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* WGN…
A group of protesters gathered downtown on Memorial Day to voice their concerns over the on-going Illinois stay-at-home orders.
Demonstrators gathered at Grant Park Monday because they think the shutdowns have gone on long enough and want the state to reopen.
The group gathered at the lakefront and came waving flags and carrying signs. They said their purpose was to honor the fallen on Memorial Day. But they were also protesting what they think is the unconstitutional lock down across America by certain politicians on a day that honors 1.4 million servicemen and women who died in defense of the country.
In a statement to WGN, Clay Clark with the group Thrive Time, said they were seeking to free fellow Americans from what it considers to be oppression.
* Sun-Times...
Some demonstrators hoisted signs that promoted conspiracy theories and many chose not to wear face coverings, flouting measures recommended by health experts to contain the deadly disease as they pressed closely together to hear the speakers yell into a megaphone.
The rally, which overshadowed a similar event outside the Thompson Center on Monday, was ultimately shut down by Chicago police officers enforcing Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s order.
For hours, the crowd was whipped into a frenzy by a cast of Republican firebrands that included Darren Bailey, a state representative from downstate Xenia who’s locked in a court battle over Pritzker’s order; and Stephen Moore, a writer and television pundit who advised President Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential bid.
Bailey, who was ejected from the Illinois House last week for refusing to wear a mask, has emerged as the Legislature’s loudest critic of Pritzker’s order.
* Tribune…
The crowd, which held signs saying “F-U-J-B” and “Fire Pritzker,” called on Bailey to run for governor. He told the audience it was “time to replace career RINOs,” a pejorative term for Republicans who aren’t considered conservative enough.
“If God opens a door, I’ll go through that door,” Bailey said as the crowd erupted in cheers. “But it’s going to take a lot of work.”
He’s far more concerned with making the GOP a smaller, more “pure” party than he is winning a governor’s race, which he cannot possibly do. Beware all purists.
* The group wasn’t exactly large, however…
Per @TylerLaRiviere's report on the ground, the protesters demanding an end to social distancing are becoming upset about the CPD bicycle units coming within 50 feet of them. pic.twitter.com/Ey80d35KKr
— Mike Pries (@MikePTraffic) May 25, 2020
* Historical factoid…
FWIW, Chicago was founded in 1833. Xenia, where the representative hails from, was founded in 1834. https://t.co/JHTGTQceWU
— John Amdor (@JohnAmdor) May 25, 2020
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 9:18 am
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Curious what people across the state see at this point. In the Western Burbs it “felt” like old times with BBQ’s and people getting together…
Comment by Fighter of Foo Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 9:22 am
=== The group wasn’t exactly large, however… ===
Wait 14 Days…
Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 9:27 am
“I love Chicago…just not the people or their ’science.’”
Comment by Anon E Moose Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 9:28 am
Had a momentous weekend…thanks to the veterans who served and paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms…so in their honor, my wife and I drove to Missouri and shopped inside stores, ate inside a restaurant and basically lived like a real, free American for the first time in months. Nearly 90% of the people we talked to were from Illinois!
Comment by RuralKing Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 9:30 am
“If God opens a door, I’ll go through that door,” Bailey said as the crowd erupted in cheers.
Keep going out and about and believing that the virus is a hoax or you’re invincible to it, and that just might happen. The virus doesn’t care about “purity”.
Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 9:30 am
===Wait 14 Days===
Y’all have been saying that for well over a month.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 9:33 am
I wonder if Mr. Bailey, in that vast sea of humanity, saw any objectionable signs, then personally, like Leader Durkin, called them out and asked them to leave.
Maybe, if those objectionable signs were there, maybe Mr. Bailey doesn’t mind those signs, I mean, if you’re gonna speak, aren’t you concerned who is embracing your message.
I wonder…
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 9:35 am
Y’all have been saying that for well over a month.
They have. I commented a few weeks ago when we went to Martin TN for lunch and got many of those for a reply. We are still healthy for all those who were concerned.
