LYNNSWEET: If Trump has answers to Chicago violence, he should just tell us
If you’ve got solutions to city’s scourge of violence, just tell us
WASHINGTON— Donald Trump, please come to Chicago.
In the wake of Chicago’s ongoing struggle with gun violence, tell us how you are going to fix Chicago’s crime problems. Nykea Aldridge, a cousin of Bulls star Dwyane Wade, was shot on Friday, caught in crossfire intended for someone else.
She is just one of many innocent victims.
You’ve been mentioning Chicago shootings in your speeches even before the murder of Aldridge, the mother of four, near 63rd and Calumet.
I get that you— and other Republicans— like to highlight Chicago crime because it’s President Barack Obama’s adopted hometown and his former chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, is the mayor.
“Failed Democratic policies— the policies of Hillary Clinton— have created this high crime and crushing poverty,” Trump said Saturday in DesMoines, when he brought up the Aldridge shooting.
“In so many communities under Democratic control, we have bad schools, no jobs, high crime, and no hope. It can’t get any worse. To those suffering, I say: vote for Donald Trump and I will fix it. What do you have to lose?” Trump said Saturday in Des Moines.
Mr. Trump, what do you have to lose?
Don’t wait for the debates. Don’t wait for the election. Don’t just talk about murders in Chicago in the abstract. If you have proposals on how to prevent another killing— tell us.
I don’t care all that much that you put out another insensitive tweet on Saturday: “Wade’s cousin was just shot and killed walking her baby in Chicago. Just what I have been saying. African- Americans will VOTE TRUMP!”
Later on, Trump sent out a tweet with condolences.
What’s more important is what Trump would do about crime if he is president.
You want to woo African-American voters? Come to the South Side of Chicago for a town hall meeting with community residents, police and the relatives of innocent victims of gun violence.
Trump has spent the last 14 months running for president.
On Sunday, Chris Wallace, the host of “FoxNews Sunday,” asked Trump’s new campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, “how many times has he gone into an American inner city and held an event for a largely black audience?”
“. . . Let me say, would you be surprised if the answer is none? Never?”
Conway replied, “No, I would not be surprised. I will tell you, Chris, and I pledge to you, and everybody who’s watching that those events are actually being planned. And we’re very excited about them.”
Late Sunday night, the Trump campaign announced he will do an interview in Detroit on the AfricanAmerican- owned, Christian television Impact Network.
Kellyanne Conway, please schedule an event in Chicago.
There’s so much to discuss. One topic is how to prevent guns from getting in the hands of gang members, repeat offenders, such as two brothers charged with Aldridge’s murder.
Chicago has tough guncontrol laws. Weapons that end up in Chicago were purchased in Indiana, the suburbs and other places with much looser laws. These guns are killing people.
Jake Tapper, the host of CNN’s “State of the Union,” on Sunday asked Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Trump’s running mate, about how “law enforcement in Chicago says a lot of those guns come from your home state.”
“In Indiana, we know what most Americans know, is that law— that firearms in the hands of law- abiding citizens makes our communities more safe, not less safe,” Pence said.
Tapper said, “Not those guns that go over the border.” To which Pence replied, “I know the— I know the president wanted to— wants to blame- shift to Second Amendment rights.”
Without weakening Second Amendment rights, what would a Trump- Pence administration do to curb gun violence? It’s easy to say enforce existing laws. What would you do differently?
Would a Trump Justice Department with vigor continue the pattern- and- practice probe into the Chicago Police Department, launched after the police shooting death of Laquan McDonald?
On Dec. 18, 2014, Obama created the “Task Force on 21st Century Policing” to find ways for police to be effective in cutting crime while maintaining the trust of the public. The task force report is out. Like anything in it?
Chicago is looking for solutions. Long term. Short term. Tragically, Chicagoans know the problems.
Donald Trump, how will you “fix it?”
As Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson said Sunday about Trump, “If you have a magic bullet to stop the violence, anywhere, not just in Chicago, but in America, then please share it with us. We’d be glad to take that information and stop this violence.”