My America!

Grass roots politics, apathy, ignorance

2012-01-07T19:05:00.000-08:00

I spent the day (about 5.5 hours) putting up yards signs for Sen. Noland this morning and afternoon. It was actually nice being outside because of the unseasonably warm weather (it was about 42 degrees out).

The work involved knocking on doors, talking to people and then, assuming they allowed it, placing yard signs on their front lawns. Some folks were eager to have the signs. Others politely said no.

There were a handful of folks whom I encountered that confounded me. One person said he wasn't interested in politics*. How can you not be interested in the one system that gives us at least a chance to control the way our lives are governed?

Another person agreed to have the signs put in his yard. Some other neighbors came by while I was there and we started to talk. I told the other neighbors to consider getting involved too.

"We definitely need to get involved," said the neighbor whose driveway we were standing on. "It pays well to be involved" he added.

No, I said, it actually is all volunteer work. He didn't believe me. He seemed to be convinced that I was doing this grass roots political work because I was paid to do it.

I tried to insist that it was volunteer work as forcefully as possible without sounding combative. I'm not sure it worked.

These types of encounters are slightly disheartening. They aren't enough to dissuade me from being active, but it definitely dampens the mood when I'm in the moment.
______________________________________

* I'm taking them at their word that they weren't interested in politics. I realize that it could have been a passive-aggressive way of saying I'm not interested in the particular candidate, but I just didn't get that vibe in this instance.

ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI | FP: After America

2012-01-06T07:22:00.000-08:00

Zbigniew Brzezinski's recent essay "After America" in Foreign Policy gave me something to think about. It's a good read for identifying potential reasons why we should care about our country remaining a global power.

Here are some interesting points raised by Mr. Brzezinski:

Another consequence of American decline could be a corrosion of the generally cooperative management of the global commons -- shared interests such as sea lanes, space, cyberspace, and the environment, whose protection is imperative to the long-term growth of the global economy and the continuation of basic geopolitical stability. In almost every case, the potential absence of a constructive and influential U.S. role would fatally undermine the essential communality of the global commons because the superiority and ubiquity of American power creates order where there would normally be conflict.

This makes sense to me. Am I being to pro-American? What "American power" allows us to manage the "global commons" today? Honestly, I don't know.

Another scary "what if" Mr. Brzezinski identified relates to the a host of smaller countries around the world and what might happen to them if America ceased to be a global power. Here is what Mr. Brzezinski noted:

At the same time, the security of a number of weaker states located geographically next to major regional powers also depends on the international status quo reinforced by America's global preeminence -- and would be made significantly more vulnerable in proportion to America's decline. The states in that exposed position -- including Georgia, Taiwan, South Korea, Belarus, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Israel, and the greater Middle East -- are today's geopolitical equivalents of nature's most endangered species. Their fates are closely tied to the nature of the international environment left behind by a waning America, be it ordered and restrained or, much more likely, self-serving and expansionist.

I can see Mr. Brzezinski's point here.

The arguments Mr. Brzezinski makes in support of the importance of America remaining a world superpower help me better articulate why we (Americans) need to care about how our country fares beyond our own individual well-being.

Santorum: a racist, a frothy mix of lube or both?

2012-01-04T19:53:00.000-08:00

Santorum (no, not the frothy mix of lube and fecal matter that is the byproduct of anal sex) sounds like a racist to me. Check out this comment Santorum made in Iowa recently while speaking to an all white crowd about welfare:

What!? Santorum is talking to people in a state where the vast majority of the those receiving government assistance are white! What a clown. And the idiots gathered to support Santorum were dumb enough to clap when he made this racist comment.

Santorum - a straight up racist.

____________________________

P.S. Another clip showed Santorum sporting an Iowa Hawkeye hoodie! Dude, take it off! You don't deserve to wear the Black & Gold!

Veterans Day 2011

2011-11-12T09:33:00.001-08:00

Sgt. Williams showing hat with Sgt. Albert
D. Ware's name on it.

I took my daughter and one of her friends to the Village of Hoffman Estates Veterans Day Ceremony on Friday. One of the speakers was Sgt. Williams. He spoke of his personal heroes. One of his heroes is Sgt. Albert D. Ware. Sgt. Ware was killed by an I.E.D. in Afghanistan a few years ago. It was a wonderful coincidence that I was at this ceremony when Sgt. Williams spoke. This is because I work with Sgt. Ware' mother. I took this picture and will be sharing the public and private words that Sgt. Williams shared about Sgt. Ware.

I spoke to Sgt. Williams after the ceremony. I told him that I worked with Sgt. Ware' mother and that I was going to share the words and symbols (Sgt. Williams was wearing Sgt. Ware's name plate on his hat) with my colleague. Sgt. Williams asked me to let Sgt. Ware's mother know that Sgt. Ware is not forgotten.

Wow. I feel fortunate to be able to share this Veterans Day experience with my colleague come Monday.

Chicago Tribune: 175 Chicago protesters arrested from Congress plaza

2011-10-16T08:31:00.000-07:00

I took this picture two weeks ago when the protests were
just a handful of people

The economy sucks for a lot of people. In our middle class community the number of foreclosures are still high. Our home values have plummeted. I can tell that people in my community are struggling just by the extra hours they are putting in on the weekends and picking up extra jobs to make ends meet. It's scary.

If you don't see this in your neighborhoods, then please be thankful for having avoided the economic strife that's all over the country. I see it and I think it's damned scary.

Thankfully some people are trying do something to draw attention to the causes of our current economic crisis. They are the people involved in the "Occupy Wall Street", "Occupy Chicago" and other "Occupy" movements across the country.

In our community the protests started with a handful of people and at times the "Occupy Chicago" movement swelled to the thousands. Last night nearly 200 people were arrested for their peaceful assembly in Grant Park, Chicago.

Instead of facilitating the people's right to free speech and assembly, Mayor Emanuel opted to have the protesters arrested last night.

Chicago police arrested about 175 Occupy Chicago protestors in Congress Plaza just after 1 a.m. Sunday, about 90 minutes after police issued their first warning that the group was violating municipal code.

Police completed the last arrests and cleared the plaza of protesters at 3:30 am, more than two hours after arrests began.

The protesters will likely be cited with municipal violations and face fines, police said.

via Chicago Tribune

I'm humbled by the commitment of people who go out and march and speak out on issues that impact us all. While they were being arrested, I was fast asleep in my warm home in my warm bed with my family.

What can I and other do short of marching and sitting-in? I've been thinking about this and here are some of my thoughts:

Pray for the well-being of those who are speaking out against corporate greed and inequitable government relief that benefits the most wealthy in our society at the expense of all others;
Study the demands being made by the "Occupy Wall Street" and "Occupy Chicago" movements and discuss them with friends and family;
Write and call our political leaders at every level to and let them know that while we may not be marching we are fully engaged and that we want our leaders to take heed and take action on the issues being raised by the "Occupy" movements;
Provide materials to support the peaceful protesters of the "Occupy" movement with food, shelter and even money to defray the bail expenses and legal fees they incur through their peaceful acts of civil disobedience.

One thing I keep reminding myself is this: I don't have to agree with everything the organizers of the "Occupy Wall Street" and other "Occupy" movements are saying or asking for in order to be a part of the movement. I believe in a free market economy but I also know that an unregulated market leads to gross inequities and excesses. What we are demanding is a reassessment of where the lines on regulation need to be drawn followed by the implementation of new regulations that help put power back into the hands of the people.

Some friends tell me that the protesters are just hippies
who want anarchy. Um, no, I don't think so... They look
like regular people who are really hurting.

These are some of my thoughts on the subject. What do you think?

Republican Schaumburg Township assessor (Lawson) to run against Rep. Mussman

2011-08-21T09:42:00.000-07:00

Rep. Michelle Mussman (Dist. 56) tried to cultivate a conservative, centrist record as a freshman Democrat in Springfield. That's my take on her rhetoric and on some of her votes on issues important to me.

According to the Daily Herald Rep. Mussman will have Schaumburg Township Assessor John Lawson as an opponent in November 2012. This is not surprising. The Republicans would field a candidate regardless of how good or bad was Rep. Mussman's record during her freshman year in Springfield.

What may be even more troubling for Rep. Mussman is a challenge in the primaries. Her vote on the Illinois DREAM Act and some of her comments about why she voted against it should be very troubling. During an "ice cream social" sponsored by Rep. Mussman I asked her why she voted against the Illinois DREAM Act and she told me "that most of her constituents weren't in the mood to pass pro-immigrant legislation." She also said the bill's name was "offensive" to some.

We had a short but frank exchange of ideas. I remarked to Rep. Mussman that equal rights for African-Americans weren't popular once upon a time but that didn't make it right (or moral) for legislators of the civil rights era to oppose legislation to secure such rights for people of color. I also told her there is nothing offensive about a child dreaming of making America home and that the bill's objective was to help young people who, although un-documented, were in this position due to decisions made by their parents while they were very young.

Rep. Mussman neither agreed nor disagreed with my points. Instead she said this was an issue that the federal government needs to address. I told her it was Illinois' responsibility to take care of Illinois' residents and the Illinois DREAM Act did not impermissibly tread on federal authority. That there are solutions at the federal level doesn't negate the value of making smart policy decisions at the state level as well.

It was a cordial conversation. I told I'd like to support her in 2012 but she'd have to come around and take up positions that are smart and progressive. This race is going to be very interesting.

Local Democrats turn out strong at Streamwood Summer Parade

2011-07-30T12:40:00.000-07:00

Frank Imhoff and Nasir Jahangir
pose with the Elgin Dems Donkey!

This morning I walked in the Streamwood Summer Festival parade with local Democrats. We had a great showing. We had lots of folks of all ages come out.

Senator Noland, Rep. Crespo, candidate Raja Krishnamoorthi and the Hanover Township Democrats & Independents (HanDI) were among the individuals and groups who were walking together. Kids in our group threw out candy to kids along the parade route and families waving American flags greeted us with waves, hellos and cheers as we walked by them.

What a good lookin' group of Dems!

It was very warm but the temps hadn't gone through the roof while we walked. The parade route went from Bartlett Road to about Irving Park Road on Streamwood Blvd. There were some good spots of heavy shade along the not-quite-1-mile route and that added a slight break as we walked.

There was a family with a misting gadget on the garden hose (I saw them gently spraying the group ahead of us and eagerly awaited my turn in the mist) but they didn't treat us to a cool mist as we walked by.

I'm guessing they were Tea Party members...

Along the route we were generally greeted very nicely. One exception was a group of bare-chested young men who heckled us with "Entertain me with your tricks" and "Do some flips" and other goofy, not very funny and not very well thought out comments. One guy off in the background with a "flock of seagulls-ish" hair-do and a skinny frame among this group looked familiar. I'm not certain but I think it was Congressman Joe Walsh. The entourage certainly seemed fitting.

The parade ended at the Streamwood Summer Festival site where folks disbanded and headed out to do their own thing. I hitched a ride on the back of the pick up truck with the Elgin Democrats Donkey back to the start of the parade route after which I decided to call it a day for political stuff.

Rep. Fred Crespo & His Crew

Raja Krishnamoorthi, Tammy Duckworth, IL 8th Congressional District

2011-06-16T04:37:00.000-07:00

According to the Daily Herald Blogs:

And Raja Krishnamoorthi, the Hoffman Estates Democrat who narrowly lost a primary bid for state comptroller last year, plans to make a bid for the 8th Congressional District - another open congressional seat that has also drawn interest from Hoffman Estates Democrat and Iraq War veteran Tammy Duckworth.

I like Raja. I met him during his primary run for Illinois Comptroller. Although Tammy ran in the nearby 6th congressional district a while back, I don't really know her. Both live in my home town of Hoffman Estates.

I know a lot of folks are excited about Raja's candidacy. I'd love to get excited about it too, but I want to know where he stands on several important issues that matter to me personally. Others I've met say they like him, he's a Democrat and he's a former Obama campaign staffer so their all in.

The new 8th Congressional District looks like it is solidly Democratic. As such, it seems more prudent to strongly vet the Democratic candidates since the primary election may be a greater challenge than the general election. But what do I know? Maybe we're all so spooked by Tea Party member Joe Walsh coming from nowhere to unseat incumbent Democratic Rep. Melissa Bean in 2010 that we've lost our ability to think critically.

Saying it isn't racist doesn't mean its not racist Joe!

2011-06-08T04:30:00.000-07:00

Congressman Joe Walsh (Tea Party, IL - 8) made some racist comments last month, and I want to chime in and say "hell no Joe"!

Here is what Rep. Walsh reportedly said according to www.thestatecolumn.com:

"Why was he elected? Again, it comes back to who he was. He was black, he was historic... They were in love with him because he pushed that magical button: a black man who was articulate, liberal, the whole white guilt, all of that."

He made these comments in an interview with Slate.com. He was discussing President Barack Obama.

I did not vote for Barack Obama for president (or for the U.S. Senate earlier) because he is African American. I voted for him because he is smart, articulate and was his stated principles and values were very appealing to me.

I will admit this though: on election Tuesday in November 2008 as I stood in Chicago's Grant Park with hundreds of thousands of others and watched then Sen. Obama declare victory and speak to us for the first time as President-Elect Obama, I got chills seeing our first African American president. Finally.

Is it possible that some folks voted for Barack Obama because he is African American? Sure, it's possible. But President Obama got to the White House because of everything that he is - his background, his education, his body of work, his values and principles and so on. He got to where he is on merit.

I'm surprised that Mr. Walsh is so out of touch. Doesn't he remember the strong support African Americans threw behind then Sen. Hillary Clinton during the Democratic primaries? Even the African American vote wasn't a "gimme" for Mr. Obama.

