Author Archives: Belden Fields

Chicago Teachers Union Forum in Urbana

Posted on 09/08/2012 by Belden Fields

On Saturday, August 25, approximately fifty people attended a forum in support of the struggles of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) against the actions of the mayor and the Board of Education that he appoints.  They are fighting against the … Continue reading →

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Kudos to Our Own Brian Dolinar

Posted on 07/10/2012 by Belden Fields

Researcher, teacher, and editor/writer for the Public i, Brian Dolinar, has just made two major contributions to the world of knowledge.  Both of them are books about the contributions of African Americans to the intellectual, cultural and political life of … Continue reading →

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Errata

Posted on 07/10/2012 by Belden Fields

On page 6 of the September 2011 (V11, #8) issue,  the article entitled “U of I Law Professor Harassed by FBI/CIA After 9/11” was mistakenly attributed to Professor Sahar Aziz.  She was not the author and we apologize to her … Continue reading →

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U of I Adds Insult to Injury and AFSCME Fights Back

Posted on 06/28/2012 by Belden Fields

by K. D. Swan AFSCME Local 698 (technical) and 3700 (clerical) employees at UIUC represent more than 1,500 who have worked without a contract since last August.  Contract talks have dragged nearly a year.  The management bargaining team’s typical responses … Continue reading →

Posted in Labor/Economics | Comments Off on U of I Adds Insult to Injury and AFSCME Fights Back

Close Tamms Supermax Prison

Posted on 06/28/2012 by Belden Fields

  Belden Fields “A considerable number of the prisoners fell, after even a short confinement, into a semi-fatuous condition, from which it was next to impossible to arouse them, and others became violently insane; others still, committed suicide; while those … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Rights, Prisoners | Comments Off on Close Tamms Supermax Prison

Chris Drew Dies Day Before Eavesdropping Law Ruled Unconstitutional

Posted on 05/10/2012 by Belden Fields

(From Chicago Independent Media Center) – Chris Drew, Chicago artist, activist, and free speech advocate, passed away on May 7. Drew was noted among the community of Chicago political activists for being a consistent presence at political activist rallies and … Continue reading →

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The Union-Cooperative Model: A Key to Economic Democracy

Posted on 05/09/2012 by Belden Fields

By Belden Fields  Worker cooperatives can take a variety of forms. Each one tends to have unique aspects; however there are some overarching types that we can identify. There are retail consumer coops, service coops, and producer coops.   In … Continue reading →

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Reduce the U.S. Military to a Defensive Force

Posted on 04/04/2012 by Belden Fields

Dannel Mccollom DEFENSE To say that I am unimpressed with the President’s latest announcement regarding the department of defense is a colossal understatement.  What is especially troubling is the suggestion that even with anticipated cuts, in the words of the … Continue reading →

Posted in International, military, Politics | Comments Off on Reduce the U.S. Military to a Defensive Force

Pre-1968 Foundations of African American Recruitment at the U of I

Posted on 03/22/2012 by Belden Fields

(767 words)   Pre-1968 Foundations of African American Student Recruitment at the U of I (edited)   Joseph H. Smith   Joseph H. Smith served the U of I as an administrator and English professor from 1964 to 1994.  He … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | Comments Off on Pre-1968 Foundations of African American Recruitment at the U of I

“Shut Down the Mills!”: Women, the Modern Strike, and Revolution

Posted on 03/03/2012 by Belden Fields

By Berenice Carroll Women’s nonviolent direct action has a more extensive history and has been more influential in the history of political action for social change than is generally recognized. One of the most important contributions of women to the … Continue reading →

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Learning the Lessons of Depleted Uranium

Posted on 02/15/2012 by Belden Fields

By Conrad Wetzel   One of the most significant wastes obtained from producing fuel for nuclear reactors and atomic bombs is depleted uranium. An isotope which can be fissioned is uranium U-235, the material used in civil and nuclear military … Continue reading →

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Champaign: the City Above the Law

Posted on 02/15/2012 by Belden Fields

Take one: an individual asserts his rights under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act In 2009, dentist G. Mark Gekas lodged a complaint with the Sangamon County sheriff’s office that he had been brutally mistreated by deputy sheriff John Gillette … Continue reading →

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Police Violence in Champaign: City Manager Holds a Not Very Newsy Press Conference

Posted on 12/19/2011 by Belden Fields

    Belden Fields   After the Sunday November 20 issue of the News-Gazette published a front page article on excessive violence against a black youth by the Champaign police near campus on June 5, Champaign City Manager Steve Carter … Continue reading →

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Community Members, City Leaders Search for Answers in June 5 Arrest

Posted on 12/19/2011 by Belden Fields

Jerehme Bamberger   A squad car video of a confrontation between a Champaign city police officer and a local African American youth has raised serious concerns about the relationship between the CPD and high-ranking city officials in the last week.  … Continue reading →

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Day of Action

Posted on 11/01/2011 by Belden Fields

DAY OF ACTION   by TOM THOMAS   (Tom Thomas is a local poet and co-host of the Saturday International-World Labor Hour on WEFT, 90.1 FM)   A National Day of Action Is what we are having today So we … Continue reading →

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Errata to City Court Article

Posted on 11/01/2011 by Belden Fields

I would like to correct two errors of fact that I made in an article on Champaign’s City Court in the November 2010 issue of the Public i  First, I stated that the “court/expense fee,” the fee that a guilty … Continue reading →

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What Has 9/11 Done to the United States?

Posted on 10/02/2011 by Belden Fields

In the October 2001 issue of the Public i, I examined elements of US policy that might have contributed to the 9/11 attack terrorist act that violated the human rights of the people killed and injured. Here I want to … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Rights, International, Politics | Comments Off on What Has 9/11 Done to the United States?

Thank You Urbana-Champaign Sustainers and Readers

Posted on 08/23/2011 by Belden Fields

Thank You Urbana-Champaign Sustainers and Readers From the Editors and Facilitators of the Public i This is the 10th anniversary issue of the Public i and we want to thank all of those who have made this paper possible. These … Continue reading →

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Urbana Adopts a Soliciting Ordinance

Posted on 08/09/2011 by Belden Fields

Urbana Adopts a Soliciting Ordinance Belden Fields   After several meetings with active public participation, on August 1, the Urbana City Council adopted an ordinance banning “ aggressive solicitation of money or other thing of value, including a request to … Continue reading →

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Public i addendum (to article on $50,000 award for FBI and St. Paul police actions)

Posted on 06/23/2011 by Belden Fields

(291 words) The Public i’s addendum to article on $50,000 settlement from FBI and St. Paul Police In the November 2008 issue of the Public i, we published an article on the “preemptive” raids made by the FBI and local … Continue reading →

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