>> Hello and thanks for joining us on Chicago tonight.

I'm Brandis Friedman.

Here's what we're looking at.

>> A Blair said things that are wrong.

>> President Trump faces fallout from Christians after his comments on the pope and I post as Jesus.

Well, he was That's what I'm doing.

>> And would you live in all of Chicago's communities?

Local activists jahmal Cole is doing just that.

We hear what he's learned a year into the project.

First off tonight, Illinois's lawsuit against the Trump administration over deploying National Guard troops last fall has been tossed.

>> The same federal judge who blocked the troop deployment at the time has granted the Trump administration's motion to dismiss the case.

Federal attorneys argued the case is now moot.

Given that no National Guard troops are currently deployed in the state for the Federal Protection Mission.

State and city attorneys argued the opposite since the president threatened on social media.

That troops would return in a different and stronger form just days after the troops removal.

The annual Cinco de Mayo Parade in Little Village is canceled for the second year in a row with organizers.

Again, citing concerns over federal immigration raids in a joint statement, the Cermak Road Chamber of Commerce and Casa Puebla says, quote, the decision comes in light of the challenges are Mexican community continues to face under this administration.

Many families are experiencing fear and uncertainty due to increased immigration enforcement actions and the ongoing threat of raids.

It goes on to say given the circumstances, members of our community have understandably withdrawn from public gatherings and celebrations.

There is nothing to celebrate the Cinco de Mayo parade typically ran on Cermak road between Ashland Avenue in Marshall Boulevard where it's been held for more than 40 years.

According to organizers.

Some Chicago public school parents say they don't agree with the district's plans to make May 1st a day of civic action, even though the district reached a deal with the Chicago teachers Union on how to spend the day.

>> Last the Chicago Public Schools.

To the demands of the Chicago teachers Union.

To have our children participate and a day of protests.

On May 1st.

In all that that they did this without the confetti or the input of the parents.

>> After disagreements between the District District and the union over whether schools would stay open on May Day, which is international Workers Day.

The 2 sides agreed that it would be a full instructional day with optional participation in civic engagement, events.

But this group of parents argues the plant, quote, political activities risk disrupting instruction and would introduce politically charged content to students.

They say they've retained an attorney to explore their legal options.

Up next, mixing politics and religion.

That's right.

After this.

>> Chicago tonight is made possible in part why the Alexander and John Nichols family.

The Pope Brothers Foundation.

And the support of these donors.

>> Religion is taking center stage in the Trump administration.

President Trump is scheduled to live stream a Bible reading from the Oval Office tomorrow.

That's after a week-long dispute between the president and Pope Leo Trump posting an AI image of himself as Jesus Christ on social media and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reciting a fabricated Bible verse during a Pentagon morning.

Prayer.

Joining us to break it all down.

Our Reverend Quincy Worthington, pastor of the Highland Park Presbyterian Church, Reverend Violent John Occur.

Executive director of Rockford, Urban Ministries.

Father David in Chaska stages with priest and a doctoral student philosophy.

Loyola University, Chicago and Stan Chu below a Catholic priest from Nigeria and Catholic Studies, professor at DePaul University.

Thanks to all of you for joining us.

A lot to talk about.

So as we mentioned, Pope Leo, President Trump, they have been publicly feuding with each The dispute stems from comments that the pope made regarding the war in Iran.

He said, quote, Today, as we all know, there was this threat against the entire people of Iran.

And this is truly unacceptable.

There are certainly issues here of international law.

But even more than that, it is a moral question for the good of the world's people, father.

David, let's start with you.

What were your reactions to Pope Leo's comments against the war in Iran?

>> Well, the United States is engaging in an imperial war of aggression against the people of Iran.

And Pope Leo is the vicar of Jesus Christ on Earth and Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace.

Jesus Christ said to his disciples on the sermon on the Mount, Blessed are the peacemakers for you.

Are the children of got?

Jesus Christ also said to his disciples, those who pick up the sword will perish by the sword.

