Residents Fed Up

After receiving free housing, food stamps, link cards, medical care, and SSI for all manner of disability, residents of the Cabrini Green neighborhood are finally fed up with police and developers forcing them out of the neighborhood.

• "It's crap, man. I was brought up here,'' said Jimmie Blossom, 63, who has since moved out of the neighborhood but visits regularly.
• "I know they want the neighborhood. . . . It's prime property. They are trying to get the poor people out of here. . . . I got a right to live, too. My God, I got a right to live. I might not have money ... education. But nobody can put me down and kick me in my side."
• Tensions rose at the end of the protest. Protesters winged water bottles at police and brandished broken broom handles and bats in the 1200 block of Larrabee.
• Two African-American teens chastised a white police officer with vulgar verbal attacks, challenging him to take his gun off and fight. They also expressed anger at white citizens at the march.
• One man allegedly spit on an officer during the march and was sprayed with Mace by police trying to arrest him near Scott and Larrabee, which brought forward the protesters with the broom handles and bats.

At times like this, only one action will ever make an effective impact: Move out. Move out and deny the City your vote. Deny the City sales tax revenue. Deny the City your head count during the 2010 census and the Federal funds will dry up faster than a summer rain in Death Valley. Move! It's the only way to make sure your voices are heard.

Keep screaming knuckleheads. Keep brandishing those broom handles, throwing those bottles and spitting at the police - you're doing a great job of marginalizing yourselves.