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Author Archives: David Prochaska
Illiberal America: A Report Card
I never thought I would live to see the U.S. turn into the illiberal, authoritarian, populist, white-nationalist country it has already increasingly become in early 2019. Illiberalism Turns Liberal Democracy on its Head “Liberal democracy” is characterized in theory by … Continue reading
The Alt-Right Extends Its Reach—Edited (Print) Version
Max Levchin, a UIUC 1997 graduate in computer science, will deliver the keynote at commencement in May, Chancellor Robert Jones has announced, terming Ukrainian-born Levchin “an inspiring entrepreneur.” After four start-up failures during college and immediately after, Levchin moved … Continue reading
Posted in Alt-Right, bigotry, Trump, University of Illinois
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The Alt-Right Extends Its Reach—Long Version
Posted in Alt-Right, bigotry, Trump, University of Illinois
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Interview with Kristina Khan
Interviewed by David Prochaska, February 20, 2018. Edited for clarity. Kristina Khan is a local activist, mother of three married to Tariq Khan, and the primary author of “Young Fascists on Campus: Turning Point USA and its Far-Right Connections,” Truthout (February … Continue reading
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The Alt-Right Comes to Town
by David Prochaska TARIQ KHAN INCIDENT Last November 16, on the one-year anniversary of Donald Trump’s election, Tariq Khan, a 39-year-old Ph.D. student in history, was just finishing speaking at a rally when hecklers, including Joel Valdez, called out, “No … Continue reading
Posted in Alt-Right, bigotry, Free Speech, Indigenous, News-Gazette, University of Illinois
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UI Bans “War Chant”
On February 21, 2007 the University of Illinois got rid of the Chief Illiniwek mascot. On August 24, 2017 they got rid of the “war chant.” The “war chant,” separate from but related to the so-called “3-in-1,” was created during … Continue reading
Posted in Indigenous, News-Gazette, Trump
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Trump Administration Fascist?
The “highly unusual,” “unprecedented” Trump administration is leading us into “uncharted territory,” but where exactly? Since last November’s election, some commentators trying to understand what happened have used the “F” word, fascism, but without defining it. Many more have avoided … Continue reading
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What Makes Jimmy Run?
The News-Gazette has a long history of extreme right-wing editorial columnists. In the 1940s and 1950s it was Eddie Jaquin. From the late 1980s until his downfall in the late 1990s it was John Hirschfeld, who was also the paper’s … Continue reading
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The World According to the News-Gazette
In Champaign-Urbana, the News-Gazette is in the business of selling a commodity, the “news.” That’s the way “corporate media” necessarily work in a capitalist economy. Where media are government-run, the government subsidizes, that is, pays the costs. What determines matters … Continue reading
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News-Gazette: Always Right
The News-Gazette has always been Right — right-wing Republican, and in its smug self-righteousness, right. The paper presents itself as “respectable Republican,” as representing the values of “proper,” polite society. It abhors what is impolitic, impolite. That the News-Gazette is … Continue reading
Posted in Free Speech, Indigenous, Labor/Economics, News, News-Gazette
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Crime at the News-Gazette
There has been considerable recent discussion – and argument – over racial disparities in traffic stops. In Urbana, the findings of a “Traffic Stop Data Task Force Report” are being discussed at City Council meetings. In Champaign, a different report with … Continue reading
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Cuba Libre?
By David Prochaska President Barack Obama visited Havana March 2016. Perhaps even more important, the Rolling Stones played a free concert right after. Commercial airline flights to Cuba are likely to begin in October. Even as the US moves to … Continue reading
Posted in Arts, Cuba, International, Politics
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Announcement My Brooklyn
Kelly Anderson’s My Brooklyn will be shown on Wednesday, February 17 at 6:00pm at the Champaign Public Library, and on Thursday, February 18 at 7:30pm on campus in Plym Auditorium, Temple Buell Hall. The director will attend both viewings, and … Continue reading
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Illinois Budget Stalemate: A Third Way
Dear Mike and Bruce, Nice going guys. Illinois has been without a budget since the second half of 2015. The longest in state history. And the longer it goes on, the more it will cost to fix. That’s because with … Continue reading
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UI Faculty Background Checks and Civil Liberties Post-9/11
Required background checks for jobs may be widespread, and spreading wider after 9/11, in the private sector and also in the public sector. But that is not, ipso facto, cause for them to be expanded at UI. The UI Board … Continue reading
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Steven Salaita Updates
BOOK TALK AND DISCUSSION WITH STEVEN SALAITA AND ROBERT WARRIOR TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13 AT 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM, URBANA-CHAMPAIGN INDEPENDENT MEDIA CENTER In the summer of 2014, American Indian studies scholar Steven Salaita’s appointment to a tenured professorship was … Continue reading
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Planned Parenthood Statement on Politically-Motivated Attacks
In response to discredited accusations leveled against Planned Parenthood, Carole Brite, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood of Illinois, comments, “We will not be stopped or silenced by the politically-motivated attacks on Planned Parenthood and the patients who depend on us. … Continue reading
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University at War with Itself
[T]he chancellor who hired the professor, then fired the professor by claiming he had never been hired in the first place; who resigned in the wake of an ethics scandal over her use of a personal email account (and destruction … Continue reading
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The Salaita Saga Continues
In the first six months of 2015 the Steven Salaita drama has played out in a number of acts, or scenes, culminating in the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) formally censuring Illinois in June. Matt Finkin talks about how … Continue reading
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Our Sorry State
Welcome to Illinois: where the Republicans are extremists, and the Democrats are DINOs (Democrats In Name Only). In the current state budget that runs until June, Governor Bruce Rauner faced a $1.6 billion hole– a hole that would not exist … Continue reading
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