And so and commenting on this aggressive war of the United States against Iran and which thousands of people have already died, including many innocent children.

Pope Leo has every right to condemn this war as a follower of Jesus Christ as the vicar of Jesus Christ.

And so to me, it's not surprising that he's taking up this message of peace well deserved criticism by Pope Leo against Donald Trump and against this presidency against this war.

>> At a turning Point USA event last week, Vice president JD Vance who is Catholic, said that Pope Leo was wrong to say that the gospel calls for the rejection of war.

Here's a bit of that.

>> When the pope says.

>> God is never on the side of those who wield the sword.

There is 1000 more than 1000 year tradition of just war theory.

Okay.

Now we can, of course, have disagreements about whether this or that conflict is just.

But I think that it's important in the same way that it's important for the vice president states to be careful.

When I talk about matters of public policy, I think it's very, very important for the pope to be careful when he talks about matters of theology.

>> Understand what's your reaction to Vance's argument?

Is the pope ignoring just war theory?

>> I don't think he that is.

The vice president understands the just war theory.

Yeah.

There's also a company in the just war theory.

What to call the principal off discrimination and the principle of proportionality discrimination requires that you only attack those who haven't talked to you and then you discriminate between fighters, noncombatants.

When you look Durham, winds Gaza, of the destruction Iran, when you look at destruction in Lebanon, that is no discrimination very indiscriminate wiping away whole neighborhoods.

That is not just war because when you talk about just war, you must also follow a just cause.

just means.

And you must work, you know, not to realize peace and that as precaution.

So there's a lack proportionality.

So.

>> He's very is quite shocking to me for the vice president to lecture.

>> The pope on theology and morality.

>> Is is the vice president interpreting the just war theory to his own benefit?

And by that, I mean, is he interpreting its this theory to mean war can were justifying this war basically in and their justification being that Iran can't be allowed to have a nuclear weapon.

But the point is that before base war that was in negotiation.

That was a conversation that was at that look.

And then suddenly that was the sudden >> imposition of a unilateral approach to Adam and this war.

>> And then after now they're going back again to negotiating.

Then you ask yourself the question when you talk about just war, that is what to call the moral authority of depression, who responsible for declaring war.

So we have the United Nations.

We have the Security Council.

What is happening ease a unilateral declaration of war without any provocation at this point.

>> Last Saturday following Pope Leo's comments, President Trump posted his truth.

Social any posted this AI generated image of himself that he's been debated.

Whether or not it is intended to depict himself as Jesus Christ.

He deleted the image after some pushback from members of the religious community.

He's later said that he felt it depicted him as a doctor.

Not Reverend Quincy, what is your reaction to that post?

>> Well, he's dressed as a doctor that I'm dressed like Channing Tatum today.

I mean, it's just absolutely absurd that he would say that.

And I think it's These aren't serious people.

I think it's been very interesting to see where some of our conservative brothers and sisters are drawing a line in the sand of a bridge too far.

As far as the blasphemy and the violation of the Christian tenants in the co-opting of the Christian So to that point, Franklin Franklin Graham, prominent American evangelist and missionary, he defended President Trump saying, quote, >> I do not believe President Trump would knowingly depict himself as Jesus Christ.

There were no spiritual references, know halo, no crosses, no angels.

It was a flag soldiers, a nurse, fighter planes, Eagles, the Statue of Liberty.

And I think this is a lot to do about nothing is the religious community reading too much into this?

>> I don't think so.

I think anytime that you're committing blasphemy, the religious community is can respond and proportionate.

Measures to So I don't think it's an overreaction to called blasphemy.

>> Members of the Christian right who are also normally big supporters of the president.

They've attacked him from his post as well.

Most notably Republican speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, who is personally asked the president to delete it or he did Reverend dominant come to you written by live on Were you surprised to see, you know, that Americans on the right were perhaps, you know, >> that they are indicating something of a red line for Trump on this issue.

