‘Chicago values’ evidently means that you reject homophobia, unless it’s tinged with antisemitism, in which case it’s okay


From the Chicago Sun-Times:

Emanuel goes after Chick-fil-A for boss’ anti-gay views

The anti-gay views openly espoused by the president of a fast food chain specializing in chicken sandwiches have run afoul of Mayor Rahm Emanuel and a local alderman, who are determined to block Chick-fil-A from expanding in Chicago.

“Chick-fil-A’s values are not Chicago values. They’re not respectful of our residents, our neighbors and our family members. And if you’re gonna be part of the Chicago community, you should reflect Chicago values,” Emanuel said Wednesday.

“What the CEO has said as it relates to gay marriage and gay couples is not what I believe, but more importantly, it’s not what the people of Chicago believe. We just passed legislation as it relates to civil union and my goal and my hope … is that we now move on recognizing gay marriage. I do not believe that the CEO’s comments … reflects who we are as a city.”

Same paper, same day:

Rahm welcomes help from Farrakahn, ignores anti-Semitic remarks

Ignoring Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan’s history of anti-Semitic remarks, Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday welcomed the army of men dispatched to the streets by Farrakhan to stop the violence in Chicago neighborhoods.

Ald. Debra Silverstein (50th), an Orthodox Jew, has said it’s good that Farrakhan is “helping” in the fight against crime, “but it doesn’t eradicate the comments that he’s made about the Jewish community.”

Emanuel offered no such caveat. Although Farrakhan has a history of making anti-Semitic statements, Chicago’s first Jewish mayor has no interest in revisiting that controversy.

He’s more concerned about reducing a 40 percent surge in Chicago homicides that’s become a media obsession and threatens to undermine his efforts to market Chicago to international tourists.

“People of faith have a role to play and community leaders have a role to play in helping to protect our neighborhoods and our citizens. You cannot get there on just one piece of an anti-crime strategy,” the mayor said.

“The police have a role to play. Tearing down abandoned buildings has a role to play. Shutting liquor stores that are a cancer in the community have a role to play. Community leaders have a role to play. Pastors have a role to play. Principals have a role to play. And most importantly, parents have roles to play. They have decided, the Nation of Islam, to help protect the community. And that’s an important ingredient, like all the other aspects of protecting a neighborhood.”

Interestingly, Farrakhan is an opponent of same-sex marriage, just like Dan Cathy of Chick-fil-A.

“Chicago values” evidently means that you reject homophobia, unless it’s tinged with antisemitism, in which case it’s okay.

One thought on “‘Chicago values’ evidently means that you reject homophobia, unless it’s tinged with antisemitism, in which case it’s okay

  1. GO FIGURE. – The mayor of Chicago, a city with blood running in the streets from out-of-control gang activities (more murders than deaths in Afghanistan this year); the mayor of a city with literally thousands of unemployed citizens, has now joined in a war on chicken sandwiches. He throws his valuable time and efforts in support of a crony alderman in refusing to allow Chick-Fil-A a Christian-owned restaurant chain to open a new franchise in Chicago; a restaurant that could help Chicago’s unemployment problem. Sheesh!

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