Dearest Citizens of Chicago (an open letter):

So I took today, July 4, 2012, off of work to celebrate whatever it is we celebrate on this holiday.  Freedom, unity, etc.  So I was a bit disappointed when the biggest news story to come out of this city that I love so much was the sheer number of shootings that have taken place since, oh say, 5pm.

Now I’ve lived here long enough to know that when the weather gets hot, so do tempers.  And so do gang members’ guns.  It’s not a new phenomenon and it’s not a Chicago phenomenon. But Chicago, in the last few years and specifically this year, has taken this hot-weather gun violence to a new place. Take a look:

25 Shootings IN ONE NIGHT is a bit much, right? Or am I just old fashioned?

As a brief background of this rant so I don’t sound like some uneducated jackass (just a jackass is good for me), I work everyday as a criminal defense attorney in Chicago. Before that career, I spent 3 years working in an ambulance as an EMT in the worst part of Milwaukee. So I’ve seen some of the worst that people can do to each other. Violence still sickens me to this day. But apathy towards violence is far more infuriating. My professional life as a defense attorney is just that – my profession. I love what I do and I hope that I make a difference in some people’s lives; maybe even leave the world a better place than I found it… But in order to do my job, I need to live in Chicago. Key word being “live,” just like everyone else. And throughout all of the professional circles I travel in and discuss these issues with, I have yet to receive a fact-based, logical explanation for the sheer percentage of shootings per capita in the city. Obviously there are areas of the city, just like every city, where crime is higher. I accept this. But I still don’t accept that Chicago is somehow inherently more violent than other comparable cities. 12 shootings on the 4th of July in 5 hours is absolutely beyond the pale. Why is Chicago’s gun murder rate up by leaps and bounds while NYC has dropped significantly? There has to be a reason. Right? Anyone?

I know that my complaining about the level of violence here isn’t going to jumpstart any big programs from our new Mayor Emmanuel or his buddy Barak that will have any actual positive effect on this, but I can’t stay silent. Silence never got anything done (except if the police are interrogating you – now I’ll put my lawyer’s cap on – never answer questions from the police if you’re being investigated. Ask for your lawyer and exercise your RIGHT to remain silent. Back to the story…) Nobody from any walk of life, regardless of where you live or how poor the neighborhood is, should simply accept that “that’s how it is.” Because that isn’t how it is. Period. The occasional story of a 5 year-old being shot while playing in front of her house is tragic, but when you become desensitized to those stories because they happen week after week after week, it’s far beyond tragedy. I don’t even know of a good word to describe the horror that we should be feeling. But normal or unaffected is not it.

There are some good programs out there – violence interrupters and former gang members working with community groups to steer “at-risk” youth (i.e. youth) in the right direction, but they can’t work in a vacuum.

HOW MANY MORE ROADSIDE MEMORIALS LIKE THIS ONE LITTERED WITH TEDDY BEARS AND KIDS TOYS WILL IT TAKE??

It’s time we take back the streets of our city. I don’t know how, I don’t know how much it will cost, and I don’t know if it’s even do-able, but we need to try. Despite what you may think, my career isn’t about putting criminals back on the street – as much as it may appear so from the outside. My career is about making sure that the police and government remain within the boundaries set in the law and the constitution as far as their dealings with the public. The right to an attorney is so firmly rooted in our country’s legal system that a system without defense attorneys might as well be a police state. I try to ensure the Constitution is upheld. Do the courts always feel the same way? No. Of course not. But if we defense attorneys were not out there every day fighting for those who can’t fight for themselves against a system stacked against them, our country would be in bigger trouble.

That said, it’s time to do something about the violence in Chicago. I’m sure it’s been said before, and more eloquently, but it’s tough to get a good education when your biggest concern is whether or not you are going to be attacked, harassed or worse on your way to or from school or in school.

DO YOU REALLY JUST TURN THE PAGE OR CLICK THE NEXT STORY WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS?? WHERE DID WE GET SO DESENSITIZED TO THE REALITY IN OUR OWN BACKYARDS?

I know that we as a city can do better than this. I’ve seen Chicagoans in tough situations and we are a tough people. Look no further back than the blizzard of February 2011. Neighbors looked out for neighbors, strangers helped other strangers get out of their stranded cars, and we got through it. It’s hard not to draw a parallel to 9/11 – it took a tragedy to bring us together. But it didn’t take much more than 5-10 years to pull us apart again. Come on Chicago! I know we have it in us! Let’s start talking real solutions. It may cost real money and take real effort, but obviously something is broken. And for the “city that works,” we have no excuse not to fix it. There is no excuse for photos like these to be popping up every hour. No excuse for apathy.

I KNEW WE WOULD BREAK THE RECORD IF WE TRIED HARD ENOUGH! CONGRATULATIONS US!

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LEST YOU THINK IT ONLY HAPPENS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OR IN ENGLEWOOD, SHERIDAN PARK IS AT 4400 NORTH RACINE AVE. LITTLE TOO CLOSE TO HOME FOR COMFORT??

Happy 4th of July, 2012! Let’s try to remember the things that make this country great. America fought hard for our independence for a reason. Today it can be hard to see that same spirit as we recover from the 2008 financial “issue”. It’s hard to see the forest for the trees when we feel helpless and down and out, but we can’t give up. I expect better. You expect better. We deserve better! Don’t let me down, Chicago. We’re better than that. After all, we’re the best city in the world. Let’s act like it!

See you in court.

-Jonathan S. Goldman