>> I was surprised and I was encouraged to see that there are in some cases opportunities for folks to push back against a president, particularly and religious spaces.

But it was surprising that it was an idolatrous image rather than blasphemous radical policies.

That was the line that was too far.

And so we've from folks on the religious left have been calling for a long time on folks across the spectrum to live out our values in ways that hold accountable.

Those in leadership.

President Trump criticized broke.

Don't back to the the feud between the president and and the pope.

wrote on truth Social last week, quote.

>> Pope Leo is weak on crime and caps and terrible for foreign policy.

should get his act together as pope use common sense, stop catering to the radical left and focus on being great hope.

Not a politician.

Father David David, how do you react to that?

Well, I think it's important to say to Donald Trump that he is not God.

>> He portrays himself in this image as if he's Jesus Christ holding an orb of light healing someone.

Donald Trump is not God.

The United States is not the reign of God.

Donald Trump is going to die like every mortal in this world and it's going foot have to give an account before God of his actions.

And so God bless Pope Leo Foretelling.

Essentially Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

one of his statements recently that those Christians who wage war.

Are going to have to give an account before God and so they should go to confession.

They should repent of their sentence and they should turn towards Jesus Christ and towards Message of love.

And so thank you.

Pope Leo for calling out Christians who wage war despite the fact that they call themselves Christians, let us look to Jesus Christ and his eternal love for us on the cross.

How can we look at that action of Jesus Christ and then carry out mass murder in Iran in Lebanon and in Gaza.

It's totally unjust.

I think it's interesting to that here we have a president and an administration whose trying to make a Christian justification for war.

>> And then they're telling the pope is the vicar of Christ.

And, you know, the leader of the largest church in the world to stay in his lane.

Theologically right.

I mean, it's it's appalling to me.

It's appalling to me.

And I'm not mistaken.

Is the pope.

Also the head of state.

I mean, isn't he global leader in that capacity as well?

>> Well, okay.

And then there are other members of his administration's as well because during a Pentagon prayer breakfast last Wednesday, Secretary of war, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth discussed the recent rescue of a downed American pilot in Iran and recited a prayer that was used by the tactical the rescue team.

That pretty was later identified as a fabricated Bible verse from the movie Pulp Fiction in notably violence film Reverend Violent Hegseth.

You know, he sought to incorporate Christian values into the mayor.

Military.

Does this incident incident degrade?

He's in the administration's credibility here?

It does.

It's both embarrassing and shameful, too.

Miss, quote, Scripture.

But further and more offensive at to be prioritizing one religion over any others for our brave men and women and people in the military.

He's incredibly inappropriate.

We know we've seen religious prayer service held in the past, but this has taken it to a new level of Christian nationalism, which we denounce and many people of faith has been denouncing.

And so we would encourage a return to the normalcy of the military focusing on military matters and not bringing so much Christian nationalists, religious practices into the Department of Defense.

Yeah.

Because during the press conference even before that prayer service, the press conference where he was announcing you note explaining this rescue, he used a lot of references to Easter.

The pilot was downed on Good Friday.

Hid in a cave on Saturday was rescued Easter Sunday.

A pilot reborn.

He said, what do you think he's using religion here this way?

So.

I think it's a strategic attempts to manipulate people through religion who made themselves not no scripture as well.

And so what we're seeing right now, unfortunately, is a misuse and appropriation of that that's causing real harm and real pain.

We've seen Paula White, the spiritual adviser for the president is quoting scripture, comparing him to Jesus.

And I would call that out as idolatrous again.

I think all of these obsessive comparisons to Jesus when we're just talking about mortal human beings are rather than reading the text against ourselves and seeing how we can call ourselves into right relationship with one another to love our neighbor to return to themes of scripture that are true across many of our religious traditions.

We're seeing this real harm being caused by the misuse of scripture.

About 30 seconds left father stand.

What do you make of that of the same thing of as this insertion of of you Christian nationalism.

>> I think he's about to vicious off a world that we long for.

How do we build human civilization?