Comment by SOIL M Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 9:38 am
====Wait 14 Days===
Y’all have been saying that for well over a month.
People are still going out to eat and socialize, they are just driving across the state line to do it. Protesting this governor’s EO is useless. Voting with my feet and boosting the economies of border states.
Comment by RuralKing Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 9:40 am
“we went to Martin TN”
I hear Osage Beach Mo. is nice too.
Comment by efudd Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 9:41 am
==Y’all have been saying that for well over a month==
Rich, I think it will be different this time because we had much larger groups this weekend as well as many more groups all over the state compared to earlier in the month. I think there will at least be a rise in two weeks.
If it’s a blip or nothing happens, then I really got nothing.
Comment by Bothanspy Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 9:42 am
“If God opens the door”
Yeah, you, like any pol, could be the chosen one.
Comment by efudd Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 9:43 am
==free fellow Americans from what it considers to be oppression==
They only need to walk ten blocks to make their case to Human Rights Watch on Superior.
Comment by Jocko Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 9:46 am
Every Chicagoan who would vote for Bailey for Governor turned out for a rally today…
Comment by Jibba Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 9:47 am
Pretty embarrassing as far as protest size. Reminds of the Crocodile Dundee line when a kid pulls a knife on him and his reporter friend. “That’s not a knife.” Croc whips out a much bigger knife. That’s not a protest (see women’s marches).
These protesters and their conspiracies and hatred are the faces of today’s GOP. Remember when the GOP loved the “deep state,” science, education, and hated autocrats, Russia, North Korea, etc? Today it’s the total opposite.
Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 9:47 am
“If God opens a door, I’ll go through that door,” Bailey said as the crowd erupted in cheers.”
God is holding the door open for Darren. The sign above it says ‘Exit.’
Comment by Don't Bloc Me In Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 9:48 am
I cringe when I read stories like this. F-U-J-B? I get that we all don’t agree but don’t be classless.
Comment by Stones Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 9:50 am
===I think it will be different this time===
Y’all have been saying that for over a month, too.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 9:50 am
At least those callous to society and others are stopping the “silent majority” silly.
I’ve yet to see any measure in any poll of any demographic that has “open now” as a majority.
Nope.
These sparse crowds, with national socialists, racists, they are a minority of folks pouncing more on dividing the country… by choosing masks, for example, as a wedge… when things to help the most vulnerable are openly mocked and ridiculed by these ignorant folks.
I watched “The Match”, Phil, Tiger, Manning, Brady, and yeah, golf and all that “we need to open”… but you know what has stuck with me? It wasn’t how great it was to see golf, and the fun, and sports, and raising money… no, what stuck with me?
Ernie Johnson.
Ernie Johnson is a commentator, beloved, cancer survivor, high risk himself… he chose not to be there, as his son is even more vulnerable… and risking any chance to be asymptomatic and bringing this virus home… not an option.
To that point… the phonies who wants everything up, “it’s fine”… they think of themselves… not the dozens and dozens they might be infecting… and in turn infecting others by the spread.
So, these “dozens”, some racist, others using national socialist symbols… you’re on the side of the selfish, and I’m grateful when others show me who they are.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 9:52 am
According to ProPublica’s Reopening America Project, Illinois is in the “green” on all 5 reopening metrics while Missouri, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Georgia, and Florida are all already backsliding https://projects.propublica.org/reopening-america/
Comment by Bob Loblaw Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 9:54 am
Union county is quickly approaching a one percent infected rate.
Yesterday was the 7th fatality, a female in her 50’s.
Go ahead, roll the dice with this thing.
Comment by efudd Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 9:55 am
Most of the places that haven’t been following the EO are pretty small population wise. They’re getting a lot of press but they make up a very small portion of the state population. I hope we don’t see a spike, but believe there is reason to be cautious given this holiday weekend saw the largest flaunting of the EO we’ve seen thus far with group gatherings and travel.
Comment by Fixer Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 9:56 am
=== … “time to replace career RINOs,” … ===
The extreme right has already replaced more than enough to turn the party into a super minority that speaks to and seeks the support of the dark side of our society. It’s a sad end to a great party whose most famous standard bearer came from Illinois.
