When it comes to the mayoral election, I will pay more attention to the candidate who is focused on addressing the crime problems we’re currently experiencing rather than those who are content to maintain the status quo. 

I want a candidate who can present a viable plan to prevent it, as well as a strategy for confronting it. I have never been an advocate of coddling criminals. We have a society of criminals today who don’t care. They don’t care about going to jail. They don’t care about your life. Nothing scares them, and thus their criminal behavior has gotten progressively worse. Even victims who have willingly given up car keys, cellphones, wallets, etc. can still be shot and even killed because these criminals don’t care. 

And the proliferation of weapons that these criminals have access to says it is a very intentional situation. Yet we never hear any news stories about the people who are supplying the guns being caught. And it’s no longer just handguns. There’s a lot of military grade weaponry being utilized.

Several days ago, ABC-7 news held a debate. With nine candidates on the ballot for mayor, unless one miraculously receives over 50% of the vote, we can be assured that there will be a runoff election.

I know the Chicago of today is not like the Chicago of four years ago. I think the current mayor has done an absolutely horrific job in office. She professed during her initial run about being a federal prosecutor. Yet crime has gotten worse. And she was aided and abetted by the now very silent as of late Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, whose decision to not prosecute anybody who shoplifted a value of less than $1,000 only served to make more criminals shoplift. 

Lori Lightfoot’s handcuffing the police from being able to do their job properly has made the police less willing to do their jobs. Nobody wants another George Floyd, but at the same time, rampant criminal behavior cannot be tolerated. And the criminals continue to get younger and younger. A 14-year-old carjacker is no longer astonishing. It’s more par for the course.

During the debate, the candidates were asked about crime. Willie Wilson’s response, shows he is not a politician. He said, “Somebody run, chase somebody by foot or car, that police officer should be able to chase them down, and hunt them down like a rabbit.” Those are not the most elegant of words, but I think most of us.

Mayor Lightfoot’s response: “For a candidate for mayor to say that we ought to take the handcuffs off police and let them hunt down human beings like rabbits is an extraordinary thing. I fully and utterly condemn it.”

I find it very interesting that she is admitting she has handcuffed the police. Criminals will always try to get away with what they can. 

There are nine candidates to choose from on Feb. 28. Everyone needs to come out, vote, and let their voice be heard.