Dr. X's Free Associations

Afternoon Shots

Starting Early This Year?

Chicago Tribune:

Multiple people were arrested after police responded to reports of disturbances Saturday evening on the Magnificent Mile.

Police have released few details about the situation that unfolded in the area of North Michigan and East Chicago avenues about 7:15 p.m.

Authorities made "a number" of arrests after being called to the area, Chicago Police Department News Affairs Officer Veejay Zala said.

"Charges are pending," Zala said. "More information will be provided as it becomes available."

It's not even April yet. Are we headed for another year like last year and the year before?

Update:

According to CBS, it was about 50 teens--28 were caught and arrested. Some attacks on the el, bumping people, blocking sidewalks and starting fights.  Many of the kids didn't know each other. They converged on the Mag Mile area after a call for volunteers on Twitter.

Second City Cop says estimates of 400 kids involved.

At some point, this may end badly for for some kid when one of these groups go after the wrong person.

The Things People Tell Themselves

We saw what happened. It's not the counterperson's fault that you got a parking ticket while waiting in line with the rest of us. You rolled the dice by failing to use the parking fee box. You lost.

Chicago 0964190A EXP. METER NON-CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT $50.00

That was an expensive cup of coffee.

The Invisible War

If you haven't seen The Invisible War (Apple & Amazon), you need to. It's all well and good to know in the abstract about rape in the military, but hearing the stories from the victims' mouths, explaining how they've been victimized both by their attackers and the military, is wrenching.

Filmmakers Amy Ziering and Kirby Dick persuasively argue that military rape is an epidemic because commanding officers have the final say on whether there will be charges or trials. The CO is the the end all and be all, but the COs aren't trained legally or trained to deal with rape, specifically, as a crime. Perhaps an even bigger problem is that no CO wants to report a rape in the ranks because it reflects poorly on the CO's leadership. So there is a strong, systemic incentive to silence the victims.

Spring Has Arrived

We had our first spring weather yesterday--sunny and the temperature broke 50. That brought out the street performers along with droves of tourists and families on spring break. I always feel like Strolling down Michigan Avenue on a beautiful day always puts me in a vacation state of mind.

The tin man (or is he silver, nickel or lead?) set up camp near the Wrigley Building.

 

lllinois State Senator Ira Silverstein, what were you thinking?

In February, Senator Ira Silverstein introduced a bill that would require website administrators to remove posts by anonymous commenters upon request. Comments would only be protected if IP address was posted, along with the commenter's real name and home address. Seriously.

The senator withdrew that bill, but according to this report, he followed up with another troubling proposal:

The bill that would boot a person’s vehicle if they have any debt owed to the city of Chicago and other municipalities–- such as water bills or traffic tickets, among others, according to Crain’s Chicago Business.If the person does not pay their bill within 24 hours after a judgment, the individual's car could be auctioned off. Any money made from the auction would go toward paying off whatever debt the person owes, the publication reported.Current law states that only vehicles with traffic or parking violations may be booted under certain conditions. In those instances, the vehicle can only be auctioned off after 21 days.Silverstein said he “introduced the bill at the request of a lobbyist friend whose clients include a law firm with a large collection practice,” Crain’s Chicago reported.

He's taking his cue from people who run collections practices?

I wasn't able to find out if this bill has been withdrawn, but I don't imagine it will go anywhere. Not that our general assembly is known for its collective wisdom, but I can't believe that Silverstein, a Democrat, could persuade 50% of his fellow legislators to support this bill.

Republican State Senator Kirk Dillard called the proposal, "over the top."

That's the understatement of the year.

 

FBI Foils Hubcap Theft: One Wounded

As improbable as this may sound, it really happened in Chicago over the weekend:

A 52-year-old man was charged today with assault on a federal officer for his part in a hubcap theft this week during which an FBI agent shot into a car trying to run down officers, authorities said.

The suspect had fled the crash scene Monday but surrendered to police Thursday after being identified by a passenger in the car who apparently was wounded during the gunfire, the FBI said.

About 12:40 p.m. Monday three FBI agents were parked in the lot of a Jewel food store in the 1600 block of West Roosevelt Road in the Illinois Medical District, officials said, and they watched as a man got out of a gray four-door sedan and appeared to steal chrome-wheel hubcaps from a parked SUV.

When agents approached and identified themselves, the man jumped back into the sedan and refused orders to stop, driving at different agents and smashing an emergency vehicle while escaping, the FBI said.<./span>

During this, one FBI agent fired a shot at the sedan, which apparently wounded one of two sedan passengers in the hip while the driver took off down Roosevelt Road at a high speed, officials said.

 

A.M. Local Shot

From my IPad, on a CTA Purple line train in Chicago. The window was clean, so I had to take a photo.

Frum Reviews Gunfight

David Frum:

The most arresting idea in Adam Winkler's impressively learned study of US gun law, Gunfight, is the suggestion that contemporary American gun culture was more or less invented by the Black Panthers.

Sexism in Silicon Valley ctd

Andrew Sullivan's readers say the Adria Richards story isn't so simple, at least not with respect to the initial incident. Regardless of what happened initially, criminally threatening people is an unacceptable ways to deal with grievances.