Comment by Norseman Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 9:58 am
Springfield was not immune from large crowds at non-social distancing parties. Channel 20 (FWIW) reported that Springfield police had to break up block parties early Monday morning with over 100 people in attendance. Plus Springfield Park District Police had to break up a party at Comer Cox Park on the city’s east side at 1AM Sunday with over 150 people in attendance–when city parks normally close at 10 (IIRC).
https://newschannel20.com/news/local/law-enforcement-not-seeing-uptick-in-calls-despite-holiday
Comment by Chatham Resident Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 9:58 am
=== “If God opens a door, I’ll go through that door,” ===
And keep going…
Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 10:00 am
If the lax attitude in some more rural areas continues and the spread increases, which I hope it doesn’t, the small local hospitals will be overwhelmed and the patients may need to be transported to places that took it seriously. I wonder where in IL that would be?
Comment by Ron Burgundy Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 10:00 am
The Memorial Day bash at the Poopy’s biker bar in Savanna gained national attention:
https://www.kmov.com/news/biker-bar-opens-for-memorial-day-bash-in-violation-of-gov-pritzkers-stay-at-home/article_90999deb-a2a7-58ad-a4b1-e383f92ce263.html
Comment by Chatham Resident Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 10:01 am
Tom
>>>>“I love Chicago, it’s part of Illinois. But sometimes when you raise a wayward child, you have to discipline the child,” Bailey says.
Comment by West Sider Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 10:07 am
Gosh, I’m so impressed. I’ve seen bigger (and smarter) crowds at model train swap meets. Bailey is riding a dead horse to nowhere in most of the State. It’s just as bad to be an Uber-Republican as an Uber-Democrat; neither deal with reality. (And in this case reality STILL says stay home, wear a mask, wash your hands, etc.)
Comment by revvedup Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 10:08 am
=lived like a real, free American =
So you are not free because you cannot shop retail or eat “in” a restaurant? Wow, it is amazing the hardships that some of you are unable to suffer.
You really do not understand freedom or the responsibilities of citizenship. Then you wrap yourselves in the flag like Bailey and the protesters that can’t even fill the dining room of a McDonalds.
The founding fathers would be disgusted.
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 10:09 am
Ron-
Union county hospital now has a negative pressure ward with 18 beds. As far as ventilators, probably nil.
To answer your question for down here, probably Carbondale.
Comment by efudd Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 10:13 am
–“If God opens a door, I’ll go through that door,” Bailey said –
The door that opens for Bailey is likely to have a crescent moon painted on it.
Comment by Flapdoodle Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 10:15 am
=== Y’all have been saying that for well over a month. ===
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/05/24/coronavirus-rural-america-outbreaks/
Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 10:15 am
Bailey should have to show a passport to come here.
Comment by Cheryl44 Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 10:19 am
–I love Chicago, it’s part of Illinois. But sometimes when you raise a wayward child, you have to discipline the child–
You and what army? To quote one of the songs from Hamilton, “You ain’t got the votes.”
Comment by Ron Burgundy Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 10:23 am
Biased reporters and photographers can make a beach look like a social distancing nightmare, and a small conservative crowd look like a mob. The seeds of dissent in our cold civil war are sewn by media desperate to keep afloat in a tough fiscal environment. As declining ad revenues get worse, I expect more division to be exaggerated by both left and right. Is there going to be ab adult in the media that emerges and reports in a fair and balanced manner?
Comment by Ed Equity Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 10:23 am
Many in the media report properly, Ed. I’m curious do you believe your eyes on a regular basis? What about the photograph don’t you believe?
Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 10:37 am
You can play all kinds of games with photographs. A tight focus can make thing look different. Picking your viewpoint angle, using a long zoom and manually playing with the depth of field focus can compress spaces and make it appear social distancing is not occurring. Been there, done that. All tricks a skilled amateur professional photographer can use to create the desired image and message.
