Comments on: Does Rogers Park deserve its bloggers?

By: Tom Mannis

Tom Mannis — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 07:30:11 +0000

I find it interesting that both Chicago Magazine and the Chicago Tribune cited Gernhardt’s blog and mine as two of Chicago’s best, yet “Chris” thinks they are “are an exploding septic tank.” Both Gernhardt’s blog and mine are frequently linked to by newspapers and magazines as source material. While it’s true that Westgard and I both worked on the Ginderske 2007 campaign, the difference is that I managed to pull the wool off of my eyes and see Ginderske for what he is, whereas Westgard continues to push the misleading agenda of the Ginderske Cult.

By: Tom Mannis

Tom Mannis — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 07:24:52 +0000

Thomas Westgard is not authorized to practice law in Illinois, according to the Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission (ARDC), an agency of the Illinois Supreme Court. He has not been authorized since the end of 2008. To confirm this yourself, search for “Westgard Thomas” at the Illinois ARDC website at http://www.iardc.org/lawyersearch.asp
You can see more information here:
http://rogersparkbench.blogspot.com/2009/04/attorney-westgard-not-authorized-to.html

By: Justa Thought

Justa Thought — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:09:25 +0000

To reply to the original question of ‘does RP deserve the bloggers’:
Altho sometimes overly negative & overly obsessed with Joe Moore, I think the bloggers do a great job! In my youth, we did not have bloggers; rather we had bushas looking out windows & keeping an eye out for trouble. Their vigilance kept the neighborhood on its toes. This, I believe, is what the bloggers do.
And also, if these bloggers did broadcast what a treasure we have here, we would turn into over-crowded, over-yuppied LP. Do we want THAT?

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 03:48:17 +0000

It is really funny that Thomas Westgard derides bloggers like Tom Mannis and Craig Gernhardt. The three of them were once thick as thieves. During the pathetic farce that was the last 49th Ward Aldermanic election Westgard, who was involved in one of the campaigns, went running to Craig Gernhardt to get some dirt on a rival candidate’s daughter publicized. Mannis volunteered for the same campaign as Westgard and he and Westgard worked together producing videos.

The contradiction between Westgard’s current words and past actions is a great example of how ridiculous these blogs are. The crazies that once vied for their turn to rant on talk radio now turn to the internet. The Rogers Park blogs are an exploding septic tank. Fortunately the neighborhood is better than its blogs.

By: Jocelyn

Jocelyn — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 01:19:50 +0000

I disagree with your characterization of anyone who reads the blogs. I know plenty of regular people and neighbors that read them to keep up with what is going on. Yes, they are slanted and I believe they have an influence and that is why people get so upset about them I suppose.

As far as asking if we deserve the blogs, I really don’t know the answer. They exist and don’t seem to be going anywhere. In a way I guess we do deserve them because this neighborhood has been allowed to languish for so long in some ways.

The fact is that Morse Avenue is getting better with more businesses and foot trafic, but those derelicts & dealers just keep hanging on. After a while, it gets really annoying. It’s a real downer and that is what some of the blogs reflect.

All commuinities have issues. In Lakeview you have drunken idiots on the weekends, horrific parking and traffic issues for example. You have to pick your poison. In RP, we have the lake and a residential place to live, but we have some drug dealers and derelicts wandering around to put up with.

By: Megan

Megan — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:45:17 +0000

The simple answer is: no, Rogers Park does not deserve its bloggers. It is a multi-faceted neighborhood with more to tell than is presented on those hate-filled blogs. If Craig and others spent 1/10 of the energy they do hate-mongering on something actually productive, Rogers Park would be an even better place. I live it and see it every day.

By: UptownR

UptownR — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:28:29 +0000

There’s a great book by a University of Chicago sociologist about working class African Americans called “Slim’s Table”. It points out how the “working poor” African Americans are often overlooked in the popular conception of black inner city life. It examines this under-appreciated group, and notes that they have similar values to working class whites.

By: Roy Hobbs

Roy Hobbs — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:51:33 +0000

Please. I guess dropping a couple of hundred thousand dollars on a home in RP means that I don’t “appreciate” it enough. Of course I said isn’t concerned with propery value, he/she doesn’t own any property. Ask the person who owns your rental what they think.

By: l

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 03:09:07 +0000

I am one of the working class renters that you guys speak of in a pretty condescending fashion. If the bloggers could keep my rent down I would be grateful but I don’t see any evidence of that. Furthermore if the exalted owners truly appreciate Rogers Park and want to live here then why are they so concerned about the value of their property? I mean it only matters if you want sell right? Are these homes or just temporary investments? let’s be a little honest.

By: Laura Louzader

Laura Louzader — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 23:22:36 +0000

Why IS the term “working class” used as a pejorative?

What is wrong with having a blue-collar job? These people are one of the most stable and well-behaved segments of the population, and their neighborhoods are the cleanest and safest on Planet Earth.

The worst thing you can say about both the white and black working classes is that they are stodgy and awfully hung up on being Respectable, almost to a fault.

All in all,they are a great bunch of people who do the jobs that are necessary, and often demanding, difficult, dirty, and dangerous, that the rest of us don’t want anything to do with

No, I don’t think it’s the “working class blacks” that are Rogers Park’s problem.

Actually, it’s certain members of our local Entrepreneurial Class that give us the most problem, mainly our local business types who do their purveying by the el stations and in alleys and in badly managed apartment buildings.

Oh, yeah, and the NON-working lowlifes of various ethnic origins, who can be spotted sleeping it off in front of Soo Liquors, or in Loyola Park.