I understand the frustration with the senseless violence but I disagree with bringing people not trained in law enforcement, like the National Guard, and think this solution, is akin to Arizona's response to immigration problem. The headcount of Chicago Police needs to be increased; more efforts to create educate and jobs for young men need to be undertaken with the federal government's assistance. Funding needs to be taken from other areas like two wars, big banks and the politically powerful who have been sucking up increasing share of resources, without any pretense of equity or giving back. At its' heart I think the violence problem is a continued lack of opportunity for young men who have no skills and no opportunities to earn enough to support their families. Over the past few years I worked with exoffenders who were one time responsible for much of the violence. I found providing them education and hope, along with their own decision to change and not return to prison changed their behavior. What was missing was community-wide commitment to help these men and women by providing them additional support and the ability to guarantee them jobs, during a punishing recession. Now that the economy is recovering I think there some opportunities to create jobs and businesses to employ those trying to go a different way from the violence which is destroying many families and a great city.
Two state representatives called on Gov. Pat Quinn to deploy the Illinois National Guard on Chicago's streets to combat violence.
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