Skip to content
  • Subscribe
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Email
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
  • Features
  • Subscribe FREE to Ray Hanania’s Columns
  • Advertise
Suburban Chicagoland

Suburban Chicagoland

Original News, Features & Opinion

  • About
    • About
    • Advertise
    • Our Writers
      • Ray Hanania
      • Bill Lipinski
      • Aaron Hanania
      • Steve Metsch
      • Steve Neuhaus
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
    • Reach Out
    • Submit a Press Release
  • Sections
    • Events
    • Opinion
    • News
    • Features
    • Seniors
    • Comic Strip
  • Library
    • “MIdnight Flight” Online Book
      • Midnight Flight Book Overview
      • Midnight Flight Introduction
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 1
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 2
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 3
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 4
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 5
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 6
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 7
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 8
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 9
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 10
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 11
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 12
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 13
    • Villages, Cities & Towns
    • Federal Office Holders
    • County Officials
    • Legislators
  • Seniors
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Comment
  • Podcast
    • Ray Hanania on Politics Podcast
  • Hanania on Tiktok
  • Toggle search form
  • Jeffery M. Leving fights for your rights
    Court orders ex to provide transportation so Dad can see his daughter Civil Rights
  • Brandon Johnson leads a protest demanding to defund the Police. Phot courtesy of the Vallas for Mayor Campaign
    Johnson Refuses to Answer Whether He Would Pursue Stricter Penalties for Repeat Gun Offenders At WGN Debate  Chicago
  • Orland Fire Protection District extinguish fire in apartment building at 144th and Ravinia Sunday Jan. 30, 2022
    One fatality in Orland Hills Home fire Cook County
  • Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau continues to lie and slander people Blogger
  • Writing my very first news story that ran in the Messenger Press Baby Boomers
  • Illinois State Senator Michael Hastings. Photo courtesy of the Illinois State Senate
    Senator Michael Hastings supports bill to protect consumers from pesky auto-renewal charges Features
  • Major League Rugby 2023 Championship to take place at SeatGeek Stadium July 8
    Major League Rugby 2023 Championship to take place at SeatGeek Stadium July 8 Entertainment
  • Paul Vallas candidate for Chicago Mayor 2023. Photo courtesy of the Paul Vallas website
    Paul Vallas calls out Johnson’s lies walking back calls to defund and undermine police Chicago
  • Jeffery M. Leving fights for your rights
    Psychological support for divorcing dads topic of CLE at Leving firm Chicago
  • Ronette McCarthy, a candidate for Mayor of Palos Park, addresses the Palos Park Village Board on the issue of expanding Wu's House parking into land adjacent to the huge restaurant on the east.
    Whoa is Wu’s House in Palos Park Blogger
  • Pekau campaign signs violate village ordinances News
  • Rotary Club of Orland Park Logo
    Orland Park Rotary offering scholarships to graduating seniors Education
  • Carl Sandburg High School, Orland Park, School District 230
    Carl Sandburg band invited to London’s New Year’s Day Parade 2024;  Education
  • Higher Education veteran Tracy Sullivan announces candidacy for Moraine Valley Board News
  • Chicago ALderman Raymond Lopez announces his candidacy for Mayor of Chicago on Wednesday April 6, 2022. Photo courtesy of Ray Lopez announcement video
    Lopez and O’Shea endorse Vallas in Chicago mayor race Chicago
Illinois State Senator Kimberly Lightford

Lightford should repeal HB3653 which advocates for criminals

Posted on December 28, 2021December 28, 2021 By Ray Hanania 1 Comment on Lightford should repeal HB3653 which advocates for criminals
SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  

Loading

Lightford should repeal HB3653 which advocates for criminals

Illinois Senator Kimberly Lightford should  repeal HB3653 which reinforces rights for criminals and those accused of crimes, and she should retract her previous calls for “defund police” after she and her husband became victims of a serious crime. The atmosphere created by HB3653 and the “defund police” movement have empowered criminals. Published in the Southwest News Newspaper Group

By Ray Hanania

Ray Hanania

A disturbing consequence of the violent and destructive protests after the killing of George Floyd in May 2020 was the Far Left’s clarion call, including from many African Americans, to “defund Police.”

