text: The Public i, a project of the Urbana-Cham- paign Independent Media Center, is an inde- pendent, collectively-run, community-orient- ed publication that provides a forum for topics underreported and voices underrepresented in the dominant media. All contributors to the paper are volunteers. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to submit articles or story ideas to the editorial collective. We prefer, but do not necessarily restrict ourselves to, articles on issues Jan./Feb. 2009 of local impact written by authors with local ties. V9, #1 The opinions are those of the authors and do not reflect the views of the IMC as a whole. EDITORS/FACILITATORS: Glynn Davis Brian Dolinar davep Belden Fields Bob Illyes 2/4–8 9th Black Sacred Music Symposium 2/14 Christian Valentine Gala 7PM Paul Mueth 2/5 Eyes on the Prize c 7PM @ FAR Tre Lounge @ Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church Neil Parthun NBA2K9 and Madden09 Tournament 2/17 Sambo Syndrome (Phi Rho Eta) 7PM @ FAR 2/18 Taste of Africa (Sigma Gamma Rho) 6PM @ FAR Niloofar Shambayati 7PM @ Far OG Lounge Blackbuster Movie Night (NAACP) 7PM @ TBA 2/19 3 Tier Workshops: Part 1, Physical 7PM @ FAR Registration (Black Chorus) 5PM @ FGH in KCPA Speaker Series (Phi Rho Eta) 7PM @ BNACC The Public i Eyes on the Prize 7PM @ FAR Tre Lounge 2/6 Registration (Black Chorus) 5PM @ ORR in KCPA Urbana-Champaign IMC 2/20 Bring A Deck Informational 7PM @ FAR Tre Lounge 2/7 Art & Resistance w/Favianna Roriguz 202 South Broadway 12:30PM Latzer Hall, University YMCA B.A.T.S. Fashion Show 7PM @ Lincoln Hall Urbana, IL, 61801 Snowball Fight and "IT" on the Quad2 PM 2/21 Cotton Club (CBSU) 7PM @ Foellinger 217-344-8820 Ruby Anniversary Reunion Event and Luncheon First Annual Leadership Panel Lunch @ I-Hotel www.ucimc.org 12:15PM @ Alice Campbell Alumni Center 2/23 Are You Smarter Than A fifth Grader? Black History Edition (Men of Impact) TBA 2/8 9th Black Sacred Music Symposium Concert 2/24 Day Of The Drum (KCPA) Interval @ 12PM 7:30PM @ FGH in KCPA in The Lobby, Traffic Jam @ 5PM in The Lobby, 2/9 Conversations That Can Save Your Life Kodo @ 7:30PM @ Tryon Festival Theater, 7PM @ BNACC After Glow @ 9:30PM in The Lobby Painting by John Jennings 2/10 Not Soul Food, But Food For the Soul 7PM @ FAR Blackbuster Movie Night (NAACP) 7PM @ TBA 2/12 Greatest Sex : Who, What, When, Why, and How 2/25 Julian Bond Lecture 7PM @ Levis Center 8PM @ Illini Room C 2/26 3 Tier Workshops: Part 1, Mental 7PM @ FAR OG SUSTAINING CONTRIBUTORS OUR Black History 7PM @ FAR MPR Evening of the Roses 8PM @ FAR The Black Exodus (NAACP) 7PM @ FAR MPR 2/28 Closing Ceremonies 4PM @ Illini Union The Public i wishes to express its deep appreciation to the following sustaining contrib- Eyes on the Prize 7PM @ FAR Tre Lounge Get Involved with the Public i utors for their financial and material support: 2/13 Purple and White Ball 8PM @ Illini Umion Rm. A You don't need a degree in journalism to be a citizen journalist. We are all SocialistForum: An Open Discussion and Jerusalem Cafe experts in something, and we have the Action Group, Meets 3rd Saturdays of the 601 S. Wright St, Champaign; 398-9022 ability to share our information and month, 3-5 pm, at IMC, Broadway & Elm. (U) The AFL-CIO of Champaign County knowledge with others. The Public i is World Harvest International That's Rentertainment always looking for writers and story and Gourmet Foods 516 E. John, Champaign; 384-0977 ideas. We invite you to submit ideas or 519 E. University, Champaign proposals during our weekly meetings National Fish Therapeutic Massage Union of Professional Employees (UPE) 113 N. Race, Urbana, 239-3400 (Thursdays at 5:30pm at the UCIMC), or to contact one of the editors. The Natural Gourmet AWARE, the Anti-War, Anti-Racism Effort 2225 S, Neil, Champaign; 355-6365 Meetings every Sunday at 5pm at the IMC Support UC-IMC when you Progressive Asset Management, Tribal Life, Inc. shop at Jerry's IGA Financial West Group 217-766-6531, http://triballife.net/ When you shop at an IGA, request a Socially Responsible Investing charitable enrollment form from a cashier Milo's Resaurant Graduate Employees' Organization 1560 Lincoln Square, Urbana; 344-8946 or manager, and designate the UC-IMC (#055187) as your preferred charity. A (GEO) IFT/AFT 6300 Excerpts From 2009 Voting Supression Reflections on The Republic percentage of your purchase will then go 1001 S. Wright St., Champaign, 344-8283 MLK Essays On Campus Black Girlhood Windows Occupation www.uigeo.org Various Writers to the UC-IMC. If you or your organization would like to become a sustaining contributor to the Public i, Esther Patt Ruth Nicole Brown David Johnson or would like more information, please call 344-7265, or email email@example.com. Page 1 Page 2 Page 4 Page 11 Jan./Feb. 2009 V9, #1 Excerpts From 2009 MLK Essays they have a hard time. They get turned down trying to find BACKGROUND TO MLK ESSAY CONTEST jobs because of their disability. Some just need assistance This is the 7th year of the essay contest sponsored by the getting around or they need to learn how to do daily University's Dr. Martin Luther King Commemoration things like cook or clean. I wish there were more employ- Committee. The goal is to engage students with the lega- ers that were open-minded about employing people with cy of Dr. King and how it relates to their lives today. They disabilities. I wish that they were treated like everyone else are asked to look at their neighborhood, their school, in the world. their community, and write about issues of social justice. Over 2,000 students have participated over the years. MIRIAM SAADAH, EDISON MIDDLE SCHOOL, In this bicentennial year of Abraham Lincoln's birth, 7TH GRADE the contest was sponsored by the U of I's Lincoln Bicen- I have a dream, a dream that is almost the same as yours tennial Committee. and a dream where we live in a world with no more dis- The topic is, "What is your dream for social justice in crimination against Muslims. your community? Imagine that you are having a conver- The world is going through tough times. Especially sation with President Lincoln and Dr. King. What would where a lot of nations suffer from war. Imagine every sec- you tell them about the world you live in? Is there an ond in your life a lot of children live in fear, surrounded by issue that particularly concerns you? What advice do bombs, gunshots, and dead bodies. you think they would give you? How would you like to I am a Palestinian American girl. I have a dream that be an activist for social justice? Palestinian children would play outside without being 212 students submitted essays. They wrote about scared for their lives. What I wish is that every Palestinian issues that trouble them in our community, including: child feels safe in their country, and their parents feel safe for them. Their parents would have big smiles on their —violence and bullying faces all the time with their hearts widely opened to other —homelessness people's lives, greeting them happily instead of crying into —the barriers to college education each other's shoulders. —the criminal justice system I am a Palestinian American but that isn't all; I am also a —challenges to our environment. Muslim. I am proud to wear one of the symbols of my reli- gion; it is called hijab. It is a scarf worn by women that Writers include students in some of our alternative cover their hair, ears, and neck. In addition to hijab, a Miriam Saadah, 7th grader at Edison Mid- schools, the READY Program and the Juvenile Detention woman should wear loose shirts and pants. Sometimes dle School reading at the Urbana Library Center, and received impressive essays from them this when I am at school, the mall, the library, etc. I get the looks year. These students talk about the challenges in their of disgust, hatred — the looks of people when they check a lives with insight and understanding. person from top to bottom. These hurtful looks try to tell SHAHBAZ KHAN, EDISON, A group of 18 readers from the College of Education me I am a bad person. I go on my way ignoring them. 6TH GRADE and the community worked together to select 15 win- Mr. President and Dr. King, you've taught us not to Racism is nothing but pure darkness. I think racism is a ning essays and 7 honorable mention. hold our fears inside, so I will let them out. If I think horrible thing that should have never even come into Displays that quote many of the essays will be in the something is right then I will say it. This is what you did. being. The police officers are the ones who do it. I mean Urbana Free Library for the month of February. In I would like to follow in your footsteps and be a social the police officers are just going to jump to conclusions March they will be on view in the main library at the activist in my community because I want to bring peace and say that someone has done something wrong, only University of Illinois. and justice for all. because they have a different skin color then people who have "peach" colored skin. GREGORY JONES, KATEY BROWN, READY PROGRAM, READY, 9TH GRADE EMMA MANKIN, EDISON, 10TH GRADE 6TH GRADE I think that the head of the police, which is probably the A huge issue for me is discrimination against the disabled. government should handout police handbooks, which tell Domestic violence kills a person's courage and spirit. It It's an issue that often gets ignored. People with disabilities us what they can and what they cannot do to us when they leaves people with scars that may last a lifetime. If a child are often treated unfairly and they have an extremely hard stop teenagers on the streets. I think that the police should is getting abused at home, they may react severely at time finding jobs. Being disabled doesn't mean that you send all of their trainees through more practice and try to school because of all the pain it has cost them. are just blind, deaf, or mentally retarded. There are many get them to be the best police officer that they can be. different things people have that make them disabled. TENTH GRADER, JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER They can have mental illnesses such as schizophrenia. THEO JACKSON, STRATTON, I'm here to talk about a lot of school education. I've been They can be developmentally delayed or have learning dis- 4TH GRADE to a lot of schools in Champaign and there is a lot of stuff abilities. They can be in wheelchairs due to accidents or In my school I am in the Gifted and Talented class (GT). I that needs to be fixed, like when you are not in classes, because they are paralyzed. There are many physical and noticed that there are just a few African Americans in GT maybe sick or something. When you get back in class it's mental disabilities. and a ton of African Americans in the regular class. Like, like Spanish. They should have an area where the kids that This topic specifically interests me and it is something I maybe even 90% of the regular classes are black, tan, or aren't there can catch up on their work and don't have to can relate to because my mom is legally blind and she's Asian and anything you can think of besides white. So tell pass something they don't even know. been disabled her whole life. She works for an agency that me Why? Why are there 90% more African Africans in Second is the jail's education system. There are things helps disabled people. They help them find jobs, they help regular than GT? I just don't get it. that should be changed like the education level taught. I them earn money and they help people who struggle liv- know if you're in jail you had to have done something to ing day to day. I've seen some of the people she works with CECILIA WILSON, STRATTON, get you there but we as people make mistakes and should and they are some of the nicest people. They are just like 4TH GRADE get the right and equal level of education. Now I know that anyone else in the world and it doesn't matter if they have No matter what race you are, you have a right to be treated every kid is not on their right level of education, but why a disability or not. It makes me upset how bad they are with respect. That also means treating others the way you do the ones who are up to par have to suffer. discriminated against and how a lot of people don't realize want to be treated. But some people have problems with Continued on page 7 that this is an issue. They can do most everything other that. They just can't get it right. Sometimes things get so people can. They are just reaching out for help because serious, hearts are broken leaving a scar in the spot forever. 