President Obama does represent a milestone in American race relations. It is an important step in the right direction. Mr. Walsh's comments, on the other hand, are an effort to sully this milestone, and his sentiments serve to push back against the progress we're trying to make in getting to a post-racial America.

This comment is just another reminder of why it is so dangerous to be complacent. Melissa Bean was complacent and she paid a huge political price for it. We, the Democratic voters of the 8th congressional district in Illinois, were complacent in not getting out the vote for Bean despite her nonchalant attitude towards Mr. Walsh's candidacy and now we're paying for it too.

We're a little over a year away from the next congressional election (November 2012). We've got to work hard to make sure Mr. Walsh is a one-term wonder.

NY Times for political news - yes, for movie reviews - hell no!

2011-05-06T14:27:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting for May 6th for a long time and it's finally here. Woo Hoo!

Why am I excited about the day after Cinco de Mayo? I'm glad you asked...

"Thor" opens today! I love super hero movies, and I've been looking forward to watching "Thor" since seeing the teaser scene at the end of "Iron Man 2".

I'm on the train ride home and I'm watching movie trailers on my laptop and looking at movie reviews on Yahoo.com. Most of the critics gave the movie decent reviews and then these words caught my attention:

The movie cannot be an interesting, appalling train wreck because it lacks the spoiled grandeur of ambition gone off the rails. New York Times

That's the one liner on Yahoo.com from A. O. Scott of the New York Times. Right, that was my first question too! Who calls him or herself "A.O."? Seriously?

I clicked through because the pompousness of the one line some how pulled me in. And this is what assaulted me as soon as I got to the NY Times page:

As I stumbled out of the Imax multiplex all-media advance screening of “Thor,” depositing my 3-D glasses in the appropriate bin, I thought of seeking shelter: in a nearby bar; under a passing bus; in the velvet shadows of an art house playing the longest, slowest, most obscure movie imaginable. But when something like “Thor” comes to town, there is really no refuge to be found in drink, death or subtitles, and so I tried to reason myself out of the leaden gloom that lay upon my soul as heavy as Mjolnir. (That’s Thor’s magic hammer, for those not versed in Marvelized Norse mythology.) New York Times

Dude, you can't be serious? This review is so damned snooty. I feel like I'm listening to my little brother talking about movies (he's a very talented writer and has horrible taste in movies - kind of like A.O. as a matter of fact) when I read A. O. (that's short for Anthony Oliver by the way).

I cannot believe the movie is as bad as A.O. suggests. I've seen a bunch of the trailers. What I've seen involves awesome special effects. There are battles against giant robots. It's like a mix of "Battle L.A." and "300". Damn! That's gotta be good!

On top of all that, the movie is in 3D on an IMAX screen. Pinch me, I think I'm dreaming. For my $10 I get 2 hours and 10 minutes (plus the previews) of intense detachment from reality. As a middle-aged, soft-in-the-middle, graying desk-jockey government lawyer and father of a squad of little troopers who only watch Disney movies at home, this is pure joy.

It turns out A.O. is a Harvard man. While in Cambridge he studied Literature. You'd think I would have more in common with A.O. under the circumstances, right? He went to Harvard, I went to the University of Iowa. He studied Literature, I love reading Ludlum and Clancy. Twins separated at birth?

Anyhow, the lesson for me in all of this is to avoid the New York Times when it comes to movie reviews. No offense to the New York Times - I love reading you for your political and world news. I like your commentary section. I usually agree with your editorials.

From here on out I'm steering clear of the NYT movie reviews. That part of the paper now joins its Sports section (which sucks only because they cover NY sports and Chicago is a way better sports town) in the trash can.

Alright, I'm getting close to my train station! In another 3 or 4 hours I'll be chillin' at the theater watching "Thor" baby! Right on!

Illinois Dream Act (SB 2185) to be called for vote in IL Senate today

2011-05-04T03:51:00.000-07:00

The Illinois Dream Act (SB 2185) is up for a vote today in the Senate. Please call your senator this morning and ask him or her to vote for it. For more information about the bill please visit the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR).

I sent Senator Michael Noland the following email this morning:

Dear Senator Noland:

My wife and I believe that the IL Dream Act (SB 2185) is a good bill that will help students in Illinois. The bill has no fiscal impact yet it has the potential of helping young, undocumented students in some important and meaningful ways. Here is what the IL Dream Act will do:

Good information. DREAM youths too often get incorrect information from high school counselors and college admissions officers regarding their college options. This bill would encourage these counselors and officers receive regular training regarding educational opportunities for immigrant youths. Having accurate information would give DREAM youths the hope they need to continue their educations and help reduce the rates of high school dropouts.
Education Access. Many qualified DREAM students do not have the financial resources to pursue college—and as a result their talents are wasted. An estimated 65% of DREAM youths come from households that earn below 200% of the poverty line. The Illinois DREAM Act would establish a privately-funded Illinois DREAM Fund, administered by a volunteer state commission, to make scholarships available to undocumented students at no cost to taxpayers. The bill would also open up college savings programs and prepaid tuition programs to all Illinois residents, so that the families of DREAM students will be better able to pay for tuition.
Driver’s Certificates. To enable DREAM students to get to and from school, the Illinois DREAM Act would enable them to get driver’s certificates. These certificates would have the added benefit of getting these youths tested and insured, reducing the number of uninsured drivers and reducing insurance rates for other drivers.
Illinois DREAM Commission. In addition to administering and fundraising for the Illinois DREAM Fund, this commission would monitor implementation of other parts of this law and research the needs of DREAM youths as they make their way through college.

I believe this bill (SB 2185) is up for a vote today. We hope you will caste your vote in support of the IL Dream Act. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Junaid M. Afeef

To read the text of SB 2185 click here. Please call this morning!

Local Elections on April 5, 2011: the unofficial kick-off to Campaign 2012

2011-04-04T19:18:00.000-07:00

I'm treating tomorrow as the kick off to the 2012 election season. April 5, 2011 is the local non-partisan election.

It's scary how crazy the Tea Party members and their politicians are, and I feel that I and others like me are partly to blame. We should have taken these folks and their mean-spirited and radical ideas more seriously in 2010. Looking locally, I wonder, had we taken the Tea Party more seriously maybe Joe Walsh would not have beaten Melissa Bean for the 8th congressional district?

Now is the right time to get started. We've got to organize our voters, train them in voter registration, canvassing, phone banking and GOTV efforts. At the local level we've got to develop a volunteer base that can be activated quickly and deployed effectively. The issues need to be studied and clear, convincing and fact-based information on which policies are effective and which are counter-productive need to be developed and the voters need to be given access to this information early on and in steady doses.

A lot is at stake in Illinois. In Illinois every member of the General Assembly is up for re-election. Joe Walsh is going to mount his first re-election campaign, and if we are to beat him and regain control of the 8th congressional district, this has to be the time to get it done.

And of course 2012 is a presidential election year and I predict that it will be the most partisan, ugly and brutal presidential election of my voting life (which started in 1988). A victory in 2012 is absolutely critical for President Obama to fully implement the policies he promised us in 2008.

The Tea Party never stopped organizing after 2008, and that probably accounts for some of their success in 2010. We can't make the mistake of waiting for the conventional timeline for campaigns. We've got to get organized now.

This is going to be a very special 20 months. This is going to be the most intense educational and organizing experience of my life. I don't think there has ever been a more important election in my lifetime than the upcoming Election 2012.

Attending the Schaumburg Area Democratic Organization Meeting

2011-03-23T16:59:00.001-07:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Green pants and cool hat & a fanny pack

2011-03-11T17:34:00.000-08:00

Awesome! This is an awesome country. Look at the great diversity in attire that we Americans don on any given day!

This guy has on green pants, a fanny pack and a fedora @ Walgreens on a Friday night.

I'm feeling like Yaakov Smirnoff: "What a country!"

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

U-46 Board of Education Candidates Forum @ the Citizens Advisory Council

2011-03-10T20:03:00.000-08:00

(the responses of the candidates noted below are notes taken as the candidates spoke)

Thursday, March 10, 2011

U-46 Citizens’ Advisory Council (CAC) held a candidates’ forum for the U-46 school board. The forum was held during a regularly scheduled CAC meeting. The meeting was convened at the Elgin High School library (the usual location for these meetings).

There were six candidates at the forum. They all sat on an elevated dais. The community members in attendance sat in chairs facing the candidates. From left to right at the dais were: Amy Kerber (incumbent), Maria Bidelman (incumbent), Gary Percy (vice chair of CAC), Traci O’Neal Ellis, Jennifer Shroder and Mary Akemann VanSlyck.

The forum started with brief introductions of the candidates. Each of them focused on their roots in the U-46 community. Most of the candidates are products of U-46. The questions began immediately after the introductions.

Question 1: What can students expect from a U-46 education and how can U-46 meet the needs of all students?

Maria Bidelman (MB): Rigorous curriculum (this was the gist of her answer)

Gary Percy (GP): Preparation for the real world; to become well rounded; the 3 Rs, phys ed;

Traci O’Neal Ellis (TOE): expectation that every student is capable of learning; students can expect to be met where they are and brought up from that point; need for extracurricular activities in the higher grades;

Jennifer Shroder (JS): a foundation for every child’s education in order for child to learn later in life; a trusting relationship between teachers and students gives students a sense of what is expected of them;

Mary Akemann VanSlyck (MAV): classes that engage interest; extracurricular activities; counselors who know their students; gifted and AP classes; support for the kids who are struggling;

Amy Kerber (AK): engaged and challenged by adults who believe in them; leave with skills to meet challenges of life; different students need different things and need to be able to address that;

Question 2: Should U-46 Board of Education (BOE) have role in legislative process? Or role of Board member in guiding the district? (choose one)

GP: takes first question - biggest challenge is to find and maintain a funding stream; they need to be involved in the legislative process; Need to be involved in EFAB;

TOE: takes the first question - U46 largest district in Illinois outside of CPS so Springfield has an impact - BOE should be active in Springfield activities; we have a right and obligation to be involved in Springfield; She got applause

JS: role of the board member - set policy in the district and make sure that the administrator is doing his job; policy is key - like talking to parents and finding out what parents needed; emphasized forming policy based on parents’ feedback.

MAV: legislatively - fighting off unfunded mandates; BOE are not elected to vote party issues and when getting involved in Springfield there is a chance of getting partisan and that should not happen; have one employee - the superintendent; board needs to understand the money and follow it; set priorities for the district;

AK: first question: does think BOE needs to be proactive; need to understand the implications of the legislation; top need is local control and flexibility with the money that we have; says this is what legislators need to hear;

MB: second question: (not very interesting answer. I don’t know what she had to say here)

Question 3: How do you propose to be fiscally responsible while promoting rigorous and challenging educational environment?

TOE: need to keep good teachers. (I didn’t understand this answer)

JS: parental involvement costs nothing but that can raise the scores of kids education; spoke of reputation improving as kids performance improves;

MAV: not spending any more money than we have; give better tools and communicate with parents without spending more money; good feedback is important and this can be done with new technology;

AK: new student information system; prioritize education values; use data to guide our priorities; (she didn’t elaborate - if you don’t know about what’s happening in the system right now - which I don’t - this answer seems very vague)

MB: destination 2015 and district improvement plan; keep looking for unique revenues; rally together, parents and businesses, to provide unique parts of education;

GP: let teachers teach, administrators administer, and figure out what works with the kids and concentrate money there; basically he restated what everyone else said;

Question 4: Public education system founded on local school control (the school code is voluminous); do we need reform?

JS: yes, we need to improve school code; legislators meant well in passing the school code and is a decent book with decent...? (Huh? I didn’t really understand what she was saying here)

MAV: some things should be reformed but not likely to happen; the direction of the government is not going towards local control; told to manage what’s happening in our district; we can manage our budget within our rules, choose our leader, choose our teachers, etc.; local control is nice but some places its run by lunatics (nice - a candid answer)

AK: school code - over time legislature gotten into a lot of micromanaging of operations; lots of ways to deliver high school to kids; gave an example. work study

MB: so much involvement by various levels of gov’t is because we want a level playing field in education; addressed the divergent funding per student; need the state involvement to get equal funding;

GP: doesn’t agree with the huge code; gave examples of outrageous bills (check those out);

TOE: need serious reform of school code; perplexed that politicians run education; in favor of revisions that cede some power to educators; gave an example of coloring w/i the lines (really?); believes in actively pursuing reform;

Question 5: What role should BOE have in selecting library textbooks and materials?

MAV: I read everything; leery of putting our fingers on what others read;

AK: the process it goes through is instructional council and this is where curriculum choices are vetted and recommended; BOE role is to weigh the recommendations; BOE shouldn’t have role in choosing library materials other than promoting wide variety and diverse selection; address parent concerns on materials;

MB: trust the librarians and teachers

GP: recognizes and is content with vetting process of textbooks; does not like BOE vetting library books - sees it as bordering on censorship;

TOE: doesn’t think BOE members should be micro-managing the professional educators - the teachers and librarians.

JS: sister and mother in law are librarians; they are fairly sensible human beings; can’t see censoring their judgment.

Question 6: Ideas for identifying and encouraging future board members?

AK: BOE is important entity and believes every election local or other - community needs great choices; need to be thinking about who will sit on them in the future; “If not you, then who?” Everyone needs to look for leadership potential.

MB: people who are invested in education

GP: CAC is a great forum to develop leadership; talk to people;

TOE: Elgin Leadership Academy; educate the community about the role of the BOE; there are a lot of people who have the talent to lead;

JS: look inside your own hearts; this follows a natural progression of leading in volunteer organizations; it takes encouragement;

MAV: CAC is a breeding ground for good board members; the churches, kiwanis, rotary, chamber of commerce and other groups; it helps seeing others doing valuable work; show that there is value in this work and encourage them;

Question 7: How do you define parental involvement and how do you increase it and if parents don’t get involved, what do you do?

