A new trend has emerged in Chicago. It’s called a “teen takeover” and is characterized by looting, property damage, blocking traffic, and just causing general chaos in the streets. Watch the remarkable videos for yourself.
Chicago’s latest “teen takeover”
pic.twitter.com/YBK8t2gwZe— Jack Elbaum (@Jack_Elbaum) August 3, 2023
But Chicago’s mayor, Brandon Johnson, doesn’t seem to think it’s too much of an issue. In fact, he even rebuked a reporter who asked him a question about it, saying it’s “not appropriate” to characterize it in the way he did because “we’re not talking about mob actions.
THE MIXED MESSAGES OF BIDENOMICS
“Respectfully, these [are] large gatherings,” Johnson continued, “It’s important that we speak of these dynamics in an appropriate way … This is not to obfuscate what has taken place … unfortunately, arrests were made. Unfortunately, some damage was caused. And the level of sensitivity and patience that our officers expressed, I’m appreciative of that.”
No condemnation. No clear statement that what is happening is unacceptable. No plea to the parents of these kids to make sure they don’t engage in such activity again. Instead, it was just a “large gathering” that resulted in some unfortunate damage, according to Johnson. Equally “unfortunate,” to Johnson, seems to be the fact they were arrested, even though it was clearly deserved.
This has become a pattern. During another one of these “teen takeovers” in April, videos showed “teenagers fighting in the streets, jumping on the roof of a bus, breaking into vehicles and setting them on fire.” Johnson responded: “In no way do I condone the destructive activity we saw in the Loop and lakefront this weekend. It is unacceptable and has no place in our city. However, it is not constructive to demonize youth who have otherwise been starved of opportunities in their own communities.”
Come on. Randomly fighting and lighting stuff on fire is nobody’s fault except for the person who is doing it. It is obviously not a “crime of desperation,” as Johnson wants to make it out to be.
If you want less of something, then make its costs higher. Make it clear that lawlessness will result in arrest and unconditional condemnation from the city. To make excuses, which is clearly what Johnson is doing, is itself unacceptable because it 1) allows out-of-control kids to evade responsibility for their actions and 2) makes clear that Johnson is not serious about preventing such events from occurring again.
It looks like Chicago is in store for four tough years under the misbegotten leadership of its new mayor.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Jack Elbaum is a summer 2023 Washington Examiner fellow.