2 • the Public i www.ucimc.org / www.publici.ucimc.org Jan./Feb. 2009 Racial Profiling Study Suppressed by Local Media By Brian Dolinar Statistics on racial profiling collected by ures. As a result, there was no public outcry as there has Illinois. Ratios for surrounding communities are: Bloom- the Illinois Department of Transporta- been in the years past. ington, 1.35 ; Normal, 1.80; Carbondale, 1.20; Rantoul tion (IDOT) were released this year with The state comes up with a ratio called a "disparity 1.83; Springfield, 2.46; Danville, 1.47; and Chicago, 1.14, no local fanfare. Although covered for index" to assess the degree to which profiling is being Other interesting data in 2007 relates to drivers who the last three years, the 2007 numbers practiced. If the ratio is 1.50, for example, minorities are consent to having their car searched after a traffic stop. went unreported by the News-Gazette, 50% more likely to be pulled over in a traffic stop. The Most clear-cut is the case in Champaign where 9 searches which has a virtual monopoly of the average ratio throughout the state of Illinois is 1.10. were performed among African Americans and in only one local newspaper market. This is surely an attempt to pro- In Urbana, the ratio at which minorities were pulled case was anything illegal found. Among 10 whites who tect police officials from public rebuke and continued calls over in 2007 during traffic stops was 1.47. In 2004, Cham- were searched there were 4 cases where drugs or weapons for police accountability. paign had the highest ratio locally at 1.71, but in 2007 it were found. In Urbana, 13 blacks were searched and police For four years now, statistics indicate that minorities are was 1.34. Among Sheriff Dan Walsh's deputies in Cham- found something in 4 cases, while 10 whites were searched being racially profiled by police in Urbana-Champaign. paign County, this figure has jumped from 1.02 in 2004 to and 5 turned out to be carrying. Although whites were Among Champaign County Sheriff's Department, the rate 1.27 in 2007. The ratio for the police department at the more often driving illegally, blacks were more often has grown significantly. Figures for the Champaign police University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign was 1.36. searched. Again, race determines who is subject to a search. have gone down but remain higher than the state average. In the past, local police officials have failed to acknowl- Police officials must recognize that racial profiling does, In Urbana, which prides itself on transparency and recent- edge that racial profiling exists and come up with excuses in fact, exist and take the necessary steps to eliminate this ly finalized a police review board, the police now have the rather than confront this issue. At a city council meeting on unfair practice. This will only occur with an independent highest rate of racial profiling locally. Additionally, num- August 14, 2006, Champaign Mayor Gerald Schweighart, media willing hold police accountable and a public thats bers collected indicate that although blacks are more fre- himself a former police officer, explained that blacks were demands their representatives be held to a higher standard. quently subject to having their vehicles searched, whites "more confrontational." In 2007, Urbana Police Chief Mike The full IDOT study on racial profiling can be found are more likely to be found with drugs or weapons. Bily said the numbers were "misleading." online: Illinois police are now required to report racial profiling Police say they go where the 911 calls come from. But http://www.dot.il.gov/trafficstop/results07.html statistics because of legislation sponsored by former Illi- according to METCAD between July 1 and September 29, nois Senator Barack Obama. Police departments across the 2007, the majority of calls came from the Green Street state must make a record of the race of each driver in every vicinity. While 628 calls came from Garden Hills, which traffic stop and send the information to the state. The data has a large black working class population, 1819 calls is then compiled with help from Northwestern University came from Campustown nearly three times as many. and released every August. This year, August passed and State figures show that racial profiling is not unique to there was no news in the News-Gazette about the 2007 fig- Urbana-Champaign but is a rampant problem throughout Voting Suppression on Campus by Esther Patt Esther Patt is the current President of After that first time, as most people reading this article issued in October 2008, as many were, that's as valid as the Champaign County Chapter of the have experienced, a voter simply walks into the correct any address on a bank statement or utility bill. One voter American Civil Liberties Union and polling place, signs an application for a ballot and is hand- still had the card on the larger sheet mailed to him by the served as a volunteer deputy county ed one. No I.D. is required. County Clerk that showed a postmark less than 30 days clerk from 1976 until the motor-voter No doubt many people voting in the campus-area before election day. The election judge at the Illini Union law took effect in 1996. precincts were first time voters who used motor voter to refused to accept that as proof of address. register. But all were not. Some had voted in Champaign All day, voters were turned away from the polls. Some County in the primary and others, particularly graduate were first time voters, others were not. Some went home November 4, 2008 should have been a day of celebration students, have been voting from the same address for sev- to get more identification so they could vote and others for Obama supporters, but for many who live in Cham- eral years. Yet, election judges at some polling places were did not return. paign County's campus precincts, it was a day of frustration treating all voters as if all were voting for the first time after Since the 1971 ratification of the 26th amendment to the and anger over unreasonable obstacles to their voting rights. a motor voter registration. In the Illini Union, where two Constitution granting voting privileges to citizens age 18 or Less than three hours after the polls opened, I heard the precincts voted, a judge stood at the doorway to the older, students in Champaign County have faced voting first complaint. Sarah, a 53-year old woman who happens polling place announcing to each person who entered the obstacles. In 1972, a federal lawsuit was necessary to com- to live near campus, called me to find out where to com- room that photo identification and proof of address were pel then-county-clerk Dennis Bing to allow students to reg- plain about voting irregularities. When she arrived at the required in order to vote. ister. Because students tend to prefer Democratic party and polling place she was told that she had to present a state- Proof of address was the biggest problem. It is very com- third-party candidates and the local County Clerk has issued photo identification before she would be given a mon for students to use a parent's address on a driver's always been a Republican, the battles over voter registration ballot. She questioned the election judge and pointed out license to avoid the cost of getting a new license after mov- continued for several elections. Once students were finally that she had been voting at the same polling place for the ing every year. The license proves identity but the first-time able to register without hassles, the strategy switched to pre- last 5 years. Sarah has actually been registered to vote in voter would need something else to prove current address. venting those who registered from actually voting. Champaign County for 35 years. Her signature hadn't The Voter Guide published by Champaign County Responding to the November 4 fiasco, State Represen- changed, so she should have been handed a ballot. Still, Clerk Mark Shelden's office listed as acceptable proof of tative Naomi Jakobsson and State Senator Mike Frerichs she was told no I.D., no ballot. Reluctantly, she showed address "a current utility bill, bank statement, government have said they'll introduce legislation to clarify the law the judge her driver's license, cast her votes and then check, paycheck or other government document that regarding proof of address on election day. The new law sought the opportunity to file an effective complaint. shows the name and address of the voter." Remarkably, the needs to require acceptance of the voter registration card Sarah told me later that when she complained to the County Clerk's office instructed judges to reject as proof of as valid proof of address. What if the County Clerk County Clerk's office that morning, she was told that the address a government document showing the name and responds by suspending the practice of printing and mail- election judge should not have asked her for identifica- address of the voter if that document was a voter registra- ing voter registration cards? The new law must also man- tion. However, it appears her complaint to the Clerk's tion card issued by the County Clerk's office. date that the County Clerk mail voter registration cards to office did not result in any effort by that office to commu- I heard, second-hand, two arguments against recogniz- every voter no fewer than 10 days before election day. nicate to the judges that they should correct the problem. ing the voter registration card as valid proof of address. The County Clerk has the power to thwart the constitu- State and federal laws require only certain first-time Both are silly. One is that the information on the card was tional rights of thousands of people. We need better laws voters to provide identification when voting. Anyone who provided by the voter so it could still be invalid. That to prevent abuse of power. For future elections we need uses "motor voter" to register to vote must vote in person makes no sense because the card is mailed to the voter by more progressive people to be trained to work as election the first time he or she casts a ballot and at that time must the County Clerk. If the voter does not really live at that judges, especially in the campus precincts. provide proof of address and proof of identity. The reason address, the card will be returned to the Clerk's office is that the individual's current address and identity were rather than delivered to the voter. not verified at the time of voter registration as they would The other argument is that the voter could have moved have been if the person had registered to vote for the first since the time the card was issued. The County Clerk's time at the County Clerk's office or with a deputy registrar. office prints a "date issued" on the card. If the card was Jan./Feb. 2009 www.ucimc.org / www.publici.ucimc.org the Public i • 3 Discreet Discretions By Local Yocal The News-Gazette's December 28, 2008 editorial would (consensual or not) while supposedly on duty. have the heart to put their kind in the cruel dungeons we have us think that the criminal justice system is a level and In 2001, Brady Smith, a middle school dean, was call "correctional facilities." Unless a white professional consistent playing field, where everyone is treated equally. accused of sexually abusing African-American boys over a commits an infamous crime like in the case of Jon White, The lenient sentence recently given to a Champaign Police several-year period. Former State's Attorney John Piland an elementary school teacher sexually abusing 8 white detective's drunken driving case was a sole exception, allowed a close friend of Brady Smith, Elizabeth Dobson, children (whose families can afford civil attorneys), the according to The News-Gazette. to prosecute him. After a stipulated plea agreement, Brady white professional class can expect they won't ever be The case was whisked through the traffic courts in less Smith was videotaped by