Category Archives: Section

50th Anniversary March on Washington: Room for Criticism; Room for Hope

Posted on 10/03/2013 by Patricia Simpson

This little light of mine I’m going let it shine – in North Carolina! It’s Aug. 24 and we have made it to the 50th Anniversary of the original March on Washington.  Germaine Light, my Central Illinois Jobs with Justice … Continue reading →

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Unleashing the Whirlwinds of Revolt: A Reflection on the MOW by Sundiata Cha-Jua

Posted on 10/03/2013 by Sundiata Keita Cha-Jua

Sundiata Cha-Jua, professor of history and African American studies, recently spoke with the U of I News Bureau’s Craig Chamberlain about the 1963 March on Washington. Can you set the stage for the March on Washington? What was happening 50 … Continue reading →

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The Attack on Labor Rights as Collective Human Rights in Great Britain

Posted on 10/03/2013 by Belden Fields

This article is inspired by the book, Human Rights and Labor Solidarity: Trade Unions in the Global Economy. This text was written by a former undergraduate student of mine, Susan Kang, who is now a professor of political science at the … Continue reading →

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Media Hoax Launched Against Monsanto by Sin Maíz No Hay Vida

Posted on 10/03/2013 by Alex Cline

Last Thursday, an intriguing press release from “Monsanto Global” was sent out to to the email inboxes of media organizations all over the world, including our own Independent Media Center. According to the press release, Monsanto had received approval from … Continue reading →

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internet.org Business Models Will Put NSA Equipment Vendors Out of Business

Posted on 10/03/2013 by Brian Duggan

Today (August 21, 2013), Facebook and a private surveillance gang of seven announced the latest innovation in advertising, internet.org The group includes the closed-source web browser developer, Opera, and the Microsoft puppet cell phone manufacturer, Nokia. Opera and Nokia are … Continue reading →

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Illinois and The Right to Know What’s In Our Food: Labeling Genetically Engineered Food

Posted on 10/02/2013 by Public i

Illinois has jumped into a food fight! Some even call it the food fight of our lives. It is the fight for our right to know what ingredients are in our food and to have those ingredients clearly and truthfully … Continue reading →

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Illinois Rolls Out New Medical Marijuana Law

Posted on 10/02/2013 by Public i

Let’s put Illinois’ new medical marijuana law, Public Act 098-0122, under the microscope from the viewpoint of patients. I didn’t choose to suffer from what afflicts me or the absolute fact that marijuana is the best, most effective, and safest … Continue reading →

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Champaign-Urbana Rallies for Immigration Reform

Posted on 08/31/2013 by Brian Dolinar

On Saturday, August 31, 2013, a rally organized by the local Immigration Forum took place at West Side Park in Champaign. Some 300 people attended in the 90 degree heat. The rally was aimed at swinging the vote of Rodney … Continue reading →

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Brazilians marching on the street: what´s behind 20 cents

Posted on 08/21/2013 by admin

By Walênia Silva: Walênia Silva is an adjunt professor at the Music School at Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, in Brazil. Dr. Silva completed her PhD. at the College of Education at UIUC. Last June, Brazilians decided to march in … Continue reading →

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Vehicle for Hire

Posted on 08/01/2013 by Aaron Ammons

The twin cities of Urbana-Champaign both have ordinances which contain language that discriminates against citizens with a felony conviction. In Urbana, the Vehicle for Hire (VFH) ordinance section 26-43, under “qualifications of an applicant” reads: (a) No license shall be … Continue reading →

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How Privatization Destroyed Award-Winning Suicide Prevention Program in Champaign County Jail

Posted on 08/01/2013 by Brian Dolinar

Several years ago, while working at our local Books to Prisoners, I met a volunteer who had formerly worked as a mental health counselor in the local jail. This was just after there had been three jail suicides within a … Continue reading →

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Shooting the Messenger: Reflections on the Court Martial of Whistle Blower PFC Bradley Manning

Posted on 08/01/2013 by Niloofar Shambayati

I spent five days in and around Fort Meade military base in Maryland, attending the first two days of the court martial of the whistleblower, Bradley Manning.  The trial started on June 3rd, after he had already spent three years … Continue reading →

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Racism in the Land of Lincoln

Posted on 08/01/2013 by Belden Fields

    From: Jim Allen <jimallen@consolidated.net> Sent: 06/18/13 10:59 PM To: dibendahl@mail.com Subject: 13th Congressional District reply Rodney Davis will win and the love child of the D.N.C. will be back in Shitcago by May of 2014 working for some law firm … Continue reading →

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GMOs Are Not the Answer

Posted on 08/01/2013 by Jessica Nolen

This past Fourth of July, a nationwide coalition of concerned mothers and their supporters joined the fight for food freedom. Mothers across the country who have been struggling with the increase in food-related allergies, autism and other health problems that … Continue reading →

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Update from Food and Water Watch

Posted on 08/01/2013 by Lois Kain

Food and Water Watch (FWW) is a national organization fighting for clean water issues ranging from contamination from hydraulic fracturing (fracking), to pollution caused by factory farms (CAFOs), to the bottled water industry. Our insidious and dangerous food system, which … Continue reading →

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CU Immigration Forum Steps Up Push for Comprehensive Immigration Reform

Posted on 08/01/2013 by Richard Esbenshade

(Compiled from material provided by CU Immigration Forum) Champaign-Urbana activists and other supporters of immigrants and a diverse and stable community have been working on a number of new initiatives to pressure legislators to make immigration reform a reality. During … Continue reading →

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What is a nüz/böx?

Posted on 08/01/2013 by Mike Lehman

What is a nüz/böx? First, it’s spelled with an X, a Z, two ümlaüts and a slash/. Even the name calls your attention. The pronunciation of nüz/böx is intentionally ambiguous. How do you pronounce it? Pronunciation, like many aspects of … Continue reading →

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Summer Classes at Common Ground’s Flatlander Classroom

Posted on 08/01/2013 by Public i

Visit Urban Bees! Led by Maggie Wachter $10 owners/$15 non-owners Saturday, July 27th, 1-3pm Min 4/Max 12 Local beekeeper Maggie Wachter will take you on a thrilling journey in her teaching apiary located just a few blocks from the Common … Continue reading →

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The New Civil Rights Campaign-Health Care is a Human Right!

Posted on 05/24/2013 by David Johnson

DEMOCRACY AND JUSTICE DENIED In May of 2009 the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, chaired by Democratic Montana Senator Max Baucus, pressured by President Barack Obama, held hearings about healthcare reform in the U.S. Over the course of several weeks, only … Continue reading →

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Trivializing the Not-So-Trivial: the News-Gazette and Mr. Khan

Posted on 05/24/2013 by Belden Fields

In its editorial of April 23, the News-Gazette took members of the U of I Senate to task. These members had challenged the decision to award an honorary degree to Mr. Shahid Khan.  Mr. Khan, an engineering graduate of the … Continue reading →

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