Mayor Daley and Police Superintendent Jody Weis invite you and your group to the 2008 Block Club University and Neighborhood Assembly at McCormick Place, on Saturday, June 7, 2008 from 7:30 am until 1:00 pm.Free transportation will be provided, along with free breakfast and lunch. Register your group quickly, as space is limited. Learn from professionals and each other how to create and sustain safer communities. Workshop topics will include:
How to Beautify your Neighborhood
Tackling Community Problems
Creating New Community Organizations
Battling Problem Buildings on your Block
How Block Clubs and Faith Institutions can make Safer Streets
Safeguarding our Senior Citizens
Preventing Foreclosure in your Community
Youth Safety Programs that Your Child Should Not Miss
Irma.Perres@chicagopolice.org
~ Sponsored by ~
The Chicago Police Department, the CAPS Implementation Office, the Office of Emergency Management and Communications, and 311/City Services
Richard M. Daley, Mayor Jody Weis, Department of Police Superintendent
~ Sponsored by ~
The Chicago Police Department, the CAPS Implementation Office, the Office of Emergency Management and Communications, and 311/City Services
Richard M. Daley, Mayor Jody Weis, Department of Police Superintendent
Um, this is the same date/time as our anti-crime rally. NOT that I am advocating we change anything but it would be really, really terrific if we could have the majority of Uptown's 2 wards' block clubs represented there. I mean, Mayor Daley really shouldn't want his block club "graduates" to go out into their communities and then fail...right?
ReplyDeleteI think its possible to do both on that same day.
ReplyDeleteThey're at the same time so I don't think it's possible to do both.
ReplyDeleteIf our block clubs would like to attend the McCormick event, then maybe one person from the block club could attend the rally as a representative of the respective block club.
ReplyDeleteInteresting.... did Daley's office just release this now? Hmm. I wonder... is that so if we have a rally, Shiller can say "There is a Block Club Meeting right now over at McCormick Place to learn about how to solve problems in your community, and instead of being proactive and attending that, all of you just want to complain and blame me for violence!! HUMPH!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, but the timing of this is just a little TOO convenient. I have a really hard time believing that this was being planned all along, and it just HAPPENS to be on the same day a certain protest rally was scheduled to occur, in a location as far AWAY from Uptown as possible.
FLH
Let's say for arguments sake, one person from every block club in Uptown attended this event at McCormick...what is that...maybe 8 people? This should change nothing with the rally. If people want to attend the workshops, they can. I don't see this as any sort of hinderance to the rally.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm going to bet that our block clubs know how to do most of the things that are to be discussed there anyway.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, but the timing of this is just a little TOO convenient. I have a really hard time believing that this was being planned all along, and it just HAPPENS to be on the same day a certain protest rally was scheduled to occur, in a location as far AWAY from Uptown as possible.
ReplyDeleteThe timing is coincidental. I've known about this for a few months. Daley is really pushing block clubs now, and there've been events all winter and spring. This date was chosen well before the recent violence that necessitated the rally.
yeah they probably do know how to do these things. If you have ever been to a city wide meeting like this you would be frustrated, very elementary very boring, at times you wish you were dumb so that you could be fascinated and full of wonder at complex ideas presented like how to make copies at kinkos, or my favorite applying postage to member newsletters. I was unaware until this particular meeting that the stamp goes in the upper right corner.
ReplyDeleteHowever to make it easier if you get envelopes pre printed with the return address then you just have to remember that the postage goes at the top, on the empty corner.
You are right, 5:47. No more skepticism is warranted on this particular topic. A gathering of this nature (buses, lunches, space at McCormick, speakers, etc.)is simply to much to plan on the fly. However, it doesn't look like the speakers will be addressing what to do if your alderman doesn't come to CAPS meetings, chooses to call you names rather than really make an attempt at listening to you and is conceptually against such "neighborhood improvement" efforts because in her mind they are by nature against the less fortunate. Hmmm....
