Get Connected
Search Public i
Public i
Get Connected
Archives
- July 2024
- May 2024
- April 2024
- February 2024
- November 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- February 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- September 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- November 2021
- September 2021
- 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
Category Archives: Section
US/NATO Proxy War in Ukraine: Continuity in US Foreign Policy
The war in Ukraine is barbarous and awful beyond comprehension. The formula in the US media that the attack was unjustified is true, but its frequent corollary, that it was completely unprovoked, is not. This is Noam Chomsky’s and Daniel … Continue reading
981 total views
Posted in Afghanistan, Foreign Policy, Imperialism, International, International, Ukraine, War
Tagged imperialism, NATO, Russia, Ukraine, US foreign policy, war
Comments Off on US/NATO Proxy War in Ukraine: Continuity in US Foreign Policy
Frozen Conflicts, Flashmob Militants, and the End of the Gunpowder State
Syria, Libya, Yemen . . . and now Sudan. Sudan has the unhappy potential to become the next of the intractable conflicts that have unfolded over the past decade. These multisided struggles involving a cocktail of militaries, militias, and mercenaries … Continue reading
607 total views
Posted in Africa, Foreign Policy, International, International, Middle East, Section, Violence, War
Tagged foreign policy, Middle East, Sudan, the state, violence, war, warlords
Comments Off on Frozen Conflicts, Flashmob Militants, and the End of the Gunpowder State
Anti-Abortion Centers Mislead People at Their Most Vulnerable
Reproductive justice: the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities. This past January, on the 50th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, SisterSong … Continue reading
570 total views, 1 views today
Posted in abortion rights, Feminism, Healthcare, Reproductive Justice, Section, Voices, Women, Women, wonen's rights, Youth
Tagged abortion rights, anti-abortion, feminism, reproductive justice, women's rights
Comments Off on Anti-Abortion Centers Mislead People at Their Most Vulnerable
Profiting Across the Autism Spectrum
Driving through north Champaign last winter I noticed a new business in a strip mall near Denny’s. At first, I assumed it was some sort of sports store due to the all-caps signage: “TOTAL SPECTRUM.” But this was not a … Continue reading
397 total views
Posted in Corporations, health care, Healthcare, Mental Health, Section
Tagged autism, for-profit health care, health care, mental health
Comments Off on Profiting Across the Autism Spectrum
Diesel Therapy
The odyssey of Urbana resident Shamar Betts continues. Betts was arrested for authoring a Facebook post at age 19 in the wake of the George Floyd murder in 2020. He was sentenced to four years in federal prison and charged … Continue reading
795 total views
Posted in African American, African Americans, BLM, incarceration, Justice, Prisoners, Section, Voices, Voices of Color
Tagged African Americans, Black Lives Matter, incarceration, US Marshals
Comments Off on Diesel Therapy
Carbon Capture, Illinois’ Biggest Coal Fired Power Plant, and the Prairie Research Institute
Carbon capture has become the divisive hot topic in Illinois climate policy over the last year. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) included substantial subsidies for carbon capture that have created an industry gold rush looking to build and operate carbon … Continue reading
680 total views, 1 views today
Posted in Climate crisis, Environment, Environment, IL, Section
Tagged carbon capture, climate change, energy, environment, pollution
Comments Off on Carbon Capture, Illinois’ Biggest Coal Fired Power Plant, and the Prairie Research Institute
Silence and the Continuing Legacy of the US Invasion of Iraq
The twentieth anniversary of the 2003 US invasion of Iraq slid by with an encore performance of the arrogance that characterized the invasion itself. In 2003 that arrogance disregarded inconvenient international norms as easily as it disregarded the Iraqi victims … Continue reading
1,313 total views, 1 views today
Posted in Foreign Policy, Imperialism, International, International, Middle East, Remembering, Section, World-wide death and suffering
Tagged imperialism, Iraq invasion, Memory, US foreign policy
Comments Off on Silence and the Continuing Legacy of the US Invasion of Iraq
Should Ukrainians Surrender for World Peace?
The February 24 one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine saw no respite for either the volunteer and professional Ukrainian troops or the civilian population. The Russian-occupied territories in eastern and southern Ukraine and the areas along the military … Continue reading
977 total views
Posted in Eastern Europe, International, International, Politics, Section, Ukraine, War
Tagged Eastern Europe, peace, the Left, Ukraine, war
Comments Off on Should Ukrainians Surrender for World Peace?