The call to “defund” Police became a war cry of their movement, and received much political support. The irony is that despite the few, highly publicized police officers who violated their responsibilities to treat citizens fairly, the majority of Police are professional and put their lives on the line everyday to defend victims of far greater violence.

The “defund Police” movement creates an environment in which Police are basically “stereotyped.” And it resulted in passage of HB3653 which re-enforces rights for criminals and eases prosecutions.

The hypocrisy of the “defund Police” movement surfaced when one of the loudest advocates of HB 3653, Illinois State Senator Kimberly Lightford, was carjacked in Broadview last Tuesday.

Three masked criminals driving a Dodge Durango carjacked Lightford as she was driving her Black Mercedes Benz SUV in the 2000 block of South 20th Avenue, near Fillmore Street.

Illinois State Senator Kimberly Lightford
Illinois State Senator Kimberly Lightford. Photo courtesy of the Illinois General Assembly

 

I always wanted a Mercedes Benz or other high-end cars but I can’t afford them. Very costly. But I never considered carjacking as an option, because I am law-abiding.

 

Lightford and her husband, Eric McKennie, were lucky. They survived the encounter without injury. Lightford reportedly pled with the three armed gunmen to not shoot her husband who they forced to lie down on the street as they took her purse and Benz. Friends nearby reported hearing 15 gunshots during the crime.

Lightford is truly lucky because these criminals have found it easy to kill, destroy and do so with impunity knowing that today’s environment has put the Police under public scrutiny and pressure, not the criminals.I am happy that neither she nor her husband were injured. But the event is a reminder of what criminals do and why it is so important to stand up for the police, who will investigate and hopefully capture these criminals.

I assume Lightford would like to see the criminals arrested, right? I assume the people who might arrest the criminals, and investigate the crime, are the police. But with Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx in charged of prosecutions, I am not sure the criminals will make it to trial, unless Foxx and Lightford are buddies. That’s what Foxx seems to hold as a priority in fighting crimes, the “Jussie Smollett” factor, it’s called.

It’s not so easy when you browbeat Police, cut their salaries and funding, and restrict their ability to do their jobs, just to pander to a voter base for an elected officials re-election.

I think life is more important that popularity or votes. And I am happy the Senator and her husband were not injured.

In today’s world, criminals “have rights,” as codified in HB3653 that Lightford aggressively fought to pass.

Maybe in her calls to defund Police and expand the rights for criminals, she means police shouldn’t try to identify her car jackers, or recover her car? Fortunately uninjured, the Senator can easily purchase a new one. Don’t defund the Insurance Lobby, that’s for sure!

To me, Police are heroes who put their lives on the line every day to protect law-abiding citizens. HB3653 empowers criminals and weakens Police.

Lightford should urge the repeal of HB3653 and call for tougher sanctions of criminals, like the ones who put her and her husband’s lives in peril.

Chairman of the Black Caucus and first Black Senate Majority leader, Lightford called HB3653 “necessary” saying it would bring “social justice” for the Black community. The changes would allow Blacks to “reach their full potential.” She said she is “tired of waiting” for change.

On Feb 11, 2021, Lightford hosted a Zoom conference in defense of HB3653, declaring, “I am a Black woman, mother and wife. And I tell you we are tired of waiting. Black and Brown families and Black and Brown communities still see barricades keeping us out of places they deserve to go. Every generation we see lives lost. People beaten. People shot. People humiliated for no reason other than the color of their skin.”

She added, “I am glad I have lived to see this change.”

Race didn’t stop her from being a victim.

Yes, there are a few bad apples, just like there are a few bad apples in every profession including in politics, government, and business. And those bad apples should be punished through a fair criminal justice system that isn’t twisted for partisan political and racial reasons.

