Emanuel Calls For Citywide Focus On Disadvantaged Kids In Second Inaugural Speech
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Mayor Rahm Emanuel began his second term Monday with a call for the entire city to dedicate itself to helping young people in need.
The inaugural ceremony for the mayor, city clerk, city treasurer, and all 50 aldermen got off to a rousing start at the Chicago Theatre, with the help of the Apostolic Church of God Praise Team, singing a gospel song Emanuel himself requested.
After taking his second oath of office, the mayor told aldermen he and they have a lot of important work to do, but Emanuel shied away from discussing the city's major financial problems – massive budget deficits and severely underfunded employee pension funds – and focused almost entirely about the plight of disadvantaged children. Emanuel said all Chicago must focus on helping them.
"Some argue that the answer is more money for more government programs. Others argue that the answer is better values through parental involvement and spiritual guidance. It's time we stopped talking past each other, and joined together, finding solutions," he said.
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The mayor said more needs to be done to help disadvantaged youth stay away from crime, and get out of poverty.
"No longer can we tolerate leaving so many young lives behind. Now, I do not pretend to have all the answers. The solution, though, does start with each of us," he said.
Specific plans, presumably, will come later.
Among those who came to visit Mayor Emanuel was 18-year-old Marcus Norris, who lost his four front teeth after being hit by a random bullet ten years ago.
Norris' mentor in the Becoming a Man program Timothy Jackson learned his story and raised money for the teenager. The teen says he wasn't expecting Emanuel to mention him in the speech.
"I didn't know he was going to mention me," Norris said. "It was surprising. It felt like a dream. When he said my name, I was shocked. I didn't know what to say."
He did smile though.
Among those attending the inaugural were former President Bill Clinton, former Mayor Richard M. Daley, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, and other top state and local leaders.