In that we choose to is civilization of love, which I think is at the heart of Christianity is the love of God love of neighbor the south.

Then also the use of power.

to do good Apollo on to your south.

And that's what we're seeing here.

So people use religion, then to power for themselves not to do Glenn.

That's yeah.

That's that's unfortunate where we'll have to leave Great to talk with all of you.

Reverend Quincy Worthington, repping Violet, John Occur.

>> Father David injustice and fathers stand low.

Thanks to all of you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Up next, one local activist is living in each of Chicago's 77 community areas.

>> As part of a six-year project.

>> Not >> many Chicagoans can say they've lived in each of the city's 77 community areas.

But our next guest is looking to do just that as part of his aptly named Live 77 Project.

>> Jahmal Cole, founder and CEO of My Block, My Hood.

My city is entering his second year of the 6 year project.

>> Where he will live eat and shop in each of the city's community areas for a month.

Jahmal Cole CEO and founder of My Block My Hood, my city joins us now.

Welcome back.

Good to see you.

Thanks for having Okay.

So before we get to that last Wednesday at the Sox game, longtime anthem singer Gerald Cheney collapsed seconds into performing the black National anthem.

Lift every voice and sing he's doing okay.

Now he's in recovery.

But you posted you share this on your Instagram account that you ran to his side to assist the White Sox staff at the time we see there in that photo that must've been a fairly frightening moment.

But you jumped What was all that like?

>> He's got, you know, I mean, God had mean a place.

Where reason I thought I was gonna be there to make a pitch and turns out it there to help somebody and pray for him.

He was and there's that he had a heart attack use.

don't want to slow the game like we're here for in the game.

Can take care you for?

Exactly.

So I'm glad I'm glad that I was there to help out, but it's just instinct.

Some, you know, you live Chicago.

You always got repair work with a lot of teenagers.

And love city.

So I'm glad that the little bit of help out to, you know, offer got to do with great cause.

I think you're able to lift him onto the structure so that he could be moved by the paramedics.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

But.

>> But like I said, look, you know, he was saying and I thought, yeah, forgot the words.

And he just the fellows rolled him over.

I thought he's having a seizure and then he was on.

He was in a lot of pain.

And I just, you know, that pain.

I felt that pain is I just said, I'm here with you.

Madam Plan for you.

It's going to be okay.

And I'm glad to hear that he's doing better now.

So, yeah, glad you were there as well.

Glad that he's doing better.

Wishing him a speedy recovery.

Meanwhile, you're living in Albany, Albany Park right now.

A salute your neighbors to the station right what's that like for you has ago has a fish out of water experience.

But I will tell you this in Albany Park, they have a lot civic energy and cohesiveness between politicians.

>> They really do a good job at electing people that push policies that reflect the values of the residents in Albany Park, alderman the state representative, the congresswoman, the center.

They want a peace walk together the other day.

>> peace walk in.

They were all in attendance.

And so you have that type of cohesion.

I just think it makes for a lot of studying energy in the community.

>> This past March, this marked the second year anniversary of the live 77 project.

As of now, you have lived in 14 community areas.

Absolutely.

So yes.

in Bridgeport, Chinatown, North Lawndale Humboldt Park Rogers Park.

That is not all 14, but you can see them on the map.

Yeah.

What lessons have you learned so far on this journey?

Well suffers in North Lawndale.

Everybody says is really poor.

But when I was there, I found to be rich.

>> It was written trust which in connections, which just a fabric between nonprofit organizations that existed.

You a parka, again, like 5 pounds to apart was great.

But but if says no, marched around apart together and get a lot of peace marches.

I've learned that you know, people say Chicago's really 78 it.

But when you actually break bread with people and have a kitchen table discussion, you realized everybody's trying to raise a family the best they can.

But I, you know, run a small business the best they can trying to keep block as safe as they can.

So even though the 77 to communities is really just one Chicago 77 different ways for us to be proud of relief.

