Two months ago I witnessed a very ugly situation at the corner of Kimball and Lawrence Avenues in Albany Park where the brown line L Train ends.
I am part of a group called Albany Park Neighbors for Peace and Justice and this lively group holds posters and distributes flyers to passersby to oppose US imperial wars across the world. Out of Iraq! Out of Syria! Out of Afghanistan. Stop the blockade of Cuba!
It is followed with a political discussion at the Subway across the street.
We usually get sympathetic honks in return and many people take the flyers to learn more about the illegal and horrific wars the US military is waging across the world.
In the beginning of September I witnessed a homeless man who has lived outside this train station for about a year now after Covid hit come up to our group at the corner and grab a couple of signs that he started to rip apart. He then grabbed a bunch of the flyers and threw them into the street.
This man with long stringy hair and a reddish complexion was very intoxicated, and appears to be most the time he haunts the area.
But suddenly a maroon SUV screeched to the corner when this encounter took place and a big man with a crew cut and dark shirt jumped out to confront the homeless man. He yelled at him, “This is America! You can’t do that here. They have the freedom to do this. This is America!”
He then pushed the homeless man, who uttered nothing in response, or slurred something inaudible, and he landed with a thud as his head just hit the pavement. Luckily his head did not bust open. Though it was violent, it was a response to the ugly attack and apparently calculated ugly attack to not only oppose a group’s free speech rights to distribute materials on a public walkway (where this homeless man has taken up his residence), but show he supports US military power to wage war on the world.
One of the volunteers thought that the big man who confronted the homeless guy was an undercover policeman. Many times people do nothing when they see someone committing violence. In this case, something was done.
While no one condones violence anywhere, and answering violence with violence is not necessarily the answer, there is a problem here.
Posting this story on the Albany Park Facebook invited a variety of responses - some sympathetic, some nasty and some off point. Social media can bring out both kindness and meanness.
“The homeless have been there for years,” wrote Tiffany Keokunian on FB. “If they get picked up at the hospital (Swedish) someone will just drop them off at a train stop. Also, since the river walk in Horner park and through other neighborhoods are being created, it’s causing the homeless that would sleep under the viaducts now can’t stay because of the construction. It’s just a crap situation all around.”
Tiffany noted that the police come frequently as the North Side area gets more expensive, and every so often the homeless and their belongings are swept away, only to return the next day.
“Yes they are mentally ill. I sometimes find myself relieved when I don’t see them. The guy I think they are talking about getting kicked sometimes has nunchucks and is swinging them around while trying to get on to the train. No matter if CTA employees call the police, if they want to be there they will always come back.”
She said her grandmother told her that that corner had been crazy since the 1950s. My wife witnessed a beating when everybody exited the train one afternoon and were pushed back into the station as two guys with baseball bats went up to a parked car and pulled the driver out and started beating him. People were screaming, and within seconds sirens were screaming, and the perpetrators gone. All in a flash!
One person wrote what that big man did by pushing this homeless person to the cement was wrong.
“I had a criminology professor once tell me the ‘ends of the line’ are always a little more dicey than the other areas along the train,” wrote Joe Kramer. “I though Kimball was a little different though.”
Collen Curry wrote that she informed the Alderwoman Rossana Rodriguez about the problem.
“I sent an email to Rosanna Rodriguez about the homeless people ‘living’ at the Kimball train station. This is unsightly and puts a negative spin on our neighborhood. In addition, they might be threatening to the community. After I wrote to her, they were removed for a short time. If more people say something, maybe she can get them housing or proper placement at Thresholds.”
So which is it - does she want the homeless just removed or does she want the homeless to receive housing. Which takes precedence?
A few then commented about how you should support the military and that the people passing out flyers have been too aggressive.
Andrew Chebuhar did not agree.
“Kudos to all who help build public opinion to oppose these US wars and sanctions that only serve the ruling class and not the working masses here at home.”
Emily Porter took the side of the homeless in her comment.
“There is a facility for mentally ill people nearby, which is why people see ‘unsightly homeless’ people around that station a lot. It would be a state or city run facility, with not the best of care but at least a roof over their heads at night and meds in their bodies.
“There used to be a nice man that would give you candy, I can’t recall his name. But I met his brother once, who’s a taxi driver, and he explained it all to me and that his brother and others are often bullied and abused so maybe people can start showing some empathy and kindness? Just a thought.”
Jennifer Krause ended with these words:
“This thread is awful. Please volunteer significant time for unhoused folks and those with untreated mental illness before you speak like this again.”