Too many people I know, and many businesses have been the victim of the violent protestors, losing their businesses and being physically attacked.

The way to confront crime is to fund the Police even more than we do. Stand by them. Stop bullying and demonizing Police. Give them the power to target criminals, regardless of the race: Criminals should be defined as “criminals” and nothing more.

If it wasn’t for the Police, all this horrible violence would be even worse.

( Ray Hanania is an award winning former Chicago City Hall reporter. A political analyst and CEO of Urban Strategies Group, Hanania’s opinion columns on mainstream issues are published in the Southwest News Newspaper Group in the Des Plaines Valley News, Southwest News-Herald, The Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers. His Middle East columns are published in the Arab News. For more information on Ray Hanania visit www.Hanania.com or email him at rghanania@gmail.com.)

 

SUBSCRIBE BELOW

Subscribe to Ray's columns

Subscribe to Ray Hanania’s Columns

* indicates required field.

 

Select Email Format


Two Guys on Politics podcast with Former Congressman Bill Lipinski and former Chicago City Hall reporter Ray Hanania www.TwoGuysonPolitics.com

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.  

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com.

Follow RayHanania on Gettr.com, the uncensored Twitter Ray Hanania on Gettr, the new Twitter
Ray Hanania
Latest posts by Ray Hanania (see all)
  • Court orders ex to provide transportation so Dad can see his daughter - March 23, 2023
  • Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau continues to lie and slander people - March 21, 2023
  • Writing my very first news story that ran in the Messenger Press - March 19, 2023
  • Tweet

SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  
 
 
 
           
Blogger, Chicago, Commentary, Cook County, Crime, Government, Law, Opinion, Police, Politics, Racism, Suburban Chicagoland Tags:chicago police, Cook County States Attorney, crime, criminal rights, defund the police, empowering criminals, HB3653, hijacked car, Kim Foxx, Kimberly Lightford, protect law abiding citizens, State Senator

Post navigation

Previous Post: Ald. Quinn reinforces commitment to improving Public Safety, supporting Chicago Police 
Next Post: Two Guys on Politics podcast adds Facebook and Twitter accounts

Related Posts

  • U.S. Rep. Marie Newman of the Illinois 3rd District presented local police departments with a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition to honor their service to the Southwest Side and suburbs during a regional meeting on Sunday in Bridgeview Jan. 9, 2022
    Congresswoman Newman honors local Police during National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day Cook County
  • The author with a young Navajo girl who guides tourists at the Dinosaur Tracks a Moenkopi outside Tuba City in Arizona. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Native Americans deserve better Blogger
  • Members of the Cicero Emergency Operations Committee have issued at least 10 citations to Cityview Multicare Center for failing to adhere to state executive orders to combat the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.
    Cicero applauds court decision extending TRO protections to City View residents breaking news
  • The King's Pawn mystery novel by Aaron Hanania
    Teenager uses iPhone 6 to write his first novel Books & Films
  • Murder suspect Brian Cruz. Photo courtesy of the Lyons Police Department
    Murder charges filed for suspect described as armed and dangerous in Lyons murder breaking news
  • Attorney Pat O'Brien announced his candidacy for the Republican Nomination for Cook County State's Attorney on Sept. 3, 2019
    Judge Pat O’Brien Urges Solutions to End Tragic Violence Chicago

More Related Articles

Elizabeth Klein, Deputy Secretary of the Interior. Photo courtesy of the Biden Transition Team Biden announces more key appointments to his cabinet elections
Congressman Sean Casten Sean Casten defeats Marie Newman and will face-off with extremist Keith Pekau Cook County
Vote sticker from he 2020 election in Illinois Change voting system so we can make better choices Blogger
Congressman Danny Davis. Photo courtesy of WIkipedia Congressional Inquiry Hears Riveting Testimony on Illegal Police Raids Chicago
Police car, this one from Chicago. Photo courtesy WIkipedia Wallet Hub releases list of safest largest cities in America Chicago
The White House. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania Media hypocrisy in their coverage of DC Protests versus BLM protests Blogger

