Hello there! As you can probably guess, we have been busy. Thanks for hanging in there.
The recent tragic news about the slaughter of American Idol star Jennifer Hudson's family in South Side Chicago made me think of one of the major concerns I have for Chicago's bid-and their unanswered questions that go along with it.
Make no mistake about it, crime is everywhere. But it seems it's going at a runaway pace in Chicago, and their bid officials can't or won't address the issues. I know people who have repeatedly emailed them with concerns about how security and crime will be handled if the Games are awarded to them. I personally am of the philosophy that if you don't answer questions, you have something to hide. Pure and simple.
Chicago has a demonstrated history of corrupt cops, even more corrupt Mayors and if you are of the baby boomer generation, then you know what happened in 1968 with the students who demonstrated. The murder rate is at an all time high and the concerns expressed by myself and others have gone unanswered.
It would behoove Chicago 2016 to buckle down, and stop hiding from the tough questions. In fact, it would actually be easier for them to start answering questions now, instead of taking the bet and someone asking some even tougher questions next October in Copenhagen.
I for one am not impressed-or amused. And according to an email I got tonight from my friends at Games Bids, Chicago has fallen from the top spot. Not surprising-and they are going to keep falling unless they start to do the right thing and start responding-and soon.
You meet the same people on the way up as you do on the way down. Chicago would bode well to repair the relationships of the folks that they have rubbed the wrong way. I have talked to some of these people and they are very influential-and can make or break their bid in a heartbeat.
Or perhaps they think some people are expendable and not worth their time.
As Julia Roberts said in "Pretty Woman":
"Big mistake, I mean really big mistake."
