PeoriaStory

Fun event: from the news release

Please Join Us Sunday, October 30, 2011 2:00 - 5:00PM - Artists' in Residence Reception  & Book Signing 3:00PM - Poetry Reading 4:00 - 6:00PM  - Tour Artists' Studios & Installations Prairie Center of the Arts Warehouse Gallery One Artists' Studios & Installations 1506 SW Washington Street Peoria, Illinois 61602  Free and open to the public This Sunday's reception will highlight and celebrate -   Peoria artists, Kelly Krainak, painter, and Lisa Nelson Raabe, installation, who were artists in residence at Prairie Center during 2010 & 2011. A new chapbook, Bluffs and Five Bridges: Poems from Peoria, by the Grandview Hotel Poets with poetry readings, book signing, and music by Marcia Henry Liebenow, Peoria Symphony Concertmaster and Bradley faculty member. The book sells for $5. There will be an opportunity to visit with some of our new artists in residence in their studios. Installations on the upper level constructed by John Benvenuto and Dawn Gettler will be toured and discussed by the artists. ***Must be able to climb stair to view the installations***   Current artists in residence are John Benvenuto, installation, Dayton, Ohio; Dawn Gettler, installation, Chicago, IL; Katherine Kaminski, installation, Peoria, IL; Mary Beth Koszut, painter, Peoria, IL; Andrew Palmer, fiction writer, Des Moines, IA; and Erin Zellefrow begin_of_the_skype_highlighting     end_of_the_skype_highlighting, mixed media/painting, Peoria, IL. Lauren Smith, installation, Mt. Laurel, NJ, will arrive at Prairie Center on November 14. Michele Richey    michele@prairiecenterofthearts.org     309-657-6767

New Peoria District 150 calendar deceives, uses fake photos, plagiarizes text

PEORIA -- Peoria School District 150 watchdog Sharon Crews discovered that the calendar put out this year by the school district uses fake photos and plagiarized text. It's apparent aim is to deceive parents and the public.

On Monday, Oct. 24, she told the School Board about it during the public comments. (I was unable to attend the meeting so did not record the other public comments.) Here are her comments:

 

"Traditionally District 150 has used its annual calendar, sent home to parents, as a way to showcase District 150’s students and the district, in general.  In the past, calendar covers have sometimes displayed the art work of a particular District 150 student.  The pictures above the calendar for each month were always pictures of District 150’s students and personnel.

As I began to look through this year’s calendar, I noticed a handsome, young African-American teacher interacting with a group of young students.  My first thought was “I wonder who that is” because I know that male African-American primary school teachers are few and far between. 

Already a bit suspicious, I Googled “Rosetta Stone Classroom, and there it was--the same picture on that website—only in color.  Unfortunately, the young teacher in the photo is not a District 150 teacher. 

I assume that District 150 received permission to use this photo due to its purchase of Rosetta Stone materials because the 150 calendar shows the whole “Welcome to Rosetta Stone Classroom website page, not just the picture, including the words, “All rights are reserved.”

I’m guessing that the main problem is that this year’s calendar was an afterthought—that planning didn’t start soon enough.  However, the rush led to a calendar that is a total deception. 

There are about two pictures of actual District 150 personnel mixed in with stock photos, most of which were probably taken off the internet.  I found two of the pictures on a website called Fotosearch, so I assume that if I had had more time to waste I could have found most of the pictures.  At least, the ones I found were royalty free.

Then I decided to try the English teacher’s trick for uncovering plagiarized term papers.  I Googled the first ten words of the narrative found above the September calendar and found the narrative word for word on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website.  This particular page does not give any credit for the plagiarized words.  However, narratives on later pages do start with phrases such as, “The Bureau of Labor Statistics website says.”  However, no quotation marks are used—which, as any English teacher will tell you, is required of direct quotations.

