Politicians in North Lawndale: You Can’t Handle The Truth!

Insanity: “Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” — Albert Einstein

North Lawndale runoff candidates Michael Chandler and Sharon Dixon have been grumbling that they are not “happy campers” after reading the article written in a past edition of the North Lawndale Community News. To quote Jack Nicholson from “A Few Good Men,” the problem is, “You can’t handle the truth!” For most politicians in the 24^th Ward (aldermen and others), the “truth” is a hard pill to swallow.

Back in the day, I was a Democratic precinct captain under the late Mayor Richard J. Daley. In that day, politicians were friendly, apologetic, patronizing, and accommodating. They always wore a big smile and showed a willingness to help their constituency. Today, most incumbent politicians in the ward are just the opposite–they won’t return a telephone call or give you the time of day, but they want you to vote for them on Election Day, and the people do.

Dr. Shemuel B. Israel said, “There has been a collapse of bureaucratic leadership in North Lawndale for many years. To bring North Lawndale out of its forty-four year slump and embark on an entirely new and higher stage of growth, future politicians in the 24th Ward need a new set of concepts and strategies.”

While campaigning in North Lawndale, Chandler and Dixon reached back into their old “rhetoric bag of tricks” and brought out issues that resonated with the voters, telling them what they want to hear. They tell voters they will improve living conditions and bring in better city services; they talk about education, crime, drugs and gangs, creating jobs, and economic development.  After they are elected, the “rhetoric” is put back in the bag and they go on their way counting their money and letting “City Hall” dictate the needs of the ward.

Local school councils in North Lawndale should demand more comprehensive civic-training classes in public schools;  it might help resolve some of the political leadership problems in the future.

Politicians keep doing the same thing over and over again and the people keep expecting different results by putting them back in office. Get out and vote for change in North Lawndale!