A POLITICIAN WHO SAID WHAT HE REALLY MEANT

American author Robert McCloskey (1914-2003) once said, "I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant."  Well, Chicago Alderman Walter Burnett (D-27th)   made a few statements last week where we clearly understood that what we heard was exactly what he meant.  I applaud him for his candor.

Most politicians do not say what they really mean.  They obfuscate-- concealing the intended meaning of their statements by being intentionally ambiguous.  Burnett was direct in explaining why he decided to name a new West Humboldt library in his ward in honor of former Mayor Richard M. Daley, and there was no mistaking his targeted goal.

At the naming ceremony, Burnett said, “Because this is a mixed community, Hispanic and African American, they wanted to name it after some Hispanic leader. I was like, ‘Look, if we name it after [Daley] we get more resources and people donating stuff to the library. And if we need something, we can always hit up his family.’ Let’s keep it real. It’s about what we can get. They wanted to protest about the name. I think [naming it for Daley] is only fitting. This will help us in the community. Maybe we should get something else new named after Mayor Daley over here.”

You might need to read those sentences again to make sure you interpreted their meaning correctly!  But Burnett admitted that a public building was named after Daley just so he could “hit up the family” if he needs something! When have we seen honesty like this from a Chicago politician?

Of course, Daley was true to form at the ceremony, mispronouncing Burnett’s name by calling him “Alderman Barnett” … still, who would go and take the former boss to task and correct him, especially when hitting him up for money?

Daley also said that what he missed most about being Mayor was “driving around the city and meeting people.”   Since the taxpayers of Chicago are providing him with TWO cars, drivers and bodyguards during his retirement, I don’t understand why he still can’t drive around the city and meet people, but that story is for another day.

Remember Diogenes the Cynic, the ancient Greek Philosopher who was famous for wandering the streets of Athens, waving a lantern and announcing that he was in search of an honest man? Were he still alive, he could blow his flame out in Chicago’s 27^th ward … where he would have found an honest man in Burnett.