Stock photos and plagiarized narrative are minor compared to the deceptive message sent to Peorians by this calendar.  Many people will be led to believe that the pictures depict what is really going on at the Woodruff Career and Technical Center. 

 Don’t get me wrong; I am thrilled that District 150 has seen the need for a technical school and an alternative school.  However, if things stay as they are right now, District 150 will not have a viable technology program or an alternative school, so please do not deceive people into believing that miracles are now occurring at Woodruff. 

According to the District 150 website, there are only about five teachers and, therefore, very few students engaged in the technology program.  The equipment currently available and the hands-on activities carried out by students are in no way as sophisticated as the pictures in this calendar purport. 

Please don’t tell me that the pictures aren’t meant to deceive.  The name of Woodruff boldly appears with the pictures for September, November, January, February, April, May, and August.  In fact, there are under 100 students at Woodruff, but the photos for seven months are dedicated to the technical center only

 Parents who believe the pictures and narratives will be very disappointed to learn that much of what is depicted has nothing to do with reality.  Of course, the narratives use what could be considered “fudging” words, such as “Students will be introduced to some of the following skills and careers.” 

For example, that statement precedes a list of careers including biomedical engineering, dentistry, mental health, ophthalmology, pharmacology, and veterinary medicine. 

“Introduced,” of course, is the weasel word in the narrative.  A weasel word or phrase’s aim is to create an impression that something specific and meaningful has been said, when in fact only a vague or ambiguous claim has been communicated. 

This whole calendar is a series of weasel words and pictures.  To quote Shakespeare’s Macbeth, “Things aren’t always what they seem.”  So it is with this year’s calendar."

 -- Sharon Crews

My take:  Wow!  Good work, Sharon.  Wish I had been at the board meeting to see their faces when the truth about the calendar was revealed.

 -- Elaine Hopkins 

Wicked: Just see it

PEORIA -- The Broadway musical Wicked is now playing at the Peoria Civic Center Theater. It's terrrrific!

It's an all Actors Equity (union) cast and production, and it shows. Every actor is extremely skilled, the production itself takes the breath away, the songs are easy to hear and grasp, and the language of the play is very, very clever. 

This is an A plus production and event, one of the best I've seen on the Civic Center's Broadway series. It's also suitable for children. (No nudity, swearing or skimpy costumes.)

I saw Wicked a few years ago in Chicago. It was fine there, but this production is even better.  Don't miss it in Peoria.

 -- Elaine Hopkins

Occupy Peoria? well.....

PEORIA -- About 200 people manned the baricades -- uh -- marched through Peoria's streets --  on Oct. 15 to show solidarity with the Occupy movements everywhere.

They posted for photos in front of Caterpillar, Inc. and Chase/JP Morgan, the courthouses and City Hall.

There were a few colorful chants and signs, and a few colorful people, but in general the event was fairly low key.  In fact it was so low key that no police showed up along the route, or at the rally, scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Liberty Park Pavilion, but which didn't begin until 2:30 p.m.

What if you had a rally for the revolution and no police noticed?  An insult? Or thank heavens.

The group rallies in front of Chase, which got a bailout.

The beginning of the General Assembly in the aptly named Liberty Park. 

 

They plan to meet again next Saturday, to picket around town and plan for an encampment, if they can find a suitable place.

An encampment as winter sets in?  Betcha it doesn't happen.

Meanwhile, the city of Peoria is planning a 133 percent increase in the garbage tax (uh, fee, they call it, same thing), from $6 a month to $14.  So tiny households of one person, perhaps on a very low income, will be forced to pay the same as a suburban mansion with eight residents generating a lot more garbage.

That ought to generate an occupation of City Hall!  Does anyone out there have the guts to do that?

This is a terrible, flat tax, very unfair. If the city needs more money it should raise property taxes.  That term wasn't even mentioned in the PJS story on the proposal.

An ambitious local revolutionary could start a movement to refuse to pay the tax/fee, which is collected through the water bills.  Yes, the city pays the Illinois American Water Co., to collect the tax/fee, a situation that can be challenged, but it would be a hassle.