MB: gave examples of parent involvement; being at home when kids come home and giving them direction when they come home from school; strategies - need to be where our parents are at; not a very good answer - a bit rambling;

GP: can’t make parents become involved; was sensitive to different family structures - single parent homes (nice); different parents get involved in different ways;

TOE: various ways to get involved - this is what U-46 should be making available; not every student has parents who can or will get involved; getting to the place where parents are - get to the apartments, subdivisions etc.; reach out to parents; interesting idea;

JS: parental involvement is nebulous (what? Not a great answer; ????)

MAV: having high expectations is a part of involvement; a parents’ attitude is important; maybe we need to be at GB Library and on Facebook and give parents real things to do whether its support at home or in school; keep the parents informed. this is a great answer!

AK: parental involvement is different from one to the other household; the biggest battle is what schools define as involvement; when we are baking and selling - good; but when we want to get involved in more substantive issues it gets sticky; this is a very good answer too; need to prepare schools to accept feedback.

Question 8: What would you recommend to district safety coordinator (dsc) to reduce behavior issues at high school level?

GP: knows the name of the dsc; can’t eliminate behavior issues but find strategies to minimize them; spoke to new district training on how to remove oneself from a confrontation and let cooler heads prevail;

TOE: focus of dsc on adults (staff and admin) as well as kids is good; agrees that dsc is taking the right steps;

JS: train the substitutes on the conflict resolution; went off topic and spoke to PBIS in elementary school; what is PBIS?

MAV: spread the good ideas around; some high schools enforce rules a lot less rigorously than others and this is not good;

AK: no specific recommendations to dsc and believes dsc is doing well; need to enforce the rules in all facilities; is the structure of our high schools working for all of our students?

MB: likes that dsc is including the staff; bullying - look broader and find a way for students to have a sense of ownership in building;

Question 9: What is one decision that current BOE made that you would handle differently? (none of the challengers wanted to take a crack at criticizing the incumbents)

TOE: good question but don’t know; claims she wasn’t part of the discussion - side stepped the fact that she didn’t have an answer;

JS: so much of what the board does is behind closed doors; Connie Neal’s contract is an issue.

MAV: doesn’t like to second guess people who are doing their best; a couple of things came to mind but don’t think its a good idea to talk about it;

AK: do I have any regrets? the job is very complex; didn’t want to RIF so many people;

MB: there are some constructive and difficult decisions behind closed doors;

GP: does not want to second guess;

Question 10: Are we expecting enough from our students and are they being held sufficiently accountable for their own education?

JS: No and no. Didn’t understand the answer.

MAV: No and no. Some of the students are very un-ready for college; ECC students - 60% need remediation. A lot of kids don’t know that they aren’t ready.

AK: No and no. every child is worthy of high expectations. doing a lot in the district to have that; need to assess our grading system; need a system that reflects their true abilities;

MB: No and no.

GP: No and no. NCLB did a good thing in showing that children are not ready;

TOE: No and no. kids are very stressed out; cynical of testing (????); socio-economic issues that impact school performance.

My Assessment/Analysis (for what it's worth!)

The election is on April 5th. There are 4 seats up for election. There are 2 incumbents running for re-election and 4 new candidates. Each voter may select up to 4 candidates (one for each seat).

I came away from this forum liking Gary Percy and Mary Akemann VanSlyck the most. Both of them seemed very grounded, knew about education policy and had a very thoughtful demeanor throughout the Q & A. If I had to vote right now, I would likely select Gary and Mary.

Jennifer Shroder seems like a wonderful person but I don’t know that she has the ability to communicate well enough to be a strong and effective board member. In a straw poll tonight I’d eliminate her from contention.

That leaves Amy Kerber, Traci O’Neal Ellis and Maria Bidelman with only two spots remaining. Amy and Maria are incumbents. Between them I found Maria to be more likable but Amy to be more assertive. Traci is outspoken and self-confident.

In a straw poll tonight I’d vote for Traci. With one vote left and two incumbents to choose from, I would go with Amy. Amy just seems to understand the issues better and was able to communicate her views more articulately.

So, after tonight’s U-46 Board of Education candidates forum I’m going with Gary Percy, Mary Akemann VanSlyck, Traci O’Neal Ellis and Amy Kerber.

Todd Stroger - Is he eligible for unemployment?

2011-03-05T15:30:00.000-08:00

Former Cook County Board President Todd Stroger wants to start collecting unemployment checks.

via Chicago Tribune's Clout St.

Can a politician who loses an election collect unemployment? I've never heard of such a thing. Generally, when someone is fired or laid off they are eligible to receive unemployment benefits for a period of time. Is losing an election the same as being fired or laid off? I guess so.

But wait! A spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Employment Security is quoted by the Chicago Tribune as saying that

[t]he salaries they earn for the duties they are elected to perform do not count toward those (unemployment) wages

and that's because, under Illinois' Unemployment Insurance Act, elected officials are not covered. Look at 820 ILCS 405/100 et seq for the entire statute. One of the relevant sections reads as follows:

The term "employment" shall not include service performed after December 31, 1977:

1. In the employ of a governmental entity referred to in clause (B) of Section 211.1 if such service is performed in the exercise of duties a. As an elected official;

What strikes me as odd is that Todd Stroger would subject himself to this kind of public scrutiny. I don't begrudge a man from seeking to do what's best for his family, but something about him trying to collect these benefits rubs me the wrong way.

A Day Trip to Springfield

2011-03-03T05:26:00.000-08:00

I drove down to Springfield earlier this week for the day. It was work related. I was to provide testimony in support of a bill being heard in the Senate Transportation Committee. My name and agency went into the committee's record as a proponent, but I didn't actually testify. The bill was on an "agreed bill list" and was previously passed out of the committee. That's good.

Although I didn't testify I didn't view the trip as a waste. I like being in that environment. From the minute I walked into the Capitol building, and as I waited in the rotunda for some colleagues, I felt like I belonged in that place and I just wished I had more to do with all that was happening there. I'm neither a newbie nor a veteran of legislative advocacy, but I'm pretty sure it's something I could do long term.

There are so many people walking around. Some are legislators, others are staff members, some work for government agencies, some are professional lobbyists and others are concerned citizens. Each person has her own opinions on things they want the government to do and each person has some agenda that is driving his day to day actions. I like looking at the faces of the people and imagining what it is they seek from this place.

On my trip earlier this week I stepped on to the elevator with House Speaker Michael Madigan. I couldn't help but look at him, and when he made eye contact I didn't feel the need to avert my gaze. He neither smiled, nor frowned, nor averted his gaze either. The difference in our respective gazes was this: mine was a mix of curiosity and a little awe while his was genuine indifference to me.

I'll be back in Springfield next week but that will be for a non-work event. I'm looking forward to it nonetheless. There is a lot to be learned about how policy and legislation are crafted by being around the General Assembly when it's in session.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Old School Music...

2011-02-28T06:35:00.000-08:00

I found this in my in-laws home. Wow! It's a record and cassette player in a portable case! Music - what you want, when you want it!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Cheese Loss?

2011-02-28T06:18:00.001-08:00

It's either a sign of how processed processed food is, or else it's proof that the writers of this product description were rushing through this particular job.

I was at Costco over the weekend. This huge box of breaded cheese sticks caught my eye because my son was just asking for some the other day. I bought the product, got it home and happened to glance at the box. That's when the warning about over-cooking resulting in "cheese loss" caught my attention.

Maybe there is a reasonable explanation but on its face "cheese loss" doesn't sound right.

On the bright side - it was a great deal. Tons of breaded cheese for a few bucks. Yum!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Dear Losers at IHOP...

2011-02-27T14:23:00.000-08:00

I respectfully ask the losers whom I and my children had the great misfortune of seeing engaged in a physical altercation that was laced with profanity to please return to whatever gutter from whence they came.

Is it necessary to air out your personal issues in the lobby of IHOP! We just wanted some pancakes, but thanks to you my kids were privy to a bunch of F-bombs too.

Okay, so you don't care about my kids, but what about your own? They were sitting there watching you behave like a bunch of thugs. It's really sad that you have such little regard for yourselves, your children and you neighbors.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

ET Phone Home!

2011-02-25T14:29:00.001-08:00

How cool is this? This guy on my train has on an "ET" hat! That's "ET" the movie from the early early 1980s!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Cook County Law Library - when the internet fails...

2011-02-21T09:52:00.001-08:00

It's been years since my last visit to the law library. Everything I need is on the internet.

Well, not everything (at least not yet). Last week I needed to review Illinois public acts from 1971. That wasn't available on Westlaw and I didn't find it anywhere else on the 'net.

So, off I went to the Cook County Law Library in the Daley Center. Walking in there I had flashbacks to 1994 when I first graduated from law school and would use this library to learn the nuts and bolts of criminal and civil trials (the kind of stuff one didn't get in law school).

The very distinct smell of dust and old paper stored in poorly ventilated spaces - a smell that is neither good nor bad in most instances - was really appealing at that moment. It was amazing to see all the information stored in the library - ABA Law Journals, statute books, bound case law and law reviews that seemed to go back to the beginning of the 20th century (and maybe even earlier).

I'm going to come at some point and spend a couple hours just browsing these stacks. Cliche though it is - it'll be a sort of treasure hunt!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Seattle P.O. Ian Birk shoots, kills John T. Williams - Found to be unjustified, but is it racism?

2011-02-20T12:23:00.000-08:00

Police officer Ian Birk shot and killed John T. Williams. Was it racism?

Here's what happened:

On Aug. 30, 2010, Birk, 27, confronted Williams, 50, as he crossed a street holding a piece of wood and the knife with a 3-inch blade. The incident was captured on Birk's police car dash-cam. Birk could be heard ordering Williams to drop a knife he was carrying, followed by several shots. Birk and Williams were out of camera view when it happened. via King5.com

Birk is white and Williams was Native American. Does this fact - that the assailant and the victim are of different races - automatically suggest racism as an underlying motive? I don't think so, but that doesn't stop us from reacting otherwise.

The shooting was unjustified. That was the finding of the Firearms Review Board. The Seattle Chief of Police John Diaz summarized the board's findings:

"Key findings from the firearms review board include: The use of a firearm was not necessary, John T. Williams did not pose a threat of serious harm to the officers or others, reasonable and effective alternatives to the use of a firearm appeared to exist," said Diaz.

Diaz said the Firearms Review Board concluded Birk did not follow his training when engaging Williams and his decision to use deadly force did not conform to department policy. Birk has been stripped of his authority as an officer. via King5.com

But why would Birk shoot Williams given that he wasn't posing an immediate threat to anyone? Why didn't Birk call for back up? The 3 inch knife that Birk felt was a threat was found by Williams' body but it was closed.

Williams had the knife and a piece of wood in his hands when he was shot. That's because Williams was a woodcarver.

Here is the video taken from the police video. The actual shooting isn't on the video but most of the audio is and we do see Williams walking by and then Birk following:

Was Williams shooting death a murder, or manslaughter or was it justifiable homicide?

Seattle law will not allow for Birk to be tried in criminal court for the shooting. This is what the Seattle district attorney said about it:

"We do not and legally cannot put police officers on trial for murder or send them to prison for their discretion to use deadly force in good faith and without malice, however tragic the outcome may be," Satterberg announced Wednesday, referencing a Washington state law.

"There is no evidence to show malice, there is no evidence to refute Officer Birk's claim that he acted in good faith," added Satterberg. "There is simply no evidence to overcome the strong legislative directive … not to prosecute a police officer under these circumstances."

This seems like a flawed law.

What constitutes malice? What about racist views?

This shooting took place in August 2010. Did the DA's office investigate Birk? Is there any evidence that Birk espouses bigoted views or something that might suggest some hatred towards Native Americans?

If the DA says he can't bring charges, then presumably there isn't enough evidence to show malice beyond a reasonable doubt. But if a civil lawsuit is filed and that lawsuit unearths information that supports a showing of malice, then the DA should be able to file suit at that point.

The U.S. Attorney's office in Seattle should be able to investigate and possibly prosecute Birk, right?

Should a police officer be held accountable - beyond losing his job - for unjustifiably using deadly force (that results in another person's death) in the line of duty.

Chicago Bears loss is a real disappointment

2011-01-24T15:58:00.000-08:00

I'm so disappointed that the Chicago Bears lost to the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship game on Sunday (1/23/11). I actually feel blue over the loss, and I think it's because I love this game. I'm not a stats savant, but I look forward to cheering on the Bears week in and week out.

An office colleague who happens to be a Green Bay fan was chatting about the game with me during the week preceding the NFC championship game. All the smack talk aside he said, he didn't really get too worked up about the games. In another instance, a friend and I had a little back and forth on the Saturday before the game on Facebook about my "homer" mentality about the Bears. My friend said I wasn't being realistic.

I understand where both of these guys were coming from but my approach to being a fan is different. I let myself get completely invested emotionally in the game. Getting so wrapped up in the game does make for a huge emotional let down when the team loses. But winning becomes that much more fun! Sure, fans who aren't as emotionally invested still enjoy the wins, but it feels different when you take the passion for the team up to the next level.

And as for "keeping it real", well, I don't see the point. I'm not a paid analyst nor am I betting on these games. I don't need to be objective. Part of the joy of being a fan is imagining the Bears winning it all and doing it against all the odds. You know the attitude: If it was the entire Packers team vs. Ditka, who would win? DITKA! DA BEARSSSS!

