but that he has long been an informant to federal prosecutors about Blagojevich’s behavior. Jackson has claimed that Blagojevich refused to appoint Jackson’s wife Sandi as Illinois State Lottery Director because Jackson would not donate $25,000 to the governor’s campaign fund.

The reports paint Jackson as almost heroic.

Questions remain

While the facts of this situation will become clearer with time, there are things already known about the tenuous relationship between Jackson and Blagojevich. Much of it has to do with Jackson’s obsession over building an airport near Peotone. Jackson has tried to coerce Blagojevich into supporting Jackson’s plan which includes turning over state-owned land to Jackson’s self-prescribed airport authority.

Jackson, Blagojevich and the Peotone Airport


Blagojevich never gave Jackson what he wanted. The problem began days after Blagojevich was elected in 2002. That was a very active time in eastern Will County.

Blagojevich reportedly considered calling a halt to land banking near Peotone because of the state’s budget crisis. Blagojevich inherited the questionabe undertaking from his predecessor, ex-Gov. George Ryan and Ryan’s transportation Secretary Kirk Brown.

A little airport history

During Blagojevich’s first year in office, the U.S. Congress was set to approve the O’Hare Modernization Plan. Jackson was furious when language was removed from legislation that would have provided an iron-clad guarantee that if O’Hare is expanded, Peotone would also be built.

When legislation was signed with a cursory mention of Peotone, Jackson went into a tirade claiming, “If O’Hare gets expanded, there is no need for Peotone.” But that didn’t slow his efforts to push the project.

About the same time, the FAA approved a Tier 1 Draft Environmental Airport study for the Peotone project. Jackson wanted approval on a fast track. To date, no progress has been made on the project.

In 2003, Jackson was deeply involved with DuPage County officials – O’Hare expansion opponents -- who have bankrolled the effort to build a new airport at Peotone. The Suburban O’Hare Commission as they were known believed a new airport at Peotone was preferable to an expanded O’Hare. It was this organization that had bankrolled Jackson's efforts and lined up funding. (Incidentally, due to the last election cycle SOC boss Bensenville Village President John Geils was voted out of office.)

Jackson misrepresents Peotone location

Jackson has long ignored the distance between the south suburbs and the proposed airport. Peotone is listed alphabetically on Jackson’s website between Park Forest and Phoenix, which are in his district. After numerous complaints, a disclaimer identifying Peotone as located in Will County was added, though it does nothing to clarify that Peotone is located outside Jackson’s second congressional district.

Jackson also ignored the distance between the south suburbs and his pet project when he deceived his colleagues about the Peotone project’s location. In the summer of 2007 he stood on the floor of the House of Representatives claiming, “Peotone abuts Ford Heights.”

Jackson’s remarks were part of his sales pitch to get a $231,000 earmark attached to a spending bill for his airport authority.

Latest predictions on the 40-year old project fail again

At that time, Jackson predicted the airport would be built and operational by 2008 with five gates and one runway. He expected the State of Illinois to provide land it owned to his airport authority. The state owned roughly a third of what would have been needed to build an airport.

In 2005, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan issued a 37-page unfavorable opinion about Jackson’s airport authority.

Madigan said the state transportation department did not have the authority to convey state-owned land, for less than market value to Jackson’s airport commission.

Madigan also said the deal brokered by Jackson between his Abraham Lincoln National Airport Commission (ALNAC) and airport developers to design, build, and operate the airport was not legal under Illinois law as the authority was currently structured.

She also issued the opinion that for Jackson’s authority to develop an airport, it has to be recommended by the Governor in the airport’s Master Plan.

When ex-Congressman Jerry Weller added an amendment to the defense bill stating that a Peotone airport should be controlled locally, Jackson was furious. He called the bill a “Peotone killer,” and took the opportunity to lash out at all his critics, including Blagojevich.

Jackson used the very communities he purported to help

In 2006, Jackson was furious with Blagojevich. He wanted ALNAC members, some of those poor south suburban communities that he claimed would benefit by an airport, to cough up $300,000 to mount a media blitz and to pressure Blagojevich into turning over eastern Will County land to Jackson’s airport authority.

More than $200,000 was ultimately raised by Jackson’s advocates, including $25,000 from the City of Harvey, a city whose economic woes remain at the forefront of the media. Jackson’s efforts came under fire from several who questioned the use of municipal funds for a public relations blitz. Many felt it was wrong to use tax dollars for a project touted as a no-taxpayer supported airport. Jackson’s plea for phone calls to the governors’ office resulted in only a small number of them.

When Jackson coerced local governments into donating funds to his campaign to lobby Gov. Blagojevich to turn over state-owned land to his airport authority, Paul Lohmann, the mayor of a town adjacent to the proposed airport took Jackson to task that summer. In a letter to Jackson, Lohmann asked if that money would be better spent as a donation to Robbins or Harvey, two of the poor communities in Jackson’s district.

Jackson has claimed a new airport at Peotone would be an economic benefit to Robbins, Harvey, and the poorest of the south suburban communities – Ford Heights. There has, however, been no evidence that a runway 20 miles away from those communities would have any effect on the economies of those towns.

Blagojevich remained on the fence

Blagojevich stayed clear of the battle for control of the proposed airport by ALNAC or Will County. He said they would have to work it out or risk losing the development.

Jackson ally, State Sen. James Meeks, considered running for governor in 2006. Jackson made it known that if he didn’t get what he wanted from Blagojevich, he would rally support for Meeks in the black community, even though it was unlikely Meeks would win. Jackson’s support could, however, have taken enough votes from Blagojevich to put Republican Judy Baar Topinka into the governor’s mansion.