Comment (1) on “Lightford should repeal HB3653 which advocates for criminals”

  1. Pingback: The Driver's Side" – News From The Motorist's Perspective | theexpiredmeter.com

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Login with your Social ID
  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau continues to lie and slander people
    March 21, 2023
  • Writing my very first news story that ran in the Messenger Press
    March 19, 2023
  • Ronette McCarthy, a candidate for Mayor of Palos Park, addresses the Palos Park Village Board on the issue of expanding Wu's House parking into land adjacent to the huge restaurant on the east.
    Whoa is Wu’s House in Palos Park
    March 14, 2023
  • Foxx policies punish police rather than the criminals
    March 8, 2023
  • Pekau silences accountability to expand his political power
    February 27, 2023
  • Terrorist Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin who is guilty of massacring civilians in his war against Ukraine. Photo credit Wikipedia
    America should stand with Ukraine and set aside internal politics
    February 24, 2023

Subscribe

  • Ray-Hanania-Newsletter-300-wide-Banner.jpg

Trending

  • Ronette McCarthy, a candidate for Mayor of Palos Park, addresses the Palos Park Village Board on the issue of expanding Wu's House parking into land adjacent to the huge restaurant on the east. Whoa is Wu’s House... Whoa is Wu's House in Palos Park Residents in Palos Park thought they had t... posted on March 14, 2023
  • Orland Park Mayor Keith P... Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau continues to lie and slander people By Ray Ha... posted on March 21, 2023
  • Brandon Johnson leads a protest demanding to defund the Police. Phot courtesy of the Vallas for Mayor Campaign Johnson Refuses to Answer... Johnson Refuses to Answer Whether He Would Pursue Stricter Penalties for Re... posted on March 22, 2023
  • Karie Friling the former Director of Development Services and former Asst. Village Manager for Orland Park, Illinois, discusses with host Ray Hanania, the proposed referendum introduced and pushed by Mayor keith Pekau to eliminate the professional Village Manager and Managerial Form of Government. Former Orland Park Asst V... Former Orland Park Asst Village Manager analyzes misguided referendum to el... posted on February 23, 2023
  • Pekau campaign signs viol... Pekau campaign signs violate village ordinances Pekau and his endorsed cand... posted on March 13, 2023
  • NEWS
  • Jeffery M. Leving fights for your rights
    Court orders ex to provide transportation so Dad can see his daughter
    March 23, 2023
  • Brandon Johnson leads a protest demanding to defund the Police. Phot courtesy of the Vallas for Mayor Campaign
    Johnson Refuses to Answer Whether He Would Pursue Stricter Penalties for Repeat Gun Offenders At WGN Debate 
    March 22, 2023
  • Orland Fire Protection District extinguish fire in apartment building at 144th and Ravinia Sunday Jan. 30, 2022
    One fatality in Orland Hills Home fire
    March 22, 2023
  • Illinois State Senator Michael Hastings. Photo courtesy of the Illinois State Senate
    Senator Michael Hastings supports bill to protect consumers from pesky auto-renewal charges
    March 18, 2023
  • Major League Rugby 2023 Championship to take place at SeatGeek Stadium July 8
    Major League Rugby 2023 Championship to take place at SeatGeek Stadium July 8
    March 17, 2023
  • Paul Vallas candidate for Chicago Mayor 2023. Photo courtesy of the Paul Vallas website
    Paul Vallas calls out Johnson’s lies walking back calls to defund and undermine police
    March 15, 2023
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png

