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When I read it, I was amazed. The guy had gone to the Mayor's place, after hours, to make sure he wouldn't be hurt if he did some political stuff.
The mayor said no, go ahead. I remember thinking how very nice it was for the Mayor to;
1) actually take HIS time to talk to the guy
2) Tell him to "go ahead" that is, the Mayor wasn't interested in micromanaging politics. I found that truly amazing in a Chicago politician!
3) and then the jerk shows his gratitude by TAPING the mayor and RELEASING the tape!
I really felt the episode, seen as a whole, was quite credible to the Mayor, and rather the reverse to the would-be hero.
My most vivid memory came after Harold was protested by racists at St. Pascals on the city's NW side. In addition to screaming taunts at him, they wrote horrible racist words on the wall of the Catholic church. Shortly after, I was near the intersection of Belmont and Harlem (still the city's NW side, but much closer to my home). I heard a lot of commotion north on Harlem and feared that the the racists were again protesting Harold. It turned out to be a rally in support of Bernard Epton, his pathetic republican challenger. I didnt know what was worse -- it was a confusing time to be that young.
My heart then told me that Harold was a great man. As an adult reflecting back today, I miss him and the fairness he brought to the city. We should ensure that kids are taught about this period in the city's history for generations to come. Just like every American should know who George Washington was, every Chicagoan should know who Harold Washington was.
We haven't seen much of that since.
I think that was after he had passed. "Mirth and Girth". Biggest art uproar until the Mohammed cartoons.
Of course, I did vote for Harold Washington in the April election when his opponent was the liberal Republican Bernard Epton. And I supported him wholeheartedly in 1997. It was a real tragedy that he died so suddenly after 4 years of Council Wars - my recollection is that he had just gotten a majority on the City Council shortly before he died.
Personally, I supported Tim Evans as his successor. Dick Mell will never be able to live down his behavior in the tumultuous City council session that selected the totally mediocre Eugene Sawyer. In many respects, I think Todd Stroger has been set up for sure failure by the powers that be - the same way that Eugene Sawyer was. History seems to be repeating itself - at least loosely.
For those too young to remember the Washingtoon era, I strongly recommend the book, Fire on the Prairie - I think the author's name was Gary Rivlin.
RIP Mayor Washington
At the time, in the middle of "Council Wars," that was quite a loaded message on the northwest side. It may sound like code today, but back then it wasn't even code. The candidates on the palm card were the ones that would make sure no blacks moved into our neighborhood.
What I remember most about Washington is that he took on people like the precinct captain directly. I remember him visiting my (all-white, ethnic) parish, knowing full well that very few of my fellow parishioners voted for him. He could have justifiably copped an attitude on that visit, but instead he was all smiles as he pressed the flesh. Ultimately, I think that won people over.
Dick Mell is proud of his "behavior" that night, as well he should, be as the presider refused to recognize the elected voice of the north side.
Tim Evans - was one of just a handful of white faces in the hall. It was not a good place to be following the City Hall eruptions. But, the good memories definitely outweigh the bad - many times over. Thanks for asking Rich, I'm smiling through all of these reminders.
At that time, I worked at a very prestigious business, filled with very prestigious co-workers. We would arrive in imported cars and between deals we would make small talk about luxuries we planned to own, and women we planned to have. We had nice new offices in a new loop skyscraper. We were a preened group of Young Turks and played the role. I had only arrived from Colorado six months before and still attempting to shed my cowboy culture. So I was not prepared for the racism and emotions that surfaced during his administration. But that ended, oddly, on the day he died.
On that day I witnessed these perfect professionals who measured each word for effect removed their perfect masks. Hearing the news that Chicago’s first black mayor had died, made many of them gleefully honest for the first time. They formed Aramis scented klans in the hallways and shared disgusting jokes. It became a moment to share other racist jokes. About Oprah. About Jesse Jackson. Jokes about Michael Jordan. I couldn’t believe it! These people I attempted to emulate were saying things I would never think, let alone say. I never saw racism wear expensive suits before. I discovered it can live in minds alongside MBA and law degrees. I was feeling like a Mormon among drunken frat boys. When my office door opened and one of them was smirking with the sad news, I let them know I wasn’t a part of their party. I never saw Chicago the same way again.
After Harold died, it rained and the weather was miserable for endless days, even using Chicago standards of weather misery. The sky was ceaselessly dark and pelted us with sleet, rain and cold. During that time, our company boarded first class for a week's stay in Florida. We would spend the time on a Naples beach for a week-long "meeting", which we all knew was more fun than work. Our gym-toned bodies looked forward to baking, sunning and play in the perfect weather. Even before boarding, the liquor was flowing and gestures were loud and loose. I, on the other hand, was still pretty depressed.