The Lavenders: Past and Present Queer Journalism in Champaign-Urbana
On February 23, UCIMC Executive Director Miriam Larson hosted a virtual conversation with representatives of two generations of activists in Champaign-Urbana. Mary Lee Sargent, former director of Parkland College’s Women’s Studies Program (now residing in New Hampshire), was one of … Continue reading
600 total views
Posted in African Americans, Feminism, LGBTQ, Media, Section, Voices, Women, Women, wonen's rights
Tagged feminism, Illinois activism, local independent media, women's rights
Comments Off on The Lavenders: Past and Present Queer Journalism in Champaign-Urbana
Faculty and Staff Strike at Eastern Illinois University
Eastern Illinois University University Professionals of Illinois (EIU UPI, IFT Local 4100) members went on strike on April 6, after more than a year of fruitless bargaining, which forced faculty and staff to work without a contract since September, 2022. … Continue reading
557 total views
Posted in Labor, Labor/Economics, Section, union soldarity
Tagged campus labor, public university labor relations, unions, workers' strike
Comments Off on Faculty and Staff Strike at Eastern Illinois University
Slaves—Our Ancestors
We give praise to those who came before us, fighting for the right to be free. Who were they? They are our ancestors, who suffered unendurable pain. Pain, from the snake-like whip that mutilated their flesh as it bit into … Continue reading
530 total views
Posted in African American history, African American Women in Champaign-Urbana, African Americans, Arts, Local Arts, Section, Violence, Voices, Women
Tagged African American history, African American women, local African American voices, local arts, Slavery
Comments Off on Slaves—Our Ancestors
Growing Up “Unlucky”: Putting a Human Face on Bureau of Labor Statistics
Numerous options for employment abound in our small metropolitan area nestled amid the farmland of eastern central Illinois. From warehouses to food establishments to car repair shops, job seekers have many a choice for offering their time and effort. Yet, … Continue reading
784 total views
Posted in African American history, African Americans, Economics, Labor, Labor/Economics, Racism, Section
Tagged economic racism, economics, inequality, Labor, unemployment
Comments Off on Growing Up “Unlucky”: Putting a Human Face on Bureau of Labor Statistics
Rescuing the Embarras River
Tucked into the southwest corner of the University of Illinois’s Urbana-Champaign campus, just beyond student housing and mostly hidden by roadside grasses, a ditch runs along a solar farm and through research farmland. This is the humble beginning of the … Continue reading
773 total views
Posted in Environment, Environment, Section
Tagged environment, Illinois nature, pollution, water
Comments Off on Rescuing the Embarras River
Illinois Correctional System: What Is It Really?
The Public i is partnering with the Education Justice Project (EJP) to share writing completed by incarcerated students at the Danville Correctional Center. The EJP is a comprehensive college-in-prison program based at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Through its educational … Continue reading
866 total views
Posted in Arts, Education, incarceration, Prison Arts, Prisoners, Section, Voices
Tagged education, incarcerated people, incarceration
Comments Off on Illinois Correctional System: What Is It Really?
Graduate Employees Go Wild—For Unionization
Workers are on the move across America. Strikes rose by an astounding 50 percent between 2021 and 2022, and the pace of organization was equally impressive, with new fields of organizing opening in the service sector, the art world, and … Continue reading
468 total views
Posted in Education, Education, labor, Labor militancy, Labor/Economics, Public Universities, Section, union soldarity
Tagged campus labor, graduate employees, higher education, unionization
Comments Off on Graduate Employees Go Wild—For Unionization
Woman – Life – Freedom: Interview on Resistance in Iran, Part 2
Part 1 of this interview was published in the December 2022 issue. The text has been substantially shortened and edited. Public i: I want to shift the discussion to the US now, and ask what can or should the US … Continue reading
611 total views
Posted in Feminism, Foreign Policy, International, International, Section, Voices, Women
Tagged feminism, human rights, Iran, protest
Comments Off on Woman – Life – Freedom: Interview on Resistance in Iran, Part 2
Academic Freedom Cases at the U of I, Part 2
In the October/November issue of the Public i, I discussed two cases in which the University faced pressure to dismiss professors because of their speech or extramural writing. These cases go back to the 1960s but have recently been resurrected … Continue reading
519 total views
Posted in Academic freedom, Censorship, Free Speech, Israel/Palestine, Public Universities, Section, University of Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Tagged academic freedom, censorship, free speech, University of Illinois history
Comments Off on Academic Freedom Cases at the U of I, Part 2
GEO at UIUC 10 Months into Contract Negotiations
As I write this, the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) Local 6300 is 10 months into the contract negotiating process with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign administration. So far there have been 19 bargaining sessions. The GEO presented its proposal … Continue reading
685 total views
Posted in labor, Labor/Economics, Section, University of Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Tagged Campus organizing, GEO, graduate students, Labor, UIUC, unions
Comments Off on GEO at UIUC 10 Months into Contract Negotiations
Who’s Your Family?
Having just survived the winter holidays, the stressors and supports brought about by family could not be more present in our minds. However, for some of us in the American workforce, even the discussion of our loved ones at home … Continue reading
1,093 total views
Posted in Community, Human Rights, LGBTQ, Politics, Section
Tagged community, family, human rights, LBGTQ+
Comments Off on Who’s Your Family?