The company can't cut off your water if you refuse to pay, I've heard, but the city might put a lien on your property, though I don't think that's ever been done.

Now you know why the city wants to buy the water company -- not to give residents cheaper water, apparently, but to make money and collect fees. Meanwhile it gives or loans money to private businesses for 'development.'  Sweet for them.

So it goes in River City ... and will the real revolutionaries please organize something useful!

  -- Elaine Hopkins

Here's a good analysis of the OWS movement -- it has already won by changing the conversation, says disgraced former NY Gov Eliot Spitzer.  (Why are all the good guys so flawed?)

 

Here's a fabulous piece by Matt Taibbi on what the demands of the OWS prdotesters should be.

Nature, environmental book signing Oct. 15

PEORIA HEIGHTS -- From a news release:

Tom Lerczak, long-time natural areas preservation specialist with the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, will be in Peoria Saturday Oct. 15 signing copies of his new book "Side Channels: A Collection of Nature Writing and Memoir."

 

The event is from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at I Know You Like a Book, 4707 N. Prospect Road, Peoria Heights.

 

Over his career, Lerczak has helped countless people designate their property as a nature preserve, saving vast stretches of natural resources in the state. He has served on the boards of a number of Audubon chapters, canoed miles of the Illinois River and become an articulate advocate for the environment. 

 

He has written for Illinois Audubon magazine, Outdoor Illinois and Meadowlark: A Journal of Illinois Birds. Those articles comprise 14 chapters in his book. The remaining chapters are memoir, tracing his fascination with nature and his commitment to a career preserving the environment.

 

For excerpts from the book, go to www.side-channels.com. For more information on the book signing, call I Know You Like a Book at 685-2665.  ***

 

Occupy Peoria: final plans

PEORIA -- The Occupy Peoria rally and march begins at noon on Sat., Oct. 15 at Main and University, where the group will meet with the Peoria Peace Network demonstrators at their usual spot.  They have been there at noon on Saturday for more than a decade, protesting senseless wars.

The Occupy Peoria group then will march down the Main Street hill, past the U.S. Courthouse, past City Hall, past the Peoria County Courthouse, and by 2 p.m. will be on the Peoria riverfront at Liberty Park Pavilion.  People who do not march can meet them there.

The group will conduct a General Assembly, speak about their concerns using the "human microphone" method of repeating what the speaker says to amplify the sound, and hang out for the afternoon.

These are the plans discussed at an Oct. 13 planning meeting. People are urged to bring signs and video cameras to document the event.

This is a diverse coalition of liberals and progressives, Democrats, union members, with a contingent of Ron Paul supporters.

They don't agree on all issues, but seem to be united around economic justice issues and jobs."We're fed up and want to march," an organizer said.

There are several FaceBook pages about the event, which can be found by searching using the term 'Occupy Peoria." 

Here's one.

Here's another.

Here's the Bradley U. group's page.

And the fourth.

And there are a few more.

It should make for an interesting event.

 -- Elaine Hopkins

 

Update, 10/24/11:  Here's the official site.

Protect Health Care in Illinois, meeting Oct. 19

Here's a news release on a meeting regarding health care in Illinois:

                                                               

Healthcare Reform Impact on Small Businesses Focal Point of Illinois Listening Tours

 

Free event in Peoria on October 19^th open to all small businesses; chance for entrepreneurs to learn about the Affordable Care Act and share ideas about how to implement it in Illinois

 

Peoria, IL, The Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce (IBCC), the Campaign for Better Health Care (CBHC) and the Small Business Majority (SBM) will host an interactive event on healthcare reform’s impact on Illinois small businesses on Wednesday, October 19 at 5:00pm at the Peoria Black Chamber of Commerce, 331 Fulton Ave., Conference Room 421.

