Chicago leaders debate 'Chiraq' movie title CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) - Chicago leaders spent Monday morning debating a movie title, and they talked about denying a tax credit for "Chiraq" while the city recovered from a violent weekend. Seven people were killed in shootings this weekend with three of the victims being teenagers, and 35 other people were wounded. It is this kind of violence that has critics wondering if City Hall should be focusing more on reducing the crime rate. The alderman who proposed a resolution to not give Spike Lee $3 million dollars in tax credits says the name "Chiraq" does nothing but hurt the city. Meanwhile, Father Michael Pfleger says: Why are we talking about this? "This is about lives, not about that damn movie," said Father Pfleger of St. Sabina's church. "This is about people dying in our streets, children who are dying in our streets, that's what we ought to be concerned about." Hyde Park alderman Will Burns says he can do both: discuss his opposition to tax breaks for the movie and address the violence in Chicago. "You have to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time, so last night I got called from the second district because somebody was shot literally a block from my house, I get those calls, I work with the community to get gangbangers out, get the police to do different things," said Alderman Burns of the 4th Ward. He says he fears the title "Chiraq" could hurt his community's reputation. Chicago residents that FOX 32 talked to seem to agree that the name isn't necessarily a good thing. "It kind of bothers me. Every time I see it or hear about it, it kind of raises a temperature in me like, why are we calling it this?" said Chicagoan Craig Hensel. "A movie comes out like that, I applaud Spike Lee because it raises a voice and it even heightens the conversation for us in the city." Regardless of the title, Chicagoans say re-focus the attention to the problem on the streets. "I just feel like no one is really doing anything about it and people are dying left and right," said Chicagoan Eden Rivera.
Chicago leaders debate 'Chiraq' movie title
Aug 14, 2015
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Chicago leaders debate 'Chiraq' movie title
CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) -
Chicago leaders spent Monday morning debating a movie title, and they talked about denying a taxcredit for "Chiraq" while the city recovered from a violent weekend.
Seven people were killed in shootings this weekend with three of the victims being teenagers, and35 other people were wounded. It is this kind of violence that has critics wondering if City Hallshould be focusing more on reducing the crime rate.
The alderman who proposed a resolution to not give Spike Lee $3 million dollars in tax credits saysthe name "Chiraq" does nothing but hurt the city.
Meanwhile, Father Michael Pfleger says: Why are we talking about this?
"This is about lives, not about that damn movie," said Father Pfleger of St. Sabina's church. "This isabout people dying in our streets, children who are dying in our streets, that's what we ought to beconcerned about."
Hyde Park alderman Will Burns says he can do both: discuss his opposition to tax breaks for themovie and address the violence in Chicago.
"You have to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time, so last night I got called from thesecond district because somebody was shot literally a block from my house, I get those calls, I workwith the community to get gangbangers out, get the police to do different things," said AldermanBurns of the 4th Ward.
He says he fears the title "Chiraq" could hurt his community's reputation.
Chicago residents that FOX 32 talked to seem to agree that the name isn't necessarily a good thing.
"It kind of bothers me. Every time I see it or hear about it, it kind of raises a temperature in me like,why are we calling it this?" said Chicagoan Craig Hensel. "A movie comes out like that, I applaudSpike Lee because it raises a voice and it even heightens the conversation for us in the city."
Regardless of the title, Chicagoans say re-focus the attention to the problem on the streets.
"I just feel like no one is really doing anything about it and people are dying left and right," saidChicagoan Eden Rivera.
"Instead of focusing, having a meeting about a movie, there needs to be more meetings aboutkillings," said Chicagoan Janina Davis.
Father Pfleger says all of this takes away from the real issues like education, unemployment andguns.
"I'm almost insulted by the fact that we are discussing this, but I think this is an orchestrateddistraction like three card monte or the shelf game," said Father Pfleger.
The discussion didn't really go anywhere and there was no vote on the topic Monday.
Spike Lee has wrapped shooting the movie in Chicago and it's expected to be released at the end ofthe year.
http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/29645183/chicago-leaders-debate-chiraq-movie-title
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