Monday, August 22, 2005

Burning up Freebies

OK, we don’t want to be ungrateful wretches. Police officers nationwide are underpaid, overworked and underappreciated. So be it. HOWEVER, we aren’t really sure that the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation should be strong arming businesses for contributions to the Gold Star Memorial Park (read this link).

Now don’t fly off the handle and say “Hey F#$% you SCC! Coppers should take what they can while they can and it’s about damn time the business community gave something to the cops.” The only reason we bring it up is a story we heard the other day. Someone was trying to set up a fund raiser. It might have been for a sick kid, a deceased PO’s family, a lost spouse, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that they went to a local business looking for a contribution to defer the cost of this fund raiser and the business owner told them, “I gave to the Memorial Foundation.”

Sure it’s good that the business contributed. But it seems lately that the bosses are really pushing HARD, for more money for the Memorial Foundation, both by payroll deduction AND selling knickknacks (T-shirts, pins, gold ball markers, stickers, etc.) In typical copper fashion, they’re burning up the places that treat us well. Do we need a Memorial Park to honor the fallen? Damn right we do. But what about those living among us who need a helping hand? The guy fighting cancer? The kid with medical costs above and beyond what insurance will pay? If the Memorial Foundation uses or kills off formerly generous donors, who do we turn to then?

6 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree. I gave money, now I'm suspicious since it became a permanent ongoing institution. The original idea was good, but like everything else it became corrupted. Who put these people in charge and who's watching the money? Am I going to spend the next ten years getting the shake down? One officer deeply involved in this was a coplete asshole when their brother was killed and did some unscrupulous shit with the fundraiser. Now they've become involved with all this ongoing cash. I smell a rat.

8/22/2005 06:12:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have heard the following comment resounding throughout the department...

"Cline cares more about the dead coppers then the live ones..."

- VERY disturbing.

8/22/2005 09:57:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The city can buy a huge fucking bean for the park that cost millions of dollars and cost millions to fix the thing but they can't put up a couple plaques and signs for the cpd. We should have bought our own land and made are own park just for cpd members.

8/23/2005 12:34:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

From what I know, anyone could have joined the committee to raise funds, so if you think there are some hijinks then join and monitor the funding.

I think it is pretty sad police officers will look negatively at a fundraiser to honor those who gave the highest sacrifice. Good thing I'm left because we like to look at the good side of things.

As for the last post, you are correct. The mayor can strong arm business for some stupid monument in the park, but how come those same business won't honor the police? To the last poster, here's your honorary card in the Liberal Club.

8/23/2005 01:29:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You think all that cash money floating around isn't a temptation to graft and corruption, especially in this town, then you're being naive. There are so many political animals involved in this that it wouldn't be the least bit surprising to a cynical copper that there might be a wee bit of shady dealings. The way they are raising money, from cops and businesses, seems strangely reminiscent of the old "driveway permits" the ward office used to sell

8/23/2005 05:59:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The bean is a hermroid coming from fat phils ass, shiting on the p/os.

8/23/2005 11:39:00 PM  

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