Gov. JB Pritzker Didn't Go Far Enough When Criticizing Trump's Meme About Chicago.

Gov. Pritzker said this:

“The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city,” Pritzker wrote on social platform X in response to a meme shared by Trump. “This is not a joke. This is not normal.”

“Donald Trump isn’t a strongman, he’s a scared man,” he added. “Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.”

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If asked for advice, I would have tweaked it to this:

“President Bonespurs is threatening to go to war with an American city. No joke. This is not normal behavior.”

"And the irony of him making a meme from a line made famous in the movie, Apocalypse Now. The only thing that Donald Trump smelled in the morning during the Vietnam War was freshly cut grass on a golf course. Illinois won’t be intimidated by this dictator.”

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Captainjackass · 31-35, M

Chicago is the murder capital of the nation, he should love it as it is. People suffering and dying from violence gives his micro a stiffy.

beckyromero · 36-40, F

@Captainjackass

The three cities with the highest murder rate per capita in 2023 were all in RED states.

1. New Orleans, LA (Orleans Parish)
2. Memphis, TN (Shelby County)
3. St. Louis city

Chicago wasn't even in the top 10.

And as for 2025, 15 of the top 20 are in RED states (i.e. states won by Trump in the 2024 election).

Captainjackass · 31-35, M

@beckyromero really? I thought I read Chicago was at least near the top. But that was over a decade ago so I should have checked for up to date information.

beckyromero · 36-40, F

@Captainjackass

You need to stop reading so-called "Truth" Social and remember...

Captainjackass · 31-35, M

@beckyromero never read it. I do know they have a serious problem with gun violence thats always been ignored.

beckyromero · 36-40, F

@Captainjackass

We have a problem with guns because many are brought in from RED states that have more lax gun laws.

https://www.thetrace.org/2015/11/chicago-gun-laws-shootings-trafficking/

And what started the trend of violence a century ago? The REPUBLICANS and their push for Prohibition.

Total and non-alcohol-related homicide rates increased in Chicago during Prohibition by 21% and 11%, respectively.

Captainjackass · 31-35, M

@beckyromero fun fact nearly all of the guns in Mexico are illegally smuggled from America. If we didn’t make so many guns that they can sneak them across the border without being noticed or missed. We’re the reason parts of it are a warzone.

ElwoodBlues · M

@Captainjackass These kinds of conversations often have a disconnect, because right-wing sources talk about gun violence per city, while left-wing sources talk about violence per state. Here's the thing: cities can't pass gun laws. Cities don't have legislatures to write laws and vote on them. Only states have legislatures.

Therefore, to people like myself, if you're wondering how gun laws - and therefore gun availability - affect violence, it makes much more sense to separate things at the state level. In general, red states have more lax gun laws; blue states have more strict gun control.

With that in mind, let's look at gun homicide rates in our 300 most populous cities; separated into red vs blue states

https://www.americanprogressaction.org/article/cities-in-blue-states-experiencing-larger-declines-in-gun-violence-in-2023/

WOW! Cities in blue states tend to be safer!! Strong evidence that gun safety laws save lives!!

DeWayfarer · 61-69, M

@ElwoodBlues True to a point...

Cities don't have legislatures to write laws and vote on them. Only states have legislatures.

The second amendment is the holdup. And the supreme Court has the determination.

There really needs to be a rewriting of the second amendment on this issue by itself.

SCOTUS doesn't rule on every case either. They should. Just so they get hit with the issue every time it's sent to them.

It would swamp them and force a reasonable interpretation.