Columnist James T. Ingram
In 2007, East St. Louis, IL was the most deadly city in St. Clair County. That’s the unfortunate truth. The hard facts are that, of 40 murders in St. Clair County, 31 took place in ESL.
That’s right, last year 70 percent of all murders in St. Clair County happened in good old East Boogie.
Yet, recently, I happened to stumble across a copy of the “City of East St. Louis Quarterly Newsletter” and a story entitled East St. Louis “Stops the Violence.”
In glancing over the publication it became obvious that this so-called “newsletter” was nothing more than a propaganda sheet generated by ESL Mayor Alvin Parks’ “Life More Abundantly” campaign.
Now it’s one thing to be wrong, but when a politician of Parks’ ilk attempts to distort reality by using revisionist history (along with headlines) then there should be cause for alarm.
Either Parks and his crew failed college statistics or they’re in denial over just how dangerous ESL was in 2007. Too bad would-be developers, investors and tourist websites don’t view East Boogie through Parks’ rose-colored glasses.
Another equally ridiculous “newsletter” article on the ESL Police Department stated that ESL Chief Michael Baxton’s new motto is “Get It Done.” However, during the six months that Baxton has served as chief, his focus has been on solving old murder cases as opposed to preventing new ones from occurring.
When Parks ran for office, he and several high-profile supporters suggested that if Parks became mayor that businesses would rush to set up shop in ESL. Where are they now?
Unfortunately, Parks and his “yes men” are in denial. To declare that East St. Louis “Stops the Violence,” when reality and statistics prove otherwise, is intellectually dishonest and insulting.
Parks’ solution: monthly prayer breakfasts (hallelujah). At least that’s the closest thing to a solution described in his so-called newsletter.
I believe in prayer; but last time I checked, ESL voters did not elect “Rev. Parks” to be the “Pope of ESL.” He was elected to be mayor.
Although, his gospel of denial (complete with an occasional Biblical scripture) is more abundant than solutions or strategies to decrease ESL’s murder rate. But, again, “Rev. Parks” is supposed to be a mayor.
Mayors do things like ask the police chief to put a few more of his desk cops and detectives on the streets to prevent a few murders, versus focusing on the investigation after the fact.
A good mayor would first acknowledge that the problem exists, admit that he doesn’t have the answer to the problem and, finally, invite state and national experts to share their expertise and resources with ESL.
That’s called being proactive instead of reactive. It’s called being realistic instead of idealistic.
However, Parks’ propaganda and distortion of ESL reality will, eventually, backfire (on him) and alienate voters once they wake up.
If the gunfire that I heard on New Years Eve is any indication, 2008 in “the 618” will be just as lethal as 2007. The question is whether or not Mayor Parks – after his symbolic pep rallies, marches and prayer breakfasts – will ever devise any real solutions to ESL’s reputation as Dodge City.
Email: jtingram_1960@yahoo.com.
Carol Daniel will return next week.