 

The free event, which is open to all small business owners, will feature a panel of small business experts and advocates discussing the provisions of the Affordable Care Act most relevant to small businesses, including small business tax credits, wellness grants and cost containment. Small business owners will also have a chance to provide the panel with ideas and suggestions on how to proceed with implementing the Affordable Care Act in Illinois. A question and answer period will follow the panel discussion.

 

“Purchasing high quality and affordable health insurance is out of reach for too many small business owners and their employees in Illinois,” according to Patricia Avery, Health Care Outreach Coordinator for the Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce.  “40 percent – or over 1 million - African American small business workers in the United States under age 64 are uninsured, compared to 24% of white Americans.  We must solve this problem and help all small business owners be more competitive and successful.”

 

“Many proposed reforms are being discussed and to be voted on during the upcoming Fall Veto Session,” said Jim Duffett, Executive Director of CBHC. “It’s important that small business owners have a direct role in how this new law needs to be implemented in Illinois  and become vocal in this process at the state level by telling their elected officials what they need to support so it will work for them.”   

Jessica Stone, outreach manager at Small Business Majority, will also be presenting in the event. 

 

“We believe it’s important for small business owners to learn more about health care reform and how it affects them,” said Small Business Majority CEO John Arensmeyer. “This interactive dialogue is a great way for them to get the information they need to take advantage of and comply with key provisions of the new law, and for us to get feedback on their thoughts and concerns.”

 

The educational forum is free and open to the public, though pre-registration is requested. Refreshments will be served.  Please register by clicking the link below or visiting   www.cbhconline.org\action and select the link for the Peoria meeting or type the link below into your browser.

 

Wednesday, October 19^th

Location: Peoria Black Chamber of Commerce, 331 Fulton Ave., Conference room 421 (309-740-4430 for directions)

Time:  5:00-7:00pm

To register:   http://www.cbhconline.org/action/small-business-listening-tour/sblt-peoria/ 

   

 ###

 

About Campaign for Better Health Care

Campaign for Better Health Care is a grassroots coalition of more than 300 local and statewide organizations representing consumers, health care workers and providers, community organizations, seniors, religious, labor, disability rights organizations, small businesses and other citizens in Illinois concerned about health care and wellness.  Website is www.cbhconline.org .

 

 

About Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce 

The Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce (ILBCC) is dedicated to the economic empowerment and sustained growth of black enterprise across the State of Illinois.  We achieve our mission and ultimate objectives through our 23 local chapter organizations that provide intimate support and assistance to local black business owners.  We serve as the voice of black business within Illinois and a strong advocate for economic policies that strengthen our growth.   The ILBCC works in close association with the National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC)to ensure harmonization of our strategy and initiatives throughout the State.

 

 

About Small Business Majority

Small Business Majority is a national nonpartisan small business advocacy organization founded and run by small business owners and focused on solving the biggest problems facing small businesses today. We speak for the nearly 28 million Americans who are self-employed or own businesses of up to 100 employees. Our organization sponsors scientific research that guides us to understand and advocate on behalf of the interests of small businesses across the country.

Media Contacts:

 

Campaign for Better Health Care

Joyce Harant

(309)648-3035

jharant@cbhconline.org

 

Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce

Patricia Avery

(217)766-3059

patricicavery@gmail.com

 

Small Business Majority 

Erin Musgrave

(831) 477-0453

emusgrave@smallbusinessmajority.org

 

Protecting Springdale's Tallgrass Savanna

PEORIA -- Here's an interesting news release from Peoria Wilds, regarding a Springdale Cemetery Board meeting on Oct. 18, 4 p.m. in the Volunteer and Maintenance Building, at the Cemetery, 3014 N. Prospect Rd., Peoria.