That was the tactic Jackson used successfully in the 1998 gubernatorial election against fellow Democrat Glenn Poshard. Poshard openly opposed the Peotone airport. Jackson was livid. He used his influence in the black community to support George Ryan for governor, a feat for which he still claims credit.

Jackson and Halvorson at odds

Last summer, Jackson accused State Senate Majority Leader and Congressman-elect Debbie Halvorson of designing an airport authority bill with elements of a “pay to play” scheme hatched by Antoin “Tony” Rezko, Blagojevich’s convicted former fundraising pal. Halvorson sponsored and pushed the bill – SB2063 – through the Illinois Senate in the spring.

Jackson’s accusation took the form of a letter to the editor, first appearing in the Village of Park Forest online newsletter. It was written by Jackson aide Rick Bryant who is also ALNAC chairman. Bryant wrote that Halvorson gave into Rezko on a plan that two years earlier Jackson flatly rejected. Halvorson countered by saying she has never met with Rezko, and she has never even met him.

Bryant admitted that Rezko stood in for Blagojevich in the Jackson meeting.

Perhaps only time will tell if Jackson is a hero responsible for helping to bring a corrupt governor to justice, or if he is a political scoundrel deserving of a similar reward as other pay-to-play politicians.

Pat Quinn, just like all the rest

Illinois Governor proves to be no different than predecessors

With the signing of the State of Illinois' $31 billion "Illinois Jobs Now" bill Wednesday, Gov. Pat Quinn just rewound the clock on a project for which time should have long ago run out. The bill steers another $110.5 million toward the third airport project.

Billed as a jobs creator, that money will go toward buying the remainder of the land the state has been unable to obtain from folks who have vowed to fight to keep their land, homes, and farms -- unwilling sellers. How does that create jobs?

The only possible explanation for throwing good money after bad for a forty-year old project void of forward progress, is that Quinn is continuing similar practices of his predecessors -- jobs for favorite supporters: lawyers who will try to push eminent domain on innocent families; consultants who will to try to hide the project's lack of need; public relations specialists who will explore every angle in an effort to paint a rosy picture of the project; and of course investors who also contribute to public officials' campaigns for promise of a piece of the action when an airport is built, if it ever is. Perhaps some of those professionals are part of the 10.3 percent of Illinois' unemployed.

Many believed Pat Quinn would be different than his predecessors -- one who is serving time in a federal penetentiary and another who awaits his day in court. It looks like nothing has changed except the names.

Newspapers and truth

When Developers get too close, an editorial about Will County corruption which elaborates on Kristen McQueary's very poignant column yesterday, see Kudos for good journalism below, is often lacking in the newspaper business. Had there been more of this sort of thing, perhaps newspapers would not be in danger of failing altogether. And what a tragedy that would be.

Newspapers blame the Internet for their demise. But that is only a part of the equation. The newspaper was supposed to stand for truth, given every effort to see and report all angles of a story. A wise editor once told me that if you think you have both sides of the story, you probably don't have the whole story.

Newsrooms used to be peppered with highly-principled curmudgeons who served as role models for young reporters. Fighting for the little guy was business as usual. In those days public places were filled with seemingly headless people whose faces were buried in the outstretched double pages of their daily newspaper. Folks read the news with the unshakable belief that what they read was the unvarnished truth. They believed what they read because newspapers had a reputation.

Today people read a newspaper to get the latest sports scores. They want to see television listings. They rarely care about the news. While that isn't entirely the fault of the newspaper, the industry simply gave in, doing little to maintain what it used to stand for. It lowered the bar instead of challenging its readers. It caved into the capitalist model to make money at all cost, despite the fact that the Fourth Estate should have risen above that used by other businesses. Perhaps if the news had been written with a perspective the public could relate to, in a world where the little guy was being tormented by its own government, they would have kept reading. Yet how many times have stories been reported that take the side of the politically correct which is far from correct? All too often stories originate from sugar-coated press releases. Most papers fail to employ investigative reporters at a time when they are most needed. And how often has the view of advertisers colored the view of the news we read?

Kudos to the Southtown Star for remembering its humble beginnings as the Southtown Economist covering the south side of Chicago a generation ago. And to Kristen McQueary who has proven to be a peoples' reporter. Keep up the good work.

Kudos for good journalism

With job cutbacks and workplace attrition, it is refreshing to know that Will County, Illinois still has a credible journalist who continues to seek the truth and isn't afraid to tell it. Kristen McQueary, the political columnist for the Southtown Star, has written a column in today's paper (July 12, 2009) entitled, How to grease the skids in Will County, that highlights an issue so pervasive in Illinois that it is often glossed over. Thank goodness Kristen has not been desensitized to the political games played at the local level where leadership is often coerced into bad policy and poor-decision making.

If it can happen in Green Garden Township, it can happen anywhere in the country. Green Garden Township was once a small, farming community that has now been overrun with new developments and urban sprawl. Townships have the most basic political structure. Illinois townships like Green Garden have virtually no power, don't make any money, and are sometimes considered to be the proving ground for political wannabes to learn the ropes on their way up governments' ladder. But when these small communities work in conjunction with county government, which has plenty of power and lots of money, not to mention political ties to a corrupt system, the situation can be dire. The two things that can thwart total and absolute degradation of a region are active members of the community coupled with a strong and fearless newspaper. Good investigative journalists are necessary additives to the mix.

Kudos to Kristen McQueary.