The Political Pundit

Political Pundit Aug. 24, 2021. Taliban thanks president for boxes of MAGA hats
  • WORD PRESS REVIEWS
  • MyCloud by Western Digital, a hard drive that doesn't last. Don't purchase Western Digital.
    Western Digital tubes its loyal customers for profit
    October 17, 2021
  • Macho Themes website front page. Don't buy their themes. They don't work
    Difficulties with Macho Themes for WordPress
    August 21, 2021
  • TECHNOLOGY REVIEWS
  • Illinois State Senator Michael Hastings. Photo courtesy of the Illinois State Senate
    Senator Michael Hastings supports bill to protect consumers from pesky auto-renewal charges
    March 18, 2023
  • Wreaths Across America Radio logo
    Wreaths Across America Radio Announces New Strategic Partnerships with Veteran Radio Programs
    February 6, 2023
  • Dr. Helen Edwards Fermilab particle physicist
    Foster, Durbin, Duckworth introduce resolution to name Fermilab Research Center after renowned physicist Dr. Helen Edwards
    February 3, 2023

Follow Ray Hanania at
Gab.com, MeWe.com
IDobbinate.com,
Twitter, Facebook

Creative Commons License
All works on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

First Installment of the Property Tax

What We’re Reading

Arab News Newspaper Leading English Language Publication in the GulfArab News Newspaper

Ray Hanania on Politics
SW News Newspaper Group

  • SPORTS
  • Major League Rugby 2023 Championship to take place at SeatGeek Stadium July 8
    Major League Rugby 2023 Championship to take place at SeatGeek Stadium July 8
    March 17, 2023
  • Chicago Wolves 2022-2023 season
    Chicago Wolves top Stars for second win in a row
    October 25, 2022
  • Stagg Marching Band Pit Crew as efficient as a NASCAR pit stop! The team that does a lot of the work to help the Stagg High school band perform works behind the scenes like a NASCAR pit stop. The students are profiled in this feature
    Stagg Marching Band Pit Crew as efficient as a NASCAR pit stop!
    August 31, 2022
  • Soccer. Photo by Md Mahdi on Unsplash
    International soccer returns to SeatGeek Stadium
    August 7, 2022
  • NEWS RELEASES
  • Jeffery M. Leving fights for your rights
    Psychological support for divorcing dads topic of CLE at Leving firm
    March 14, 2023
  • Tony Award Winner Robert Falls returns to Goodman Theatre to direct his adaptation of "The Cherry Orchard" Photo courtesy Goodman Theatre
    Tony Award Winner Robert Falls returns to Goodman Theatre to direct his adaptation of “The Cherry Orchard”
    March 6, 2023
  • Popular Ziyad Brand Green Za'ater. Photo courtesy of Ziyad Brothers
    Ziyad Brothers reports that the appeal of Mediterranean foods continues to rise among consumers
    February 16, 2023
  • Jeffery M. Leving fights for your rights
    No-contact order protects child from reported abuse
    February 16, 2023
  • Author Patrick Girondi
    Prominent producer to write screen adaptation of story on the fight against Thalassemia
    February 8, 2023
John Kass Columns

Order the book PoweR PR; Ethnic Activists Guide to Strategic Communications

  • BUSINESS NEWS
  • Ronette McCarthy, a candidate for Mayor of Palos Park, addresses the Palos Park Village Board on the issue of expanding Wu's House parking into land adjacent to the huge restaurant on the east.
    Whoa is Wu’s House in Palos Park
    March 14, 2023
  • Popular Ziyad Brand Green Za'ater. Photo courtesy of Ziyad Brothers
    Ziyad Brothers reports that the appeal of Mediterranean foods continues to rise among consumers
    February 16, 2023
  • Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar
    Cook County Announces Call for Transportation and Community Grant Program Applications
    January 23, 2023
  • money $20 dollar bill, dollars, cash
    Buckner unveils plan to help businesses and strengthen job
    January 19, 2023

YOUTUBE VIDEOS

Click this link to watch or use the widget below:

Click here to view the video on YouTube or use the widget below.
Email Ray Hanania for more information about performing at your event at rghanania@gmail.com.

Copyright © 2022 Suburban Chicagoland & Urban Strategies Group

Powered by PressBook Premium theme