I'll watch the Super Bowl on February 6 and I'll also tune into the Pro Bowl as well, but I will not be focused entirely on the game. I'm a football fan so I'll partake of it, but it will just not be the same this time.

Had the Bears not made it so far, I think I would have been more interested in the Super Bowl. Knowing that they came so close actually makes it harder. Again, this is strange, because a lot of people have said that it was great that the Bears got as far as they did and that they were happy to have been in it for so long.

It's not that I want the Bears to be less successful either. That's not it. I'm glad they got to the NFC championship game. I know I sound like a malcontent. Oh well. This season nothing short of a super bowl win would have sufficed.

Now I'm beginning to slip into football hibernation. My fanatical football persona will re-emerge some time in August 2011! See you then!

Rep. King of New York is just wee bit of a HYPOCRITE!

2011-01-21T14:56:00.000-08:00

It's amazing that Rep. Peter King of New York can be so hypocritical and not get called out more often.

Check out this revealing article in MotherJones about his long and deep ties to the Irish Republican Army:

Over parts of three decades, from his days as an aspiring politician in Long Island through his early years in Congress, King was one of the nation's most outspoken supporters of the Irish Republican Army and a prolific fundraiser for the Irish Northern Aid Committee (NorAid), allegedly the IRA's American fundraising arm. The IRA waged a paramilitary campaign against the British presence in Northern Ireland for decades before peace accords were signed in 1998. Part of that effort included bombings and shootings that resulted in civilian deaths in England and Northern Ireland. During the period of King's involvement, the US government accused both NorAid and the IRA of links to terrorism.

How is it that Rep. King can tar and feather an entire religious minority in the U.S. (his bogus, shallow sound bytes saying "Not all Muslims are extremists" are just a front for his true but misguided beliefs) with wild accusations of radicalization and wide-spread disengagement from law enforcement and of ties to terrorism when his own connection to terrorism is real, documented and far more egregious? I believe the word is hypocrisy.

Rep. King needs to stop mollycoddling rabid Islamophobes like Steve Emerson. He also needs to stop smearing good and decent American Muslim leaders.

Those who disagree with aspects of our foreign policy or those who fight for human rights and civil liberties even of those accused of very serious crimes cannot be tainted with the "terrorist" or "extremist" labels. That's what Rep. King seems to do. He seems to use his congressional seat as a license to spread hateful misinformation about a small but up and coming American Muslim community. Shame on Rep. King for this behavior.

Rep. King seems to have a few embers from his fiery IRA days still smoldering inside of him. He should call a hearing to expose his own affiliation with and support of terrorism. Instead, he remains silent. Rep. King was given an opportunity to respond to the MotherJones article but he chose to remain silent. What are you thinking sir? Fifth Amendment, perhaps?

Public education funding reform in Illinois' 97th General Assembly?

2011-01-15T12:08:00.000-08:00

The Illinois Constitution

Article X - Education

Section 1. GOAL - FREE SCHOOLS

A fundamental goal of the People of the State is the educational development of all persons to the limits of their capacities.

The State shall provide for an efficient system of high quality public educational institutions and services.

Education in public schools through the secondary level shall be free. There may be such other free education as the General Assembly provides by law.

The State has the primary responsibility for financing the system of public education. (emphasis added)

A new legislative session (the 97th General Assembly) in Illinois began on January 12, 2011. In just the first two days over 150 bills were introduced by legislators. These bills cover everything from extending muskrat hunting season to the proper notice to be given for unclaimed property and somewhere in all of these bills there is an obscure bill asking for money for public education.

Maybe because those with the most resources are the least affected, or perhaps because it has been an intractable problem for so long, the funding of public education is an issue that regularly gets overlooked. Legislators will certain take umbrage over this statement, but the bottom line is that very few elected leaders will stake their careers on this issue.

That is a problem, because public education funding is severely flawed in Illinois. Children who live in affluent school districts enjoy better schools because those school districts spend more money on things like facilities, teachers and the programs. This translates into, among other things, better and more books, more computers, smaller class sizes, better libraries, science labs and more extracurricular activities.

EXAMPLE

In U-46 the kids in elementary school cannot bring home the books they are reading in class because there are not enough to give each student her own copy. The math program (Everyday Mathematics) has an online tutorial and games feature but some teachers claim that students do not have access to it because the school has not purchased a subscription for it. The classroom size is about 28+ students per teacher and this regularly impacts the ability of teachers to know what's happening with their students and to maintain an ongoing channel of communications with the parents (outside of quarterly parent-teacher meetings).

Great teachers do make a big difference even in under-funded schools and the students lucky enough to have great teachers can excel despite other resource or structural shortcomings. And bad teachers do hurt their students' performance and can hinder their development. Bad teachers are not confined to under-funded schools so these bad apples do impact even the wealthiest schools.

Focusing on the great teachers and the bad teachers, however, is misleading because most teachers are good and they do the best they can with the resources they have, but the lack of resources does translate into unsatisfactory in-class instruction and that inhibits the full potential of students. Those who point to great teachers in under-funded schools and showcase their success are either missing the larger point or purposely trying to misdirect the debate.

Public education funding reform is long overdue. Too many children in Illinois are being left behind. Those who suffer the immediate consequences of poorly funded public schools know how harmful it is for the children who are relegated to these schools.

But this problem impacts everyone in Illinois. In the long term the neglect of so many children simply creates social problems for individuals, communities and the state. The opportunities to improve themselves and to pursue a better life are beyond the grasp of children who cannot read and write, who cannot do basic mathematics and who cannot think critically. These children do not have the skills to pursue high education. A lack of a higher education limits most people's employability in higher paying careers. And sooner or later the individual limitations will likely have a broader impact on the communities, the state and even the nation.

One thing that can be done in the 97th General Assembly is to appropriate the amount of money required to meet the needs of Illinois' public schools. Given the billions of dollars in debt that Illinois is in, this is a tall order. But at the end of the day the state has revenues and it spends money on a lot of things. What is needed is for public education to move up on the priority list.

But how? How can public education funding become an issue with teeth? How can public education funding become an issue that all legislators feel compelled to take as seriously as they do issues of public safety?

Left to those who feel the negative impact of the status quo, nothing will change. This has to be an issue that is taken up by not just the constituents in the poorest and most under-funded districts, but by all parents across the state. Presently the issue of public education funding reform is met with a lot of indifference from the "haves" in Illinois.

This issue, more than many others, cannot be championed only by those with a narrowly defined self-interest. This has to become an economic impact issue. This issue has to be re-framed in terms of the long term impact that bad education for Illinois' children will have on the viability of Illinois' workforce in the future. And it also has to be re-framed as a moral issue as well, because allowing public funds to create unequal public schools is wrong.

In years past some work was done by various religious communities. This may be an ideal issue around which to build an interfaith coalition. All faith traditions value children. All faith traditions call for moral behavior and for fairness. And while morality and fairness may not be the basis for crafting and passing public education reform, they can certainly be the basis for a broad coalition coming together and can also serve as the fuel that drives the engine of this coalition towards a meaningful legislative solution.

Illinois: the Family and Personal Protection Act - Concealed firearms?

2011-01-12T20:31:00.000-08:00

This newly elected Illinois state rep wants to allow
Illinoisans to carry concealed firearms...

A newly elected state representative from the 91st district, Rep. Mike Unes (R), introduced a bill on the first day of the 97th General Assembly (Illinois) (that was today - 1/12/11) to allow Illinois residents to carry concealed weapons. The proposed law, if passed, will be called the "Family and Personal Protection Act".

The synopsis of the new bill states as follows:

Creates the Family and Personal Protection Act. Permits the county sheriff to issue permits to carry concealed firearms to persons at least 21 years of age who meet certain requirements. Requires an applicant for a permit to have completed specified training requirements developed by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board consisting of classroom instruction and live firing exercises.

I wonder if such a bill has been introduced in the past in Illinois? I'm sure it has, but obviously it hasn't been successful thus far. But times are changing, and if nothing else, this proposed legislation is going to give the good people of Illinois a very serious reason to give this subject (of allowing citizens to carry concealed firearms) their immediate attention.

And as for my own opinion on the subject? Are you ready for this?

I'm open to hearing all the arguments. Or, to put it another way: I'm undecided! Like I said - times are changing! I want to protect myself and my family after all, and that's a good thing, right?

Oppose a light sentence for retired chicago detective Jon Burge

2011-01-12T05:29:00.000-08:00

Jon Burge deserves a severe sentence that adequately reflects the heinous nature of his torture of African Americans over several decades. He still refuses to take responsibility for his crimes despite insurmountable evidence against him. He chooses not to cooperate with the authorities to uncover more details of his decades long campaign of torture within the Chicago Police Department.

Shame on Jon Burge. And shame on us if we don't take this opportunity to raise our voices and speak out now on the eve of his sentencing in federal district court for his conviction on perjury charges stemming from his torture and other crimes.

The Illinois Coalition Against Torture has a petition. It sets out the facts and makes a strong case for a significant jail sentence. This petition will be considered, among everything else, by the federal judge overseeing Jon Burge's perjury trial. Sign it now!

Illinois Inauguration 2011 - teaching my daughter that she can lead!

2011-01-09T20:57:00.000-08:00

Arriving in Springfield, IL this afternoon

But for the fact that I received a nice invitation to the Illinois Inauguration 2011 events, I wouldn't have even known they were taking place. I've never even been aware of them in all the previous years.

I'm glad I received the invitations. I decided to accept the offer and brought a few of my kids down to Springfield, Illinois to experience it.

We are going to attend the swearing in ceremony tomorrow morning. I read in the paper that all but one of the constitutional officers will be sworn in by a woman justice of the Illinois appellate or supreme court. And of course the fact that three of the constitutional officers - the lt. governor, the attorney general and the comptroller - are women is wonderful.

The following is the line-up:

Gov. Pat Quinn - Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke;

Lt. Gov.-elect Sheila Simon - former Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Ann McMorrow;

Attorney General Lisa Madigan - New Supreme Court Justice Mary Ann Theis;

Secretary of State Jesse White - 1st District Appellate Justice Joy Cunningham:

Comptroller-elect Judy Baar Topinka - Maj. Joseph Topinka;

Treasurer-elect Dan Rutherford - Supreme Court Justice Rita Garman.

via the Rockford Register Star

I don't expect this one event to make a difference on its own. I do expect it to have an impact but it will be cumulative. What my daughter sees tomorrow morning, coupled with what she sees her mother do as a professional and the experiences imparted to her by both of her grandmothers who worked all their lives, will help to shape her in a positive way.

My daughter holding her ticket to the inauguration!

In the end I want my daughter to be empowered to make significant contributions to society. It's up to her how and in which arenas she'll make those contributions.

Helping my daughter develop as a leader is very important to me*. I don't want her to become a socialite like some of the women within our circle of friends and family. These are women who are fully capable of doing a lot but don't and instead shop and throw day-time weekday parties and bemoan their hard lives of luxury cars, mansions and nannies**.

By showing her examples of women leaders I hope broaden her range of what is possible for her to achieve for herself.

_______________________

* I brought my son down for this event too and I fully expect him strive to make important and meaningful contributions too.

** I have nothing against stay-at-home moms and my cranky comments above are not meant to demean them. There are plenty of stay-at-home moms who make tremendous contributions to society and we know several of them.

Liu Xiaobo: Text of Chinese Dissident’s ‘Final Statement’

2010-12-10T07:53:00.000-08:00

Mr. Liu Xiaobo is a Chinese dissident serving an 11 year prison sentence for his non-violent political beliefs. He was awarded a nobel peace price this year. He was - not surprisingly - not allowed by the Chinese government to travel to Europe to receive the award.

Robert Mackey of the The Lede - a NY Times blog - has a good post up today on Mr. Xiaobo. He also reproduced a version of Mr. Xiaobo's "final statement" issued just before being incarcerated. Here is the text of Mr. Xiaobo's "final statement":

June 1989 was the major turning point in my 50 years on life’s road. Before that, I was a member of the first group of students after restoration of the college entrance examination after the Cultural Revolution (1977); my career was s smooth ride from undergraduate to grad student through to Ph.D.

After graduation I stayed on as a lecturer at Beijing Normal University. On the podium, I was a popular teacher, well received by students. I was at the same time a public intellectual. In the 1980s I published articles and books that created an impact, was frequently invited to speak in various places, and was invited to go abroad to Europe and the U.S. as a visiting scholar. What I required of myself was: both as a person and in my writing, I had to live with honesty, responsibility and dignity.

Subsequently, because I had returned from the U.S. to take part in the 1989 movement, I was imprisoned for “counter-revolutionary propaganda and incitement to crime,” losing the platform which was my passion; I was never again allowed publish or speak in public in China. Simply for expressing divergent political views and taking part in a peaceful and democratic movement, a teacher loses his podium, a writer loses the right to publish, and a public intellectual loses the chance to speak publicly, which is a sad thing, both for myself as an individual, and for China after three decades of reform and opening up.

Thinking about it, my most dramatic experiences after June Fourth have all linked with courts; the two opportunities I had to speak in public have been provided by trials held in the People’s Intermediate Court in Beijing, one in January 1991 and one now. Although the charges on each occasion were different, they were in essence the same, both being crimes of expression.

Twenty years on, the innocent souls of June Fourth do not yet rest in peace, and I, who had been drawn into the path of dissidence by the passions of June Fourth, after leaving the Qincheng Prison in 1991, lost in the right to speak openly in my own country, and could only do so through overseas media, and hence was monitored for many years; placed under surveillance (May 1995 – January 1996); educated through labor (October 1996 – October 1999), and now once again am thrust into the dock by enemies in the regime.