>> What disparities have you noticed between some of the neighborhoods that have more investment versus those that have been invest it and are invested.

>> The feeling the feeling I get is like you imagine like what it's like for a teenager to live important part where, you know, it's a very walkable walking around at all time and then you move from there you go to Chicago Lawn where, you know, this is not as walkable more under resource.

And so I think we all saw the life expectancy gap.

You can feel that we live in the community.

how do how I I'd like to get involved like a walk around block.

I like to talk to my shop local and also like to just get to know my neighbors.

So for guys got a battery.

My back and I love Chicago.

Yeah, a lot join myself so You know, like you said, you haven't just lived there.

You've also stopped a different businesses.

You've met with local organizations and leaders.

All, of course, we'll still leading.

>> Your own nonprofit, Dude, Where's your family?

My family.

My son wants threes.

alderman amusing another we could be a Marilyn days.

The my family.

They come up on the weekends and hang out with me.

Make a little trip out of that.

You know, so we all we all time study assets in the positive things, the neighborhood.

So we shop local, we eat local and we go to automatic and state representatives together.

>> We want to come of this.

What you want people to take away from you doing this?

Because I'm gonna be honest.

It it's sort of reminiscent of when, you know, Martin Luther King and his family moved into North Lawndale during during that movement, not for him looking for and for his goals at the time.

Not much came of it.

>> But what do you want to come this not been planted?

Got to have the big reveal.

I want to spread the good news.

I want to learn as much as accountable relationships.

There's only so much a virtual trust you can build on Facebook Instagram.

>> I want to be a real connections.

I want to understand the strengths and the challenges.

I want to hear the stories on who the solutions people that with the lived experiences.

I want create a roadmap of the impact that can last for decades.

There's so many nonprofits on one side of the street that have been there for 10 years that don't even know people on that site as you've been there 10 years to, I want to connect them by highlighting them.

And I listening to want to listen about how I can help people better.

And this is month 14, sunny summer months.

>> You say your son has been to more city council meetings and you have any chance.

We'll see you running for office as well.

We'll see.

We'll see right now.

I was going law school policy school, but I was at the communities in my classrooms and the people of the professors and the final exams over there doing that.

I volunteer with.

So you want to help people with the highest level.

I want to understand policy better.

But right now I'm all about motivation.

I'm all about learning from community fully invested.

And just that before we let you go, you lead an initiative called Downtown Day.

You take youth from Des invested communities and bring them downtown to experience all that the city has to offer their on connecting them businesses for discounts, gift card so they can choose what activities they want to do.

But we know that, you know, there's also been conversation at the city level around the teen trends and debating whether or not to expand.

Cpd is power too.

>> enforce or enforce the curfew differently.

I should say.

What do you make of how the city has been handling the so-called teen trends?

>> Well, I we use the words trends or takeovers.

takeover sounds like there's an invasion.

The trend is like almost like a social media problem.

I think we're seeing is that you don't have any safe spaces and we're taking now basketball courts in neighborhoods because we think basketball courts are magnets for violence so that a wind-down kids now have safe spaces.

There's a lack of funding for after-school programs and bring us to be honest with you.

If a kid can organize a trend or take over get 15200 they can be an event planner should probably be putting those gets to work telling you may like pretty potent kids and Sean better so they can do it.

>> know you're on it.

What real quick, what neighborhoods after Albany Park always some her most and the little village and Pilsen.

So this year about immigration.

All right.

And call my block my hood, my city, thanks again for joining us.

Best of luck to you.

Thank you.

And we're back to wrap things up right after this.

>> Reflecting the people and perspectives that make up our communities.

This story is part of Chicago tonight.

Black voices.

>> And that's our show for this Monday night.

Join us tomorrow night at 5, 30 10 now for all of us here in Chicago Brandis Friedman, thank you for watching.

Stay healthy and safe and have a good night.

>> Closed captioning is made possible by Clifford and Clifford Law offices, a Chicago personal injury and wrongful death for that is a multi-lingual law firm