It is easy to criticize President Obama for his planned trip to Copenhagen Thursday to appeal to the Olympic Committee to choose Chicago as the site for the 2016 Olympics. After all, are there not more important things on the President's plate right now, you know, things like the Iranian nuclear issue, health care, terrorism, talking to your general in Afghanistan and deciding whether to send more troops to that country, etc.? To be honest, if he asked me to go in his stead, I would be happy to oblige and go to Denmark for a couple of days. In between the Tuborg, Tivoli Gardens and the exciting nightlife, I could find five minutes to drop in and say, "Choose Chicago", then it's back to the bars before they have the time to ask me about the Cubs.
On a more serious side, there are things in Chicago much more important than getting the Olympics. Things like the beating death of Derrion Albert (16), an honor student caught in the middle of a gang fight a few days ago. (Warning: this video is graphic).
The first question that came to my mind was, "where were the adults?"
I would respectively suggest that the city of Chicago (a city I love) turn its attention away from the Olympics and start concentrating on saving its south side. There are too many Derrion Alberts out there getting killed and maimed. Besides, surely the city fathers-and President Obama- are hoping against hope that the Olympic officials won't see this video. They surely won't see such videos coming out of other finalists Tokyo or Madrid. (Rio de Janeiro, I'm not so sure about.)
So good luck, Mr President. I just have a feeling that instead of Copenhagen, maybe you belong in Chicago.
(I didn't mean it that way.)
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4 comments:
Isn't bringing the Olympics to an American city something that helps our country? Doesn't it help the economy of that city? I think that him doing that beats clearing brush on a ranch.
I live just outside Chicago and the3 last thing the city needs is the Olympics. City services are nearly gone with city offices open only 3 days a week (and you think California is bad). No Olympics has made money for the host city in years. And Lance, did the Olympics in LA, Lake Placid, Salt Lake City, Atlanta do any good for the country? For those cities?
Let Rio have the Olympics! No South American nation has ever hosted one. It is their turn now!
Gary, Munich had the Olympics, I don't know if they are competing for it again. Two weeks ago at the train station on Munich a 50 year old businessman who was trying to protect four young teenagers from three hoodlums who were threatening them was beaten to death by them, while people were calling the police or watched helplessly from afar. Where is one really safe today?
Your picking on Obama for just about everything he does is childish, because it always sounds like all the problems started with him.
How do you feel about the election results in Germany?
Ingrid,
First, I questiuon those who watch but don't intervene. Maybe it's my police training, but I always have intervened in those kinds of events. Secondly, there is no way you can compare Chicago to Munich. I know both cities. And I will continue to criticize Obama when I feel he desrves it.
I like Merkel. She seems sensible and favorably disposed to the US. She's a whole lot better than Gerhard Schroeder.
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