Some Chicago Boyz know each other from student days at the University of Chicago. Others are Chicago boys in spirit. The blog name is also intended as a good-humored gesture of admiration for distinguished Chicago School economists and fellow travelers.
I listen to Bloomberg radio on XM most days when I am riding to work. They give a quick snapshot of the major markets and typically have interesting discussions that are not the usual shouting matches that you will find on the major networks.
Today in their news segment they reported some news that I had hoped I would see one day. I let out a cheer – what a great way to start out my week.
I understand that this will be a long fight, but at least it is a start.
All the bad press has prompted ACORN to act decisively in order to improve their standing.
Are they going to start to follow the law? Fire people who advise clients on ways to commit crimes, even if they aren’t caught on camera doing so? Maybe even refuse to commit fraud?
No, none of that. They are just going to change their name. Goodbye ACORN, hello Community Organizations International.
Because Conservatives are just too dumb to figure it out if you call it “Shinola“!
(Hat tip to Glenn.)
In Texas, if you kill a burglar in your home, no matter how gruesomely, they pin a medal on you. The police very rarely take you in for questioning, and the D.A. doesn’t leave you dangling for weeks while they consider whether to press charges against you for defending yourself and your property. All you have to face for certain is an automatic grand jury review of your actions. Since the jury is a bunch of Texans, something really has to be amiss for you to get in trouble.
I feel for the kid in this story. It really sounds like they’re going to make him sweat while they take their sweet time deciding if he should have screamed like a school girl and locked himself in a closet when confronted by a life-long criminal.
[via Wheels within Wheels]
[Note: This post is a little dated. The events described have been assigned their place in the leftist narrative and swept under the rug. However, I did promise commenter Tdaxp a detailed explanation of why I thought his view of the Gates affair was dead wrong and this post covers that ground. In any case, the event serves as a powerful example of the hold that predefined narratives have over the minds of leftists.]
The incident between Officer James Crowley and Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. demonstrates just what a powerful grip fictional narratives have on the minds of leftists. All the leftists in the country, from the President on down, fervently believe that Crowley acted out of racial animosity but they can’t explain what action of Crowley’s indicates his racial animosity. Instead, they must rely on a narrative shared by the subculture to convince each other that Crowley must be wrong.
How soon until the news media starts investigating, harassing and ridiculing Police Sergeant James Crowley, and his wife and family?
Obama’s media allies defend him by trying to impose personal misery, and if possible, professional destruction, on anyone who crosses him.
Obama chose to get involved in this, so it is about him now.
Sgt. Crowley and his family are next.
Watch.
UPDATE: While some of the facts are not yet in — statements from other witnesses for example, which I have not seen, though they may be on the Net somewhere — it appears for now that the police officer was doing his job and that Prof. Gates was out of line to the point that he was within the scope of the Massachusetts disorderly conduct statute. I base this on the police report, in large part, as well as the known facts, i.e. that there was a report of an attempted break-in, that there had been break-ins in the neighborhood, that Gates was locked out and trying to get into his own house, that the police arrived to investigate, and (some speculation) that Gates was probably in a foul mood, sensitive to real or imaginary racial slights, and failed to exercise self-control. Do cops lie on police reports? Yes, some do, from time to time. Do cops act abusively, or condescendingly or blusteringly? Of course, we have all seen this from time to time. Do we have any basis to say this officer did anything wrong or inappropriate? Only if you accept what Gates says and discount the police report to zero. I am inclined to see the conflicting stories as at best a wash, with Gates’ story making less sense overall. Were there witnesses to this episode? Yes, apparently there were. Can they confirm or rebut what was in the police report versus what Gates says happened? Maybe. Will this investigation continue? Apparently not formally. Will the news media keep it alive as a controversy? Likely. Will we get more clarity, or only heat and not light? Too soon to say. I am open to contrary facts, but I am not seeing them yet. So far, I see no basis to assume that Sgt. Crowley was (1) racist, (2) stupid, or (3) abusing his authority.
My point is that since Obama inserted himself into this, I predict his allies will rally to him and use all available means to smear and intimidate and harass someone who has found himself adverse to Obama.