Monthly Archives: August 2008

THIS YEAR’S 4TH OF JULY PARADE was not what I expected. I remember that in the past the parade was for kids. It was mostly about marching bands, community groups, guys in the little cars throwing out candy and stuff … Continue reading →

IT IS OFTEN SAID that Urbana Middle School, as well as Urbana High School, are both quite similar to what some people would call “prison,” because of the tight security measures enforced upon the students. For example, facilitators walk through … Continue reading →

HIGH-SCHOOLS OFTEN ARE TEEMING with young people who, when done with high-school, want to “achieve something big in their lives.” To many, that means joining the armed services. But when should the line be drawn for recruiters who enter our … Continue reading →

This summer was special because I was given the opportunity to travel to China. I went with my martial arts school, Huang Lin Bao Jian precious sword martial arts Academy, to visit the famous Shaolin Temple. Demetri Daniels, the owner … Continue reading →

IMAGINE IF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS sponsored a frank and contentious discussion about race, education, war, and the responsibility of globally-minded activists toward injustices in their own backyard. Imagine if among the participants were local citizens, and not only academic … Continue reading →

THE IMAGES ARE FAMILIAR: election-workers slowly, methodically, holding ballot papers up to the light, squinting, announcing their considered judgment — this one “Bush”, that one “Gore” — with party lawyers sitting by ready to debate ‘pregnant’ chads, while the world … Continue reading →

IS THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE (EC) democratic? Yes, insofar as it is a means by which the declared preferences of the voting public are translated into selection of an elected representative. If the crux of democracy is that policies or representatives … Continue reading →

IN SPRING 2007, A GROUP OF URBANA CITIZENS decided to examine the vitality of our local electoral system. The health of a democracy can be measured by the number of candidates who run for office, the number of candidates who … Continue reading →

THE JOURNEY MADE by Richard Wright from son of a Mississippi sharecropper to internationally-known writer is a classic American success story. Born September 4, 1908, Wright would have been 100 this month if he had lived this long. Describing in … Continue reading →

ELECTORAL LAWS AND SYSTEMS have political consequences. Some encourage greater citizen participation than others. Some complicate the voting task while others simplify it. Some provide greater representation of racial, ethnic, and gender groups than others. Some encourage greater accountability of … Continue reading →