Comment by RNUG Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 10:49 am
=== “time to replace career RINOs,” ===
It should be noted that those in Illinois, led by Raunerites in the party apparatus, who wouldn’t be seen or embrace Trump, are now Trumpkins… and they want purity to a party that let Bru e Rauner implode that same party… making it… old, angry… and white.
But… “R _ _ O”, amirite?
How about you throw out the racist, anti-Semitic, national socialists first from your crowds… then worry about…
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 10:52 am
The “personal responsibility” people need to take responsibility and ownership of their prejudices and stop blaming the media and others. The media is not dividing us. That’s just an excuse. The media didn’t make bigots hang the Kentucky governor in effigy and put Nazi signs and Confederate flags in protesters’ hands.
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/499411-protesters-hang-effigy-of-kentucky-governor?amp
Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 10:53 am
Yes, Rep. Bailey, a smaller, purer party is always a good thing. Just ask President Goldwater. I would think winning elections and getting legislation passed might count for something. Bailey’s small, pure party can’t even delay a vote.
Comment by The Ford Lawyer Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 11:02 am
“But sometimes when you raise a wayward child, you have to discipline the child,” Bailey says.”
Yeah,that statement will really get those Chicago voters on his side.
Comment by btowntruthfromforgottonia Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 11:07 am
While the Tea Party movement swept rural America it did no favors for the suburban gop.
The current state of running as a Republican is your ability to pass the purity test.
Amazingly the progressives are trying to do the same for the Democrats.
A Centrist or Realism party would be a welcome addition from the 2 extreme sides.
Comment by Frank talks Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 11:14 am
===Y’all have been saying that for over a month, too. ===
I think the many hundreds of Illinoisans that have died in the last 30 days and the thousands more that became infected and considering that within the last 30 days we reached our highest daily death total kind of makes the ’scoreboard’ type comments a little contradictory for the point you appear to be trying to make.
As we have become accustomed to this public health crisis — something that at this time has killed nearly 5,000 of our fellow Illinoisans and nearly 100,000 of our fellow Americans it would seem that in order to cope with an unfathomable number that some of us have moved that goal post in our heads to make the loss a little less devastating. We also do not have contact tracing in place in a broad enough implementation to actually safely conclude that a handful of cases are no big deal because we don’t necessarily know how the infection has spread.
Every day we find out about more positive cases — every day we find out about more deaths that involve COVID-19 and to suggest that those infections are all older than the last 30 days is ridiculous, so clearly community spread is occurring and clearly community spread has been slowed down by our deliberate and intentional efforts to slow community spread.
Now that the possibility of discussing how to “reopen” is occurring, we have folks that are refusing to comply with the very basic public health efforts, like face coverings or avoiding large gatherings and folks that are embracing superstition and myth.
To treat someone suggesting “wait 14 days” as some kind of chicken little cautionary tale is absurd in the case when the “scoreboard” chant reveals hundreds dead and thousands more infected.
We have lost thousands and the scale of that loss is going to continue to grow and the community spread of the COVID-19 infection is going to continue, only now it’s spreading in regions that benefited by from early action that was put in place because of the crisis that occurred in Chicagoland.
By all means, it’s appropriate to consider restarting shuttered portions of our economy but it’s crucial to understand that the success on that hinges on individual compliance with public health guidelines. At this point I believe that we should be expecting and planning for a separate public health crisis centered around downstate “rural” population centers.
We have implemented a relatively successful public health response, but the actions of individuals, individual local officials, and individual state officials are going to pose a significant risk to the rest of us as they refuse to take ownership of this public health crisis.
Comment by Candy Dogood Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 11:27 am
Henceforth, Bailey shall be known as The Wayward Child due to his antisocial behavior that earned him a timeout last week.
Comment by Rich Hill Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 11:37 am
I saw a map of the U.S. on CNN this morning. Illinois was one of the few green states that was seeing an actual drop in COVID-19 cases. Most states were holding steady or increasing. The Governor’s EO seems to be effective.
