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No, the ‘Terrorist’ Didn’t Win, It Was Just About Respect


Main Street Nights July 6 canceled, terrorist didn't win
(VOPF)

Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- The Village of Park Forest canceled yesterday’s 4th of July parade and concert. As much as we were looking forward to this annual national and local celebration of everything American, the ‘terrorist’ in Highland Park didn’t win.

That was the take of a few — very few — on social media yesterday and today. The announcement that inspired that accusation today, July 5, was Park Forest’s announcement that tomorrow’s Main Street Nights is also canceled.

No, the Highland Park ‘terrorist’ didn’t win. Today’s weather is hazardous, according to the National Weather Service in Chicago. Tomorrow there’s a decent chance of thunderstorms. According to village officials on social media, it is less expensive to cancel in advance and reschedule than to set up and cancel an event about to go live — especially, I imagine, when tomorrow’s event was to include the now twice-delayed Resident Appreciation event.

We might end up with an extra MSN in August to get in all the fun, according to one village source last night. Stay tuned.

At any rate, clean your yards and “batten down the hatches,” as tonight there’s a 70% chance of heavy rain. Hopefully, our elder trees will remain rooted, especially those near our homes.

On the positive side, police said they responded to 53 calls for service on the night shift, 6 PM to 6 AM. There were likely extra officers on that shift anticipating the worst. Here’s the good news: there were no arrests on the night shift. I can confirm that last week, June 28 through July 4, 2022, there was only one arrest. A Park Forest man was arrested on July 1 and charged with DUI.

There were three burglaries last week, one to a residence and two on motor vehicles. We’ll report on those too. There were no burglaries the previous week.

The incredible thing about that is that means, as of the reports we have thus received, there were no arrests on July 4 at all. Unless there are reports still in the works. However, during a time when alcohol use is higher, “There were no major incidents or arrests,” police said in a statement. This means there were no arrests on domestic calls. Men with alcohol are six times more likely to abuse a partner, according to a study that spanned 16 years.

A report in JAMA tells a similar tale: “Not only is domestic violence perpetrated by the alcoholic spouse on the sober spouse, it is also inflicted on the alcoholic spouse by the sober spouse. About one-fourth of all American homes have been afflicted by an alcohol-related family problem. Sixty-three percent of women in one study of family violence reported that their husbands were drinking when they were violent.”

So let’s say we were extremely lucky or blessed or maybe a bit wiser this year.

Park Forest social media overall seems to be a much friendlier place these days. There are still those who bully others. Most of these, to my mind, are followers or appointees of the Currant Occupant of the big chair in the Board Room. After the last election, I told some that these were the angriest winners I’ve ever seen. My perception has not changed. Still have some text messages from that election night that spin my head.

Someday, perhaps, we will regain some civility.

Someday.

But rest comfortably on this notion: on July 4, 2022, with 53 calls for service on the night shift and more on the day shift, no one was arrested. And we did not parade and sing and dance at a concert out of respect for those shot, wounded, and killed in Highland Park.

The ‘terrorist’ did not win.

And we did it out of respect.


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