Call Crime by Its Name

I have a prickly relationship with people whose go-to commentary on Chicago involves some variation of the term “urban street crime.” Many times, this is harmlessly intended as an awkward conversation-starter. (Imagine an elegantly dressed woman tippling a cocktail at an East Coast party saying, “Oh, Chicago, yes, I’ve heard about the crime. It sounds dreadful.” That one has actually happened to me . . . twice.) More frustrating, the idea gets rotely parroted back to you by fellow conservatives who are using the city as a punching bag that epitomizes all the failures of blue-city governance and life.

I object not so much to the critique of the city’s governance as to the critique of Chicago living. Chicago is the best big city in America, and we have such wonderful sights to show you. So, my typical response when I’m confronted with Chicago-bashing socially is to (1) point out that corruption, financial mismanagement, and warring special-interest groups are even bigger problems than crime and (2) demur and pull a Marty Feldman from Young Frankenstein: “Could be worse; could be San Francisco.”