television crews laughing his required to do time in prison. than 18 days and Champaign Police Detective Lisa Staples way out of the courthouse after receiving 4 years probation Last year's sensational case against Jon White was the received a sentence of court supervision and retained her and a $10 fine. Who the prosecutor is makes a world of exception. Robert Arnette, for example, was allowed a sen- driving privileges after she was discovered driving drunk difference in how justice gets distributed. tence of probation by Assistant State's Attorney Duke Har- at 2:30 a.m. in an unmarked squad car, going the wrong Rietz will make a public example out of Elizabeth ris after Arnette was accused of sexually molesting and way into head-on traffic on I-72. Defense Attorney Ed Drewes—another drunk driver who recently killed a assaulting four children two months prior to the disap- Piraino admitted the sweetheart plea agreement was young bride-to-be of 24. A big media splash over Drewes pearance of his estranged wife, Naomi. arranged so that Staples could keep her job as a police offi- will help the voters forget about the favors done for Detec- Justifying her lenient treatment for cops and profes- cer. Piraino stated during a court hearing: "If she can't tive Staples. sionals, Rietz snaps that the professional white people she drive, she can't be a police officer." Most of us can't remember that Julia Rietz gave Kristen dares to prosecute did lose their job after all, and that's The easy sentence surprised the community, "shocked" Roseberry, a student from Purdue, 4 years probation for punishment enough. Rietz needn't worry that unfair, dis- The News-Gazette, and sparked a media barrage from an driving drunk on highway I-57. Like Drewes, Roseberry parate prison sentences will cost her the state's attorney angry public, leading to Staples' eventual resignation. collided into oncoming traffic, killing Martha Payne, a 55- job, since few of us are aware that these are the current Were the community and The News-Gazette to visit the year-old grandmother from Mississippi, and injuring four courthouse conditions. courthouse more often, they would see that such other family members. Most of us don't remember the Rietz, longing to be seen as a Democrat, attempted to favoritism is standard fare in Champaign County. pampered treatment given to U of I students, Dong Ki reach out to local black talk-radio shows and The Ministe- Champaign County State's Attorney Julia Rietz has been Yoon and Ioannis Tzicigakis, who were both driving rial Alliance last year only to be greeted with the unpleas- consistent in ensuring easy sentences for the misconduct of drunk in two separate cars on campus, killing pedestrian, ant facts that her reign is perceived to be a continuation of police officers. During her reign, not one police officer has Nadia Chowdhury, age 20. Yoon and Tzicigakis both left the biased Piland and Difanis eras. Rietz scoffs at any sug- ever seen a day of jail time despite recent alleged infractions the scene of the accident. Yoon served two months in the gestion her prosecutions are racially biased and often too such as rape, falsified police reports, torture, stalking, and county jail in between semesters, and Tzicigakis had his harsh on the African-American community. domestic battery committed by officers. case dismissed. Would she be willing to 'prove it,' by opening the books Rietz often ducks the responsibility of prosecuting an State's Attorney Julia Rietz often discusses "the wonder- and tracking significant information after verdicts? Doubt- officer, citing conflicts of interest. Lucky for Rietz, the ful" power she wields called "prosecutorial discretion". ful. Like the traffic study that police were required to do, blame for who actually tilts the scales of justice gets placed Discretion about whether to go forward with a police the results of an objective study at the courthouse might on an unknown special prosecutor appointed through report, under what category of crime to charge, and what show that local prosecutors prefer to incarcerate African- some unknown process. The circuit judge doing the sentence to recommend are some of the superpowers Americans and usually incarcerate people of low-income, appointing and the state's attorney bowing out know in granted to state's attorneys. The 2006 case of Sgt. William not represented by private attorneys. advance, however, that requesting a certain type of special Myers, a correctional officer accused of torturing four peo- While State's Attorney Rietz cannot comprehend what prosecutor can likely affect the outcome of the case. ple at the county jail with a taser, shows how this discre- black people are so upset about, she does understand the For example, in the Detective Staples' case, the selec- tion can minimize the damage against a favored offender. plight of her legal colleagues trying to eek out a living. Rietz, tion of a Ford County prosecutor to handle a DUI case, as Rietz, who would have represented the county had the herself, was once a private attorney. She knows that defense Champaign County Circuit Judge Mike Jones revealed victims sued the county over Myers' behavior, initially attorneys who can successfully get their clients good deals recently on WDWS's Penny For Your Thoughts Show, was offered Myers the light sentence of conditional discharge from the prosecutors can expect more business. In Cham- made with the knowledge that Ford County prosecutors (conditional discharge is a form of probation that is auto- paign County, the ability to pay a private attorney is too often are more lenient towards first-time DUI's than is the norm matically expunged from the offender's record upon com- equivalent to deserving no jail time. These double standards in Champaign County. pletion), in exchange for Myers pleading guilty to one count of the Champaign county's "Just-Us" system would be kept a It was a perfect recipe for helping a police officer who of misdemeanor disorderly conduct. The outrageous deal better secret if cops do not drink after work. happened to make one little mistake: an out-of-town was cancelled when news of the upcoming plea bargain was lawyer who can do the dirty deed of injustice while no one released to The News-Gazette. The complaints filed by the in the Champaign County Bar Association would have to three other victims were ignored by Rietz' office. Get Involved with take a hit. Except, maybe, Traffic Judge Richard Klaus who Such cases reveal for whose benefit prosecutorial dis- accepted the plea deal for Staples. cretion is used. The outrage North End families have is not the Public i In the 2005 case against Urbana Police Officer Kurt because they want to see Detective Staples or Sgt. Myers go You don't need a degree in journalism to be a citizen Hjort, who was accused of rape, Judge Tom Difanis chose to jail. The sense of unfairness stems from African-Ameri- James Dedman, a former employee in Difanis' state's attor- cans and low-income people wishing for the same kinds of journalist. We are all experts in something, and we ney's office and now a private defense attorney, to prose- mercy granted to the people prosecutors openly favor. have the ability to share our information and knowl- cute Officer Hjort. He dismissed the entire criminal prose- Equality under the law might mean prosecutors are to edge with others. The Public i is always looking for cution against Hjort. Dedman didn't even charge Hjort abide by an equal application of the law. The problem writers and story ideas. We invite you to submit with official misconduct for looking up the victim's standing in the way could be the living conditions inside ideas or proposals during our weekly meetings address on the METCAD dispatch system and having sex our prisons. Perhaps white cops and white lawyers don't (Thursdays at 5:30pm at the UCIMC), or to contact one of the editors. THE PEOPLE'S COMMUNITY POTLUCK Sunday, March 1, 6–8 PM, Independent Media Center, 202 South Broadway, Urbana The idea behind the Peoples's Community Thanksgiving, a food-sharing communal gathering to discuss the launching of a Central Illinois Social Forum. This Forum, modeled on the World Social Forum, would be formed to harness the talents and resources of local organizations and individuals to improve the conditions of working people, unemployed people, poverty-stricken people, and those who are physically or mentally unable to care for themselves. Given the sorry state of the economy and government economic policy over the past 8 years, which has been most concerned with the well-being of the very wealthy, and given the dismal state of Illinois' government and economy, organizations and individuals at the grass-roots are going to have to use their social consciences and talents to find local ways of supporting the most vulnerable people in our communities. Additionally, we will have to pressure government at all levels to support an economy "for and by the people," rather than for and by the already extremely well-off. We cannot just rely on the new administration to turn things around. There must be pressure from the bottom up. We envision new local Social Forums as a stimulus for coordinated action and communication for a democratic, egali- tarian political-economy. Movement and organizational activists are welcome to come and share their ideas and food with other socially conscious activists. 4 • the Public i www.ucimc.org / www.publici.ucimc.org Jan./Feb. 2009 Reflections of Black Girlhood: Necessary Truths, A Photography Exhibit/Multimedia Installation By Ruth Nichole Brown This month, Saving Our Lives Hear Our If you have ever participated in SOLHOT please come Truths (SOLHOT) will celebrate the out. We are depending on you to show up and show out! opening of a their unique photography Know that! exhibit at the Krannert Art Museum (500 East Peabody Drive, Champaign). The exhibit will have a two-week run from Negro League Black Men February 16th until February 27th. SOL- HOT is an after-school space in Champaign-Urbana dedi- By Ernie Westfield cated to the celebration of Black girlhood in all of its com- plexity. Reflections of Black Girlhood: Necessary Truths Mr. Westfield is a former pitcher with the Birmingham will feature photography and poetry created by Black Black Barons. Currently residing in Urbana, he frequent- women and girls in SOLHOT, displayed within a multi- ly appears locally reading his poetry and sharing his sto- media, thematic installation. ries of baseball history. In SOLHOT, each girl and homegirl (adult volunteers) was given a camera to capture images that represented They played the game of baseball home, love, beauty, community, and what is dope?