For immediate release
October 12, 2011
Contact: Michael Brown (309) 846-2113 or John McGreal (630) 215-8204

Peoria Wilds Urges Continued Protection of Rare Tallgrass Oak Savanna at Historic Springdale Cemetery

Peoria Wilds has had a long and positive relationship with Springdale Cemetery, dating back to the late 1980’s with the sole objective to restore the biological diversity of the Springdale Savanna. This rare native remnant of tallgrass oak savanna and hill prairie has for over 20 years enjoyed the voluntary protection of the cemetery’s owners as a designated Illinois Natural Heritage Landmark registered with the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission and Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Situated on the bluff of Historic Springdale Cemetery, this living piece of history representing the natural community that greeted early explorers to the Peoria area now faces the threat of permanent destruction.

We hope that the collective viewpoint of the Springdale Management Authority is a bit more enlightened and that the value of the continued preservation of this natural area is seen as an important aspect of their role as stewards of the historic cemetery.

At the October 18, 2011 public meeting of the SCMA, the future of the Springdale Savanna will be discussed; Peoria Wilds urges continued protection of this rare remnant of tallgrass oak savanna.

Recent events including repeated mowing of the designated natural areas indicate at the very least a lack of knowledge of the efforts and the thousands of hours of volunteer labor performed by hundreds of Peoria Wilds volunteers as well as an unawareness of the agreement between the SCMA and the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission and Illinois Department of Natural Resources. This agreement originally predates the formal creation of both the Springdale Cemetery Management Authority as well as Peoria Wilds, not-for-profit; its origins date back to the days of private ownership of Springdale Cemetery and involvement of The Nature Conservancy in creating the Peoria Wilds project.

Comments by SCMA General Manager Jon Austin reported in the September 26, 2011 Peoria Journal Star “Word On the Street” column by John Sharp, seemed to imply that the tax-exempt status of Peoria Wilds, not-for-profit is of concern in regards to the Illinois Natural Heritage Landmark agreement. While the paperwork issue resulting in the temporary loss of tax-exempt status has now been resolved, the fact of the matter is that 501(c)(3) status has absolutely no bearing on Peoria Wilds’ ability to follow its mission to ensure the protection and restoration of biologically diverse habitats and ecosystems through volunteer stewardship of our remaining natural areas. In fact, Peoria Wilds only originally applied for and currently maintains its 501(c)(3) status in order to be able to receive tax exempt contributions or for eligibility for some grants.

Peoria Wilds strongly encourages SCMA to reconsider any termination of the Illinois Natural Heritage Landmark agreement with the State of Illinois.

The existing environmental, historical, ecological, and even economical benefits of this small but highly visible area within Historic Springdale Cemetery greatly outweigh the short-term gains of one-time sales, especially given the generous availability of existing plots within the cemetery; according to public numbers released just a few short years ago, without even touching the designated natural area 50,000 burials plots are still available within Springdale.

It is in the public interest to provide proper stewardship of these unique natural areas located within Historic Springdale Cemetery. Once destroyed, these ancient native communities that welcomed Peoria's founders, will be lost forever.

Peoria Wilds is a local grassroots volunteer organization dedicated to the restoration of biological diversity in the Peoria area. Find more information at www.peoriawilds.org.
# # #

Another District 150 mix (screw) up

PEORIA -- Peoria School District 150 has branded former English teacher and frequent critic Sharon Crews a "recurrent requester" because district officials claim she has filed too many Freedom of Information Act requests in the previous year.

But alas for District 150, that's not true -- as Crews documented when she spoke to the Board of Education at its Oct. 11 meeting. Her remarks will be printed below, or you can hear them on the recording, also below.

Her "punishment" is that the district can take 21 days to respond to a request. 

Of course, this is ridiculous -- district officials should be grateful to Crews who analyses what's really happening, as opposed to the rhetoric, by examining public records.

Why they screwed this up remains a mystery. 

District 150 claims it wants transparency.  But this is a sham.  It has never made a move to reinstate live cable TV broadcasts of its meetings.  It claims it's waiting for a call from the cable company, a call that never comes.  But other Peoria organizations use cable broadcasts.

