Richard Daley Bulldozes Meigs Field

[Airwolf]

I kinow this isn't firearms related but it does go hand in hand with Daley's push for the gun ban. The man REALLY does think that he is a king ruling serfs.

www.aopa.org

Mayor Daley bulldozes Chicago's Meigs Field

Update: Mar. 31 — Sneaking in under the cover of darkness, city of Chicago construction crews began tearing up the runway at Meigs Field this morning at about 1:30 a.m. There was no advance warning, not even to the FAA. Some 16 aircraft are stranded on the field. A city source told the Chicago media that the "airport is closed for good" for "homeland security reasons."

"We are absolutely shocked and dismayed," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "Mayor Daley has no honor and his word has no value. The sneaky way he did this shows that he knows it was wrong."

Boyer immediately fired faxes off to FAA Administrator Marion Blakey and Transportation Security Administration chief Adm. James M. Loy to discuss possible solutions.

"During a period when the country is at war in the Middle East, why must the mayor of Chicago also play dictator with a most valuable airport and cause additional turmoil inside our own country?" asked Boyer.

"While federal and state airport laws may not have been broken by this action, in December 2001 he pledged to keep the airport open, in support of federal legislation that granted him expansion of O'Hare airport. The mayor has broken his promise not only to the citizens of his own city, but also to the pilots of America.

"We will once again explore the legality of this action, but past research indicates that the law hasn't been broken," Boyer continued. "However, we're not going to allow the mayor to hide behind the fiction of 'homeland security' for his reprehensible action."

(To see the damage already done to Meigs field, visit www.adlerplanetarium.org and select Sky Eye Cam and then Meigs under "select a view.")

 

[iamkris]

Out-f*%^#&%-rageous.

I am a pilot in in Illinois (and a gun owner). This guy is a complete dictator. He's been fighting Meigs Field for 10 years (it closed down about 5 years ago and was reopened under a deal for the 3rd airport in NE Illinois.

That he would do this under the cover of darkness is an insight into the complete lack of character and belief in people control that this nightmare has.

:banghead: :banghead:

 

[iamkris]

Here's the story from Friends of Miegs Field

Reaed this and tell me you don't think Richie Daley will use armed storm troopers to come after your guns.


City Uses Storm-Troop Tactics to Trash Meigs
Friends of Meigs to City:
“For homeland security, closing Meigs is the riskiest thing possibleâ€


Chicago, IL – The City of Chicago today used surprise and shock tactics to start demolishing Meigs Field, the world-renowned airport serving downtown, ripping up runway without notice in the dark of night under police guard. “We are in shock,†said Rachel Goodstein, president of the Friends of Meigs Field. “The City of Chicago had agreed to keep Meigs Field open until 2026,†she said, citing a December 2001 agreement between Mayor Daley and Governor Ryan.

“This smacks of totalitarianism,†said Goodstein. “It is nothing but an unmitigated land grab.â€

The demolition came without warning, when dozens of heavy earth-movers descended on Meigs shortly after it closed at 10:00 P.M. Sunday night. The Friends of Meigs only received warning via news media inquiries. When Friends of Meigs representatives tried to visit the airport to talk to officials about the situation, they were turned away from the area by armed police.

“We understand that the City is trying to use ‘homeland security’ as an excuse to destroy Meigs without notice,†said Goodstein. “Of all of the possible things they could do, that’s the worst possible for public security. If there is a security issue at an airport, you work with the users to resolve it in the least disruptive manner, you don’t destroy millions of dollars of taxpayer property.â€

The Friends of Meigs Field have repeatedly pointed out that—not only does Meigs Field regularly handle medevac flights and air-sea rescue operations for the lakefront and downtown high rises—it also is the facility responsible for control of all air traffic over downtown Chicago. “Meigs Field is what protects us from what the Mayor fears,†said Goodstein. “If he wants better airspace security, he should encourage MORE people to use Meigs.†Meigs Field’s control tower controls all traffic within 4 ½ miles of downtown Chicago. Also, since September 11, 2001, security has been tighter at Meigs than at any other small airport in the state.

