A Tale of Two Cities

New York City and Chicago- two of America’s largest cities.  They compete as to has the best sports teams, food, etc.   But they also have clamped on freedom.

First, there is New York City.  Legally purchasing a gun there is next to impossible, since getting requires paying an arm and a leg in fees, tons of paperwork, classes, background check, and being grilled by a police officer on the Big Apple’s gun laws.  Any error in the paperwork or interrogation is grounds for automatic rejection.  Also, the applicant is basically told “don’t call us, we’ll call you” after the interrogation.  Usually, the NYPD never calls, and I guess calling them would result in “application denied.”  In fact, most applications are rejected.

Although NYC’s crime rate has decreased, it has nothing to do with the restrictions on guns.  Instead, it was a crackdown on crime that began when Rudolph Giuliani became Mayor.   But lifting the restrictions on guns would lead to a further drop in crime for the City that never sleeps.

Of course, there is the health issue.  Michael Bloomberg banned the big gulp, and is trying to ban various foods and beverages that he deems unhealthy.  I’m not sure how the many restaurants will react to his agenda, especially the pizza joints, diners, delicatessens, and steakhouses (four of the most popular types of restaurants in NYC).  Because let’s face it, today it’s the big gulp, tomorrow New Yorkers won’t be able to enjoy pastrami or steaks.  I suppose the hot dog vendors will also be targeted by Bloomberg.

Then, there is Chicago.  Guns were not allowed in the Windy City for private citizens until the Supreme Court struck down its gun ban.  This gun ban (along with Obama and his community organizers) resulted in Chicago being America’s most violent city.  Whereas New York City has had both Democratic and Republican mayors, Chicago has been a Democratic city for decades.  Richard M. Daley has been Mayor from 1989 to 2011 (a career politician) and has been a major advocate for gun control.  His successor, Rahm Emanuel, has vowed to continue the fight for gun control despite the Supreme Court’s ruling.  Emanuel went on to appoint a gun control advocate named Garry McCarthy as Police Superintendent.  In fact, McCarthy even went so far as to blame Sarah Palin for inner city violence.

Rahm Emanuel also took up the cause of same-sex marriages in the aftermath of Chick-Fil-A’s President Dan T. Cathy voiced his opposition to same-sex marriages on moral grounds.  Emanuel responded by saying that “Chick-Fil-A values are not Chicago values.”  So what exactly are Chicago values?   Because all I can think of is crime and political corruption.

After Daley left office, he got elected to Coca-Cola’s Board of Directors (what were the people there thinking?).  He also has police bodyguards 24/7 at the Chicago taxpayers’ expense, despite being a private citizen.  Rahm Emanuel is known for being foul-mouthed and abusive towards those underneath him, while Bloomberg has his security detail keep reporters away, even to the point of reporters being followed and harassed (e.g. Jason Mattera attempting to question Bloomberg on disarming his bodyguards while forbidding the people of NYC from having guns).  Needless to say, all three individuals are arrogant, power-hungry hypocrites.

Meanwhile, I would like to see Jason Mattera try to interview Rahm Emanuel or Garry McCarthy on Chicago’s crime and gun restrictions.  Failing that, he could interview Richard M. Daley on his bodyguards and how he got to be on the Board of Directors for Coca-Cola.

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