Edging towards a Chicago City Council vote on its proposed land grab in Grant Park this coming Wednesday, the Chicago Children's Museum ran a full page ad in this Sunday's Chicago Tribune with a long, often somewhat curious list of all the groups they claim support them. (Did you know the Chicago Public Schools support the move?) Some of the listings seemed a bit strange, as many are organizations that don't usually involve themselves in politics or public policy battles. So I checked a couple out. Here's one response I just got from Lyric Opera, which was listed as one of the museum's supporters:
"Lyric Opera of Chicago has not endorsed the proposed new site for the Children's Museum, and did not authorize inclusion in the advertisement which appeared Sunday in the Chicago Tribune."
How many more of the listings on the ad are similarly bogus? Could the CCM's Astroturf campaign grow any more dishonest?
Can you post a scan of the ad?
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Eric
This is par for the course for Museum officials. Great lessons for the kids.
ReplyDeleteAwesome detective work, Lynn!
ReplyDeleteIt's sad, but I've seen this sort of thing happen before. Anyone can take out an add with a list of "supporters." It's rare that anyone checks up on it. Sounds like a good expose for an eager reporter...
ReplyDeleteOr atleast provide a link to the advertisement?
ReplyDeleteThank you.
google came up with this link:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.chicagochildrensmuseum.org/new_ccm_organization_support3.html
which if you click it comes up with a "404 error".
couldn't find the cached copy though.
cached version from google:
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/5okbqu
or
http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:aAbghDrW5pYJ:www.chicago
childrensmuseum.org/new_ccm_organization_support3.html+lyric
+opera+site:chicagochildrensmuseum.org&hl=en&ct=clnk
&cd=1&gl=us
Hooray they have the support of Canal Street Storage! that should put them over the top
Hmm, don't mock them, you don't know what kind of political connections they have. Maybe Jimmy Hoffa's body is stored there!
ReplyDeleteEric
more of the same.
ReplyDeleteAnother challenge to Chicago Children's Museum ad
How many? At least eight, according to the latest WBEZ broadcast.
ReplyDeleteAnd what were government agencies doing commenting on issues outside their jurisdiction?
Apparently it was all just a big honest mistake. It's not too hard to imagine how some individuals sent their support and a PR firm just assumed they spoke for an entire organization. Happens all the time right?
ReplyDeleteOh well, too late to retract it all now.
Besides, once it's forced through City Council, it won't matter who does or doesn't support it.
It matters now! The proposal has been axed!
ReplyDelete