But I still want to tell the regime that deprives me of my freedom, I stand by the belief I expressed twenty years ago in my “June Second Hunger Strike Declaration” — I have no enemies, and no hatred. None of the police who have monitored, arrested and interrogated me, the prosecutors who prosecuted me, or the judges who sentence me, are my enemies. While I’m unable to accept your surveillance, arrest, prosecution or sentencing, I respect your professions and personalities, including Zhang Rongge and Pan Xueqing who act for the prosecution at present. I was aware of your respect and sincerity in your interrogation of me on December 3.

For hatred is corrosive of a person’s wisdom and conscience; the mentality of enmity can poison a nation’s spirit, instigate brutal life and death struggles, destroy a society’s tolerance and humanity, and block a nation’s progress to freedom and democracy. I hope therefore to be able to transcend my personal vicissitudes in understanding the development of the state and changes in society, to counter the hostility of the regime with the best of intentions, and defuse hate with love.

As we all know, reform and opening up brought about development of the state and change in society. In my view, it began with abandoning “taking class struggle as the key link,” which had been the ruling principle of the Mao era. We committed ourselves instead to economic development and social harmony. The process of abandoning the “philosophy of struggle” was one of gradually diluting the mentality of enmity, eliminating the psychology of hatred, and pressing out the “wolf’s milk” in which our humanity had been steeped. It was this process that provided a relaxed environment for the reform and opening up at home and abroad, for the restoration of mutual love between people, and soft humane soil for the peaceful coexistence of different values and different interests, and thus provided the explosion of popular creativity and the rehabilitation of warmheartedness with incentives consistent with human nature.

Externally abandoning “anti-imperialism and anti-revisionism,” and internally, abandoning “class struggle” may be called the basic premise of the continuance of China’s reform and opening up to this day. The market orientation of the economy; the cultural trend toward diversity; and the gradual change of order to the rule of law, all benefited from the dilution of this mentality of enmity. Even in the political field, where progress is slowest, dilution of the mentality of enmity also made political power ever more tolerant of diversity in society, the intensity persecution of dissidents has declined substantially, and characterization of the 1989 movement has changed from an “instigated rebellion” to a “political upheaval.”

The dilution of the mentality of enmity made the political power gradually accept the universality of human rights. In 1998, the Chinese government promised the world it would sign the the two international human rights conventions of the U.N., marking China’s recognition of universal human rights standards; in 2004, the National People’s Congress for the first time inscribed into the constitution that “the state respects and safeguards human rights,” signaling that human rights had become one of the fundamental principles of the rule of law. In the meantime, the present regime also proposed “putting people first” and “creating a harmonious society,” which signaled progress in the Party’s concept of rule.

This macro-level progress was discernible as well in my own experiences since being arrested.

While I insist on my innocence, and that the accusations against me are unconstitutional, in the year and more since I lost my freedom, I’ve experienced two places of detention, four pretrial police officers, three prosecutors and two judges. In their handling of the case, there has been no lack of respect, no time overruns and no forced confessions. Their calm and rational attitude has over and again demonstrated goodwill. I was transferred on June 23 from the residential surveillance to Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau Detention Center No. 1, known as “Beikan.” I saw progress in surveillance in the six months I spent there.

I spent time in the old Beikan (Banbuqiao) in 1996, and compared with the Beikan of a decade ago, there has been great improvement in the hardware of facilities and software of management.

In particular, Beikan’s innovative humane management based on respecting the rights and dignity of detainees, implementing more flexible management of the will be flexible to the detainees words and deeds, embodied in the Warm broadcast and Repentance, the music played before meals, and when waking up and going to sleep, gave detainees feelings of dignity and warmth, stimulating their consciousness of keeping order in their cells and opposing the warders sense of themselves as lords of the jail, detainees, providing not only a humanized living environment, but greatly improved the detainees’ environment and mindset for litigation, I had close contact with Liu Zhen, in charge of my cell. People feel warmed by his respect and care for detainees, reflected in the management of every detail, and permeating his every word and deed. Getting to know the sincere, honest, responsible, goodhearted Liu Zhen really was a piece of good luck for me in Beikan.

Political beliefs are based on such convictions and personal experiences; I firmly believe that China’s political progress will never stop, and I’m full of optimistic expectations of freedom coming to China in the future, because no force can block the human desire for freedom. China will eventually become a country of the rule of law in which human rights are supreme. I’m also looking forward to such progress being reflected in the trial of this case, and look forward to the full court’s just verdict — one that can stand the test of history.

Ask me what has been my most fortunate experience of the past two decades, and I’d say it was gaining the selfless love of my wife, Liu Xia. She cannot be present in the courtroom today, but I still want to tell you, sweetheart, that I’m confident that your love for me will be as always. Over the years, in my non-free life, our love has contained bitterness imposed by the external environment, but is boundless in afterthought. I am sentenced to a visible prison while you are waiting in an invisible one. Your love is sunlight that transcends prison walls and bars, stroking every inch of my skin, warming my every cell, letting me maintain my inner calm, magnanimous and bright, so that every minute in prison is full of meaning. But my love for you is full of guilt and regret, sometimes heavy enough hobble my steps. I am a hard stone in the wilderness, putting up with the pummeling of raging storms, and too cold for anyone to dare touch. But my love is hard, sharp, and can penetrate any obstacles. Even if I am crushed into powder, I will embrace you with the ashes.

Given your love, sweetheart, I would face my forthcoming trial calmly, with no regrets about my choice and looking forward to tomorrow optimistically. I look forward to my country being a land of free expression, where all citizens’ speeches are treated the same; here, different values, ideas, beliefs, political views… both compete with each other and coexist peacefully; here, majority and minority opinions will be given equal guarantees, in particular, political views different from those in power will be fully respected and protected; here, all political views will be spread in the sunlight for the people to choose; all citizens will be able to express their political views without fear, and will never be politically persecuted for voicing dissent; I hope to be the last victim of China’s endless literary inquisition, and that after this no one else will ever be jailed for their speech.

Freedom of expression is the basis of human rights, the source of humanity and the mother of truth. To block freedom of speech is to trample on human rights, to strangle humanity and to suppress the truth.

I do not feel guilty for following my constitutional right to freedom of expression, for fulfilling my social responsibility as a Chinese citizen. Even if accused of it, I would have no complaints. Thank you!

In the United States we are still far off from such an oppressive government, but frankly speaking, I do see shades of such oppression in our own domestic policies.

Look at some of criminal prosecutions our federal prosecutors are advancing. Look at the opinions of our federal courts. The executive branch shield's everything with a "national security" cloak and demands that it be beyond the scope of any checks and balances within our system. And in many instances our courts concede to this demand.

But don't worry too much. So long as we stay focused on living a good life and concentrate on material wealth and ignore matters that don't immediately concern us, we should be left alone.

We have a responsibility, of course, in sustaining the well-being of our society. I'm not saying that we should ignore national issues. Our contribution to the nation's well-being is probably best carried out by keeping our GDP levels as high as possible. So don't fret too much about global issues and other things that don't impact on the material happiness of you and your loved ones.

Now get out there and shop!

I Love This Country! Instant Underpants... Just Add Water!

2010-12-02T21:29:00.000-08:00

Yakov said it best...

What a country!

Turkey Testicle Festival in Huntley, IL

2010-11-25T06:57:00.000-08:00

via the Daily Herald newspaper:

How do you make a beige-colored, kidney bean-shaped, thumb-sized part of a turkey with a spongy consistency that's not going to make it to many Thanksgiving dinner tables look so appetizing that 1,000 pounds are consumed in one afternoon?

You dredge it in a flour batter and deep fry it.

I'm sorry but you can deep fry it, batter it, put hot sauce on it or just about anything else that I normally love, but no amount of food prep will make testicles sound appealing. Some things were not meant to be eaten, and turkey testicles (or any testicles regardless of the animal) are, in my book, in this category.

As gross as this "delicacy" sounds, its not the most gross thing I've encountered. What could be worse, you ask? How about a cow's intestines? Or brains? I've seen it prepared as Indian/Pakistani cuisine!

In times like this I feel the need to express a visceral reaction: Eeeeewwwww!!!!!!!

Wrestling season is here!

2010-11-21T10:48:00.000-08:00

Although I wasn't very good at it, I nonetheless have wonderful memories of my few years with high school wrestling. Mr. Dunn and Mr. Garnett were great coaches during my freshman year. Although I was a pudgy short kid who weighed 155 lbs (and should have wrestled at 135 lbs or even lower to be any good) I got to start my entire freshman season (because, lucky for me, there were no other guys at that weight). While my team was great - I think we were undefeated - I had a perfect record at the other extreme.

But some how that never took away from my love of the sport. I know, looking back, that my biggest mistakes were mental - I just lacked focus and mental toughness and I let fear overwhelm me. To this day I remember how I felt before going out on the mat. I felt fear. But it wasn't the fear of losing so much as the fear of pain - the pain of trying hard and not having anything left at the end of the match. Of course now I try to teach my own children that that's the only way to tackle anything in life - full speed, full effort with nothing to spare when the time expires!

The upside to high school wrestling is that it got me into very good shape (relatively speaking of course) during wrestling season. In addition to practices, I would have my father drop me off at school early so that I could run laps on the "shelf" in our high school gym and jump rope with my silver "rubber suit" in the swimming pool area to sweat off the pounds. I remember practices during Christmas vacations when the school was empty and we'd run laps in the hallways and up and down the stairs!

My grades during the second and third quarters of the school year (the quarters that overlapped wrestling season) were always my best. The one and only great high school wrestling movie - Vision Quest - came out while I was in high school (1985) and that just made wrestling that much cooler! I came of age during a summer Olympics boycotted by the USSR that allowed Americans to capture multiple gold medals. I went on to attend the University of Iowa while the famed Dan Gable was still the head coach of the perennially dominant Iowa Hawkeye wrestling team and got to see his teams compete at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

What I wouldn't give to be able to go back and do that all over again! Wrestling is a great sport, and its one I'd like share with my sons.

Last year I took my older son to a high school wrestling meet. He didn't get into it much. But then earlier this year (back in February) my boys and I watched some Iowa wrestling on the Big Ten Network and they were hooked! They've been "play wrestling" with each other and with me ever since.

This year I'd like to take them to a few college and high school meets. Honestly, I want to go to these meets and if my kids came with me and had fun then that would be doubly great!

Here is the schedule for the University of Iowa wrestling program:

The Midlands, the Iowa vs. NU duals and the Big Ten championships are three events that I definitely want to see with my sons because all three are in Evanston, Illinois.

Some home meets at Hoffman Estates High School will be fun too. This is the HEHS Varsity Wrestling schedule:

If the boys really take an interest in wrestling then a trip to Champaign-Urbana for the state championships would be a lot of fun too!

And yes, to some degree I am going to re-live my high school wrestling experience by participating in it with my boys!

So bummed - this is season had so much potential... Sigh!

2010-11-20T20:59:00.000-08:00

I'm not surprised by today's game results. Back in September I expected more but after a loss against Arizona, and then against Wisconsin and Northwestern, I felt very unsure about how we'd take care of our business against a very strong Ohio State team.

Well, things turned out badly. Whereas last year we seemed to own the 4th quarter - the last few minutes of it in particular - this year the 4th quarter seems to be our enemy. We couldn't get anything done when we need to in the 4th quarter on either side of the ball. Damn!

Next week we close out the regular season against Minnesota on the road. I sure hope our Hawkeyes don't take the Gophers for granted. Even though these Gophers are cellar-dwellers of the Big Ten, I see them as a wounded animal that can lash out and really hurt you out of desperation!

As bummed out as I am I am grateful for a winning season. I think the Hawkeyes are a good team and I think they have a good chance of playing well in a bowl game.

Looking ahead I'm going to enjoy the rest of the season with a little less pressure now that we're completely out of any meaningful bowl game hunt. I want to see Wisconsin get into the Rose Bowl and I want to see all Big Ten programs who go bowling win big!

And today's game results notwithstanding: Iowa Hawkeyes Rock and Ohio State Buckeyes still Suck!

Iowa vs. Ohio State - Let's salvage the season that could've been!

2010-11-20T13:24:00.000-08:00

This undated picture expresses my feelings well!

Three losses that could have gone into the win column plus a win that almost went into the loss column, and a few outstanding blowout wins. And even as we go into the Ohio State game today there is no hope of a BCS bowl game. Bummer.

Now we're playing for pride and that's huge too. We've lost 11 of the last 12 games against the Buckeyes. Last year's loss was particularly painful given that we lost in OT by a field goal. A win today would mean a lot to me as a diehard fan. I'm sure it means a lot to our players too.

I want to savor this game in the comfort of my home so now Hawkeye game watch events today. I'm on the sofa with my laptop monitoring the rest of the nation's college football games. I've got my day's workout done. I made some great ruben on rye sandwiches for lunch and I had some great rice kheer for dessert (think rice pudding).

The Hawkeyes had an outstanding goal line stand just now and kept the Buckeyes to 3 points. At 7-3 Iowa I feel great. Let's go Hawkeyes!

Let's Go Chicago Bears! Thursday Night Football!

2010-11-18T19:37:00.000-08:00

I recently met Matt Forte, Bears running back (#22)

The kids are in bed and I'm relaxing with my MacBook Pro up and running and the Bears vs. Dolphins professional football game on TV. The Bears just scored again near the end of the 3rd quarter. The Dolphins have yet to score a point. Ah! It feels good! Now I need my Bears to keep it up and win this game! Let's go Bears!

Thursday Night Football! I love it!

Poor ol' Andy Harris - I feel sooo bad for him and his uninsured status

2010-11-16T14:46:00.000-08:00

Dr. Andy Harris wants to repeal the health care bill championed by President Obama. He used this issue to get himself elected to Congress from Maryland. I don't agree with this position but at least he's a man of principle.

