On CNN’s State of the Union, host Jake Tapper confronted Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker on a common theme that even casual observers of leftist politicians and media have noticed. That is they always focus on tragic one time incidents like mass shootings, yet ignore the daily shootings in Chicago which cause more deaths on a weekly basis than mass shootings.
After discussing the terrible mass shooting in Highland Park on Independence Day with Pritzker, Tapper correctly noted that “the fourth of July weekend death toll in Chicago, as you know, surpassed the Highland Park shooting.”
Tapper pointed out that Pritzker visited Highland Park after the shooting and then read from a statement that the assistant pastor of New Beginnings Church of Chicago gave:
If you are in a position of power, you must make sure that the same energy and the same effort that you put in one area is put in the other. I will not visit an area like Highland Park and then not show up to the other end of the spectrum.
Tapper remarked that “one parent told CNN that they see the difference in how black and brown children are treated all the time.”
Directly addressing Pritzker, Tapper asked him “what do you say to any parents who are asking why the Highland Park shooting is getting so much more attention than the gun violence facing residents in Chicago, particularly northern neighborhoods in Chicago every single day?”
Pritzker denied that he’s “giving more attention to one than another” and deflected by claiming “much of what we've done in our budget over the last six months for this current fiscal year is to put money into programs that serve black and brown communities throughout Chicago and, in fact, throughout the rest of the state.”
Making excuses, he claimed that the nation is paying more attention to the Highland Park shooting “because of the weapon that was used and the number of people killed all at once by one particular shooter.”
The fact of the matter is the American people are paying more attention to the Highland Park shooting not because of the weapon used but because the media focuses on mass shootings more than the deadly shootings that occur every weekend in Democrat run cities like Chicago, Los Angeles or New York City.
All these incidents are tragic and should be given equal treatment.
To read the relevant transcript of this segment click “expand”:
CNN’s State of the Union
July 10, 2022
9:07:39 a.m. EasternJAKE TAPPER: The fourth of July weekend death toll in Chicago, as you know, surpassed the Highland Park shooting. You visited Highland Park after the shooting, but TJ Grooms who is an assistant pastor of New Beginnings Church of Chicago said, quote, if you are in a position of power, you must make sure that the same energy and the same effort that you put in one area is put in the other. I will not visit an area like Highland Park and then not show up to the other end of the spectrum.
One parent told CNN that they see the difference in how black and brown children are treated all the time. What do you say to any parents who are asking why the Highland Park shooting is getting so much more attention than the gun violence facing residents in Chicago, particularly northern neighborhoods in Chicago every single day?
GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER: Well, I can speak at least for myself. I'm not giving more attention to one than another. In fact, much of what we've done in our budget over the last six months for this current fiscal year is to put money into programs that serve black and brown communities throughout Chicago and, in fact, throughout the rest of the state.
Particularly communities where there's been a high degree of violence and I have been to and spent time with the communities and families that have been affected by gun violence on the south side of Chicago, west side of Chicago as well. Highland Park happens to be the latest. It's an unusual one that I think the nation is paying attention to, in part, because of the weapon that was used and the number of people killed all at once by one particular shooter.
Having said that, you know, talking about assault weapons isn't the only thing that we ought to be talking about. It's, of course, the issues of the underlying challenges that lead to violence. We need to reduce poverty in our nation. Here in Illinois we're trying to do that. We need to help lift up these communities that are so often left out and left behind.
