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Schanna Gayden, a thirteen-year-old honors student and innocent bystander, was killed yesterday as she bought watermelon at a vendor's cart in a park just blocks from her home. This morning, charges are pending against a 19-year-old gang member likely from either the Imperial Gangsters and Spanish Cobras, the two gangs that have previously sparred over the turf in Logan Square
As a press conference yesterday, a visibly upset Mayor Daley said yesterday, "Parents have to go into the bedrooms. Find out whether their sons or daughters have guns in their room. Find out whether their sons or daughters are palling around with gangbangers on a block or in a community... . Parents have to do this. They should prevent crime." He repeated his frustration that gun control isn't a priority in Springfield or Washington, and called for the parents of the 19-year-old held in the shooting to stand up and be held accountable.
Schanna is second CPS student killed since the summer began, and the 34th overall. In 2006, there were 201 gang-related murders; through May of this year, there were 49.
The Trib echoed Daley in today's editorial, with the headline "The Summer Killing Season":
With guns so plentiful and common sense in such short supply, Chicago needs all the summer safety its citizens can muster.But they won't muster that safety by waiting for police officers to deliver it, like ice cream, to every intersection. That's not possible.
Citizens won't have a safer Chicago until they're willing to crack down on the gang members on their streets -- or in their own houses. Until that happens, the summer killing season will continue. Sunscreen won't help.
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It's horrible that once again, an innocent child is killed on Chicago's city streets. There should be outrage by everyone living in the Chicago community, like Daley echos. But I think Daley is misdirecting the outrage. First, and I know that we have been through this more than once on Chicagoist, but I do not know how further gun control in this city will stop kids and adults from purchasing or getting illegal weapons in the first place.
Second, I am a little unclear as to why Daley says the parents need to be held accountable in this case. Sure, parents should be held accountable for their children. But, the accused is a 19 year old man. Isn't a 19 year old an adult? At what point do the parents stop being held accountable?
They need to repeal the second amendment and start throwing people in jail for life for violent crimes.
Our mayor is the only American politician I've ever heard who's brought up these very frightening, very true numbers:
30,000 gun deaths in this country per year. (Murders and accidents. Keep in mind 55,000 Americans died in Vietnam.)
Around 15,000 homicides in America every year.
Why do we need guns? Fine, keep the hunting rifles. The amendment was conceived so that people could fight off a tyranical government. That idea's life expired long ago with the invention of machine guns, flamethrowers, cruise missles, nukes, tanks, etc. No mob of rifle-wielding farmers would stand a chance against the US Army in the 21st century.
What are our leaders in Washington doing?
My prayers go out to this poor girl and her family.
Shootings really seem to have spiked this Spring / Summer, and while I've lived in some pretty shady places, it seems unusually baseless this time around.
I work two blocks south of that park and am always riding my bike up central park through what would have been the line of fire and did that very evening even around 6pm. Creepy. Can't say I'm too surprised there's usually a heapin' helpin' of thugs hanging out in the nearest blocks north of that school.
No mob of rifle-wielding farmers would stand a chance against the US Army in the 21st century.
Maybe you should Google "Iraq Insurgency."
Guest 2: Look to Iraq/Afghanistan to see what a relatively poorly armed population can do against the most modern military force in history. Your point makes no sense. A supply of AK-47s or similar weapons, combined with bomb-making knowledge and a ready suppy of ammo, as well as leadership in guerilla war strategy, has done a lot in last half-century to defeat greater powers, and probably would do a lot in the USA should the need arise. Besides, why would a tryanical US govt nuke its own land? That also makes no sense.
Two questions:
--Instead of endless and rather pointless calls to gut the Constitution--I'm no gun nut but I agree with Sparky--what can the city do to hire more cops, perhaps, or walk more beats?
--Have the Big Brother cameras done any good in countering gang violence? I've seen no evidence, but maybe I've missed it.
I may be off by a block but is there not a camera on that corner?
I look to Iraq/Afghanistan and see that poorly armed population benefiting greatly from the Geneva Convention. If we went in with all of our military might that place would be a dust bowl within 24 hours. Presumably a tyrannical government would not consider such restraints.....
Gah! Thanks for dragging me into this silly tangent.
*shakes fist*
I also want to add that this shooting did not take place in a park, it took place on a school playground. The girl in question was on the slide at the time. Legally, that probably doesn't make much of a difference, but while something like this should never happen anywhere, the fact that it happened on an elementary school playground hurts my heart more than a little.
Well, I guess if you engage in outright extermination, the poorly armed population might loose. Great point. Few governments outside the Balkans and Africa seem all that willing to take that path in recent years, unfortunately.
Right. I don't want to use this poor girl's death to engage in a theoretical debate, either, but clearly we need some kind of major changes in order to prevent the thousands of incidents like this that occur every year.
Guest 11:
What kind of "major changes" do you propose for a city like Chicago?
I thought handguns were already illegal in Chicago. How is it possible for a gang member to get one if they are illegal?
Clearly we need more laws that criminals will ignore.
Poster 7, nope there are cameras on a couple corners near there, but not on that particular street... yet.
This is a terrible tragedy. Why though, did you choose to cover only this one given there are hundreds of murders a year in the city? Is it somehow more relevant because it is in a gentrifying neighborhood? Or is it because of circumstances specific to this case?
I just wonder if this had happened on 63rd and Ashland (because it does)if it would have shown up here.
Keep the second amendment. I need a gun because I don't want the King of England getting up in my face, and this is obviously a relevant concern.
