WEBVTT 1 00:00:54.060 --> 00:00:58.200 And now, our Pledge of Allegiance to the Plaintiff. 2 00:00:58.200 --> 00:01:07.300 I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. 3 00:01:07.680 --> 00:01:12.440 Ladies and gentlemen, let's give Mayor Washington a real Chicago neighborhood welcome. 4 00:01:37.700 --> 00:01:40.520 I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. 5 00:01:40.520 --> 00:01:41.420 I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. 6 00:01:41.420 --> 00:01:44.440 I would be proud to do that much more. Thank you very much. 7 00:01:48.920 --> 00:01:49.360 Applause 8 00:01:49.360 --> 00:01:51.480 Applause 9 00:01:51.480 --> 00:01:54.220 Applause 10 00:01:54.220 --> 00:01:56.040 Applause 11 00:02:03.960 --> 00:02:04.540 Applause 12 00:02:10.620 --> 00:02:20.100 Last August 9th, I met with leaders of Save Our City Coalition and discussed the programs and strategies which were adopted at the April 28th convention. 13 00:02:20.900 --> 00:02:23.540 Our meeting that day was a real eye-opener for me. 14 00:02:24.240 --> 00:02:35.760 One of the greatest challenges of my administration has been reaching out to and appreciating the special needs and concerns of our city's predominantly white ethnic middle-income neighborhoods. 15 00:02:36.400 --> 00:02:41.720 When it came to our city's northwest and southwest sides, I found myself stuck in a dilemma. 16 00:02:42.420 --> 00:02:47.600 It was difficult to communicate the key principles of the reform program we were bringing to Chicago, 17 00:02:47.600 --> 00:02:52.920 and more difficult to get a firm grip on the real problems confronting these communities to which I alluded. 18 00:02:53.980 --> 00:02:57.520 This coalition once asked me to light a candle of understanding with their communities. 19 00:02:58.120 --> 00:03:04.820 I want to light a candle of understanding in each and every community in our city until the city is blazing with enlightenment, promise and purpose. 20 00:03:05.060 --> 00:03:05.880 Thank you very much. 21 00:03:17.100 --> 00:03:17.580 Applause 22 00:03:17.580 --> 00:03:26.080 One thing that we accomplished in our April, our August 9th meeting was that we could come to you with our problems, with our neighborhood problems. 23 00:03:26.360 --> 00:03:31.160 And as long as that door remains open where people feel that they can come to you and talk to you. 24 00:03:31.600 --> 00:03:37.660 These are two powerful organizations that have joined together as a coalition and now it seems as though you have the support and backing of City Hall. 25 00:03:37.940 --> 00:03:40.200 Does it give you even more strength now? 26 00:03:40.520 --> 00:03:41.580 Well, sure it does. 27 00:03:48.780 --> 00:03:53.600 What better can you have than to have the mayor of the city standing between us and with us? 28 00:03:53.600 --> 00:04:03.480 Whereas a year ago we were kind of like this, but now I feel that we are together because we all do understand that it is one city and we all have to work together. 29 00:04:03.600 --> 00:04:08.540 And the programs that we've presented are good for the whole city, not just the northwest and the southwest sides. 30 00:04:09.960 --> 00:04:11.960 Mayor Washington on another subject. 31 00:04:13.080 --> 00:04:16.240 I'm in here for the cause. I'm going all the way. 32 00:04:16.740 --> 00:04:26.320 I guess you could say that my philosophy in life comes from 2 Corinthians 7, which says we walk by faith and not by sight. 33 00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:31.480 We put our trust in people who have proven to us that they deserve that support. 34 00:04:31.840 --> 00:04:34.920 And once we do it, we're in for the duration. 35 00:04:34.920 --> 00:04:38.420 So we've got a tough battle. I don't shirk it. 36 00:04:38.640 --> 00:04:40.360 I understood it when I walked in there. 37 00:04:40.680 --> 00:04:43.720 If I didn't know it was tough, I wouldn't have been qualified to go in there. 38 00:04:43.920 --> 00:04:48.260 But I'm going to fight this tiger. I'm going to wrestle with these alligators in the swamp. 39 00:04:48.980 --> 00:04:50.280 I'm going to enjoy every minute. 40 00:04:50.320 --> 00:04:55.800 You know why? Because I know you with me and because you know I'm with you. 41 00:04:55.800 --> 00:05:09.040 So if there's anybody who cares to listen, who assumes even remotely that our greater community is not together as a movement trying to make this city better and fairer, 42 00:05:09.080 --> 00:05:22.320 to become all inclusive, to make certain that these contracts we're talking about are fairly distributed throughout this city, making certain that minorities get their fair share, 43 00:05:22.840 --> 00:05:26.680 that's what the fight is all about. And that's what we're all about. 44 00:05:27.200 --> 00:05:31.660 We don't want anything we don't earn. We're not taking anybody from anything. 45 00:05:32.600 --> 00:05:35.540 We just want a fair share for all the people in this city. 46 00:05:36.320 --> 00:05:42.260 Now, I happen to be talking to a black audience, but you understand I've got to be fair to everybody. 47 00:05:42.600 --> 00:05:48.540 And I will be fair to everybody. But I'm going to insist that for the first time, this city is fair to you. 48 00:05:49.140 --> 00:05:50.500 Are you with me? 49 00:05:51.820 --> 00:05:55.940 I got a witness. I better quit while I'm ahead. 50 00:05:57.400 --> 00:06:00.720 Certainly goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. 51 00:06:01.180 --> 00:06:05.000 And I shall dwell on the fifth floor of City Hall. Thank you. 52 00:06:10.140 --> 00:06:14.600 We're so honored here today to have the Honorable Mayor of Washington with us. 53 00:06:15.400 --> 00:06:18.620 We sent for him three months ago. We knew he was going to be here. 54 00:06:19.560 --> 00:06:21.860 We making history. 55 00:06:23.140 --> 00:06:30.780 In the past, you have done so much to make this community a tight-knit, wonderful, productive community. 56 00:06:31.340 --> 00:06:33.640 You've done so much that I'm going to give you family. 57 00:06:34.260 --> 00:06:38.160 You've done so much that I'm going to give you all I've got, everything I've got. 58 00:06:38.520 --> 00:06:43.400 I wouldn't give it to anybody else. I saved it for you. 59 00:06:44.040 --> 00:06:47.320 Because I want you to have it. Every one of you. 60 00:06:47.320 --> 00:06:52.020 You know what it is? I'm going to be your mayor for the next 20 years. 61 00:06:58.700 --> 00:07:02.520 We're going to work hard for Harold and we're going to do it again.