Most big American cities have a slogan or a motto. And why shouldn’t they? Cities are home to millions, and they’re a testament to human endurance and the wonders of engineering and architecture. An ideal motto is some kind of friendly and memorable expression that denotes hometown pride while also drawing in visitors or new residents. For example, Philadelphia is “The City of Brotherly Love.” St. Louis is “The Gateway to the West.” New York is “The City That Never Sleeps.”
For decades, Chicago’s nicknames have been “The Windy City” (because of the cold air coming off of adjacent Lake Michigan as well as for the city’s history of blowhard leaders) or “The Second City” (Chicago used to be the second-largest city in America, after New York). The home of the Chicago Cubs and deep-dish pizza just might have another motto to add to the list, if Chicago mayor Rahm Emmanuel gets his way.
Emmanuel, who once served as President Obama’s chief of staff, was so appalled by the Trump administration’s decision to maybe end the DACA immigration program, (you know, the Dreamers) that in September he declared the city of Chicago a “Trump-free zone.” That’s got to be the only time in recent memory in which the leader of a major American city told the president that they’re not welcome. Last night during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Emmanuel channelled his well-defined anti-Trump sentiment into another motto (and thesis statement) for Chicago government: “Our motto: a city he’ll never sleep in,” Emmanuel said. “We don’t want him here.”
Reasons? Emmanuel has his reasons. In addition to the DACA stuff, Emmanuel pointed out that after U.S. Steel polluted Lake Michigan, Trump’s Environmental Protection didn’t do anything, so the city filed a lawsuit. Then, after Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Accord, Emmanuel teamed up with other mayors to fight climate change themselves.
The president, Emmanuel said, is “driving forward looking through the rearview mirror. And I’m not going that way. I want it to be a Trump-free zone.”
What do people on social media think of Chicago’s bold new catchphrase? Well, by and large, they’d wish Emmanuel would maybe stop going after Trump for a minute and start addressing what they feel are the most pressing issues facing Chicago, particularly crime, violence, and education. (It looks like they want to stick with “The Windy City.”)
He should be more concerned about the gun & gang violence killing hundreds of citizens.
— syd piper (@sydthepiper) December 12, 2017
I won’t sleep there either, not as long as that jackoff is mayor!
— Francisco (@JulianFDrake1) December 12, 2017
https://twitter.com/MAGA_Dossier/status/940577909126909952
https://twitter.com/slugopugo/status/940564935167414273
Unfortunately no one can sleep in Chicago! Everyone is worried about being the next crime victim or having their child shot walking home from school!
— LA Lady Raised Right (@LALady28429045) December 12, 2017
just shy of 700 homicides and the Mayor has time to appear on the later night circuit?? Wow!
— RN (@Richnudo1) December 12, 2017
Rahm continues to focus on Trump instead of actually doing the job he was hired to do, wonder if his brother & all of his Hollywood pals will pay to have him reelected again.
— BC (@chicagoCanman) December 12, 2017
https://twitter.com/jgkm63/status/940491314902327299
No surprise here. @ChicagosMayor being on @StephenAtHome speaks for itself. Did not here Stephen ask Rahm about Chicago murder rate. I guess that would be too political. #Chicago
— Thomas R Hoffmann (@thoffmannswe) December 12, 2017
It would be great if he spent more time on cleaning up his own city of violence. He has done nothing as a Mayor to warrant his title. Sad that he tricked an entire city into thinking he actually cared……..
— DMC (@dmc24) December 12, 2017