ReplyDeleteIs this just the old annual citywide CAPS meeting renamed?
ReplyDeleteI love how everything is a conspiracy to people on this blog.
ReplyDeleteYou are one paranoide bunch!
"You are one paranoide bunch!"
ReplyDeleteIs a "paranoide" a parachutist with hemorrhoids?
Learn to spel b4re u inzult peple.
Yes, Helen, I know it's you. And you call some of us "paranoide". Ha!
The paranoid comment was a little catty but we all know there's a kernel of truth to it. Foolish conspiracy theories open this blog to ridicule. And there's so much REAL stuff to be outraged about!
ReplyDeleteSo people, please, it's so easy to add a stupid shoot from the hip comment, but keep your brain farts to yourselves and think a little before you write stuff that makes you look stupid and reflects badly on the UU community.
Other courses should include:
ReplyDeleteHow to de-gang your neighborhood
Tackling fleeing suspects
Creating new vigilantly organizations
Battling with a non-responsive alderman
How the city fails to make safer streets
Arming our senior citizens
Preventing people from taking bad loans
Youth shooting programs to teach your child how not to miss.
And my favorite: Passing the Buck 530.
It's a graduate level course that teaches you how to turn your abject failures on public policy back onto your constituents - and then, for extra credit, raise taxes to pay for the new programs required to rectify those failures.
Phpt - the Block Club University is nothing but high-minded balloon juice, and an indirect way of admitting that the mayor, police, and council can't do their jobs effectively.
I say we move forward with the rally, send a few reps to the Guilt-deflection affair; but, if asked why we aren't attending, we could state that we can't look to solve gang violence in the same manner that the city's worked to solve Wilson Yard.
People are being shot and killed, today.
Had this "placating the unwashed masses" seminar taken place a couple of weeks ago, Francis Oduro would still be dead.
And, of course, our beloved Alder(wo)man still would have no comment on the matter.
5:47...
ReplyDeleteYou said you knew about this all along, and that it has been planned for months. Why didn't you say anything to the rest of us? Especially when the discussion has been to have a rally on the 7th?
Why hasn't this been posted on Shiller's newsletter for the past month, giving everyone plenty of time to plan for it to attend, instead of releasing this info what, 2 weeks before the event? Wouldn't of that made her look proactive and doing something? It would of only been in her best interest to inform everyone about this major event the mayor is hosting! But when I checked her newsletter yesterday, the top line item was CUBS PARKING!
So, either you are a TROLL from Shiller's office, as are the others who commented that I am paranoid, or you just joined this blog and had no idea that we've been discussing having a rally on June 7th since the Truman student was murdered. I mean, if you HAD been on here, and seen that, and of course, knowing what you know about the Mayor's plans to have a major block club meeting like this, you of COURSE would of informed the rest of us who have been talking about what we should do, now wouldn't you?
Seriously, people on this blog aren't that stupid troll. As far as the timing issue, its 2 weeks away, and he's the Mayor. He could put something like this together overnight. I work in Marketing and Event Planning, I know how easy it is to put something like this together if you have the money and clout to make it happen.
It's quite likely that this was being planned, however, if it was... then why was the community not informed of it until NOW? Explain that one if you will.
Regards,
FLH
The block clubs received this invitation awhile ago. There is no ulterior motive, no withholding information.
ReplyDeleteThis was also mentioned at the last few CAPS meetings.
Unless you are on your block club's board, you wouldn't get the invitation.
Why all the anger about this?
12:50...
ReplyDeleteI am on my block clubs message board, and I did not receive notice on this. I'm not angry at all. I am asking very simple questions as to WHY this was never mentioned on Uptown Update while everyone was discussing having a rally on the 7th. It wouldn't of killed someone to state - Hey, don't forget that big meeting Daley is having at McCormick on that day. We should consider another date. It would of made perfect sense.
It also would of made sense for this to be posted loud and clear on Shiller's newsletter, which when I checked yesterday, it was not.
