Chicago: A Distrustful Reality Show
A Weekly Column to CopyLine Magazine
Â
By Rev. Harold E. Bailey
President of Probation Challenge & the PCC Network
CHICAGO, IL – Reality shows have taken over the media industry and have created frenzy among the people. Hollywood has told untruths for so long and so well that some folk seek to emulate what is seen on television. However, I’m here to tell many of you that the real reality shows are happening every day on Chicago streets, on the street corners, in homes, in alleys and even in the work place. As children seek to play outside in their front yards or as John/Mary Doe wait for a bus…it is all too scary now! And the reality is that little if anything is being done by those hired in our city and state governments to bring about safety – coupled with truth and solutions! When most people leave their homes to venture out, many often ponder if they will arrive back home safely.
The powers-that-be that are sitting on the Fifth Floor of City Hall are trying desperately to govern the city population with mere cosmetics, but are themselves lost in a pit of vipers, with little or no hope of escape!
I was once told by a respectful gentleman who had a multitude of honest thoughts that once you have bitten into the political fruit you belong to the political bosses. What is the truth in all this madness? Is the cost of ‘I scratch your back – you scratch mine’ worth spiritual prostitution? Is it worth losing self-respect or credibility with the public? In this reality show, are you mindful of the sufferings of the people you’ve taken an oath to govern properly… and the promise you made to uphold the law with truth and righteousness? Is this the reality of your work?
The governmental reality show indicates that some folk are giving themselves healthy raises under-the-tables, in the corridors, etc…as the hard working public becomes the poorer! This cycle of deceitful mismanagement in our city and state governments must stop – and it must stop now!
The public has been raped of almost every dollar mentionable and can’t spend that last dollar to travel to the downtown district to pay the absorbent utilities bill because they don’t have money for the Chicago meters or the high cost of city-garage parking.
Who is fighting in the taxpayers’ behalf? This is truly shameful! The honest truth is that my children’s children will pay for years the burden of the Skyway travels which was leased or simply sold-off to whom? Where were the council members who were hired to protect the community from such questionable matters? Who now is honestly in position to answer for these live reality shows that appears to be continuing on a daily basis? It would be wonderful to once again have standard barriers that are fearless and have the nerve to report to the public behind the doors misgivings…where are they?
Roll Call: Who sat at the political table reaping thirty pieces of silver (if that much), while all the raping and mismanagement of public affairs were going on? Who silently signed on to matters that have caused citizens, property owners and businesses of this city to suffer and weep bitter tears? Many of these persons have given up hope. Many have left the city while others, after working hard through the many years, retired to enjoy their lives in old age after losing hope under the City of Chicago burdens and taxations.
In the midst of all the loud calmer of government misspending, youth are being sent away like crazy to pay what is stated to be a ‘debt to society’ … and at the same time this incarceration money is refilling the coffers of those who raped the community of its youth, and they could honestly care less about people!
This is the true reality show! After all this political malice, hatred and misappropriation of tax-payers’ money, the question again is: Who is going to rehab, jail and/or prison? The debt now own taxpayers for the years of city and state administration mistakes, and misspending. It will never be paid off by this present generation…never, if ever!
The devious hidden hand continues to rob from the poor and lend to the rich. For example: Emphasis should have been placed on education years ago but the evil eyes of some saw that if they warehoused (imprison) youth they could benefit more! You do know that it cost more to incarcerate than it does to educate, don’t you? This was a true mismanagement of dollars and a gigantic reality presentation!
Over twenty-five years ago, I emphasized that if we dared to educate well, you would not have to incarcerate. That was laughed at and even many in the judiciary scored at the concept of the Probation Challenge seeking to educate. However, many of those that sought to write me off … then wrote the blueprint for what’s happening now – to jail them…those people! How strange; but how true! This is the reality, folk!
It will soon be over, and the laughter will cease when the pendulum starts to swing in a different direction, and the majority of those falling prey to violence will become whites rather than blacks; then the ballgame will shift to sincere ‘rehab measures’ rather than incarceration!
This inconsiderate and unfair metering out of justice is displayed where white celebrities continue to display acts of aggressive behavior and defiance toward the courts of law … with a mere slap on the wrist. African-American offenders would have received contempt of court and a sentence that would be unforgettable. Does this actually mean that there are two sets of rules in the criminal just us system? In this reality show I’d rather think so! This blatant act of some and their disrespect for the court indicate that everybody can’t play that game. And certainly not every day ‘living-in-living-color people’ in the streets of Chicago and County of Cook. This is in fact the Real Reality Show! Youth shouldn’t attempt to emulate foolish actions of others across town – it will not work! They should live productive lives as God wanted them to do. And they’ll be glad that they did. Because Christ came to earth that we might have life and have it more abundantly.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the Rev. Harold E. Bailey and not of CopyLine Magazine.
The Rev. Harold E. Bailey, President of the Probation Challenge Program will address ‘Truth and Solutions’, Friday, August 16, 2013, 7:00 p.m., at the Condesa del Mar, 12220 South Cicero Ave., Alsip, Illinois, at Probation Challenge’s 34th Annual ‘Portrait of Achievers’ Awards and Dinner, Entertainment and the Show of Show’s stage presentation.
International Artist appearing for the Educational Cause are:
The World Famous Marshall Thompson and the Chi-Lites
The Barrett Sisters with Tina Brown
Kevin Collins
Make check/money order payable to Probation Challenge and send your ticket requests to: Probation Challenge, Post Office Box 498293, Chicago, Illinois 60649.
Rev. Harold E. Bailey is the President of Probation Challenge and the PCC Network – www.probationchallenge.org – The Truth network – ‘The System that Works for Criminal Rehabilitation’
