Carnage continues in gun control capitol of the Midwest

By Gerard Valentino

CNN is reporting that 36 students have been killed so far this year in Chicago's public school system, a shockingly high number of victims of the violence that has plagued Chicago for years.

From the story:

So far this school year, 36 children and teens have been murdered -- more than one a week -- and a chorus of weary Chicagoans who say the slayings aren't getting the attention they deserve.

Yet again, Chicago is in the news for the incredibly high levels of violence that has been a sad hallmark of the Richard Daley mayoral administration. Daley, a longtime proponent of gun control, has presided over some of the most deadly years in Chicago's illustrious history. Gangs seem to be fueling the carnage and unlike most cities, in Chicago, they are targeting innocent people.

More from the story:

One of the most disturbing slayings came last week when the family of Alex Arellano found the 15-year-old's body. He had been beaten, burned and shot in the head.

"It's sad because they didn't have to torture him that way. He never did nothing wrong, never. He was a good kid. It just gets to me. It's crazy," Alex's friend Ashley Recendez said.

Indeed, police say the teen had no criminal record, no gang affiliation. His family says he was well-behaved and shy, almost fearful of strangers. They had recently taken him out of school to protect him after gang members threatened him.

Gangs are empowered to attack honest people when they're sure the victim is outnumbered, and when they're sure the victim isn't armed.

In Chicago, all honest law abiding citizens are disarmed and therefore easy prey, because of Mayor Daley's crusade to keep legal concealed carry from ever being enacted in Illinois. Although it seems that the Mayor of a given city can't stop the state congress from passing a bill, that isn't the case in Illinois where the Chicago mayor really runs the state.

Regardless of the fact that nearly all of Chicago's homicides are gang related, and Chicago's near outright ban of firearms ownership, the police superintendent claims that availability of guns is partially at fault for the murders.

Again, from the story:

Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis said scuffles among youth have become more violent and a conflict that 20 years ago would have warranted a pushing or wrestling match now sometimes results in gunfire.

"There's simply too many gangs, too many guns and too many drugs on the streets," he said. "We've got a problem with some of our young people are resorting to use of weapons and violence to solve any type of conflicts they may have."

Superintendent Weis does admit that gangs are huge problems and that drugs are also a big issue feeding the level of crime. But he throws guns into the equation, which immediately makes people associate guns with gangs and drugs. He stops short of admitting that Chicago's anti-gun lobbying efforts have kept honest Chicagoans from using the one tool best suited for self-defense, a concealed firearm. Not that having an anti-gun police administrator in one of the most rabidly anti-gun mayoral administrations in the nation should come as a shock to anyone.

What should come as a shock is the lack of simple investigatory and problem solving skills used by Daley and his administration. As is often noted, there are statistic out there to prove legal concealed carry is a deterrent to criminals. Not that it takes a huge leap in logic to understand that criminals prefer compliant victims, and that criminals are afraid of picking the wrong victim who might have the will and means to thwart an attack.

If that person is in Illinois, the criminal doesn't have to wonder if their selected victim is armed - he knows the victim is unable to carry a gun for self-defense.

Daley has the blood of countless victims on his hands since his administration has worked to disarm every citizen of Illinois while doing nothing to disarm criminals. Daley's armed security detail is exempt from the ban, of course, because of how important Daley is to Chicago.

Despite his delusions, Daley isn't as important to Chicago's survival as he might think, although he does have the right to self-defense through the use of armed body guards. He must, however, allow Chicago's citizens the same right to defend their life with a firearm if necessary.

Clearly, Daley can live with the hypocrisy and also with the blood of countless Chicagoans on his hands. They say the burden of leadership is cruel and a person is further weighed down when innocent people are in harm's way.

That doesn't seem to weigh on Daley, however, since his arrogance over of the gun issue knows no bounds. He is unapologetically anti-gun, and unwilling to consider the pain and suffering his decision is inflicting on the people of Chicago.

While the outside world is beginning to see the error of Daley's ways, his unchecked power in Chicago keeps anyone from dissenting and touting the benefit of legal concealed carry for law abiding citizens - a shameful turn of events for one of the world's greatest cities and for the people of Chicago who are among the best America has to offer.

Why they continue to elect Daley is incomprehensible, and sad. Until they throw him out of office, the carnage in Chicago is likely to continue and the blood of more students and teenagers will dirty the hands of leader of the last unassailable political machine.

Gerard Valentino is the Buckeye Firearms Foundation Secretary/ Treasurer.