Be Like Mike

The Rev. Michael Pfleger's blistering condemnation of Gov. Rauner's treatment of the inner city resulting from his budget impasse imposing draconian harm there, was both appropriate and necessary. Pfleger's comments helped prompt Rauner to cancel his plan to speak at a Juneteenth event at the DuSable Museum of African American History on the South Side. Juneteenth, commemorates the June 19, 1865, announcement that the Civil War and slavery were ended. Civility and respect are due public officials. Claiming our first black president is a foreign born Muslim with an agenda to help terrorists is an example to incivility and disrespect. But publicly calling out our governor for the abominable and unconscionable collective punishment meted out to the must vulnerable to extract his pro-business turnaround agenda, is in the best traditions of ground up democracy. Pfleger simply told the truth about the callous hypocrisy of Rauner's showing up at such an historic event to speak hollow words of brotherhood with the black community while systematically adding to its current pain and suffering.

Illinoisans of every demographic must turn out at every public event Rauner attends and silently protest his silence about the damage he inflicts, almost with a sense of pride. A good form of protest would be to simply turn our collective backs on a governor who has turned his back on the most vulnerable among us. Rauner cancelled over concern for public safety implied in the criticism his tone deaf scheduled appearance inspired. Nonsense. Rauner cancelled to avoid the humiliation and embarrassment of public exposure of his being the servant of the 1% instead of his entire constituency.

When it comes to serving the interests of all Illinoisans, we should ignore the inhumane preachings of the Man of the Rich and channel the 1982 Gatorade commercial to: "Be Like Mike".