The Friends of Meigs Field plan to hold a press conference later today to answer media inquiries about this situation:

What: Friends of Meigs Field Press Conference (tentative information, will depend on City of
Chicago official announcement)

When: 11:30 AM or following the City Hall press conference

Where: Chicago City Hall

Contacts: Steve Whitney, Cell: 847-452-4304; Rachel Goodstein, Cell: 773-383-4762

 

[Pendragon]

So, why does the mayor care about this airfield?

What are his actual motives as opposed to his PR?

Does he want it developed or something?

IL - especially Chicago is just scary - I would not live there for a million dollars a year.

 

[Chris Rhines]

What a guy.

- Chris

 

[Kinsman]

Unbelievable. A field like Meigs is a valuable public asset and it sounds like Daley overstepped his authority on this one....but that's what guys like him do best, I suppose.

Can't wait to see what hotels go in there....and who owns / builds them.

 

[Airwolf]

What he keeps saying is that he wants another park on the lakefront. Anyone who’s been to the city knows that there are LOTS of parks already. An insider told someone at AOPA several years ago the REAL plan is to close the airport and then say “Oh, sorry… we don’t have the funds to do the park. We’ll have to sell the land for development.â€

Anyone who knows Chicago’s politics can take a good guess at how much Daley and his goons will make from kickbacks and bribes from the construction and related businesses.

Again, just a rumor but again, it IS Chicago and it IS Daley.

Closing Meigs has been a Holy Jihad for Daley for years.

The fact that he destroyed the airport without notifiying the FAA (90 day advance notice needed by Federal Law) he may have opened himself and the city up to a major can of worms. There are lots of powerful people in DC that have worked to keep the airport open and made deals with King Richard to do so. He may have really stomped on some major toes with this one.

He just may have discovered that his Kingdom does NOT extend to the other 49 states (execpt in his own demented mind).

 

[El Tejon]

Kinsman, hotels, think river boats! Daley has been eyeing that land for a while.

I am sooo glad I left in '95. [shudder]

 

[GSB]

So, will His Majesty pay for moving the stranded planes, or is it just tough luck on the peasantry for running afoul of His Lordship's whims?

 

[UnknownSailor]

Is this the place I started at in MS Flight Simulator all those years ago? Sticks out into the lake?

 

[Airwolf]

Yup. It's the default airport for MS Flight Sim.

 

[Don Gwinn]

I'm not sure if I'm shocked or not. I'm outraged, but frankly, I can't dig up much surprise. If there is a bright side, it may be that some gun owners might now figure out that this is not a game for Richard Daley. There are no rules and his word means nothing. He'd bulldoze your house if it became "necessary," and he'd do it at three in the morning to keep cameras from catching it. Then he'd stand in front of the ruins with tears in his eyes and talk about how sorry he was that you forced him to do it.

Even the local liberal radio hosts are outraged. Not just at Daley, but at Blagojevich. He "promised," after all, that he would not be a bought-and-paid-for puppet for Daley and Dick Mell. I can't see how that's relevant, but apparently they either thought his promise was genuine, or they feel the need to pretend they did.

Blago's administration wasn't even notified before this happened, but they're not saying boo about it. According to Blago's spokesperson today, the Governor agrees with the action so he won't try to stop it. Isn't that nice?

 

[bad_dad_brad]

I heard about this today on WLS/AM, the Roe and Conn talk show. All the announcers were completely outraged but I could not quite figure it out.

I don't know what to say. I had no idea when I listened to the report, that he had actually ordered the destruction of this classic airport. I just thought he had closed it.

Daley has gone too far this time. JUST WHO THE H*LL DOES HE THINK HE IS ?

I just feel sick about this. I have flown in and out of that area in the past many a time, had a wonderful dinner in a great Chicago restaurant, enjoyed the sights and sounds of a once great city. But now, Chicago is a shell of what it once was, because of one man. I won't even call him a man. He is a worm. I won't step foot in that city as long as "little caesar" rules.

Bulldozing Meigs field? You might as well bulldoze Wrigley Field. Don't worry, we will get round to it. Just look at the travesty that is the so called re-modeling of Soldier Field. What is next?

 

[Coronach]

Well, I hate Daley as much or more than most people. However, I'm not really seeing what this has to do with either firearms, or civil liberty issues, besides the obvious "Daley is to civil liberties what smallpox is to human beings."

but closed.

Mike