Yesterday, two State Representatives held a press conference to ask Governor Quinn and Mayor Daley to call the National Guard into Chicago. I respect these men and I understand their frustration. Just last Friday, I did a funeral for another 22-year-old who had been gunned down. However, I do not believe the National Guard is the answer.
The National Guard comes as a last resort when all else has been tried; that has not happened yet. What we need is parents and adults to rise up and take control of our homes, blocks and community. We cannot ask the National Guard to do what we have failed to do. Secondly, the National Guard is trained to kill and their mission is suppression!
Chicago: wake up, get up, stand up and take charge of our city. Yes, we need the national government to gives us funds for programs, jobs for our youth and resources to strengthen our community, but we do not need them to patrol the streets that we have ignored … That’s our job!
Before we call the National Guard, let us:
– Call Parents to take charge of their homes and children. – Call neighbors to come out and take authority of their blocks. – Call block clubs to re-organize and start holding their meetings outdoors. – Call on churches to come out and get involved in the community. – Call young people to stand up and talk to their peers about stopping the violence. – Call on Washington to send the promised resources, summer jobs, money for programs and positive alternatives for youth; teach conflict resolution in schools; ban assault weapons and title guns like cars – Call on state legislators to fix school funding; stop cutting human resources and youth programs to fix the budget; call education systems to teach conflict resolution; call police districts to hold community meetings and strengthen police and community relationship
Yes, The violence is out of control, but there are a lot of calls we need to make before the call to the National Guard.
— Rev. Michael L. Pfleger, Pastor, the Faith Community of Saint Sabinia, Chicago