Here's what's really going on:  the board killed the TV coverage because it does not like the critics that speak at board meetings during the public comment period. It tried to omit those for a while on the delayed TV broadcasts.  But often that's the most interesting part of the meeting. That's why they are covered on this blog.

The board could also webcast the meetings live on its website, as other organizations do. It could use that as a teaching tool for students.  That is never mentioned at board meetings.

Now the board is moving to hold one business meeting a month, and one 'committee of the whole' or discussion meeting a month.  Alas for them, Illinois law requires public comment at all board meetings, the attorney told the board.  (That's something the board has not been doing at other recent irregular meetings.)

At those meetings, the public comments will come after the discussion, instead of first, at the meeting, as occurs now.

Ugh!  Now people will have to sit through the entire meeting just to make a comment to the board.

Board member Rick Cloyd suggested a trial run, by meeting on the fourth Monday of the month as a committee of the whole for four months, Nov., Jan. Feb. and March, to see if it works.

Other highlights from the public comments on Oct. 11:

Critic Terry Knapp pointed out that the teacher's union contract requires the union to meet with district officials, but there have been no meetings in two years.

Later Former board president Debbie Wolfmeyer said the board and union decided to waive that and not meet.

Knapp said teacher union president Bob Darling is ineligible to be a union member, because he was identified by Supt. Grenita Lathan as an administrator. Lathan later responded that an organizational chart that Knapp referred to just indicates Darling's responsibilities and not his actual title.

Hummm.

An employee at the Manual Academy for 7th and 8th graders told the board that the breakfast served to these students is inadequate, leaving them hungry, and bringing junk food such as bags of chips to school to supplement the breakfasts.   The pupils are getting only a tiny wrapped pastry and orange juice which they must eat in the auditorium. They need cereal and fruit, she said.

Lathan later said the performance of the meal contractor Chartwell will be discussed. 

Here's the audio of the public comments.

D150 Oct. 11

  -- Elaine Hopkins

 Here are the comments of Sharon Crews:

Fortunately, after I retired, I didn’t get out of the habit of documenting my dealings with District 150.

On October 5 I received the letter, passed out to you tonight, that states that District 150 is now restricting my freedom to write FOIAs to the status of Recurrent Requester.

First of all, I assume the new FOIA officer was asked to write the letter by someone with considerably more authority in District 150.  She hasn’t been on the job long enough to make such an assessment, and the previous FOIA officer would have known better than to sign a letter containing accusations for which District 150 could not possibly have any proof.

I can, however, provide the documentation, which I have passed out to you tonight.  There are three qualifications in the FOIA law that define a Recurrent Requester.  I do not qualify on any of the three counts.

First, the letter states that I have submitted more than 50 FOIA requests in the 12 months preceding my last request.  I have given you both my own account and my e-mail records, which show that from September 28, 2010, to September 28, 2011, I have submitted 31 requests.  Therefore, you perhaps should start looking now for the non-existent 19 requests, in case the Attorney General asks for them. 

As you will note, I did e-mail the FOIA site more often.  The e-mails labeled as “not applicable” are most often my responses to e-mails sent to me by the FOIA officer, asking questions about my FOIAs or telling me when my FOIAs would be ready.

Secondly, the letter states that I submitted more than 15 requests within a 30-day period.  In fact, the numbers submitted per month are 2, 5, 1, 5, 1, 5, 2, 2, 0, 0, 6, and 2.  Six—one time--was the most I ever submitted in a month—that’s not even half of 15.

Thirdly, the letter states that I submitted more than 7 requests within a 7-day period.  Take a look at the dates I have given you.  A couple of times I did write 5 within 7 days—but 5 isn’t the new 7.

My punishment, as stated in the letter, is that District 150 now has 21 business days to respond to my requests.  Obviously, none of the restrictions mentioned should apply since the entire letter is full of nothing but false accusations.  At best, it was written with someone’s proverbial fingers crossed.

