Dear Chicago,
Chicago needs to confront a very serious fact that has been festering within our communities: many families are struggling, if not outright failing, to impart values many of us take for granted.
You have heard and seen me talk about parental responsibility. Parents have a more important role to play than any government-run program. The irony, though, is that “parental responsibility” only works if people actually know how to be parents!
In many homes across every community, parents themselves do not have the values or understanding of what it means to be a good parent. They have been failed by the unwillingness of faith, community and political leaders to recognize that the “lost generation” is now imparting their diminished set of values on a second lost generation.
I understand this because I have witnessed this firsthand. The usual politicians hide behind poverty or resources, demanding more taxpayer dollars to fill a void they do not truly want filled. They want an excuse for contracts, programs, and spending. They are unconcerned with actually changing behavior or improving the community.
That is why I am still pushing my Parental Accountability Ordinance. This change would hold parents accountable for the actions of their children with increased fines or required community service. Additionally, it would mandate that they attend family counseling. That requirement is crucial because we must break the cycle of empty parenting. The role of government should be to help change behavior – the behavior of parents!
I am hopeful that as we continue to pursue this ordinance, more aldermen will see the value in finally addressing the true origin of the madness taking place on our streets.
