A mayor in charge

Plus: the exhibits you won't want to miss [View this email in your browser]( [READER Logo]( Daily Reader | February 6, 2024 Whether you liked the outcome or not, I think we’ll agree that Mayor Johnson masterfully orchestrated the City Council last week, leading the alders to approve the Gaza ceasefire resolution by the slimmest of margins. Actually, I realize few will agree with me on this. It’s neither the first nor the last time that few will agree with me. So it goes. But think about it . . . Before last week’s council meeting, the prevailing wisdom on Mayor Johnson was that he was a rookie. In over his head. Can’t govern. Not ready for the job, and so on. I think I may have been one of those offering such “wisdom”. And yet, when last week began, there were reportedly 28 alders lined up against the ceasefire resolution. Somehow the mayor talked at least five of those no-voters into pretending they had something else to do or somewhere else to be when the vote came down. That meant the vote was 23-23 when the alders were done voting on the resolution. Mayor Johnson cast the tie-breaking vote and it passed. Isn’t that what you like to see, Chicago—a mayor in charge? Naturally, everyone who opposed the resolution pretended that Johnson’s legislative mastery was no big deal. I had to laugh at that. Just imagine if Mayor Richard M. Daley or Mayor Rahm Emanuel had talked five alders into missing the vote that seemed to be going against them. Man, the mainstreams would be hailing Daley and Rahm as masters of the legislative universe—mayors who can get things done! Mayor Johnson’s orchestration reminded me of Governor Jim Thompson and Speaker Michael Madigan stopping the legislative clock so the deadline would not pass and subsequently they could round up the votes they needed to approve funding the first White Sox stadium. Speaking of which . . . well, I’ll get to that. The other thing I’ve been hearing from Johnson’s critics is that the ceasefire resolution itself was a waste of time. Alders should stay in their lanes, keep out of foreign policy, and stick to things they’re supposed to do, like solving crime. I can sorta relate to this attitude. Been saying similar things for years. Especially when the council gives millions to fabulously wealthy people who don’t need it. I remember back in 2008 when the powers that be joined Mayor Daley’s crusade to bring the Olympics to town, pledging untold billions on a few weeks of fun and games while we had high school kids [running in hallways]( because we didn’t have any public indoor tracks. My attitude was: stay in your lane, alders! Not one nickel for Mayor Daley’s party until those kids have tracks to run on. You know, in contrast a resolution calling for peace doesn’t sound so bad. Thankfully, we didn’t get the Olympics. But the Bears and Sox are currently looking for more handouts to build new playing fields. Even though we’re still paying for the ones they occupy. Oh, I can hear the stadium backers right now trying to convince us that their new facilities will somehow reduce crime in Chicago. Which is ironic considering they still haven’t figured out who committed the actual crime that took place with [last summer’s shooting]( at Sox Park. By the way, high school kids are still running in hallways. Some things never change. [Logo with text: The Ben Joravsky Show. Features man wearing a cap and headphones, and Chicago flag stars.]( 🎙 [Listen to The Ben Joravsky Show]( 🎙 ◈ [The Curse of Pietro Houdini]( another suspenseful novel by Derek B. Miller ◈ [Ed Vogel and Shawn Mulcahy]( on ShotSpotter’s accuracy ◈ [Ben Joravsky]( on Chicago in 2008 ◈ Sun-Times columnist and editorial board member [Rummana Hussain]( on the ceasefire editorial ◈ Chicago Teachers Union president [Stacy Davis Gates]( on politics without rules ◈ Chicago high school teacher and high school football coach [Mueze Bawany]( on the Super Bowl [Champion puts the life and trauma of Emile Griffith in the ring]( Terence Blanchard’s jazz opera about the haunted boxer is moving and resonant in its Lyric premiere. by [Kerry Reid]( | [Read more]( → [an altar filled with candles photos and other items]( [A Long Walk Home brings solace to the Chicago Cultural Center]( “Freedom Square: The Black Girlhood Altar” aims to raise awareness about violence against women of color. by [Kerry Cardoza]( | [Read more]( → [The Paglees color the lens of collective feminism]( The collective’s South Asia Institute exhibition reclaims the narrative of the “unruly woman” for immigrant women of color. by [Wendy Wei]( | [Read more]( → [History repeats itself]( An exhibition of ex-votos at Gallery 400 examines contemporary forms of devotion. by [Cristobal Alday]( | [Read more]( → Last chance: enter for a chance to win tickets! Ten winners will be chosen on Feb. 7. Sam Thousand and YumDiva (Chef Erika Durham) are creating an [experience full of engaging art forms and soul food]( for Black History Month. Come out and celebrate Black culture, Black music and distinctive soul food on the Southside of Chicago for your Fat Tuesday weekend. [Enter here: entries accepted until 11:59 PM TONIGHT!]( Get the latest issue of the Chicago Reader Thursday, January 25, 2024 [READ ONLINE: VOL. 53, NO. 8]( [VIEW/DOWNLOAD ISSUE (PDF)]( [Become a member of the Chicago Reader.]( [Twitter icon]( [Facebook icon]( [Instagram icon]( [LinkedIn icon]( [YouTube icon]( [Website icon]( [Logo] You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from the Chicago Reader. Want fewer emails from us? [Click here to choose what you want us to send you](. Or, [unsubscribe from all Reader emails](. We’ll miss you! [Sign up for emails from the Chicago Reader]( | [Forward this e-mail to a friend]( © 2024 Chicago Reader. 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