-- in our Because they loved the game, lives. The photos were viewed collectively while we talked Never did they think that it about the most compelling photos taken and created Would be harder to get into "meanings" for the photos using poetry, prose and song. The Baseball Hall of Fame. Central to our conversations about the photographs was an honest exchange about what things in our lives we would They were beautiful black men like to see change for the better. We discussed the changes Who played the game with pride. we are willing to make as students and made suggestions I just wish each of you could have seen about how people in decision-making positions can do "Cool Papa Bell" when he ran at his full stride. things differently. Both the photos and written text show He was so fast_ what we discussed, embody our suggestions for change and Daylight could not keep up with his speed. what we think is important for the broader community to When he was on the base pad know and understand about what it means to be a Black girl all he needed was a small lead. living and going to school in Champaign-Urbana. Prominently featured will be student-generated photogra- Josh Gibson, the best hitter of all time, phy from Urbana Middle School's SOLHOT/SISTERHOOD Hit a five hundred foot home collaboration. The exhibit will also feature the artwork creat- run out of Yankee Stadium, ed at several SOLHOT sites. Ultimately, the purpose of this And the ball they still can't find. exhibit is to show off and celebrate the skills of some of the most slept on artists and visionaries in this town—Black girls. Then there was Satchel Paige, This exhibit would not have been possible without the Who's on everybody's all-star list. assistance and support of Andrea Kirkland-- UMS counselor Threw a ball so hard that batters just missed. and a "for real" ally to Black girls, Dominique Hill— homegirl Satchel had a hesitation pitch that was so slow it glided. and doctoral student in the department of Educational Policy It would catch batters off guard as it made them over Studies, and Candy Taaffe—O.G. homegirl, doctoral student stride. in Educational Policy Studies, and photography mastermind. To celebrate both the exhibit and the recent publica- There were so many Negro league players tion of Black Girlhood Celebration: Toward a Hip Hop Who never lived their dreams, Feminist Pedagogy (Peter Lang, 20008) written by SOL- And that was to one day play for HOT co-founder Dr. Ruth Nicole Brown (assistant pro- An American or National league team. fessor in Gender & Women's Studies and Educational Policy Studies), a special event is planned for Thursday, So let's honor those black men February 19th, from 5–7 p.m. at the Krannert Art Muse- Who played the game so well, um. Free and open to the public, this event will provide By keeping their history alive an opportunity for anyone who is interested in experi- For the younger generations to tell. encing SOLHOT to gather collectively to witness and talk Let's never forget their struggles back to the images and words we created while recogniz- And how hard they had to fight, ing the sanctity of a space that is for, about, and created Because that was a time when by Black girls. Only the ball was white. Beyond The Chief: Art Exhibit On Nevada St. Edgar Heap of Birds (left), a Cheyenne-Arapaho, is an artist whose Members of these groups live, learn, and work on campus. We at work ranges from conceptual public art messages to paintings, Native American House and American Indian Studies hope Beyond prints, and monumental sculptures. the Chief helps all of us who share our campus learn more about He will deliver a presentation about his work and new installation those whose homelands we occupy. titled Beyond the Chief, consisting of 12 outdoor sign plates at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: Feb 18, 2009, 5:30 p.m. at the Asian Ameri- can Cultural House, 1210 W. Nevada St. Beyond the Chief provides an opportunity for those of us at the University of Illinois to consider the indigenous history of our cam- pus and the state in which we live. The signs in this public art exhibit include the names of a dozen Indigenous peoples whose home- lands are within the boundaries of the state of Illinois. Many of these peoples continue today with viable governments, cultures, and languages. All of them remain, even if some are only remnants of what they once were. Jan./Feb. 2009 www.ucimc.org / www.publici.ucimc.org the Public i • 5 Disparities in Media Treatment of Black Athletes By Neil Parthun 7 Most Valuable Player awards. 8 Gold Glove awards Adam Jones was the 2005 draft pick of the Tennessee Terrell Owens, more famously known as TO, has been a for outfield defense. He is the only player to reach the Titans. During the 2007 season, NFL Commissioner Roger a lightning rod for the media about controversy he brings '600-600 club' – hitting 600 home run and also stealing Goodell suspended him for the entire season off the field to his teams. The media has scrutinized his fashion choic- 600 bases. Yet, Barry Bonds has received torrents of nega- legal troubles. Goodell jumped the gun before Jones es (wearing a Cowboys throwback jersey inscribed with tive media attention for alleged use of steroids to become received due process in court before suspending him for his friend and former Cowboys player Michael Irvin's baseball's #1 home run hitter in history. Fans have the season. He was later traded to the Dallas Cowboys. On name after TO's then team the Philadelphia Eagles were screamed for pitchers to throw at his head to end his October 14, Commissioner Goodell suspended Jones beaten by the Cowboys) and has blown most of his com- career. Death threats against his family have also occurred. again for four games because Jones got into an argument ments into media driven "controversy". Yet, the media Even before his alleged steroid use, he was one of the with his bodyguard at a hotel. The media has frequently refuses to acknowledge his courage when he put his career greatest baseball players. Recently, the MLB Players' Union covered every step and misstep of Adam Jones – where on the line by playing with a significantly injured ankle found that owners colluded to keep the now free agent one ESPN anchor said Jones' suspension was preventing which assisted the Philadelphia Eagles to make the Super Bonds out of the league for the 2008 season. Bonds has the NFL from becoming the "National Thug League". Bowl. His on the field talents have also become a venue for had further legal troubles since the FBI is investigating him Commissioner Goodell has shown through his actions that controversy because of his unique touchdown celebra- for purjury. Recent information has surfaced that Bonds he will punish black athletes before all the facts are in – tions. After reports came out that he fell asleep during a may have been telling the truth when he stated that he did with Jones, 'Tank' Johnson and Michael Vick (before all the team meeting, Owens celebrated a touchdown by "taking a not know the steroid known as "the clear" was a steroid. evidence came to light). nap" with the football as a pillow. Recently, TO has become "The Clear" was not banned and at the time of the grand Police busted Jacksonville Jaguar wide receiver Matt a target of being a "conspiracy theorist" that quarterback jury testimony, it was not deemed an illegal substance by Jones during the 2008 preseason. He was in the process of Tony Romo and tight end Jason Witten created secret plays the Justice Department. At the end of January 2009, the cutting up lines of about six grams of cocaine in his car. to keep the ball from TO. After many media sportswrit- FBI raided the home of Bonds' trainer's mother in law with The Arkansas court have made an agreement with Jones to ers/television anchors demonized TO, the story failed to 20 agents. Attorneys admitted the raid was done in order avoid a criminal trial and has charged Jones with simple have significant proof. TO has become a magnet for nega- to rachet up pressure on Bonds' trainer to testify against possession instead of possession with intent to distribute, tive media coverage and has been traded from team to Bonds in federal court, as he's repeatedly refused to testify which is a gift given the amount of cocaine with which he team because of media perception and amplification of his against Bonds. was arrested. It was not until October 21, 2008 that Com- supposed negative effects on team morale, despite being Roger Clemens was known as "The Rocket" for his blaz- missioner Goodell made the decision to suspend Jones one of the most talented receivers in the NFL. ing fastball. He was an elite pitcher that amassed over 300 and the suspension was for only a paltry three games. It The New York Jets quarterback is one of the best ever to wins in his career. However, he was also alleged to have was not until Dec. 9, 2008 that the NFL upheld the sus- play the game. However, media and fans have almost used steroids to improve his career. He was named in the pension, conveniently after the Jaguars (for which Jones is refused to talk about the disruptive roller coaster his own Mitchell Report that detailed the prevalence of steroids in the leading receiver) were eliminated from the playoffs. interest put the team on. In March 2008, Favre retired baseball. Clemens also allegedly lied to Congress when he Light suspensions for white athletes from Goodell seem to from the NFL. The Packers then began grooming their denied using human growth hormone and other anabolic be par for the course as Minnesota Vikings defensive end new quarterback Aaron Rodgers to take the starting job. In steroids. The FBI is still investigating possible perjury Jared Allen has been arrested three times for DUI, includ- July, Favre stated that he wanted to return to football. After charges against Clemens. Yet there has been almost no ing two times within five months. His four game suspen- having meetings with Packer management and significant- media scrutiny of Clemens and no questioning of the sion was reduced by the Commish to two games for rea- ly distracting the team from preparing for the 2008 season, authenticity of his achievements. Fans and the media were sons nobody is sure of because Goodell isn't talking. Favre was traded to the New York Jets in August. The hes- and are willing to believe that Clemens achieved these itance of the media to discuss effects of Favre's actions on accomplishments through hard work, not anabolic assis- team morale is obvious when compared to their eagerness tance. Yet, many of these same people have demonized to show any sign of dissention caused by a black athlete. Bonds. Information also surfaced that Favre reportedly had a 60- 90 minute conversation with a team the Packers were going to place. During the conversation, Favre allegedly NASCAR Lawsuit Settled told the team details about the Packer offensive schemes. By Neil Parthun Former Busch Series official Mauricia Grant has settled her incidentally named David Duke stated in a text message ""I lawsuit against NASCAR for $225 million, with neither love all ya'll mofos i am that nigga. HAHAHAHolla. PIM- side admitting liability or wrongdoing according to PALICIOUS." NASCAR later fired him for issues not relat- reports. During her two year employment from 2005 to ed to the suit. Two other NASCAR officials were later fired UFLive! Presents "Women, 2007, she alleged that she was referred to as "Nappy Head- ed Mo" and "Queen Sheba" by coworkers, was told she for allegedly exposing themselves to Mauricia Grant while at work. As the movement against racism and sexism con- Rhythm & Word" worked on "colored people time" and had a coworker talk tinually expands, it is important to realize that the battles regularly about the Ku Klux Klan. A white official named also take place in the realm of sports. Sunday, February 15th at 2pm Urbana Free Library, Lewis Auditorium Odyssey Project Book Drive A very special performance featuring poet, activist The Odyssey Project is holding a book drive for housing communities that have shown strong support for adult and percussionist Amira Davis and her multi-talented education in the humanities in Champaign-Urbana. We would like to ask for your help in contributing books to daughters Rukiya and Nailah. "Women, Rhythm and encourage literacy and humanities education in our community. Texts and learning materials for all age groups are Word" is a multilayered performance which combines welcome and can be brought to the Illinois Program for Research in the Humanities, 805 West Pennsylvania African percussions, chants, proverbs, spoken word Avenue, Urbana through March 15, 2009. and images. 6 • the Public i www.ucimc.org / www.publici.ucimc.org Jan./Feb. 2009 Youth Making History at Home By Karen Simms "Our youth are not failing the system; the system is fail- So, in May 2006 a meeting was called and parents, are really open to hearing from youth to working to ing our youth. Ironically, the very youth who are being social workers, and other people from the community address the needs of youth. Unfortunately, the Peer treated the worst are the young people who are going to referred 15 youth from the community who had some pre- Ambassadors have found that people outside of this com- lead us out of this nightmare."