Rogers Park to Obama - Tea Gets Bitter when it Seaps too Long.

This e-mail follows up your need and organizational meeting for support in the Forty Ninth Ward and its residents.

Senator Obama, we realize that you feel obligated to harness 'the Machine,' but in doing so, you may be better off evaluating the parts that need purer oil, not simply abrasive and offensive mean spirited muscle that 'may' grease a path to perpetual demands for political favors. An Obama Campaign meeting was likely best scheduled outside the ‘lions den’ on more neutral territory.

We need Alderman Moore to be a reasonable representative, not merely a poser ready to pounce on Schakowsky's Congressional Seat. We don't support activity that appears contrary to full and fair elections. The actions by again incumbent and now re-elected Alderman Joseph Moore's camp demonstrate some of what can appear embarrassing to the community. He does not seem to share credit with others, who work hard for this community.

Most of us are progressive, but not cannon fodder. We feel that the incumbent Joseph Moore, his staff, and/or supporters heaped a negative glut of innuendo, fear and dis-information upon the electorate who were unable to study the other candidates. We hate to see your campaign run on that plan.

Moore's supporters referred to a thirty year active Rogers Park resident named Don Gordon supported by Democratic Progressives as a Republican, among other inappropriate labels. Many believe that facts about Gordon were presented untruthfully for the sake of seeing 'what would stick to the political wall.' The innuendo and disinformation seemed ‘McCarthy-like’ in scope. You cannot create a cohesive political party on divisive political comments geared to defame and misrepresent another candidate. Moore's people divided Democrats in our Ward.

Our Ward will support you, irregardless of Fagus and Moore, but you should not depend upon what some view as political thugs who take credit for something that you are likely to earn on your reputation, alone. Many of us have concerns about Fagus and Moore, among others, who we feel have lost the trust of the community, yet depend on our support as residents, voters and professionals. We distinguish how Chicago works from how this City should work.

I admit that I once entered Hyde Park and campaigned in the projects when Al Raby ran against Charlie Hayes and Bobby Rush. I worked on the candidacy of one of the elected candidates. In hindsight, the most credible deserved, but failed to win the election. His legacy is part of Chicago and he remains one of our unsung heroes in my opinion.

My digression demonstrates that we, as well as the SEIU, should study before we capitulate to tow the political line for any incumbent. Box box is a Statewide issue, not a Chicago one; people shop in the suburbs and Chicagoans also work there, as well. Yet, in our Ward, the Harringtons, Gordons, Adams and countless others have been mislabeled to discredit them in order to re-elect an incumbent without jurisdiction to create an effective big box ordinance. Yet, each opposing candidate had one thing in common; an understanding that our Ward has become 'Moore's Ward' deserving of our attention and concern.

We need a leader, who will pay attention to the real challenges and frustrations that result in violence and violation if not addressed and defused. We don't need politicians who look pretty, attend our children’s funerals and kiss babies. Politicians should come up with a plan to stop the violence at its genesis. It does not take much for someone to try to encourage our Alderman to listen to us. This election does not seem to have done it. It seems questionable to me to claim that Moore be given credit for each and every project that was completed over the last fifteen years.

Tea gets bitter, when it seaps in the teapot too long. Moore needs to pour some of our wisdom. Don't let the dome continue to ferment it. Otherwise, any political party can help create division and scandal. We need an alderman with the audacity of hope, not a blurred vision, inattention and arguable arrogance. There is no shared credit in this administration according to Moore's Website on public works projects.