My September 28^th FOIA asked for the cost of the social studies books and the science books purchased for this school year.  On August 8, I submitted a FOIA requesting information, regarding the purchase of all instructional materials, including textbooks.  I received no information with regard to the social studies books and the science books.  Therefore, my September 28^th FOIA specifically mentions those books.  Why are you so reluctant to provide information about these transactions to which references have already been made publicly?  I have also previously asked for information with regard to the possible connection between the purchase of these books and Dr. Owen Roberts.  That FOIA request was still pending when I last spoke to the Attorney General’s office.

At the last board meeting, I heard Dr. Lathan tell the bus drivers in the audience that their negligence was the reason for the need for an outsourced bus company.   Scheduling problems, late buses, not enough buses or drivers, longer walks to buses created by route changes—those are problems created by management decisions—they are out of the control of drivers.  Can any of you document the same level of problems with buses before schools were closed and a new director came to town?  Please demand documentation to support such accusations.  

The desire to operate under the radar and with no criticism is becoming more and more apparent.  I am hearing much above and under the radar that disturbs me. 

A fairly strong rumor is that principals have been told that they are to be very, very cautious about suspending students.  As long as people have scanners, the news of police being called to District 150 sites can’t be stifled.   By noon on Tuesday I had heard of the melee at Manual and the call for police with tasers to report to Manual.  A couple of weeks ago, reports of police being called to both Woodruff and Manual were reported.   Peoria High has had its share of fights, also.  Are any of these offending students being sent to the alternative site now at Woodruff? 

I may be a recurrent pest, but I am not a recurrent requester.

A day late? Oh well

PEORIA -- The Occupy movement finally is coming to Peoria.  A coalition of groups is planning a rally and march for Sat., Oct. 15 from noon to about 3 p.m.  Here are some details:

Occupy Peoria March & Rally

Bradley University- Main and University Corner

Saturday, 15 Oct 2011, 12:00 PM
"If you know something is not right in this country.. If you want more from your country- If you are tired of the injustices happening in this country- If you hate politics- If you hate the decisions the politicians are making- If you feel your voice is not being heard- Then join us for our solidarity event with Wall Street. We're all fighting for different things, but in reality it is all the same. We are all fighting for a better life, and a better future for our kids. We know that the root of the cause is failure by our government, the corruption, and the money involved with politics. We will gather at the corner of University and Main.. Get what students we can together.. and March down to the Federal Building (Schock's office)..

"Message from host: If you don't want to or are unable to walk. then meet us at the federal building (about 1 p.m.) I want this to be a big event with multiple groups. Unions and every other organization that wants change in this country and wants to fight for the rights of us, the people. If you have a better idea of a public space of which we can walk to. Feel free to email me suggestions."

 

I have a small quarrel with the message:  I don't hate politics.  That's stupid. It's the only sane way to change anything in the USA -- by voting out the idiots. 

I will bring candidate petitions and voter registrars to the event.  There are important elections coming up -- if the tea party/right wingers could be tossed out, this nation might actually get universal health care, regulations on banks,  economy that hires people instead of laying them off, clean energy/environment, and everything else the Occupy groups want.

 -- Elaine Hopkins

Update 10/12/11:  Here's a terrific analysis of the OWS movement, the best I've seen. 

 

 

10/4/11: Here's a comment via email from Ed Dentino:

I agree with your point about politics.   It seems to me that so many that believe they are being politically astute, are not connecting the cause and effect of economics and politics.   They have missed it that the transfer of corporate resources overseas has been the Perot described 'great sucking sound'.   Combine that having occurred over the past 30-40 years with the  Bush tax cuts and expensive conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan - not hard to understand why the elements of the the U.S. economy are stressed and failing.

I could add that the elements that are failing go beyond corporate and banking to local, state, and national government.  Some corporations are thriving, but that trickle down  just is going to the top tier. -30-