On CNN’s State of the UnionJake Tapper was confronted by J.B. Pritzker (Illinois Governor) on a common theme. This is something that many leftist journalists and politicians have missed. They focus only on the tragic events like mass shootings and ignore daily shootings that take place in Chicago every week.
Tapper rightly noted the fact that Pritzker had discussed Highland Park’s terrible shooting on Independence Day. “the fourth of July weekend death toll in Chicago, as you know, surpassed the Highland Park shooting.”
Tapper pointed out that Pritzker visited Highland Park after the shooting and then read from a statement that the assistant pastor of New Beginnings Church of Chicago gave:
When you have power you need to ensure the opposite energy and effort are put into the other area. It is not possible for me to visit Highland Park without seeing the other side of the spectrum.
Tapper observed that “one parent told CNN that they see the difference in how black and brown children are treated all the time.”
Tapper directly addressed Pritzker and asked him questions “what do you say to any parents who are asking why the Highland Park shooting is getting so much more attention than the gun violence facing residents in Chicago, particularly northern neighborhoods in Chicago every single day?”
Pritzker denied that he’s “giving more attention to one than another” and deflected by claiming “much of what we’ve done in our budget over the last six months for this current fiscal year is to put money into programs that serve black and brown communities throughout Chicago and, in fact, throughout the rest of the state.”
Making excuses, he claimed that the nation is paying more attention to the Highland Park shooting “because of the weapon that was used and the number of people killed all at once by one particular shooter.”
Fact is, the American people pay more attention the Highland Park shooting because they are not aware of what the weapon was used. Instead, the media focuses more on mass shootings than fatal shootings every weekend in Democrat-controlled cities like Chicago or Los Angeles.
All of these events are terrible and deserve equal treatment.
To read the relevant transcript of this segment click “expand”:
CNN’s State of the Union
July 10, 2022
Eastern, 9:07:39JAKE Tapper: As you all know, the fourth-of July weekend deaths in Chicago surpassed that of the Highland Park shooting. After the shooting you visited Highland Park. However, TJ Grooms, an assistant pastor at New Beginnings Church of Chicago, stated that if you’re in a position of influence, it is important to ensure that all areas are treated with the same amount of energy and effort. I won’t visit Highland Park only to not be there at the other end.
CNN heard from one parent who said that black and brown children get treated differently. Do you have any thoughts for parents wondering why Highland Park’s shooting gets so much attention than other gun violence in Chicago that is affecting Chicagoans, especially in the northern areas?
GOVERNOR J.B. PRTZKER: I speak for myself. Each one is important. Actually, a lot of our spending in the past six months on this fiscal year has been to fund programs serving black and brown residents of Chicago, and throughout the state.
I’m particularly interested in communities that are prone to violence. In fact, I have visited and spent time among the families and communities affected by the violence. Highland Park is the most recent. This is an uncommon case that the nation should be paying close attention to. It was due in part to the gun used and how many people were killed by one shooter.
Talking about assault weapons should not be the only topic we are discussing. Of course it’s the deeper issues that cause violence. It is necessary to decrease poverty across the country. We are trying to achieve that here in Illinois. These communities are often neglected and forgotten. We must help them.
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