In these contentious times, it takes a lot to unify a state’s political and civic establishment around a single idea. So, bottom line, credit President Donald Trump with this: His threat to sic the National Guard on Chicago has unified our city and state to rally to the city’s defense.

But if we’re honest with ourselves and each other, Trump’s provocation also should provide occasion for a clear-eyed assessment of just how far the city needs to go in order to reduce violent crime to more acceptable levels.

There they were Tuesday, along the Chicago River with the Trump Tower in the background: Gov. JB Pritzker, Mayor Brandon Johnson, Attorney General Kwame Raoul, two U.S. senators, a passel of congressmen, state and local elected officials, and a legion of other leaders.

They declared T

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