Monday night’s community forum to talk about the 2016 Summer Olympics was upstaged by angry Uptown residents who gathered in front of Truman College to protest an uptick in gang violence in the neighborhood. In a hastily called protest, residents demanded that Ald. Helen Shiller (46th) speak to them about their concerns.
Following is raw footage of Monday’s press conference and Ald. Shiller being chased out of Truman College by angry residents and a pack of TV news cameras.
LEN will have complete coverage of Shiller’s press conference and the Chicago 2016 community forum on Tuesday.
Also see Chicago News Bench for more video of tonight’s press conference and meeting.
Published on Tuesday, August 18th, 2009, 12:38am.
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I was waiting for her to start with the \funding and more programs\ BS. She truly looked like an ass in front of those cameras.
“We’re in the middle now of the hottest month of the year.”
Let Helen be Helen. This is the best video coverage. The lack of edits is inspired. Bravo!
“Helen, resign! You’re terrible! You’re the worst alderman in the City Council.”
I think it’s a 50-way tie for last.
I lived in Helen’s ward for several years, many years ago, at the beginning of her career as Alderman. Over the years I have come to know her both personally and politically. She has always been – and remains – one of the most thoughtful, intelligent, forthright, dedicated and tireless public servants in the City of Chicago. She is also one of the most scrupulously honest people I have ever known. Yes, she has had an agenda that includes, among other things, protecting the disenfranchised in Uptown – and that, to many people, means she has been against the winds of gentrification that seem to have had no problem blowing through the neighborhoods in her ward. If you want an alderman who is committed to building as many strip malls as possible, who vows to pack up and ship out all the “undesirables” and who favors tearing down everything in sight to build yet another condo/townhouse development (because there is a shortage of those) – Helen is clearly not your alderman. That is a political issue for those who live in the 46th to decide. But make no mistake, Helen is not a coward, not afraid of a fight, and most certainly not “the worst alderman in the city” – that allegation is absurd. If you believe that you have not worked with some of the doozies I have over the years. Helen may not favor unfettered development, but she genuinely understands all the issues that concern you – more than you know. I realize it is not popular to cut her some slack, and most of you would do (and have done) anything and everything to make her out to be a demon and/or a moron. And that, quite frankly, you will jump on any opportunity to come down on her, screaming and yelling all the way. Is this the new trend our society? No more talking? Just yelling? No more respect? It is all very disturbing – especially on video – and none of you should feel particularly proud of yourselves because you all just looked like a mob of psychos no different than the whack-jobs we now see nightly on the evening news. You were not interested in talking. You called her a liar. She was supposed to stay and talk after that? Ridiculous. I don’t blame her for leaving. I would have walked out on you, too. She came to talk. You made a conscious choice – before she even got there – to become an angry mob. I’m not sure what you got accomplished but you certainly have a sweet piece of video footage to show your children someday. How proud they will be. I hear Helen is retiring, and I am glad for that. She has put up with so much crap, so many baseless accusations, so many ABS (Anybody But Shiller) campaigns. Frankly I never understood why she let herself be beaten to a pulp year after year by you people. It certainly wasn’t for the money. And she never had those sweet campaign contributions from the developers who have bank-rolled so many of her opponents. The only reason I can think of as to why she has stayed for all these years is because she was dedicated to doing the best she could for your ward’s residents – all of them – even the undesirables – including you – and that, in spite of everything, she loved her job. You may hate her but your days of hating her are probably numbered, so enjoy them while you still can. On behalf of so many who have known her and respect her, I will always be proud to say that Helen Shiller is the only politician I have ever welcomed into my home. And she will still be welcome long after she shakes the construction dust of the 46th Ward off her shoes for the last time.
Why does she curry favor from that cult, JPUSA???
http://www.exjpusahelp.com