—Rachel Jackson vious 'issues' at home, at school, and in the community but munity often have been much more responsive to them who had leadership experiences and the desire to make a and more open to their voice than leaders and stakehold- The Peer Ambassadors is currently a program at the Men- difference. From that initial class of 15 the Peer Ambas- ers in this community. tal Health Center of Champaign County and are funded by sadors were born. They committed themselves to improv- We are aware that all too often many of the adults in a grant through the Champaign County Mental Health ing their schools, their bodies, and themselves. They also this community have a colored lens that impedes their Board. The Peer Ambassadors are the youth voice for Pro- were committed to bringing their friends and family mem- ability to see the youth in the Peer Ambassadors and other ject ACCESS. bers along. They hosted town hall meetings about what youth (and their families) as experts in their own lives. Too They are a group of African American teens, trying to youth need, about strategies to improve police and youth frequently, age and cultural bias color their lens through make a difference in their community by helping other relationships, and identifying ways to improve our schools. which they see young people in the program. In an era of teens, challenging themselves, and transforming their They were given permission to conduct monthly focus ever tightening budget restrictions and other challenges it's communities. They 'represent' and help people under- groups at the Juvenile Detention Center (JDC) to find out easier for funders, administrators, educators, and program stand that anything is possible if you just believe and work what youth want and need in our community that would developers to move back to a top down/patriarchal hard. Many of them are youth who were once 'written off,' have a deterrent effect. This information has been shared approach rather than open themselves to the creative who are now mobilized to change and transform them- locally and nationally at conferences and with key decision genius that lies in all of our youth. selves and their communities. makers like the Mental Health Board of Champaign Coun- However the Peer Ambassadors never lose hope that This preceding paragraph is comprised of phrases that ty. They also hold monthly meetings designed to give their they can harness the energies and passions of our commu- individual Peer Ambassadors have created to describe peers and other youth in our communities opportunities to nity. They are looking for adults who can work with them themselves and their role within this community. For the come to a youth led space, where they can learn, self orga- here at home because we are aware 'that all politics are past three years I have had the privilege of working with a nize, and grow. Remember Kofi Annan said, "Young people local;' but also they are aware that adults have power. Cur- remarkable group of passionate young people who, by the should be at the forefront of global change and innovation. rently, they are launching two campaigns designed to time the leave the program, are committed to transforming Empowered, they can be key agents for development and mobilize adults to get involved in the lives of the youth in themselves and their communities. The program, staff, peace. If, however, they are left on society's margins, all of our community. The first is Save our Students (S.O.S.), an and the other participants work hard to create an environ- us will be impoverished. Let us ensure that all young peo- ongoing initiative designed to ensure that student voices ment that gives the participants a sense of their own power ple have every opportunity to participate fully in the lives (especially the African American student voices) are heard and see themselves as agents as of change. of their societies." This is the vision of the Peer Ambas- in designing and improving the climate and quality of Three years ago the group was formed and the program sadors program. their educational experiences. They want a sense of own- was developed to address several challenges facing youth, Recently, in response to input received from youth in ership of their schools. The meeting will be on Wednesday, especially African American youth, in our community. our focus groups at the JDC and our Youth Summit February 11, at 5:30 at the CUPHD. First, there was a perception that there were two few schools, the focus has been on schools, employment, and They are also launching a youth spotlight campaign opportunities for youth to become involved constructively family. They want schools that are challenging, equitable, that will showcase the successes of one youth in our com- in transforming their communities. Then there was also a and that prepare them for success. They also want employ- munity everyday during Black History month. If you want perception that African American youth were not viewed ment opportunities to help them stay focused, take care of to get involved with the Peer Ambassadors or want to learn as a resource in this community. And finally, from my per- their economic needs, and prepare them for their future more about their work please feel free to contact them at ception, too many African American youth were being career aspirations. And they want their families to have the email@example.com marginalized and were disconnected from their communi- resources and the skills they need. Our challenge is to find ties and their possibilities. partners in the community who share their vision and who The Benefits of Cannabis By Ashley Barys Ashley Barys has been involved in drug policy reform, specif- food source humans need. It provides protein, fiber, min- The government is quite aware of the benefits of hemp; ically holding interest with industrial hemp issues since erals, antioxidants, fatty amino acids, gamma linolenic our first hemp law was established in 1619, mandating all 2005. She's a member of the national organization Students acids and stearidonic acids which are all essential to our American farmers to grow hemp. In fact, one was allowed to for Sensible Drug Policy, a graduate student at University of heath, specifically our immune system. Hemp seed can pay their taxes with hemp from the early 1600's to the early Illinois for school social work, and actively involved with the reduce heart problems, cholesterol, help in the treatment 1800's. This ended when our fear of a shortage of hemp pro- campus SSDP chapter in Urbana-Champaign. of osteoporosis, arthritis as well as breast, colon and duction diminished due to having over 8,000 hemp planta- prostate cancer. Talk about hemp for health. tions in the United States by 1850. During World War II our Hemp can also be grown in a denser and at a much government once again called on American farmers to grow Oh cannabis, how versatile a plant! Cannabis exists in three faster rate than cotton or trees, making it a more sustain- hemp in an effort to help our country's independence dur- forms: Cannabis Sativa, Cannabis Indica and Cannabis Rud- able and renewable alternative for paper, building materi- ing the war. Hemp helped sustain the U.S. army, navy and eralis. It is cannabis Ruderalis that is commonly referred to als and clothing. Hemp grows so densely that it leaves no our own industry needs. Farmers were given a tax stamp to as industrial hemp. Although many misconceive hemp as an room for insects to thrive in. This also leaves out the possi- grow hemp and were deemed as patriotic in helping their equivalent to marijuana, it actually has such a low amount bility for other weeds to grow, including other strains of country in times of need. After the war ended and Japan no of the psychoactive ingredient Tetrahydrocannabinol, or cannabis, a nonsensical concern most drug warriors longer had control over the international trade of hemp, so THC, that it does not produce the effects of either cannabis uphold. This means there is no need for pesticides or her- did the growth of hemp in America. Sativa or cannabis Indica. Cannabis Ruderalis, or industrial bicides that further harm our Earth. Hemp has a high turn Although we are spending our money to import hemp, hemp, is not a drug, but it is surely the forgotten strain in around rate, taking about four months to complete a har- mainly from Canada, it would be quite the turnaround if the wonders of the cannabis plant. vest; so multiple yields can be produced in one year. American farmers were able to tap into the number one cash Industrial hemp is highly versatile; it has over 25,000 Hemp is also highly recyclable, lasting on average 100 crop in the world. Money would be saved by not having to uses including building materials, fabrics, paper, textiles, years. Thus far, fifteen states, including Illinois, have hemp import hemp and the hemp grown in the U.S. would be high- rope, paint, varnishes, fuel, food & protein, oil and bio- legislation in place; although it is still outlawed federally ly profitable for a variety of needs. Legalizing hemp growth in mass energy. Hemp is the only known annually renewable due to our government being unwilling to legally distin- the U.S. is a struggle, as oil companies, cotton growers, log- and natural resource that is capable of providing the guish marijuana from hemp. gers, the FDA, herbicide and pesticide producers, paper and majority of the world's needs for transportation, industrial Industrial hemp can also help with our current energy housing companies and Canada all benefit a great deal from and home energy needs, while simultaneously reducing crisis. It can replace up to 90 percent of all fossil fuels and hemp prohibition. Currently the U.S. is the only industrialized pollution, rebuilding the soil and cleaning the atmosphere. is up to four times more sustainable and renewable than nation that does not allow the growth of hemp. We must take Hemp can be grown in a wide variety of climates and is other forms of biomass that comes from plants. In four a stand against the economic and political tactics that are used commonly used to rebuild the soil and prevent mudslides months just one acre of hemp can provide up to ten tons of to uphold hemp prohibition. We must educate those about and erosion. Due to returning a high yield of nitrogen to biomass. Hemp can replace plastics and hemp oil can be industrial hemp and all the benefits it has for our planet and the soil, hemp is commonly harvested in poor soil condi- used to run your vehicle as well. In fact, hemp is the only for our sustainability. There are numerous reasons cannabis tions to nurture it so food can grow on it in years to come. biomass source that has the potential to make the United remains the number one cash crop in the world, if only Amer- Speaking of food, hemp seed is the single most nutritious States energy independent. icans had the opportunity to take advantage of such a gain. Jan./Feb. 2009 www.ucimc.org / www.publici.ucimc.org the Public i • 7 Excerpts From 2009 MLK Essays Continued from page 1 Third is students not graduating from high school and not going to college. I think that schools, mainly public Ministerial Alliance Awards Community Organizers schools, are here for you to get the education needed for the upcoming life. I see that when I get back to my school On December 12, 2008, the Ministerial Alliance of Elderess Vanessa Buchanan I'll work hard and learn as much as I can about whatever I Champaign-Urbana and Vicinity held an awards cere- Eldress Hattie Paulk get taught because I might need that education later in life. mony to recognize some of the unsung heroes who Elderess Melinda Carr Then I think about going to college. Teens after getting out work tirelessly for the betterment of our community. of school should to start to think of their future. If you Held at St. Luke's C.M.E. Church in Champaign, the President's Award: Outstanding Contribution to could earn your own money to put yourself through I think it's worth it. Think of college like an investment evening's events were emceed by Reverend Troy Burks. Ministerial Alliance made by a Non-Member that's going to have you set for years to come. This was the second annual awards ceremony orga- Mrs. Rosalind D. Lewis Last but not least is scholarship grants. I think the nized by the Ministerial Alliance under the leadership Dr. Deloris P. Henry scholarships should not just be for sports. It should be for of its current president, Reverend Dr. Evelyn Under- Mrs. Vera Carter Mitchell your grades and your test scores. It's too much money for wood. Below is a list of award recipients: Deacon James Clayborn people to have to pay for the education they want. All stu- Mr. Durl Kruse dents on honor