Get Connected
Search Public i
Public i
Get Connected
Archives
- August 2021
- July 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- September 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- September 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- January 2016
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- July 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- November 2008
- October 2008
- August 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- July 2006
- June 2006
- June 2005
- November 2004
- October 2004
- September 2004
- March 2004
- February 2004
- December 2003
- November 2003
- October 2003
- September 2003
- August 2003
- June 2003
- May 2003
- November 2002
- October 2002
- April 2002
- March 2002
- February 2002
- December 2001
- November 2001
- October 2001
- September 2001
- August 2001
- July 2001
Author Archives: Belden Fields
D.J. Trump:Privileged Inciter-in-Chief
The federal anti-riot law (18 U.S. Code § 2101) was originally enacted in 1968 to silence and punish civil rights and anti-Vietnam War activists, but has been amended after constitutional challenges since then. It now states: Whoever travels in interstate … Continue reading
Posted in January 6 insurrection, subversion, Trump
Comments Off on D.J. Trump:Privileged Inciter-in-Chief
The 2021 Illinois Police and Criminal Justice Reform Bill
On February 22, Governor Pritzker signed House Bill 3653. This bill, rather a composite omnibus of many bills, was sponsored by the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus in both the Illinois House and Senate. Several of the individual bills were sponsored … Continue reading
Posted in Court System, IL, Justice, Police, Police Brutality, Policing
Comments Off on The 2021 Illinois Police and Criminal Justice Reform Bill
Police Unions: Solidarity and Accountability
The Police and Solidarity There are two major differences between police officers and other workers in both the private and public sector. The first is a truncated sense of solidarity, the second a lack of accountability. Unionized workers in both … Continue reading
Posted in police accountability, Police Brutality, Policing, union solidarity
Comments Off on Police Unions: Solidarity and Accountability
How Are Violent Police Held Accountable in Champaign County?
On April 10, Urbana Police officers threw an African American woman, Aleyah Lewis, to the ground and punched her while she was down. She had protested the arrest of a friend. Caught on video, this led many people in the … Continue reading
Posted in police accountability, Police Brutality, States's Attorney
Comments Off on How Are Violent Police Held Accountable in Champaign County?
Right-Wing Libertarian Minor at UI Springfield
In February of 2013, the University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS) adopted something called a “Liberty Studies” minor. There was dissent within the academic senate, but the proposal carried the day. The description of the minor begins, “It is a … Continue reading
Posted in Academy on Capitalism and Limited Government, Public Universities, Right-wing Libertarianism
Comments Off on Right-Wing Libertarian Minor at UI Springfield
Remembering Willeta Donaldson
Urbana has lost one of its most distinguished citizens, Willeta Mae Hassell Donaldson. She passed away on February 2. Willeta, who worked at the University of Illinois in the Office of Admissions and the School of Social Work, also served … Continue reading
Posted in African American, Urbana school desegregation
Comments Off on Remembering Willeta Donaldson
We Need a Medicare for All Health Care System
The parasitic presence of private insurers in our health care system is one of the things that drives up overall medical costs in the United States, costs that are higher than in any other industrialized county, and with poorer results. Despite … Continue reading
Posted in Healthcare
Comments Off on We Need a Medicare for All Health Care System
The 1968 Revolt in France: A Fifty-Year Retrospective
In early June, 1968, I witnessed the second round of the student and worker revolt of May and June, but I had been studying student politics in France since 1963. I can only give a sketchy account of the revolt … Continue reading
Posted in 1968 Revolt, France, Students
Comments Off on The 1968 Revolt in France: A Fifty-Year Retrospective
Our County Nursing Home for Sale
(Belden Fields is the Chair of Friends of Champaign County Nursing Home) At its January 9, 2018 meeting, the Champaign County Board decided to put the Champaign County Nursing Home up for sale. All the Republicans voted in favor, and … Continue reading
Posted in Champaign County, Nursing Home, social services, the elderly
Comments Off on Our County Nursing Home for Sale
Announcement
[DAVE-please put this announcement on the same page as the article on the artist Nika if possible] ART THROUGH THE GENERATIONS ART EXHIBIT AT CHAMPAIGN COUNTY NURSING HOME 500 S. Bartell Road, Urbana SUNDAY, FEB. 25, 1-5 PM Come to … Continue reading
Posted in County Nursing Home Art Exhibit, Uncategorized
Comments Off on Announcement
Israel Anti-Boycott Act a Threat to Free Speech
This article is about a bill introduced in both the U.S. Senate (S.720) and the House of Representatives (H.R.1697). These identical bills are both very complex and very dangerous to our civil liberties. They would outlaw “requests to impose restrictive … Continue reading
Posted in Boycott, Foreign Policy, Israel
Comments Off on Israel Anti-Boycott Act a Threat to Free Speech
County Nursing Home Deserves and Needs Voters’ Support
Much attention has been given to the election of local officials on April 4, but there is as issue that is equally pressing. That is the fate of the Champaign County Nursing Home (CCNH). Voters will be presented with two … Continue reading
Posted in county goverment, health, the elderly
Comments Off on County Nursing Home Deserves and Needs Voters’ Support
Letter to My French Friends
How could this have happened in the U.S.? The reasons are complex, some peculiar to the U.S. and some that are common to both the U.S. and Europe. The most significant one, that applies as well to Europe as here, … Continue reading
Posted in 2016 election, France, Politics, Trump
Comments Off on Letter to My French Friends
State’s Attorney Rietz Goes Easy on Violent Police and Jail Officers
Rape On March 30, 2015, there was a ceremony in the Champaign City Building during which Officer Jerad Gale was given the award for being “Officer of the Year.” About a year later, in May 2016 this same officer pleaded … Continue reading
In Memory, Honor, and Love of Gene Vanderport
It is difficult to write about an untimely death of someone whom one has known for almost half a century. Gene was my student, my comrade, and my friend since the late 1960s. Only a couple of years after my … Continue reading
Posted in Human Rights, Justice, Labor/Economics, socialism
Comments Off on In Memory, Honor, and Love of Gene Vanderport
The Myron Scruggs Case and the Champaign Police Department
by Belden Fields An Ugly Image From the Past In the late 1960s, I joined the newly created chapter of the Champaign County ACLU and became the chair of its investigations committee. I received a call from a woman member … Continue reading
Posted in African Americans, Justice, Policing
Comments Off on The Myron Scruggs Case and the Champaign Police Department
France: The Power of Le Pens
The Left has done well in some recent elections in Southern Europe- in Greece, Portugal, and, most recently, Spain. But not in France. The Socialists, who are now in power, took a terrible beating in the December 2015 regional elections. … Continue reading
Posted in International, Politics
Comments Off on France: The Power of Le Pens
Man Sentenced to Prison by Fired Former Judge Has Sentence Reduced
On August 13, Bidemi Ajobiewe, a Nigerian national who had been given six years in prison for an fatal accident on I-74 had his sentence reduced from six years in prison to 24 months of parole and time already served. … Continue reading
Posted in Justice
Comments Off on Man Sentenced to Prison by Fired Former Judge Has Sentence Reduced
Police Lying
Do Police Lie? The answer is that some police officers do indeed lie. The major conditions under which police lie are three: to frame a suspect, to protect themselves or fellow officers from detection or punishment of misdeed, and to … Continue reading
DUI Judge Richard Klaus Fired
In June, Champaign Country Associate Judge Richard Klaus was removed from his position by fellow Judges in the Sixth Judicial Circuit. This is the first time in 37 years that these judges have removed a colleague. The reason given was … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Comments Off on DUI Judge Richard Klaus Fired