The deadly clown show that Chicago’s black lesbian mayor is running reached peak absurdity on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, 13 people were shot, three fatally, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Over the weekend alone, 48 were shot, six fatally. Total since the weekend began: 89 shot, 14 fatally.
But the city’s real problem is that not enough “black” and “brown” reporters cover Mayor Lori Lightfoot and City Hall. Thus will the Windy City’s oddball mayoress refuse one-on-one interviews with white reporters.
The city is a war zone, and Lightfoot is counting the color of noses in the press corps.
No Interviews for You, Whitey
The latest on Lightfoot came from Mary Ann Ahern of NBC5, the network affiliate.
“As @chicagosmayor reaches her two year midway point as mayor, her spokeswoman says Lightfoot is granting 1 on 1 interviews — only to Black or Brown journalists,” the reporter wrote.
Two others confirmed the overtly racist slap in the face.
“I was told the same thing,” tweeted Paris Shutz, who hosts a television program.
When a Chicago alderman wanted to know “how is that even true, be serious,” reporter Heather Cherone confirmed it.
How long Lightfoot will continue the ban is unknown, but a long Twitter thread suggests it will be some time before whites will be permitted the privilege of an interview.
“I ran to break up the status quo that was failing so many,” she wrote. “That isn’t just in City Hall.”
It also means news organizations that are too white had better wake up:
It’s a shame that in 2021, the City Hall press corps is overwhelmingly White in a city where more than half of the city identifies as Black, Latino, AAPI or Native American.
Diversity and inclusion is imperative across all institutions including media. In order to progress we must change.
This is exactly why I’m being intentional about prioritizing media requests from POC reporters on the occasion of the two-year anniversary of my inauguration as mayor of this great city.
This is an imbalance that needs to change. Chicago is a world-class city. Our local media should reflect the multiple cultures that comprise it.
We must be intentional about doing better. I believed that when running for office. I stand on this belief now. It’s time for the newsrooms to do better and build teams that reflect the make-up of our city.
How altering the complexion of the City Hall press corps will stop the shootings, Lightfoot didn’t say. The directive did, at least, divert attention from the daily bloodbath.
2021 Homicide Toll
Readers of the Sun-Times were treated to these headlines in the last four days:
Among the victims were two 16-year-old boys, a 15-year old girl, a 13-year-old boy, and a two-year-old girl.
As of yesterday, the city homicide toll since January 1 was 228. That’s almost two people a day every day of 2021’s 140 days.
Good thing is, Lightfoot has identified the real threat in the City of Big Shoulders: too many white reporters.
H/T: Ace of Spades