Comment by A Jack Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 11:53 am
https://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/flick-fact-a-surprise-on-who-has-the-most-covid-19-cases-in-mclean-county/article_54e22208-a102-5ee5-afa0-117c0ea62094.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share
Comment by Retiree Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 12:02 pm
The ole photographers are playing tricks bit. We are only supposed to believe the reality as dictated by Trumpism.
Sorry, but I’ll believe my own eyes. I’ll believe the videos and photographs from several news outlets. I’ll believe my own eyes as I sit at curbside watching a majority of people walking into the stores without face masks.
Is wearing a mask and standing 6 feet away from strangers too much to ask to help prevent the deadly spread of COVID-19?
Comment by Norseman Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 12:12 pm
I have been to the area around Buckingham Fountain many times. It is accurately depicted. Anyone saying otherwise, the burden of proof is on you.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 12:22 pm
Can we PLEASE stop talking about number of cases and using that to inform decisions? The numbers are so skewed and nowhere near comprehensive enough to draw any conclusions given that the overwhelming majority of COVID patients are asymptomatic. Once everyone can finally clear this hurdle, more constructive conversations can be had. But if we want to regress into “oh, there are more positive cases” then we’ll never get anywhere and people are going to go live their lives regardless of what anyone tells them.
The gatherings are just going to get larger and more numerous as the weather warms up. The toothpaste is out of the tube and it’s not going back in.
Comment by Logical Thinker Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 12:30 pm
=== The gatherings are just going to get larger and more numerous as the weather warms up.===
We’ll see. Possible, maybe probable… prolly parallel to how much people are willing to have family and friends infected or worse by Covidiots.
We’ll see.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 12:50 pm
We can’t mistake the “reopen now” protests for a read on public outrage at stay at home orders. These are small or tiny right wing protests, with people who apparently have grievance and paranoia bubbling under the surface, waiting for a pretext to be screamed out in public.
Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 1:07 pm
Let’s have the guy from Xenia, Illinois’ financial, educational, cultural, etc. center, be the one to impose the necessary discipline on Chicago. God opened the door for you last week when your fellow reps kicked you out.
Comment by West Side the Best Side Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 1:42 pm
–I love Chicago, it’s part of Illinois. But sometimes when you raise a wayward child, you have to discipline the child–
Not only does Bailey not have the votes, he’s not even in the room where it happens. Ives and Bailey, the GOP Dream Team heading for another
GOP wipe out. The crazy is strong in these two.
Comment by Froganon Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 3:21 pm
I am not really worried about Chicagoland area residents going to other states right now because frankly, we are more likely to spread the virus to them than they are to us.
If I were in an area that the virus is not commonly found I would not be so cheery at the prospect if the places people are going are likelier to be risky.
One thing I have been amazed at is how many people are unable to deny themselves of something even for just a little while. Like a pool party or a bar visit. And these are not people who have conditions that are likely to kill them anyway so they may as well live it up.
Comment by cermak_rd Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 4:05 pm
“If God opens a door, I’ll go through that door,”
- Better make sure that the bottom half of the dutch door is open.
- Better make sure that the open door isn’t for a janitor closet.
- Better make sure that the screen door is open too.
- Better make sure that the open door isn’t to an elevator shaft.
- Look before you leap.
Comment by Huh? Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 4:17 pm
Not wearing a mask to protect others does not render one a Patriot, it makes one an A-h%*# of the highest order.
Darren is a clown. An anti-intellectual Neanderthal lightweight.
Next . . . . . . . .
Comment by Say What? Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 5:06 pm
It’s striking to me that many of the people screaming about how wearing masks or not going out to eat during a once in a lifetime pandemic is a violation of their civil rights 50 years ago would have been the same people denying African Americans the right to go into restaurants at any time.
Comment by MyTwoCents Tuesday, May 26, 20 @ 7:50 pm
@ efudd–
Went on the IDPH website. Holy cow (banned punctuation).
Union County at 7.9 people per thousand with Covid-19. That’s about 3 times more than Champaign County, where I live.
You stay safe out there… that was scary to see.
Comment by Lynn S. Wednesday, May 27, 20 @ 1:03 am