Blazing Saddles Come to Life

The Commander is a cra....[GONG!!!!!]

Dang blame it, the Commander is a cra....[GONG!!!!!]

Only it's in reverse:

• Protestors gathered outside the Englewood District police station Saturday angry over the appointment of a new police commander.

  The group was upset with Mayor Emanuel and Superintendent Garry McCarthy because the new commander, Leo Schmitz, is white.

  Schmitz has been a police officer for 26 years and served as the commander of the 8th district and the gang enforcement division.

  The group says an African American commander would better serve their district, which covers one of the most crime-ridden areas of the city.

  Chicago police released a statement reading in part: “Schmitz is the best person to lead the 7th District, and we have the utmost confidence in his leadership and ability to make the Englewood community safer for residents."

As so many of our commentators have noted, how long has Englewood had black commanders? And it has resulted in what exactly? Englewood still has a murder rate five times that of Chicago overall.

Is anyone going to call the reverends on their bullshit?

UPDATE: We amended our summation paragraph as it was awkwardly phrased and could have been misinterpreted by those with an axe to grind.