Um, strike that. It turns out Dr. Harris isn't a man of principle - or at least of a principle that most people find appealing. Rep-Elect (Dr.) Harris stands for - it seems - hypocrisy. He doesn't want the rest of us to have affordable health insurance and he demonizes President Obama's plan but he wants to partake of a similar plan to protect himself. It appears he is also a standard-bearer for "out-of touch with the masses" principle too. Rep-Elect (Dr.) Harris is appalled because he's never worked for an employer who doesn't offer coverage immediately.

By now you're wondering "What the hell is he talking about?" Here's the scoop:

Rep-Elect (Dr.) Harris is angry because he learned that his government-paid for free health insurance doesn't cover him for the first 28 days of his service in the U.S. House of Representatives. And he's unhappy that he can't purchase coverage during this time. Alex Pareene of Salon.com wrote about this incredible story today!

Geez Rep-Elect (Dr.) Harris, didn't you know that millions of Americans work without healthcare for the first 28 days and then all the rest of their days on the job as well? And don't you realize Rep-Elect (Dr.) Harris that the health insurance you're so keen on securing for yourself is a like (but also a lot better than) the program that was passed under President Obama's leadership? Lastly, if the program (President Obama's healthcare bill) is so bad, then why are you trying to avail yourself of insurance that is, in principle, the same (but just a lot better in terms of the benefits)?

This guy makes me ill...

Shame on Amazon.com for selling "The Pedophile's Guide to Love and Pleasure"

2010-11-10T19:41:00.000-08:00

I am appalled that Amazon is selling a book promoting pedophilia. This is truly a new low in this country when promoting the sexual exploitation of children is promoted and protected by corporate America under the guise of free speech. Shame on you Amazon.

The book is a self-published e-book for the Kindle device. It is called "The Pedophile's Guide to Love and Pleasure" and is written by Phillip R. Greaves. For those who find it hard to believe I'm posting a screenshot from Amazon's website (in lieu of linking to Amazon because I don't want this to drive any traffic to them whatsoever):

This is reprehensible. I really value Amazon because I can find and get obscure and hard to find titles fairly easily. That said, I love my children more than anything else, and the thought of supporting a business that would promote the exploitation and abuse of children makes me ill. I can and will go without the value I find at Amazon because some things are simply more important. The safety of children is certain one of them.

I searched the Amazon website but I couldn't find an email or mailing address to which I could send my letter of protest. I hope that the federal prosecutors in the region where Amazon's corporate offices are headquartered in the U.S. will look into criminal charges against the company. I'm not sure what charges could be brought but I've want to believe that promoting child exploitation and abuse has to be some kind of crime.

If you have a link, mailing address, telephone number or email to which complaints and protest can be sent, please leave a comment here with that information.

Strange Mugshot - this kid's smiling.... Doh!

2010-11-10T14:31:00.000-08:00

What is this kid smiling about? He's been charged with burglary in Will County. His name is Tamer S. Almasri. Here is the new story. Strange!

Meeting Matt Forte... Could he be any less enthusiastic?

2010-11-09T19:25:00.000-08:00

Hey Matt! Mind if I fill in for you this week?
I can't do much worse, right?

Matt Forte was signing autographs at a PNC Bank branch in our office building today. I stopped by with a bunch of my co-workers during lunch. I had my camera with me so I was able to get a nice picture.

But for the fact that he gets paid a lot of cash thanks to our passion for Chicago Bears football, I'd empathize with him. He looked bored and distant. I mean, the guy was on auto-pilot. But it wasn't even a fake friendly auto-pilot. Instead, it was a "I know what these people are thinking about how bad I've been playin'... man I hope no one asks me anything about my crappy playing" auto-pilot.

"Hey Mr. Forte, no, don't get up... I'll just stand next to you in this contrived pose with a smile juxtaposed to that dull 'n dead eyed stare you've got!" Click! Got it. Thanks for the pic!

Whatever. I got an autograph for my boys. Maybe some day he'll actually get some carries behind a professional offensive line and actually get some positive yards. Hey, I can dream, can't I?

Mea culpa and thank you - notes to Sen. Feingold

2010-11-09T06:15:00.000-08:00

Sen. Russ Feingold (D - Wis)

A friend forwarded an email message to me recently. It was an email about Senator Russ Feingold. Sen. Feingold is a Democrat from Wisconsin and really distinguished himself as a progressive and principled voice in the U.S. Senate.

The email was about sending Sen. Feingold a note of thanks for his service. Here is the text of the email:

DFA Member -

We lost a lot of bold leaders on Tuesday, but Senator Russ Feingold is in a class all his own.

He is one of the great heroes of the progressive movement -- standing up and fighting for the people of his state and Americans across the country time and again -- often when no one else had the courage to lead.

When other Democrats in Washington capitulated to President Bush and supported the war in Iraq, Senator Feingold stood up and voted against war. Two years later, he became the first Senator to call a withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

When the Bush administration pushed the Patriot Act on Congress, Senator Feingold was the only person is the Senate to recognize the bill as an attack on American civil liberties and vote "No."

And when unlimited and unregulated "soft money" threatened to overwhelm our political system, Senator Feingold authored and passed into law the most powerful campaign finance reform in history.

Senator Feingold has always been there for us. Please, join me in writing Senator Feingold a short thank you message for all the work he's done for us over the years.

Write Sen. Russ Feingold a thank you message for all his work.

Write your message today and next week we'll have members in Washington DC and Wisconsin deliver all of the thank you messages from across the country to each and every one of Senator Feingold's offices.

And, of course, thank YOU for everything you do.

-Jim

Jim Dean, Chair

Democracy for America

Democracy for America relies on you and the people-power of more than one million members to fund the grassroots organizing and training that delivers progressive change on the issues that matter. Please Contribute Today and support our mission.

It's a good idea to send a note to Sen. Feingold. It's not that he needs our thanks necessarily - people like Sen. Feingold seem to be motivated by their convictions rather than public adoration.

Still, a note of thanks from across the country may let Sen. Feingold know that we are mindful of the huge mistake many of us made by remaining ambivalent while the tea baggers mobilized around the country. It may be a good way of articulating our individual mea culpas so that we can get beyond the guilt and start being proactive again.

Hit and run driver too rich for a felony charge

2010-11-08T20:33:00.000-08:00

It's common knowledge that the principle of "equal access to justice" is inconsistent in its application. Wealthy individuals can afford a level and a quality of legal defense in the criminal justice system that the public defender system cannot uniformly deliver. And frankly, I suspect that wealthy individuals can and do avoid upgraded charges in criminal cases from time to time as well.

I'm not completely shocked that Martin Joel Erzinger is avoiding a felony charge even though this hit and run - car vs. bicycle - accident caused serious injuries to the bicyclist with whom he collided. Usually the downgraded charges come as a result of a plea bargain. That plea bargain is usually leveraged by a defense theory and a proffered set of evidence to support the defense theory. The prosecution may downgrade the charge to secure a guilty plea on a lesser charge in order to avoid an acquittal on the original charge (if the theory and the proffered evidence can make a case for reasonable doubt). It's not how criminal cases are prosecuted by Jack McCoy from Law & Order, but then again, there aren't too many Jack McCoy's in the real world.

The prosecutor handling this case is Mark Hurlbert. Apparently he's reduced the charges because a felony conviction will harm Mr. Erzinger's employment and that will somehow impact Mr. Erzinger's ability to make restitution.

I don't buy this explanation. First, didn't Mr. Erzinger have insurance? I'm sure he did. Second, if he is a financial advisor to extremely wealthy people, then its likely he makes slightly more than minimum wage and can probably make restitution a 100 times over even if he loses his current job.

What it boils down to is this - a powerful businessman made a deal with a not as powerful political man who hopes to have a chip in a bigger game which he can cash in some time in the future. What other explanation is there?

Get Out The Vote Efforts Have Begun!

2010-11-02T09:46:00.000-07:00

It's getting down to the final hours and I've got a feeling that this year's elections are going to be close! Our family strongly supports Senator Noland so we've volunteered our home and our time to help the Get Out The Vote efforts.

7:00 AM

I got up this morning and made a Dunkin' Donuts run to pick up some donuts for the volunteers that would be coming through our house today. I stopped by the grocery store to pick up some soda and chips too.

Last night we picked up another neighbor who agreed to have a Noland yard sign so I stopped by that house on the way back to put up the sign. I got home, cleaned up the house a bit, cleared off the dining room table, ate a bunch of doh!nuts (yeah, very bad for my half marathon training but the pumpkin cake donuts are soooo yummy) and just as I was finishing up Jim arrived at the house.

9:00 AM

Jim is Sen. Noland's field organizer. I met Jim last night when he dropped by the house to take a look at the house and introduce himself. Jim set up shop in the dining room this morning and then we added his laptop to our home's wi-fi network.

Jim showed me the packets of materials that volunteers would be picking up later this morning. The packets provide volunteers with maps, lists and printed literature to be dropped off.

9:45 AM

Volunteers started arriving at about 9:45 am and by 10:00 am we had a critical mass of volunteers. As folks started arriving we gathered in the kitchen and had some coffee and juice and donuts. At 10:00 am Jim explained the packets to us and everyone grabbed their materials and headed out the door.

11:00 AM

Each volunteer will return later this afternoon. Dan from the campaign came by and dropped off some sandwiches. I created a list of registered voters who are of south asian and middle eastern descent and began recruiting volunteers to make phone calls. I started making calls too.

Joe Gump dropped in. He is with AFSCME - a union for government employees - and is with the Cook County Public Defender's Office. I spoke with him briefly about the folks we know in common.

NOON-ish

Volunteers started coming back from their routes. People picked up some sandwiches and left for the day. I worked on recruiting some people to make phone calls to help with phone calls and by 2:30pm we were done.

Herky meets Sparty, Herky beats Sparty... that's my wish for the weekend!

2010-10-30T06:58:00.000-07:00

It's been a rough week. I'm just now recovered from Iowa's heartbreaking loss to Wisconsin last Saturday. That game is behind us now and all our guys can do is look at today's (10/30/10) game and get focused and fired up!

The next opponent is hardly a cake walk. In fact, this week's opponent - the Michigan State Spartans - are even better than the Wisconsin Badgers. What's keeping me for getting completely freaked out is the fact that our defensive coordinator Norm Parker is going to be back for the game. That's great news!

The Hawkeyes are supposedly favored by 6.5 points. I think the game is going to come down to a field goal and the Hawkeyes will win. It's going to be tough game with a close score. I hope our offense spreads the ball around to a lot of receivers and liberally uses the run on Saturday. That will be the best way to keep the MSU defense on its toes. I also hope our O-line can keep Stanzi safe and give him plenty of time to throw the ball.

Norm Parker is reportedly recovering well from his surgery and may be at the game tomorrow! In Norm We Trust!

Creating a family college football tradition...

2010-10-23T18:43:00.000-07:00

Growing up we didn't know much about football. I can't remember watching any college games and we really started watching the Chicago Bears near the end of my high school days when the Bears went to the Super Bowl.

Things are different in the extended Afeef clan now. My brother and I are both University of Iowa alums and we are diehard Hawkeyes football fans. This year we've rallied our kids behind the Hawkeyes as well.

Earlier this season we took some of the kids to Iowa City for the Iowa vs. Iowa State game. They had a great time. They were so awed by the sight of hundreds and thousands of people all wearing Iowa's black and gold colors all over town. When they saw the inside of Kinnick Stadium they were giddy. It was funny because they would shout "Go Hawks" whenever they felt like it - whether there was something to cheer for just because!

This afternoon my brother and I took a few of the kids to a local game watch at Tommy Nevin's in Naperville for lunch and to watch the Iowa vs. Wisconsin game. We lost a very close game (we lost 31-30) but the kids had a great time. Watching the game with them made the loss less painful.

My niece made a sign for the Hawkeyes. She was clad in pink Iowa gear but her headband and necklace were black and gold with the Hawkeyes logo on both! My boys had their Hawkeyes t-shirts on too.

I'd love it if we could make watching Iowa Hawkeyes football games an enduring family tradition. It looks like we're on our way!

A Christian roommate for a Christian woman - what's the problem?

2010-10-22T20:44:00.000-07:00

America has an ugly history of housing discrimination. With the help of laws at the federal, state and local levels many discriminatory practices have been made illegal and significant financial penalties can be assessed against those who violate anti-discriminatory housing laws.

A law in Michigan that apparently makes it illegal for a woman to seek out a roommate who shares her Christian faith goes overboard and does a disservice to the efforts of fighting housing discrimination. An individual should have a right to choose with whom she will live.

According to several news reports a woman in Grand Rapids, Michigan placed an ad at a church soliciting a roommate. The ad said the sought after roommate had to be Christian. Someone saw the ad and complained to state authorities and the Michigan Department of Civil Rights filed a civil rights complaint against the unnamed woman who placed the ad. The statute or law used to bring the complaint is not clear.

The Michigan law involved may be the Michigan Fair Housing Law of 1968 and its preamble describes it purpose as follows:

AN ACT to prevent discrimination in real property transactions on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin...

Chapter 2 of the statute (M.S.A. 26.1300(201)) describes what acts or actions are prohibited. It appears that the unnamed “offender” violated paragraph (f) of this section which states that it is an unfair housing practice:

to publish or advertise, directly or indirectly, an intent to make a limitation, specification or discrimination based on race, color, religion or national origin

The Michigan Fair Housing Law of 1968 does make some exceptions or exclusions. In chapter 3 of the statute (M.S.A. 26.1300(301)) certain “exclusions” are described. These exclusions are scenarios or circumstances where the acts described in section 201 are not considered a violation of the statute.