As our jet pushed through the stagnant navy cloud ceiling that entombed Chicagoland below, sunshine filled the cabin. It re-energized me. I was nice to once again realized that even above the darkest skies, the sun shone. The jet’s landing gear thumped under me, and our cabin banked to the left to allow us to head for Florida. As it did this, I sensed a wave of relief that my mourning was passing. It was time to move on. I surprised everyone six months later by quitting their company. I could no longer trust them. So, when I remember Harold Washington, I remember all these things. How ugly successful people can really be, and how sad the weather can become.
Washington was once asked by a TV interviewer, "In your wildest dreams, did you ever think you'd be mayor of the City of Chicago?"
Washington's response (followed by a big belly laugh): "In my wildest dreams I thought I'd be president."
Also, if I remember correctly, so many people bet the license plate numbers on the hearse which carried Washington's body that the Lottery had to shut down the action on those digits.
BTW, Larry has the full Royko column archived:
http://archpundit.com/blog/2003/04/29/what-woul...
I remember kids on the bus openly celebrating, joking, and just tickled to death that Harold Washington had died. Not many, but a few - and very vocally. I couldn't figure out why they were so happy. That was one of the most pathetic things I've ever witnessed.
My mom says that I went with her and my dad to see his body in state. My dad even spoke to Rev. Jesse Jackson. Unfortunately I don't remember that.
I think we will have another minority Mayor fairly soon. Although certain insiders may rue their loss of access and power, most white Chicagoans will view the changing of the guard as a ho-hum affair. I am worried about potential short-term instabilty, while various factions struggle for power, similar to what happened during the transtion that occurred after the elder Mayor Daley's death. I believe this instablity would have ended in 1987, absent Mayor Washington's untimely death.
His alliance with and resurrection of George Dunne after he had been cast out by Byrne.
To benefit Mondale, running as a favorite son in the 1984 Illinois Presidential Primary to keep Jesse from winning.
The final defeat of the Vrodlyak 29 with the special election of Luis Guiterrez. First order of business: Firing Ed Kelly and the Park District Board.
Quote: Asked if his fight with the Two Eddies was racial: "It's not racial. They'd support a purple ape if they could control him."
And in addition to "Hocus Pocus Dominocus," I'll add "Willie Lump Lump," a handy description of any self-important non-entity.
The second thing is his "should we give them (Boston) the finger?" quote during the Bears Superbowl Party after beating the Patriots in Super Bowl XX. Instead of giving them the middle finger, he held up his index finger and said 'We're Number 1"
For a minute, i thought he was going to actually going to give them the univesral middle finger sigh, but, alas, he didn't. classic stuff.
I supported Daley in the primary and Washington after that. To me it seemed only fair. The image of many of my fellow white "ethnic" Chicagoans rushing to support Epton, a liberal Jewish guy from Hyde Park, amused me. Many of those Epton supporters would have been later using ethnic slurs against him if he had won.
I remember the campaign commercials from Washington showing the vicious white crowds and kids reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in contrast. That memory will never leave me.
I remember my older brother coming home with two buttons. One all white. The other with a watermelon and a slash through it. He tossed them on the table with a "can you believe this stupidity" rant. They were given to him at a construction site he was working at.
Chicagoist has a link with 45 campaign commercials from that time period.
Chicagoist.
Back in the states, I saw him in person about a week before he died, when he delivered remarks to a fundraising luncheon at a downtown hotel. I was in my first grownup suit, seated off in nobody land, by the rear doors, when he burst in energetically and stopped at the sight of me alone at a table. "Well hello there," he boomed, making me feel instantly connected to him. Then he went up to the podium and did the same for an audience of hundreds.
What an amazing politician, to make both personal and mass connections so readily. These two encounters are more like film than memory, something I can see in vivid detail all these years later. Thanks, Rich, for giving us an opportunity to share our memories of this remarkable man and the times that he made.
Harold didn't stop with creating a Board of Ethics and passing a toothless ordinance.. He [and unlike Daley] kept his hands of BOE and let them do their jobs -- and allowed them to build a great record of 3 enforcement actions a month -- targeting influence peddling, improper gifts, unregistered lobbying -- all the symptoms of corruption, cronyism and graft.
For the record the present Mayor has succeeded in undoing and reversing all of the work that the Board of Ethics did in the short time it was run during the Washington administration..There have been barely 3 enforcement actions in 16 years -- and obviously never with a project known as MORTON HOTEL JOINT VENTURE -- the thing that gives Miriam Santos her status and standing as a state whistleblower on pension reform.
How fitting then that the present Board of Ethics is now fighting to be allowed the shred and coverup all of the Year 2000 false ethics statements and its systemic failures [which include millions in uncollected lobbying penalties - owed by bankers/brokers and the folks that have dinner with the mayor and never register and report on their lobbying..
Harold Washington's legacy was/is the City's Board of Ethics -- something that the present Mayor has systematically dismantled.
sincerely,
victor crown
That and how he championed the green parakeets of Hyde Park!
Think about it: an army of patronage workers living in the 19th Ward who elected Da Mare for 30 years, and we couldn't get streets until a black guy got elected.
An incredible man.