So if there is any anger, it is over the fact that Shiller has a prime opportunity to at least attempt to look like she cares about her Ward and crime, and to make this a prominent feature of her newsletter. Instead, its about Cubs parking, about zoning for parking spots, and every other benign topic she can think of.
I'm fine that this has been announced, and I take back my original statement regarding the timing being too convenient. However, I'm still curious why if 'everyone' knew about it as you stated, that no one mentioned it on here during all the debating on when to have a rally. I think that is more than a fair question to ask, and one that I have not received an answer for.
FLH
Anon 5:47 here.
ReplyDeleteFLH - Unless you've been going to these Block Club University things all along, it's not really a conflict, is it? Most Uptown residents and people who will be attending the rally aren't block club board members. There are maybe, at most, three people from my block club who've been attending these Mayor Daley events since the winter. And they are heavily encouraging block club members to attend the rally.
The overwhelming -- and, I believe, more important -- need was to schedule the rally quickly, at a time that Ald. Shiller's office is open, and at a time when most residents can attend. June 7th seems like a date that meets those requirements. To be honest, I didn't even consider the event for block club boards of directors a conflict.
Believe me, I'm not a Shiller troll. I've been reading this blog since its inception. I believe that Alderman Shiller -- if she thinks of me at all --dislikes me intensely, since I was pretty visible during James's campaign running against her.
It's nearly summer. I will bet that every single Saturday from now through September has at least one -- probably five or so -- events that conflict, timewise. The trick is deciding one's priorities. Mine is the rally.
Anon 5:47...
ReplyDeleteI have full intention of being at that rally too. I am not familiar with these meetings Daley holds. There wasn't anything posted to my block club that I saw. Perhaps I missed it. I did forward it to my block club in case they aren't aware of it. I am not always able to attend all the CAPS meetings for my area, so I'm sure it was mentioned and I just wasn't aware of it.
I apologize for my ignorance on these meetings Daley hosts. I was just really surprised that no one mentioned it being on the same day on the message boards. Uptown Update is ususally so ON about things, I figured someone would of brought it up before now.
My fear is that people who had intended on going to the rally, will go to this instead and our numbers would dwindle. For this rally to have any sort of impact, it needs to have enough people to draw curiosity and hopefully media attention.
I don't trust Shiller. Hence my comment about her being snarky and making some underhand comment about people demonstrating in front of her office when they can be doing something 'proactive' in their community by attending Daley's meeting. I've seen her in action at a small handful of town meeting she did show up for, and her disdain and dismissal of those who dared question her policies was unreal. She talks about not wanting to polarize the community... her very attitude does exactly that. I don't think Uptown's issue was Have Vs. Have-nots until she made it an issue to deflect attention from the very real, obvious issues in Uptown.
Anyway, I posted flyers, alerted the Tribune, and the rally was posted on my block club message board. I hope to see as many people there as possible! AND the press!
FLH
I wonder if there will be a session on how to sue the City.
ReplyDeleteIf this is the same as the old city-wide CAPS day, it is a waste of time. It's just a rah-rah city hall and pick up brochure event. One does not walk away with any valuable tools from solving community problems.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if there will be a module
ReplyDelete"Making Your Voice Heard in Your Home Town's Government:
Your Block Club's Rights at Public Hearings in Chicago
Tips for Effective Testifying"
But, it is a great way for the City to create a database of all city block club members to contact for Obama political rallys and for bus trips to Springfield to lobby against guns.
ReplyDeleteAsk not what city hall can do for you, ask what you can do for city hall.
Hugh, you know that there already a blue print for what community members can say at zoning meetings. The 7th District Courts supplied it via a court case to the city.
ReplyDeleteI don't want to walk near a City University. I might get shot.
ReplyDelete"Who Needs An Alderman?"
ReplyDeleteHas your alderman been purchased lock, stock and barrel by developers? Don't despair! Attend this session and learn how to use the courts to get the due process your elected officials attempt to deprive you of.