Opinion
By Joan Hadac
Editor and Publisher
Southwest Chicago Post
Editor and Publisher
Southwest Chicago Post
and Tim Hadac
Managing Editor
Southwest Chicago Post
Last month, the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation rented 66 billboards throughout the city, to post messages honoring and thanking our men and women in blue.
Perhaps predictably, some cowardly creep(s) used the cover of darkness to deface several of the boards, specifically at 3153 N. Ashland, 2243 N. Pulaski, 3342 N. Elston and 3542 N. Lincoln.
We won't show images of the defacement, of course, for the same reason we don't show photos of gang graffiti: we at the Southwest Chicago Post (unlike some of the downtown news organizations) refuse to amplify the messages of overgrown adolescents and other social misfits. They're pathetic and unworthy of serious consideration.
One of the CPMF billboard messages honors the memory of CPD Officer Samuel Jimenez, who was just 28 years old when he was shot to death while trying to save other people's lives outside Mercy Hospital in 2018. Read the details here.
Officer Jimenez left behind a young wife and three children, as well as his mother and other family and friends.
Here is the billboard design that honors his heroism:
You'd have to be a sniveling little snot to deface a billboard that honors the memory of Officer Jimenez-- especially knowing his widow, his children and his mother might see it.
Well, as you might expect, when the CPMF learned of the disgraceful act of vandalism, they swung into action and quickly replaced the billboards.
The CPMF also put out a statement that read:
"Chicago Police Officers wake up each day, put on their uniform, kiss their family’s goodbye and run toward danger while others run from it.
"Each one of our officers is a son, daughter, husband, wife, mother or father. They are human. It is our hope that we remind the citizens of Chicago that these officers are people too.
"We at the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation are saddened by the destruction of several of the billboards.
“The act of destroying a billboard placed to honor one of Chicago’s fallen officers is despicable. The individuals that take time to cause destruction to these billboards are cowards. They are not helping make the city a better place,” said Phil Cline, Executive Director of the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation. “We know that many of Chicagoans support our officers, and we invite them to show their support in positive ways.”
"We thank the thousands of active and retired Chicago Police Officers who do their job thanklessly each day. Additionally, the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation honors the memory of each of the 594 fallen Chicago Police Officers. We will NEVER FORGET."
Here are a few other CPMF billboards:
The Chicago Police Memorial Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to honoring the lives of our fallen heroes. The Foundation provides support and financial assistance to the families of Chicago police officers who are killed or catastrophically injured in the line of duty.
Established in 2004, the Foundation strengthens the relationship between the Chicago Police, business and civic leaders, and the citizenry. It allows folks to express gratitude to the fallen officers' families for the ultimate sacrifice of their loved one.
To date, the Foundation has donated more than $15.1 million to family members of Chicago police officers in need of assistance.
The CPMF is an organization worthy of the support of all Chicagoans. To learn more about the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation and its mission--and make a donation--visit CPDmemorial.org.
If you are not financially able to support CPMF with a donation, please consider using the images above on your own website, Facebook page, etc.
That's what we're doing. We have decided to give the CPMF advertising through year's end on the Southwest Chicago Post website--an in-kind donation worth about $1,000.
Thanks for doing your part, as well.
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