Although the news reports do not describe the type of dwelling (is it an apartment, a house, a trailer home, etc), paragraph (b) chapter 3 section 301of the statute seems to protect the woman seeking the Christian roommate from liability. Paragraph (b) of chapter 3 states that the following is specifically excluded from section 201’s coverage as an unfair housing practice:

the rental of a room or rooms in a single family dwelling by the owner or lessor if he or a member of his family resides therein.

If this is the statute being used and the sections cited above are accurate and current versions of the law, then the Michigan law is not over-broad, and it does carve out an exclusion to allow an individual to choose with whom she lives.

Perhaps there is more to this case than what’s been reported thus far, because on its face the actions of this woman who sought out a Christian roommate are not unlawful under Michigan’s fair housing law. Or maybe there is a federal law involved.

Oh no! That would mean we're going to make federal case of out this woman wanting to room with someone who shares her religious beliefs!

O'Donnell says Constitution will be her guide (but she needs to read it first)

2010-10-20T04:54:00.000-07:00

Did you know that the separation of church and state, a bedrock principle of American society, is enshrined in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution? Yes? You have heard this?

Oh. Okay. Well, good. That's great. It needed to be in there. It's just that, well, you'd think it was in the chapter about religion, but whatever.

Huh? Well, I knew it was in there, like "duh?!", but I couldn't exactly tell you, like, what page it was on, but I knew it was in there. Ya know?

An imagined stream of consciousness statement from Tea Party candidate Christine O'Donnell

I confess, I haven't memorized the U.S. Constitution. But geez louise, I know about the First Amendment! It seems to be the most frequently referenced part of the constitution - at least among us common folk - and so the thought of a congressional candidate not knowing that the separation of church and state is found therein is stunning.

That whole "I used to be a witch and then I was against masturbation" stuff didn't really pique my interest in Ms. O'Donnell but her recent disclosure about her ignorance of the U.S. Constitution and of the First Amendment in particular has me floored.

And to think, this candidate wants to use our constitution to guide her voting if elected to Congress. Huh? Maybe she should read it first, right?!

The New Karate Kid... bored the heck out of my kids and me...

2010-10-08T21:19:00.000-07:00

Horrible. Boring. Lame.

For whom was this movie made? Kids? Adults? Tweens?

My kids thought it was long and dull. I thought it was long and dull too. Horrible choice. My bad!

How did this flick do in the box office? I have to assume it tanked. If this movie did well, then I'm going in to the movie making business!

A father runs in memory of his little girl

2010-10-08T14:02:00.000-07:00

http://ourangelbayan.org/

I can hardly get myself to write the words...

I can't imagine having to bury my own child...

And yet, this happens to fathers everyday...

My friend Hesham is one such father and in about June 2009 his daughter Bayan passed away at age 13. Please click here to read about Hesham's efforts to remember his daughter Bayan and to use her memory to help others. Hesham is running in the Chicago Marathon this Sunday (10/10/10). Good luck Hesham!

Citizens Advisory Council & My Continuing Angst Over Public Education

2010-10-07T19:50:00.000-07:00

"Academic Success for All" is
definitely an as yet unmet
goal of U-46

I joined the U-46 Citizens Advisory Council on behalf of my kids elementary school this year. I just got back from my second meeting.

I am really struggling with a lot of doubts and concerns about the education my children are receiving in their public school. I spend the better part of 2 to 2.5 hours on weeknights working with my 5th grader. Frankly, I feel as though I'm home schooling given what I'm seeing she's learned in class and the amount I have to teach her at home so that she can stay abreast of her work.

The meeting tonight added to my concerns because I feel a serious disconnect between the standards and goals being discussed by the school administrators and what I see taking place in the classroom. It begins with the description of how teachers engage the students in class, and then it goes to the things they are learning and it includes the resources being used in the instruction. What I see in all of these aspects, to varying degrees, is less than what is being described.

I admit that my current level of angst is caused by one particular teacher. I'm not going to even try to give specifics because its too early to do so. It's just an uneasy feeling I'm getting. I'm going to try to stay engaged with the teachers (particularly the one whom I think is lacking) and really stay on top of my children's school work. And whenever it is necessary, I'll fill the gaps in the instruction my children may be experiencing in the classroom.

In what bizzaro world does a fire department allow a family's home to burn down?

2010-10-05T20:22:00.000-07:00

In a town called South Fulton in Tennessee we saw a glimpse of what a Libertarian America might be and it is scary and absurd.

According to an Associated Press report today:

Authorities say firefighters in a far western Tennessee city let a mobile home burn down because the owner didn't pay a $75 yearly fee for fire protection.

Haha... real funny! Seriously, what really happened?

Sadly, this is no joke.

The Associated Press report provided additional details:

Jeff Vowell, city manager of South Fulton, told the Union City Daily Messenger that the city fire department let Gene Cranick's doublewide trailer home burn last week because he didn't pay the subscription common in many rural areas.

Cranick's home is outside city limits, but South Fulton offers fire protection to nearby residents for a fee and did protect a neighboring house that paid.

Wow. And I was upset when Comcast interrupted my cable service when I forgot to pay my bill! Of course, Comcast turned it right back on when I called and explained that it was an oversight and that I would remit payment later that day. My cable service was up and running within minutes thereafter.

Apparently there is no room for compassion in South Fulton, TN. Now, I know some folks who view themselves as libertarians and I'm certain that they would find this result as absurd as I do.

I've got a feeling that my libertarian friends would say this is an absurdity and that government has to provide some minimal services and therein lies one of my questions - where does a "libertarian" draw the line on "minimal public services"? Or, what are the boundaries or outer limits on what is acceptable "minimal public services" among "libertarians?

If there can be differences of opinion on what is an appropriate level of public services, then is there no point at which one ceases to be a "libertarian"? I mean, I'd like to think I'm a libertarian who happens to draw the line on "minimal public services" much higher than the folks in South Fulton, TN. Is that cool? Can I still wear the libertarian label?

If you've got an opinion please share it with me because I'm confused. Thanks!

24-3 Iowa Victory over "Nittany" Kittens is just "good"

2010-10-04T13:39:00.000-07:00

Watching the Iowa Hawkeyes play a night game in Kinnick Stadium was great! The win - 24-3 - over Penn State, on the other hand, was just good.

This is in no way meant to slight the Iowa Hawkeyes football program. There were incredible performances by our defensive unit. On offense there were some great stats too. Adam Robinson (A-Rob) racked up 95 rushing yards! The coaches played a game that avoided high-risk plays and turnovers. The team finished the game with out any serious injuries. All of this is objectively very good.

Still, I left the game feeling only "good". This reflexive emotion is borne of my paranoia and my expectations. I've been a Hawkeye football fan since 1987 and I know that we can play at very high levels and also at very low levels, and that this varying level of play can come in a single game. So, I get nervous when we repeatedly go 4 and out and when we struggle to come away with points on every offensive drive.

The fear of losing isn't the only thing that explains why I only feel "good" about the 24-3 beat down on PSU. It's also because I have very high expectations for this season. True, I'm trying very hard not to look ahead beyond the next game, and true, I'm fighting mightily to suppress (or at least keep in check) my exuberance. But being at the game and seeing the black and gold fan coordination whipped me up in the moment and in that moment I wanted to see total domination! In my heart of hearts, even though I would never discuss it during conversations, I'm holding out a sliver of hope that a complex combination of things transpire over the next couple of months that put the Iowa Hawkeyes in the national championship game.

I apologize to the Iowa football team and its coaches for not getting more excited about a 24-3 win over the PSU Nittany Kittens. The team has shown us that Joe Pa certain does know "losing" when it comes to playing the Iowa Hawkeye football! And while I can't shake the "good" feeling and replace it with more excitedness, I can say that I'm very pumped about the upcoming 10/16 game against the University of Michigan game in Ann Arbor! GO HAWKS!

Homecoming Football in Iowa City - Man Am I Psyched!

2010-10-01T16:48:00.000-07:00

That’s right! I’m “psyched***”! I’m headed back to Iowa City to watch my college alma mater - the University of Iowa- take on Penn State on October 2, 2010! It’s been 20 years since my last homecoming game as an undergraduate at the University of Iowa. How time flies by.

I’m driving out on Saturday morning. The game is Saturday night. Kick off is at 7pm. I’ve been looking forward to this weekend for months.

The stars have aligned to make this weekend possible. The biggest challenge in making this weekend possible was finding a place to stay the night. A day game holds the possibility of driving in, watching the game and driving home. For a night game an overnight stay is a must. I’m too wimpy to drive 220 miles to get home late at night after a long day of college football celebrations, a game and hopefully some post-game revelry.

I found a motel that allowed for a one night stay for under $200 per night. True, I’m paying 4 times what I’d pay normally for this one and a half star establishment (“normal” being any time when there isn’t a home football game at the University of Iowa) but it’s a small miracle that I even found a place so I’m not complaining.

Finding a ticket isn’t too hard as long as forking over 2 or more times face value isn’t a problem. In years past, if you committed early enough, individual game tickets were available. The last time I tried to buy individual game tickets was several years ago. When I tried buying tickets to the homecoming game this year I found it impossible to do. I think you have to buy blocks or even season tickets now. Season tickets sound great but I can’t swing that time-wise (getting to Iowa City once, maybe, twice is the best I can do for now).

In hindsight, it may have been worthwhile to fork over the cash for the season tickets though since everything on StubHub is offered at 2 or more times face value. I paid $130 per ticket. Face value for the seats I got is $80. I lucked out. I hope the tickets are real!

In September I took my kids to the Iowa State game. I took a chance on tickets being available outside the stadium. I lucked out once again and secured the tickets I needed for $80 a piece (face value $65 per ticket). Not a bad deal, but for the Penn State game I wanted the comfort of knowing that I’d be able to get to Kinnick Stadium, enjoy the atmosphere of 80,000 plus Hawkeye fans tailgating and then casually making my way into the stadium.

The plan is to get to Iowa City just before the motel’s check-in time of 3pm. We’ll (I’m going with my younger brother who is also an Iowa alum) check in and then take a cab to downtown Iowa City for a late lunch at one of the several sports pubs. The other Big Ten games will be played during the day so we’ll catch those games and some other Top 25 games as well. And then, with a few hours to go before kick off we’ll make the trek through campus to the hallowed grounds of Kinnick Stadium.

Several of my fraternity brothers (Phi Kappa Theta) have regular tailgate spots at or near the stadium. Hopefully we’ll be able to drop by and see some old friends during the trip as well. Of course, whether I run across people I actually know will have no bearing on my ability to enjoy the pre-game festivities. Iowa fans are a bit crazed and will Hi-Five, banter and cheer with anyone and everyone sporting the Black ’n’ Gold.

I pity the folks who wear the Blue and White at Kinnick Stadium Saturday night. Our fans can be a tad bit rowdy and the faint of heart can get slightly buffeted by the catcalls and jeers and accidental spillage. I don’t condone this behavior of course. But I’m just one man and can’t possibly do anything to change things. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Kinnick Stadium, September 11, 2010
Iowa vs. Iowa State

I’ve never been to a night game at Kinnick Stadium (at least not that I can recall) so this will be a new experience. The closest I’ve been to a night game is the 1991 Rose Bowl which started in the late afternoon and ended in the evening on January 1, 1991. That started out great but ended badly. I’m looking for a better ending this time around.

I love going back to Iowa City for football games. My wife and my friends who didn’t go to Iowa think I’m a little nuts. They don’t understand and I can’t explain it to them.

The four years I spent at the University of Iowa were incredible. The people, the environment, the spirit - all of these things contributed to my sustained fealty to my alma mater. Some day I’ll try to articulate why I’m so fanatical about my alma mater. For now, suffice it to say, GO HAWKS!

___________________________________

***psyched is a term from a bygone era of which I am very fond

Using the "N" word at Soldier Field? Really? Seriously?

2010-09-29T10:01:00.000-07:00

It is absolutely wrong that anyone would use racial slurs. But alas, even in a country that has an African American president, there remain plenty of racists and bigots who still think their skin color, the distance in generations between themselves and their immigrant ancestors or their religion makes them better than others. That said, it is still confounding to hear that a professional sports fan would be a racist. It makes no sense.

The fact that a Chicago Bears fan used the “N” word ** to deride Green Bay Packers’ player Nick Collins after the game is wrong, of course, but it is also confounding. Does this fan pay good money to come to Soldier Field and then cheers for just the white players?

How does that work? Go Cutler! Go Olsen! And then silence when Devon Hester returns a punt for a touchdown? And what about on defense? Does this fan only cheer for Urlacher? Seriously?

If there is one place in America where we ought to be post-racial by now it is in sports. Apparently not. It appears that, on Monday night when the Bears sported their 1940s throwback uniforms, some of the fans brought some throwback attitudes as well.

No African-American players in this picture
Click here for link to bearshistory.com

If this Bears fan is a season ticket holder then I hope the other season ticket holders sitting around him will take it upon themselves to let it be known that his bigotry is not welcome in Soldier Field. Ostracize this fan. Ignore him. Bring signs that say “We don’t support the bigot down in front”. Let him know, peacefully but definitively, that racism is not acceptable.
_____________________________________________________________________________
** The "N" word is nigger.

Running to help the homeless? Back on My Feet comes to Chicago

2010-09-24T05:51:00.000-07:00

This is a picture for the Chi Trib story online

I took up (or perhaps "returned to" is more accurate) running in February 2010. By linking my running with charitable efforts I've been able to keep myself on track. This morning I read about an organization called "Back on My Feet" which uses running to help homeless people get back on their feet.

I like this idea.

The gist of the program seems to be that homeless people who sign up to start running will be given assistance with job training and some modest grant funds to help get them fix some the problems that contributed to their present homelessness.