roll should be able to attend college for free because if they got on honor roll they worked hard to Layperson of the Year Award "For your tireless Mrs. Barbara A. Scott get on it. devotion to education for all children and uplifting Mrs. Maggie Rodriguez-Nieto These topics are very important to the world and these the community" Devin Chambers topics are a part of social justice that need to be corrected. Aaron Ammons Stephanie McCoy ETHAN YOUNG, LUCAS HAHN, DANIEL VANLIET, E. Martel Miller Angela James JEFFERSON MIDDLE SCHOOL, GRADE 8 Christopher Evans Seon Williams The Villager Award "It takes a village to raise a MLK Rap Robert E. Lewis child" Social Justice is the key to the American Dream Dr. Brian Dolinar Mrs. Neppie Caldwell, Macedonia Baptist Church It is also the key to liberty Linda A. Abernathy Nichole Jackson, Liberty Temple COGIC So don't hate, appreciate Imani Bazzelle Mother Betty Brown, New Free Will Baptist Church what me and my friends are about to make Patrick Dwayne Thompson Mr. Evelyn B. Hickman, Salem Baptist Church A special idea from the heart this is a good start Social Justice is a very practical art Tamra Gingold Mother Carrie Carter, New Birth Baptist Church We can make it in into a poem because we are smart Barbara Grady Mother Mary Brooks Woods, Morning Star Free Will So grab some pop-tarts and Mary Hayward Benson Baptist Church wait for the revolution to take place Dr. Barbara Gillespie-Washington Brother Douglas West, First Mennonite Church of it's already started and we are late. Champaign-Urbana President's Award: Outstanding Contributions by Are you tired of racism in your community? we sure as heck are like a shooting star. Ministerial Alliance Members to the Organization People shouldn't be neglected for skin color Bishop King James Underwood it's hard when you put down a brother Rev. Troy A. Burks it's even harder being represented by color it isn't funny hurting each other we are all born from a mother equal in fame and color BRENDA GONZALEZ-SALINAS, BOOKER T. we can't have different races disrespecting WASHINGTON, 5TH GRADE each other we are all one race so you racists Are you an illegal immigrant, or do you have a friend that out there think of this, we are the human race is an illegal immigrant or a family member? Have you ever So that's not cool that's cruel been separated from your family for a long time? Then if it makes people drool just like you have that's how most illegal immigrants feel. That's when you snooze you LOSE! why I wish that someday illegal immigrants could go were ever they want. Segregation is amputation you cut one side from another JOANNA WILSON, it's like separating a brother from their mother READY 9TH GRADE it's separating people by their color Teens are having babies too young and are expecting their when they loved each other. parents to take care of them. This is causing parents to be it makes them wonder why life is how it is, poorer and not have enough money to live the way they It keeps people away from the things they like want to live. To help stop teenagers from getting pregnant and when that happens the people start to fight at a young age, all high school students (boys and girls) Segregation is not alright should be required to take a child development class. This it needs to stop that's why we make up these songs might not stop kids from having babies at a young age, but Segregation is when two people get it might help stop some and maybe help some teenagers be separated from each other better parents if they get in that situation. it's hard losing a brother I went through it I just had to do it ALEXA COBB, JEFFERSON, We need to stick together through all kinds of weather 8TH GRADE through thick and thin Sometimes I wonder how the world got this way. Why people are scared to live life their own way. Why must peo- It can be fixed my friend, ple discriminate, not even know the person and still hate. we can change social justice I just wish acceptance came as easy as the hate. But sadly, for future people to think about how we helped we've made our own fate. you know we didn't yelp we worked on this by ourselves JAZZMIN JADE RUSSELL MOCKABEE, rocked it to the core JEFFERSON, 8TH GRADE we keep on our roar right on down to the floor Richard Relliford, 10th grader at Centenni- I have a dream we can fix it if we twist it al High School reading at the Urbana To become somebody and that's all, remember about social justice Library That nobody believes sitting on a wall! Can make it to the top 8 • the Public i www.ucimc.org / www.publici.ucimc.org Jan./Feb. 2009 A MATTER OF TIME and Zora talked about it on the payrolls of Black Water & Haliburton my mothers: grand, great and just superbugs named MRSA rival By Amira Millicent Davis were blues women, too HIV/AIDS as new predators "I come to say to you this afternoon, however difficult the sensuality & soul sifted though ancestral sounds in controlled environments moment, (Yes, sir) however frustrating the hour, it will not low moans birthed in cramped quarters, where roaches and rats feed be long, (No sir) because "truth crushed to earth will rise a battle cry to Warrior spirits named alongside politicians & money changers again." (Yes, sir) Oya, Hatshepsut and Nzingha who, after orally & anally violating How long? Not long, (Yes, sir) because "no lie can live for- Granny Nanny, Mother Harriet, the body of We The People ever." (Yes, sir) Ella, Fannie Lou, Queen Mother Moore, are bailed out with its life blood through gas pump hoses; How long? Not long, (All right. How long) because "you Vina & Bettye Melba and street thugs known as GDs shall reap what you sow." (Yes, sir) it is the song of black birds are foot soldiers for global gangsters called G8s & G20s How long? (How long?) Not long: (Not long) perched atop trees and while the golden arches … bearing witness may sometime resemble an oasis How long? Not long, because the arc of the moral universe is in the timbre of their tune the begged question, "How in the expanse of neoliberal long, but it bends toward justice. (Yes, sir) long?" desertification, How long? Not long,… Response: Not long. (code names: deindustrialization In another time, I channel them on stages code named: depopulation I arrived here, in meetings, in classrooms, code named: gentrification) unfree, in exile, in languages of human I can't rescue my children with in metamorphosing chains resource and public policy a "happy" meal a spirit naked, vulnerable in places sacred & profane The margins are filled with those to the voyeurs' gaze my scream reverberates from inner, overwhelmed with gingoism that constructed me to outer and cyber space who are sold the goods of life in an aesthetic of extremes biting words rush from my mind like with foreign trademarks forced across seas, self-emancipated slaves, our own shelf life less beyond reason, into madness burn my lips, my fingertips than most 3rd world countries my voice was not lost unmasking my invisibility we gather to commiserate, it was taken people ask, self medicate and cleanse ourselves my beloved Iroko tree "Why with prayer, clinging to amulets carved into my back are bathed in holy water tears branches tipped with budding, you the brazen among us bloody leaves; deep roots so angry?!" push tight clenched fists spanning two worlds Do you not see my arms aching into the face of the center 400 years have passed & still for babies lost and stolen? I stand here I have not yet learned to navigate sold in marketplaces, on auction blocks, not alone, but with the ghosts the hyphened space to private prisons and for-profit of mothers/sisters/aunts/nieces/daughters between African & american foster care, killed in imperial crowding my space, but, tell me, who counts the days? and urban guerilla wars speaking in ecumenical tongues, Ma Rainey sang her blues for me poetic tragedies in which Kiyanna, through bodies, real and incorporeal, like Bessie did, like Billie Boo, Larry and Phil forever die this poem our offering to life sang Strange Fruit blues on South Side streets & light/hope & healing, denied birthrights of literacy; peace, love & the desire the right to be safe to draw breath and whole one day again I mourn memories, collective free & private I heard in his question, "How long 'til freedom?" wombs: cut off/cut out Call: How long? Response: Not long after wet-nursing america but tell me, who really counts the days? to "Divine-Divaship" the breasts of the state now dry & sag around a bloated middle the true mark of an old vulture perhaps my anger reflects New Blog by Public i Writer the tiredness of my pain Chants of democracy "Wage slavery got you down? Feeling like you're not 100% lose meaning in survival struggle in command of your own destiny? For a worm's eye view that consumes each new thought in utero, of the smoke-and-mirrors economy, the world, and life necrotizes the flesh from action before our eyes, on 24 hour newsreels, under Oz, check out Ricky Baldwin's new blog voters made voteless theclayeater.blogspot.com. The name is a tie to his own families are foreclosed upon, roots. A "clay eater" is a hillbilly, a redneck, trailer trash: unruly markets shape shift that is, like most of the world. And you know what they into tsunamis say, you can take the hillbilly out of the hills..." THURSDAY FEBRUARY 12, 7PM & Katrina is revealed ENGLISH BUILDING, RM 160 as an undercover gov't operative The event will include a screening of the award-win- ning short film Pretty Vacant and new material by filmmaker Jim Mendiola. A question and answer ses- Music Around Town sion with the filmmaker will follow the films. Wed, Feb 11 - Steve Gorn (bansuri flutes), Yosef Ben FREE (dancers, musicians and actors are invited to Pretty Vacant tells the story of a Chicana punk Israel (bass) and Jason Finkelman (percussion), 8pm, explore improvisation in structured and open formats, rocker on the verge of rewriting rock and roll history. Channing-Murray Foundation, 1209 W. Oregon Street, every 1st and 3rd Sundays through April) The film traces how youth negotiate cultural and geo- Urbana. $5-$10. Saturdays, Feb 21, 28, and Mar 7 - Music In The graphical crossings in the San Antonio alternative Thu, Feb 12 - Steve Gorn (bansuri flutes) / Fareed Moment, 2-4pm, University YMCA, 1001 S. Wright St., rock scene. Jim Mendiola is a writer/director hailing Haque (guitars) Duo, 7:30pm, Sudden Sound Concert Champaign. from San Antonio and now based out of Los Angeles. Series, Krannert Art Museum, 500 E. Peabody Drive, Thu, Mar 5 - Lê Quan Ninh (percussion) / Michel Done- Sponsored by: Latina/o Studies, Gender and Champaign. FREE info: www.kam.illinois.edu da (soprano saxophone) Duo, 7:30pm, Sudden Sound Women's Studies, Department of Anthropology, Unit Sun, Feb 15 - Sunday Improv Lab, 1-4pm, Dance Concert Series, Krannert Art Museum, 500 E. Peabody for Criticism and Interpretive Theory, Center for Latin Rehearsal Room, Level 2, Krannert Center. Drive, Champaign. FREE info: www.kam.illinois.edu American and Caribbean Studies, Department of Eng- lish, Illinois Program for Research in the Humanities. Jan./Feb. 2009 www.ucimc.org / www.publici.ucimc.org the Public i • 9 The Terrorist Assault On The People Of Gaza By Belden Fields Terrorism is the deliberate violent target- ing of civilians for political and/or mili- PROTOCOL FOR THE PROHIBITION OF THE USE IN tary ends. Those who use terrorism WAR OF ASPHYXIATING, POISONOUS OR OTHER always try to make it seem legitimate. GASES, AND OF BACTERIOGICAL METHODS OF Hamas sends rockets into southern WARFARE Israel because Israel has taken former Signed at Geneva June 17, 1925 Entered Arab land and homes and Israel has into force February 8, 1928 Ratification been economically blockading Gaza by land and by sea. advised by the U.S. Senate December 16, Israel attacks civilian sites such as hospitals, ambulances, 1974 Ratified by U.S. President January 22, schools, and universities because it claims that Hamas 1975 U.S. ratification deposited with the uses them for military purposes. All of the claims on both Government of France April 10, 1975 Pro- sides might be true, but none justifies terrorism. claimed by U.S. President April 29, 1975 There are, however, five aspects to the recent Israeli The Undersigned Plenipotentiaries, in