To #15: I chose to cover this because it was the top story in both the Trib and the Sun-Times. If you click through the stories I linked to, you can read about a few other acts of random and senseless violence.
Anyone that thinks our mayor is doing anything to seriously staunch the level of gun violence in this city is smoking crack.
Kevin,
What would you have him do? Chicago isn't a fortress; it is, in fact, part of the larger United States. Passing city laws is obviously not going to be very effective when the entire nation is saturated in weapons.
#8 Yay for genocide, huh?
I always knew wingers had a lot in common with Nazi's. Now, we've got them actually endorsing using our military to commit genocide.
#18 I reluctantly agree. There needs to be more done than pass anti-gun laws. Canada doesn't have gun laws any tougher than the laws here, yet a city comprable in size to Chicago, Toronto, has far less violence.
http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/statistics/ytd_stats.php
99 shooting victims in Toronto in 2007 thus far. 16 resulted in death. Total homicides in Toronto thus far are "only" 35.
Comment number 18: I would have the mayor do what he does about all of the city's other, pressing problems: nothing. As evidenced by Canada's much lower gun violence rate, "gun control" clearly isn't working.
#15, I think the fact it was a playground, and in daylight, and it was a little girl all have something to do with it too.
I don't think it's fair to even try to raise the gentrification card in discussion of this topic since it skews where the focus should be.
Police cameras actually helped catch the people who were later charged with the crime in this case. So yes, cameras do help.
#8 Yay for genocide, huh?
I always knew wingers had a lot in common with Nazi's. Now, we've got them actually endorsing using our military to commit genocide.
You're in such a froth to slam "wingers" that your reading comprehension is all out of whack. I wasn't endorsing genocide, genius, merely agreeing with #2 that if the US government did unleash everything in its arsenal, hunting rifles in the hands of citizens aren't going to do much good.
That said, however, I think fiddling with the Bill of Rights should be out of the question.
Signed,
#8
By the way, ever hear of "Godwin's Law"?
Can we compare apples to apples here folks. Canada does not have the socio-economic history that the US has.
Comparing Chicago with LA or NYC would be appropo, comparing Chicago with Beirut, Toronto, Mexico City, New Delhi, or Bangkok would not.
Still though, Chicago has a smaller population yet has *more* violent crime/murders than L.A. or NYC.
I think changing some draconian drug laws will do more good than any feel good gun laws.
I need a gun because I don't want the King of England getting up in my face, and this is obviously a relevant concern.
At the risk of sounding like some kind of compound dwelling wingnut let me just say that if you follow some of the news recently you'll see that it was OUR leaders who've been fucking with habeas corpus, spying, surveilance, universal i.d. (papers please) etc.
here is the simple arithmetic solution
If there is less access to guns, then there will be less shootings. or 1-1=0
Sure sort of like when there was less access to booze during prohibition there was less drinking/crime/violence, that was very successful. Good luck trying to recall millions (billions??) of American guns. Whatever the case lets just completely overlook the actual factors that cause a young man in the city to wield a gun in the first place.
What do you want Kevin, for Daley to personally shield these kids from the bullets?
You people are also forgetting something when you compare us to Canada. There is far less poverty.
Maybe the gangs are all slinging drugs and fighting over territory so they can pay their monthly insurance premiums?
Actually, during prohibition there was probably much less violence, as there is something like 17,000 drunk driving deaths per year in this country.
guest #28: I suppose if Daley actually did use himself as a human shield to protect youngsters in the city from gunfire, we would at least be rid of one public menace.
Actually, guest #27 answered your question for me. I'd rather the mayor address the issues that make young men pick up guns in the first place, than try to some half-assed "gun-control" measure that isn't really going to do anything but arm criminals and leave me defenseless.
Why do you hate Daley so much? What do you think he could do better?
I grew up around a completely dilapidated urban area and, although I'm sure his critics will give him no credit, he seems to have played an integral part in preserving and growing the core of downtown Chicago, which has led to the economic resurgance of areas like Lincoln Park, Bucktown and beyond.
I'm not sure why you hate him, but if it's because he pays too much attention to downtown at the expense of the city's outer areas-the most common criticism, from what I've seen--I encourage you to spend some time in a place such as Detroit--a city literally falling apart due to a viable tax base.
Hey guest 31,
People always compare Chicago to Detroit to prove that things have improved here. Why don't you try a couple cities comprable in size to Chicago like L.A. or NYC next time? They've also gentrified and seen "economic resurgances" as well. I guess are mayor isn't that unique. I suggest you all read this weeks reader article on the mayor funneling TIF money away from public schools to his friends and wealthy developers for projects in wealthy neighborhoods.
Why do you hate Daley so much? What do you think he could do better?
I don't hate him. He could EASILY do much better.
What does size have to do with it?
Re: the TIF article, it's interesting, but it would be more interesting if the author had placed even one phone call to City Hall to see what their side of the story is, if they have one.
I know, I know, that is the "old way" of doing journalism, no longer seen as a requirement by this generation.
Guest 34: Cut the crap. The writer at the Reader often has tried to get answers and docs from City Hall, which usually is tight-lipped--in fact, the TIF articles often point out how mysterious the TIF process is kept by insiders in order to confuse outsiders. Ask the Reader, Trib and others about Freedom of Information requests and how they are handled by the city.
"This generation"? That's cute. I doubt you know shit about journalism.
I haven't read his entire series; just the one article, which made no mention of trying to contact anyone.
Uh, yeah, you have a lot of reason to doubt anything about me, considering we know each from several anonymous posts on the Internet.