Open season

The news has been relentless: Alderman Isaac Carothers indicted, Sen. Roland Burris under further investigation, Cong. Jesse Jackson having to answer questions about payments to his wife, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger under attack because of his taxes, even the Chicago Bulls’NBA Rookie of the Year is facing inquiries about his high school grades.

While they seem to be separate events, with no connection, we cannot help but sense a pattern here, and it is ugly. It seems that it is open season on Black leaders and celebrities. Of course we do not fault the news media for reporting the news. It is also our mission to report on the things that affect our readership.

But our readers have called and wondered aloud if Black leaders are being targeted. Year-old tax problems are being unearthed on Stroger, who was already in the process of paying off the bill. Digging up campaign expenses on Jackson, and his wife Alderwoman Sandi Jackson, while Jackson is still one of the most visible and electable Black candidates in the state, might be one of those things that makes you go “hmmmmm.”

Meanwhile, Alderman Carothers was under investigation for more than a year. He wore a wire for the feds, but obviously he was not able to deliver any big fish for them (either because there were no big fish or because the big fish smelled some rotten bait). But the indictment was announced while tapes were made public of Sen. Burris’ conversations with the Blagojevich clan about the U.S. Senate seat. Is it all part of some nefarious plan to discredit Black leadership?

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