campaign in Gaza that make the terrorism there especially the name of their respective Governments: troubling. First is the scale of the harm. Something like Whereas the use in war of asphyxiating, half of the approximately 1300 killed were civilians, many poisonous or other gases, and of all analo- gous liquids, materials or devices, has been justly con- acceding Powers, and will take effect on the date of the of them children. Many more were wounded. Second is demned by the general opinion of the civilized world; notification by the Government of the French Republic. the type of weaponry used, especially white phosphorous and, The present Protocol, of which the French and Eng- which is one of the cruelest of weapons that burns to the Whereas the prohibition of such use has been lish texts are both authentic, shall be ratified as soon as bone and is internationally forbidden in crowded urban declared in Treaties to which the majority of Powers of possible. It shall bear todays date. areas like Gaza. (See the 1925 Geneva Protocol in the side- the World are Parties; and, The ratifications of the present Protocol shall be bar). Third is Israel's banning of the press from Gaza in the To the end that this prohibition shall be universally addressed to the Government of the French Republic, vain hope that much of the suffering it inflicted would go accepted as a part of International Law, binding alike the which will at once notify the deposit of such ratification unreported. Forth, is Israel's striking of the facilities of the conscience and the practice of nations; to each of the signatory and acceding Powers. U.N. and other international relief organizations. Fifth, all The instruments of ratification of and accession to the of this was done by a military supplied by the U.S. gov- Declare: present Protocol will remain deposited in the archives of ernment and paid for by us U.S. taxpayers. The blood is That the High Contracting Parties, so far as they are the Government of the French Republic. thus on our hands too. not already Parties to Treaties prohibiting such use, The present Protocol will come into force for each sig- I regret that several of my fellow American Jews have accept this prohibition, agree to extend this prohibition natory Power as from the date of deposit of its ratifica- attempted to justify the unjustifiable in letters to the to the use of bacteriological methods of warfare and agree tion, and, from that moment, each Power will be bound News-Gazette. Of all people, we should be the first to to be bound as between themselves according to the as regards other powers which have already deposited decry the infliction of such suffering and insist that we terms of this declaration. their ratifications. never pay for it again. The High Contracting Parties will exert every effort to IN WITNESS WHEREOF the Plenipotentiaries have induce other States to accede to the present Protocol. signed the present Protocol. Such accession will be notified to the Government of the DONE at Geneva in a single copy, this seventeenth day French Republic, and by the latter to all signatory and of June, One Thousand Nine Hundred and Twenty-Five. …Athens! …Oakland!! …Gaza!!! 10 • the Public i www.ucimc.org / www.publici.ucimc.org Jan./Feb. 2009 Is this "The Big One" Coming? By John Reiman On January 12, 2009, Paul Craig Roberts reported in serving to slow down the "Counterpunch" that if the unemployment rate were cal- culated as it used to be prior to 1980, it would stand at collapse of production. At present, these bail-outs are The Pyramid of Capital 17.5% today, as opposed to the official figure, which is less financed by selling federal than half that amount. This gets close to the rate of the bonds. Investors, both for- 1930s, which was around 25%. eign and domestic, are will- In recent years, consumer spending has risen to almost ing to buy these bonds at three quarters of the US GDP. In the 1930s, consumer debt extremely low interest rates rose to 9.6% of household income, vs. 25.1% in 2006. because they have nowhere The main means of ending the Depression was federal else to put their money. This spending – on war production. But today, federal spending cannot continue indefinitely. is constrained by the national debt. At some point, the demand for US bonds and US national Debt as % of GDP 1930 $16.2 bn. 18% Treasury Notes will dimin- 1940 $43 bn. 52% ish. When this happens, the 1946 120 bn. 120% Treasury will have to raise 1950 257.4 bn. 94.1% the interest rate it pays. This 1980 930.2 bn. 33% will further decrease the 2008 (est.) 10,024.7 bn. 72.5% (est.) credit available to private (source: Wikipidia) companies. In addition, the So, at the outset of the Depression, the national debt federal government will was about one third of what we are facing today. This will have to repay this debt some give the federal government a lot less room to maneuver. day. When that day arrives, wages (which boosted profits and encouraged invest- Not only that, but with the massive bailout bills, this they will have to crank up the printing presses and print ment). Added to these contradictions is the existence of national debt will balloon even more. dollars. The effect of this will be to cheapen the dollar; in the nation states in the era of world production, distribu- This present spending is essentially going down a rat- other words, inflation. tion and finance. Up until now, the global role of the US hole, because the heart of the problem is that production In this way, a new economic crisis would differ in form dollar has lent a certain stability to the world economy. As was kept afloat by increased debt of all sorts. The over- from that of the 1930s, but the underlying contradictions the dollar drops in value, as it inevitably must when they whelming bulk of the federal bail-out money is going to that caused the crisis would be the same: Private owner- start printing them up, then this will add to the crisis. directly boost the bottom line of finance capital, vs. in the ship of the means of production (leading to a tendency I think it is still too early to say that we are definitely 1930s and '40s, when much of it went to federal projects towards overproduction and a tendency for the rate of headed towards a crisis on the scale of the 1930s in the and later to war-time industrial production. profit to fall). For decades, these tendencies were masked next year or so. However, the facts make it appear increas- An all-out economic crisis will not necessarily take the by the massive increase in both public and private debt, by ingly possible. same form as that of the 1930s, though. Despite their des- the expansion of capitalism into new arenas (the former tination in finance capital, the massive federal bail-outs are Soviet Union, China, etc.), and even the reduction of real Blackwater Expands Despite Recent Iraq Ban By Hawkeye On January 29, 2009, the Iraqi government barred Black- National Conventions. During a domestic crisis, BW can ment, designing and building services. Finally, Eric Prince water Worldwide, Inc. (BW) from providing security for access a database of thousands of sworn law enforcement continues to provide custom contracting at subsidiaries in U.S. diplomats in Iraq because its alleged involvement in officers who will work as independent contractors using Indiana and North Carolina, Mississippi and Mexico, the 2007 deaths of at least seventeen civilians in Nisour accrued vacation time (recall former director Tom through Prince Enterprises a company started by his father. Square in Baghdad. This, however, did little to impact Dempsey' s mission to Afghanistan, while still employed At the rate that they are expanding, perhaps a BW profitability of the BW "bottom line", because BW began by the Police Training Institute at the University of Illinois) "action figure" soon may be available at a store near you. diversifying its operations years earlier. under a reciprocal agreement among state governments. For a list of BW affiliates and subsidiaries, refer to the During the past twelve years, BW has morphed from a Internationally, BW is rapidly expanding its global Small Business Administration Report at trainer of "weekend warriors" and "shoot a round for Jesus" reach, by forging strategic partnerships and accelerating http://reform.democrats.house.gov/docu- fanatics into a one-stop shop, with twenty-nine subsidiaries diversification, like a high security Wal-Mart that offers a ments/20080728141224.pdf that provides know-how and equipment to thousands of 365-degree wrap around service. BW and Raytheon, for U.S. and foreign law enforcement agencies and supports example, have unveiled a prototype six-passenger Joint extensive U.S. military operations around the globe. BW, a Light Tactical Vehicle at the U.S. Special Operations Indus- privately held U. S. company founded by Eric Prince, a try Conference in Tampa, Fla., on May 21, 2008, revealing right wing political contributor to both Republican and their teamed-up effort to build a survivable, mobile next- Democratic campaigns, has received billions of dollars in generation Humvee. U.S. government contracts. Even with its banning in Iraq, BW, also owns and operates three aviation subsidiaries: BW continues expanding its worldwide operations. Presidential Airways, Inc., STI Aviation Inc., and Air Quest Domestically, BW trains thousands of local law enforce- Inc. The U.S. Department of Defense utilizes BW for logis- ment personnel in the U. S., offering both classroom tics support to US military operations in Pakistan and instruction and "hands on" experience. In 2007, for exam- Afghanistan. When "lower and slower" is needed, BW Air- ple, BW purchased the Backup Training Corporation, the ships, established in January 2006, leases a remotely pilot- largest supplier of law enforcement training CD materials ed airship vehicle for potential use on the Mexican and in the U.S. With this CD collection, BW supplies thou- United States border and as a forward observation plat- sands of U.S. law enforcement agencies with an A-Z law form in Afghanistan. enforcement curriculum, including instruction on search In addition, BW owns Greystone Ltd., a private securi- and seizure, drug enforcement and even Occupational ty service registered in Barbados, which employs third- Safety and Health Administration certification. country nationals for offshore security work. Greystone In addition, BW directly trains law enforcement offi- provides security to locations experiencing turmoil cers, in sniper training and SWAT team tactics at one of whether caused by armed conflict, epidemics, or natural three domestic locations (San Diego, CA.; Mt. Carroll, IL; or man-made disasters, according to their website. Anoth- and, Moyock, NC), as well as at mobile training centers. er BW subsidiary, BW Maritime Security Service provides They also provide armaments for law enforcement agen- training for maritime security. BW's North Carolina facili- cies, around the country. Further, in their domestic busi- ties include a man-made lake with stacked containers sim- ness, BW teaches classes certified by state governments for ulating a ship for maritime assaults. private security forces at their domestic camps or 'on-site,' In addition, BW has established the Raven Development such as the delegates at the Republican and Democratic Group to offer general contracting, construction manage- Jan./Feb. 2009 www.ucimc.org / www.publici.ucimc.org the Public i • 11 The Working Class Strikes Back By David Johnson On Friday Dec. 5th 2008, an event vened that morning to prevent an overreaction by the occured on the near-north side of Chicago police. The company did not call the police to have the that sent a chill up the spine of corporate workers removed. Apparently due to the intense public America and inspired working people scrutiny and media coverage, the company did not want around the world. any further negative publicity. A small factory of 200 workers By Friday night additional supporters arrived from the refused to go home! community and other unions. The Chicago Branch of the The management of the Republic Windows and Doors IWW (Industrial Workers of the World) organized a mate- factory had announced on the previous Tuesday (Dec. rial support 'pipeline' to the occupying workers, bringing 2nd) to the employees that the plant would close perma- food, soft drinks, coffee, and sleeping bags. The IWW also nently at 10am Friday Dec. 5th. organized 'flying squadrons'—a phone tree network of It was also announced by management that the workers people to call to mobilize at the factory, in case the police would NOT be paid for vacation time they had accured tried to remove the workers from the factory. nor receive any severance pay. By Saturday the media coverage was unprecedented for Under U.S. federal law, Worker Adjustment and Retrain- a labor dispute. Not only Chicago televion stations, but ing Notification Act (WARN), workers must receive 60- journalist and television crews from national and interna- days notice and pay, when a company intends to cease tional news agencies appeared. The Republic Window operations. workers also received messages of support from unions in Management claimed that they were forced to close the Europe and South America, where factory occupations are plant and not provide owed vacation pay and severance more common. money because their bank, Bank of America, which had Other froms of support involved demonstrations around Republic Workers demonstrate at Bank of received $ 25 billion in taxpayer money from the $ 700 billion the U.S. in front of Bank of America branches in support of America bank bail-out bill, had cut-off the company's line of credit. the workers, including San Francisco where 5 supporters The Republic Window workers were devastated. They entered the bank, began speaking out loud to patrons and immediately contacted their union representatives at Unit- employees, and were arrested for refusing to leave. benefits of the Unionized UE plant in Chicago. ed Electrical Workers (UE) Local 1110. The Union imme- The workers at the non-union plant in Iowa were told diately organized a press conference for the next day out- JUMPING ON THE BAND WAGON several months ago by the new owners (Republic Win- side Bank of America's Chicago headquarters to inform the By Monday Dec. 8th (Day 4), politicians began to react to dows, a.k.a. ECHO Inc.) that they were going to double public and to protest the bank's action. the increasing popularity of the factory occupation, as the number of employees and that they already had pro- The Union press conference and rally received very lit- reported by the world media. duction orders lined-up. tle media coverage (other than the alternative media). This Fifteen Chicago City Council Aldermen voiced their sup- Ron Bender, a UE Union shop steward at Republic Win- is not suprising since the corporate media in the United port by proposing a resolution that the City of Chicago dows stated, "It was never the owners plan to save the States rarely covers Labor events, and besides, from the withdraw all of its monies from Bank of America if it refused plant, and Bank of America was aware of the plan. They media's perspective, this was just another of many routine to loan Republic Windows money to pay it's workers. were just running a game." stories about about workers being screwed by NAFTA The next day, Illinois Govenor Rod Blagojevich made a (North American Free Trade Agreement) America. similar statement at a press conference, standing next to VICTORY AND INSPIRATION UE Union staffers and members, saying that he would also The Republic Window workers have not only shown us divest all State of Illinois monies from Bank of America if it how a multi- racial workplace of Black, White and Latino did not make a loan. workers can overcome divisions and fight back together Illinois U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and U.S. President- successfully, but also a new economic model that all orga- elect Barak Obama also jumped on board in support of the nized workers should strive for, ie., worker owned cooper- Republic workers. atives. In essense, this means firing the boss and getting rid U.S. Illinois Congressman from Chicago, Luis Gutierez, of the capitalist middleman. not only made a statement of support, but offered to help After winning all of their demands and ending the 6- in the negotiations. day factory occupation, the UE Union announced the cre- ation of a foundation fund dedicated to buying and re- LIES, GREED, AND DECEIT opening the window and door factory under union/work- Meanwhile, negotiations that began on Friday continued er direct ownership. Money from other unions and organi- through the weekend, between the UE Union, Republic zations, nationaly and internationaly, as well as the UE Other unions show solidarity with the Windows Inc., and Bank of America, but still no agree- national union, has already been deposited into the foun- Republic workers ment had been reached. dation fund. Finally, on Wednesday evening Dec. 10th, UE Western According to Jerry Mead Lucero of laborexpress.org Regional President Carl Rosen, who led the Union negoti- radio in Chicago, "It took a mere 6 days for the Republic DIRECT ACTION GETS RESULTS ating team, announced to the press that Bank of America Workers to defeat a recalcitrant employer and one of the Two days after the rally outside Bank of America, in the agreed to provide the money to pay the workers every- nation's largest banking corporations and to win ALL of early morning hours of Friday Dec. 5th, the scheduled day thing they were owed, equal to $ 1.75 million. their demands… the big question is wether the occupation the plant was to close, something happened that hasn't A stipulation that the UE Union demanded was that of Republic Windows and Doors is just the beging of a been seen in the United States since the 1930's. The Bank of America pay the money directly into a third party working class fightback and a resurgence of the U.S. Labor Republic Workers refused to leave the factory! bank account (by passing Republic Windows Inc.) to pay movement?" Management was dumbfounded. Then management's the workers. This demand by the Union was a result of Let us hope that is the case. confusion turned to horror when a few minutes later they Republic Windows CEO Richard Gillman, who at one looked outside and saw a crowd of people standing in point during the negotiations demanded that if he could For more about the Republic Window and Door occu- front of the small factory. The Republic Worker's Union, not have total control of the money lended to him he pation, check-out ; www.laborbeat.org, "Workers Repub- the UE, had assembled many of their members from other expected the bank loans to also cover the lease of his two lic" a 30-minute video from Chicago based LABOR BEAT job-sites. Chicago Jobs with Justice had called out people cars—a 2007 BMW350xi, and a 2002 Mercedes S-500, as VIDEO, posted on youtube. from community organizations, churches, and members well as 8-weeks of his salary equal to $37,500 ($225,000 And, www.radio4all.net, an audio interview with from other unions. annually.) Robert Austin of the Chicago I.W.W. from the Jan. 3rd Republic Window's management franticly asked the During the occupation, UE Union staffers began a thor- 2009 edition of the ILLINOIS WORLD LABOR HOUR ( workers in the plant what was going on. The workers ough investigation of Republic Windows Inc., and had dis- WEFT community radio. 90.1 FM and webcast worldwide repeated their demands that they were not leaving the fac- covered that the company was NOT shutting down. at www.weft.org every Saturday morning from 11am-12 tory until they were paid what was owed to them. Instead the company was moving production to western noon central standard time ). Word spread fast thanks to Jobs with Justice and the Iowa under a new name, ECHO Windows and Doors, alternative media. By the afternoon the crowd of support- where they had already bought an existing window and ers had swelled and the corporate news media began to door factory (TRACO) several months earlier under the arrive in large numbers as well. The Chicago police had name of the newly formed ECHO corporation. also arrived but maintained a " safe " distance from the The plant in western Iowa was to remain non-union, crowd. City Council Alderman Scott Waguespack of paying it's workers $9 per hour with no benefits, as opposed Chicago's 32nd ward ( where the plant is located ) inter- to the $14 per hour, health insurance, pension, and vacation


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Tag: CatapultKing
Daily iPhone App: Catapult King is beautifully destructive
Catapult King lacks innovation on the surface, unfortunately. It looks like an Angry Birds clone in 3D, and that's basically what it is. I say "unfortunately" because I hope that won't keep you from giving it a look anyway. I saw this title for the first time at E3 last week, and while I am not...
Software Updates
more updates- Apple Remote Desktop updated with Yosemite support
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subset: commoncrawl


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Barnsley 1 Sky Blues 0
04 Mar » Vital FootballNew Coventry City boss Tony Mowbray says he hopes to help the Sky Blues back to where they "rightfully belong".
04 Mar » BBC SportLee Johnson enjoyed a victorious home debut as his Barnsley side ran out 1-0 winners against Coventry.
04 Mar » SkySports.comFormer Coventry City defender Phill Babb believes Tony Mowbray is the right man to revive his old club's fortunes.
04 Mar » SkySports.comTony Mowbray says Coventry City is a "big club with huge potential" that "needs reigniting".
04 Mar » BBC SportTony Mowbray has targeted a return to the Sky Bet Championship with Coventry after being appointed Steven Pressley's successor as manager.
04 Mar » Scotsman.comGeorge Waring scores the game's only goal as Barnsley beat Coventry, whose new boss Tony Mowbray watched from the stand.
03 Mar » BBC SportBarnsley 1 Coventry City 0
03 Mar » Vital FootballFormer West Brom and Celtic manager is 'excited in my belly' at working for a club with such history and tells Henry Winter he will give fans a team to make them proud
03 Mar » Telegraph


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Jul 05, 2012, 03:22 PM | |
Yes ! I "gave thanks" shortly after my first few trader deals.
I accept people for what they are...We see them all here,those who talk as if you're an old friend,and those whose only communication is text speak.,with some of the poorest spelling on the planet. I asked for help,and many jumped in,and made me the trader I am today. Your speaking of "friends"jogged a memory of a couple of weeks ago,when a lady was down on her luck,and some of HER friends asked THEIR friends to help.We did,and such a feeling of comaraderie prevailed for that weeked...We became a TEAM working together OH yeah-you're gonna make friends here,man.....you can count on it. I won't mention names,but there are guys now after just one or two deals,I just order from,and pay.No worries about if I'll get it-it'll show ! _Anyone who's seen my name on an order form- Thanks again ! |
Latest blog entry: Strip planking, and fairing blocks.
Jul 06, 2012, 11:52 PM | |
Great purchase experience from "tc3wins"
I found this page and immediately saw things posted that I agree with and have just experienced recently myself. I decided to add my First Quad after many months watching and reading. "tc3wins" posted that he was selling a few quads on the classifieds.
What happened after contacting him has been one of the most Outstanding purchases I have ever made in many years. I have a perfect rating on EBay with over 400 transactions not to mention all my other internet transactions. I incountered Stu who is a great person to deal with and a profectionest in his building and attention to detail. He made the whole purchase an easy totally satisfying experience. He has gone beyond a seller to me as a result of his, going out of his way to make the purchase and followup support perfect for my beginning as a Quad owner. I now feel I have a valued friend and fellow Quad owner in my world. I don't make theses comments without serious thought as a senior citizen on a limited income now I take every transaction seriously. Carl (cmeisteriii) |
Latest blog entry: My Hunter V-Tail and Bandit Sport V.
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