Chicago Mayor Comments On Holiday Weekend Incidents
Today we're diving into some controversial comments made by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. In a recent press conference, Mayor Johnson appeared to link the city's pervasive gun violence problem to the policies of former President Richard Nixon. This statement came in the wake of a particularly violent Fourth of July weekend, during which over 100 people were injured in shootings across Chicago, with at least 19 fatalities.
During his address, Mayor Johnson highlighted the long-standing issues of disinvestment and disenfranchisement in Chicago's most affected communities. He stated, "We are standing here today talking about a violent weekend because of generations of disinvestment and deep disenfranchisement in the exact communities where so much of the violence has taken place." He emphasized the need for federal resources to tackle the violence, urging for a response akin to that seen in other parts of the country following mass shootings.
Over 100 people were shot in Chicago last weekend, including 18 fatally.
Mayor Brandon Johnson blamed it on Richard Nixon in his press conference today.
No, that is not a joke. pic.twitter.com/dorETLl5os
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) July 8, 2024
A reporter questioned the mayor about his personal experience with gunfire in his own neighborhood on the city's West Side. Johnson acknowledged hearing shots and described the systemic neglect of areas like Austin, which have been plagued by poverty and violence for decades.
In a particularly notable part of his remarks, Mayor Johnson suggested that the roots of Chicago's current issues could be traced back to the Nixon era. He said, "Black death has been unfortunately accepted in this country for a very long time. We had a chance 60 years ago to get at the root causes. And people mocked President Johnson, and we ended up with Richard Nixon."
Mayor Johnson’s reference to President Nixon is gratuitous and the facts are not on his side in his characterization of Richard Nixon and the Nixon administration’s civil rights record.
Here are the facts: https://t.co/bWBx5v7DJd
— Richard Nixon Foundation (@nixonfoundation) July 9, 2024
The Richard Nixon Foundation quickly responded on social media, defending Nixon's civil rights record and listing the administration's accomplishments. Clips of Johnson's comments went viral, drawing significant backlash online. Critics accused Johnson of deflecting from present issues by shifting blame to past administrations.
One post on X, formerly Twitter, summarized the sentiment: "Over 100 people were shot in Chicago last weekend, including 18 fatally. Mayor Brandon Johnson blamed it on Richard Nixon in his press conference today. No, that is not a joke."
Other commentators described Johnson's remarks as a desperate distraction and criticized his attempt to shift blame. One user wrote, "Leadership requires addressing present issues, not deflecting to the past," while another called the mayor's comments "disgusting" and blamed Democratic leadership for Chicago's current crime rates.