For those who don't run, please don't misunderstand what the organizers are trying to do. It's not that homeless people are being forced to perform corporal tasks mindlessly. Running is good for the body and for the mind. And done right, it creates healthier bodies and minds. This is a good thing for everyone. It certainly can’t hurt someone who is homeless.

Running is a way to re-introduce order and discipline I would presume. Also, it provides a mini-model of success that can be used with future efforts like job training (re-training) and steady work.

My guess is that the running asked of the homeless involved in “Back on My Feet” is linked to individual ability. It would be horrible to set standard benchmarks like miles run or minimally acceptable run times as measures of success. But benchmarks like consistency in running, making progress (from whatever an individual’s starting point may have been) and effort during the runs are appropriate goals.

BOMF Website

Running has helped me address some of the most pressing challenges in my life. It has helped me re-gain control of my health. It has also given me more focus and it has made me stronger mentally. Personally, whenever I run I set a goal and then, during the run if I feel tired or get the urge to pull up or even cut the effort short, I tell myself that grinding through the pain will make me stronger and more able to grind through all of the other challenges at work, in the community and at home.

“Back on My Feet” may not be for everyone who is homeless. Homelessness can be a symptom of other problems including substance abuse and psychological illness. I’m not sure whether running is the right solution or even safe for people with these kinds of illness.

But for those who are able to do it and are willing to give it a shot, I wish them well. And more than just wishing them well, perhaps this is something I should consider getting involved with!

Here is some info on "Back on My Feet" from their website:

BOMF works by forming teams at homeless shelters. Residents of those shelters have the option to join the team as long as they have been staying at the shelter for 30 days, have had a physical in the last 6 months, or agree to have one. The teams start with no more than 12 people and new members are oriented and added every month. All teams run three days a week (MWF) between 5:30 and 6 am and are doing anywhere from 1 mile to 6 miles, with longer optional runs available on Saturdays. Additionally, ever month BOMF holds a social event and participates in a local race. Attendance, mileage and attitude are tracked on every run and this is the data we reference to advance members in our program.

BOMF has chapters on the east coast and just launched its Chicago chapter this summer! Exciting!

Pakistanis deserve our compassion

2010-08-21T12:28:00.000-07:00

The images from Pakistan are devastating. It’s all available on YouTube for everyone to see. But it’s not stirring us to action. Where is our humanity?

Did you know that the 2010 Pakistan flood is worse than the 2004 Asian tsunami, the 2005 Pakistan earthquake and the 2010 Haiti earthquake - combined? So how are we Americans responding? Earlier this year 3.1 million of us used our cellphone text messages to donate $10 each to the Red Cross for the Haitian earthquake victims. We’ve given $10,000 thus far for a natural disaster that is many times more severe.

Why are we holding back? It can’t be the economy because we opened our wallets and gave to help the Haitians (and rightly so) even as we continued to tighten our belts and labored under grave doubts about our own personal economic well-being.

Mosharraf Zaidi writes in Foreignpolicy.com that Americans (and the rest of the world) is holding back because the disaster is happening in Pakistan. Mr. Zaidi argues that

Between our fear of terrorism, nervousness about a Muslim country with a nuclear weapon, and global discomfort with an intelligence service that seems to do whatever it wants (rather than what we want it to do), Pakistan makes the world, and Americans in particular, extremely uncomfortable. In a 2008 Gallup poll of Americans, only Afghanistan, Iraq, the Palestinian Authority, North Korea, and Iran were less popular than Pakistan.

According to Mr. Zaidi the blame for this can be laid squarely at the ruling elite of Pakistan.

These failures and missteps by Pakistan’s ruling elite didn’t all take place since 9/11/01. They’ve likely been accruing over decades.

The leadership problem will take some time to fix, but regular people are suffering and dying as you read this essay. Their lives were hard before this flood, and now, their lives (for those who are lucky enough to survive) are in grave daily peril.

Mr. Zaidi closes his essay with this appeal:

Pakistan has suffered from desperately poor moral leadership, but punishing the helpless and homeless millions of the 2010 floods is the worst possible way to express our rejection of the Pakistani elite and their duplicity and corruption. The poor, hungry, and homeless are not an ISI conspiracy to bilk you of your cash. They are a test of your humanity. Do not follow in the footsteps of the Pakistani elite by failing them. That would be immoral and inhumane. This is a time to ask only one question. And that question is: "How can I help?"

The immediate needs of the millions of internally displaced people in Pakistan is grave. Here are some facts from UN Dispatch website:

6 million people do not have access to clean water. 3.5 million children are at risk of contracting deadly water-born diseases, like diarrhea;
Over 3.2 million hectares of standing crops, representing 16% of the cultivatable area, have so far been damaged or lost across Baluchistan, KPK, Punjab and Sindh, including maize, cotton, rice, sugar cane, fruit orchards and vegetables;
Over 200,000 livestock have been lost, in addition to up to 100% poultry losses in some districts. Over 725,000 medium and large animals in KPK alone require emergency feed and veterinary support;
6 million people are in need of food assistance. Women are feeling the brunt of it (37% of women in households surveyed were consuming less food than men, while 50% of households reported having no food for an entire day)

Let’s put our fears aside and step up like we have many times in the past. God has blessed us as a nation with wealth and power. But our strength derives from our compassion. Let’s show the people of Pakistan just how strong we are.
_______________________________________________

Links to relief funds:

UNICEF United States Fund (Click Here)
Islamic Relief USA (Click Here)

IL Rep Randy Ramey bringing Arizona-styled racial profiling law to Illinois

2010-08-19T21:22:00.000-07:00

Shame on Rep. Randy Ramey (R - Carol Stream) for trying to stoke the fires of xenophobia and discrimination under the guise of, of all things, fiscal responsibility. He is planning to bring that dreadful piece of anti-immigrant, pro-racial profiling legislation from Arizona up to Illinois.

I heard him say so. If you don't believe me, then watch and listen:

This speech was made on 8/14/10 at Tea Party rally in Bartlett, Illinois. So, according to Rep. Ramey, this proposed legislation is going to be unveiled some time before the end of August 2010!

This is unacceptable. This is so Mark Kirk-esque. It's enough to shake me out of my summer doldrum and get me thinking about my ethical and civic responsibilities to oppose all efforts by Rep. Ramey (and any other politician who aligns herself with him) to foment racial profiling in Illinois.

And in case you're not motivated enough by what you heard from Rep. Ramey at the Bartlett Tea Party event above, then keep reading. This 8/14/10 event in Bartlett featured none other than the infamous Rosanna Pulido! In case you don't remember her, Ms. Pulido made herself infamous by, among other things, saying the following:

“Oh I don’t know, those pictures of dozens of men in mosques kneeling on prayer rugs with their heads down low always looks pretty funny to me,” Chicagolady says: “It reminds me of my dog, smelling butts.” Posted on December 29, 2003 ["Chicagolady" was her screen name at www.freerepublic.com]

Ms. Pulido is a hateful woman. But Rep. Ramey had no qualms about sharing a stage with her.

Here's Ms. Pulido at the Bartlett Tea Party rally from 8/14/10:

This is surreal. I understand that we're going through incredibly hard economic times, but are we going to allow our communities to be infected by the divisive and hateful dialogue and policies that Rep. Ramey wants to advance and for which Ms. Pulido is known?

I did some searching on the internet. Rep. Ramey has an opponent in November's general election. A Democrat named Greg Brownfield is running against Rep. Ramey. Check out Mr. Brownfield's bio here and read a little about why he's running for office here.

I actually met Mr. Brownfield earlier this year at a fundraising event for Corine Pierog (another Democrat running for Illinois state senate against incumbent John Milner). I remember Mr. Brownfield from that event. I got a very good vibe from him during our conversation.

Luckily this issue of Rep. Ramey and Ms. Pulido is on Mr. Brownfield's radar. Click here to read what Mr. Brownfield has to say about the comments of Rep. Ramey from the 8/14/10 Tea Party rally and about Rep. Ramey's willingness to consort with well-known bigots.

The Illinois Coalition on Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) is also on top of these troubling developments. I noted on ICIRR's website this evening a bit of news about Ms. Pulido's appearance at the 8/14/10 Tea Party rally in Bartlett.

Stay tuned for more information on these disturbing events as they unfold...

UPDATE (8/20/10 @ 4:24 am)

Rep. Bill Mitchell (R-Forsyth) is reportedly throwing his support behind the as yet un-filed anti-immigrant legislation proposed by Rep. Ramey. He too is citing state budget issues as his motivation.

According to the herald-review.com Rep. Mitchell cited the provision of health care coverage through Illinois' All-Kids insurance program to children of undocumented families.

Is President Obama Making a Difference for Our Schools in U-46?

2010-07-29T04:02:00.000-07:00

President Obama is supposedly giving a “major speech” on education reform. Public education is an issue that hits very close to home for me and my neighbors. We are the families of U-46. The families of U-46, Illinois’ largest unified public school district, are struggling to secure a quality education in a safe environment for our children.

I’ve become very cynical about the public education system. The political system is not the place to secure equal rights for all children regardless of their parents’ economic status (the haves are not going to give up a single penny of public funds to the have nots in order to create a more equitable public education system). What is Obama’s “Race to the Top” going to do for us? I don’t know. And I’m not very hopeful.

This coming school year I intend to become more involved in the affairs of U-46. I want to see first hand what our school administrators are doing. Next, and armed with this firsthand knowledge, I want to reach out to my neighbors and educate them on: (1) what is happening and (2) what our collective options are in securing better educational opportunities for our children.

If we can’t get a good education where we live, then I’m selling my house and moving my family into whatever I can afford in the fanciest and most exclusive suburb around (since I know I can’t afford to own a home in such a suburb I’ll probably rent and since I have a big family it may be two adjacent apartments). This shouldn’t have to be an option but it genuinely is something I would consider doing to secure a good education for my kids.

Citizens for Noland: Part fundraiser, part volunteer recruitment & part town hall

2010-07-27T16:14:00.000-07:00

Senator Michael Noland has a great idea for the South Asian community in his district (the 22nd Illinois senate district). He wants South Asians to come out and work on his campaign and in the process of organizing themselves, to develop a political organization that can be mobilized for other candidates in future campaigns.

You know that wealthy immigrants from South Asia are working for candidates already. But theirs isn’t a populist movement. Whether they be Hindu, Sikh or Muslim, Indians, Pakistanis or Bangladeshis, they most often are wealthy professionals and businessmen. Regular people aren’t welcome in their political networks because regular people can’t afford the price of entry into their super-exclusive events.

Some of these wealthy wheeler-dealers are taking a break, some as guests of the state and federal departments of correction, and others to avoid being forced to join their friends in prison. The names of these corrupt figures isn’t important. Thanks to the local newspapers and their investigative journalists most people have read about these criminals whose pictures once graced the centerfolds of the often self-serving Indian and Pakistani ego journals doubling as ethnic newspapers.

Even among the South Asian organizers who are not involved in corrupt activities, many are very protective of their political capital. Everyone wants to be an influence broker and they control their access to elected officials jealously. If you ask one of the South Asian “godfathers” for help in getting in touch with a representative or senator, they will screen the request. If “Uncle” thinks there’s some potential in what you want to do, he will do his best to co-opt it. God-forbid someone outside of their “made-men” circle tries to host a fundraiser; this raises their ire and their ridicule.

In the past several years more regular joes are organizing and hosting candidate coffees, open-houses and fundraisers for politicians and political candidates. There are problems, however, even among the regular joes who aspire to bring a more egalitarian approach to political organizing. One of the most common problems is a lack of focus and follow up after the event.

Once an event is over, the relationships developed between the organizers and the supporters are neglected. The contact information goes stale. The momentum dissipates with the passage of time. When it comes time to do another event the organizers start from scratch.

Senator Noland’s campaign hosted a fundraising event in Hoffman Estates on Monday, July 26, 2010. It was aimed at reaching out to his South Asian supporters. During the event Senator Noland reiterated this idea of building a South Asian political organization, even if it’s just ad hoc and informal, to help mobilize the community at the grassroots level.

This recent fundraising event was well attended by a mix of retirees, forty-somethings and recent college graduates. Nobody at the fundraiser had the capacity to write big checks but many made nominal donations of varying amounts. Equally important though was the enthusiasm of the supporters. Everyone left the event energized about getting involved in the political process. The idea was to find something that was comfortable and relatively easy and then to commit to doing it regularly between now and the election.

For some this means making phone calls every week. For others it’s volunteering at the campaign headquarters once every 2 weeks for a 4 or 5 hour block to do office work. And for others its about getting out and canvassing in the neighborhood a few hours every week with a list of specific voters by going door to door to talk about Senator Noland’s work, about his successes and his plans to continue serving his constituents.

The campaign staff has the supporters’ names and contact information, but the real responsibility for following up with them lies with the organizers who led the way in setting up the fundraiser. The campaign staff will do its part. The key field organizers for Senator Noland will facilitate the volunteer opportunities, but the community members need to be motivated and coaxed and cajoled by organizers from the south asian community.

All of this is easier said then done.

Schedules change. New obligations spring up. Enthusiasm wanes. The men and women leading this effort need to be organizers in the purest sense of the title, because that’s exactly what they are, and since there aren’t going to be any quid pro quo deals or favors in exchange for donations, the challenge for those taking up the organizing effort is to continually identify the community’s self-interest in working for Senator Noland and to regularly remind the community of that self-interest and how it is beneficially served by getting involved in the political process.

The next step is for the organizers of the 7/26 event is to reach out personally to all who came out to thank them and to seek their affirmation and commitment to staying involved. No one is insignificant in the grassroots movement. Everyone can do something meaningful to help. That’s got to be a part of the core beliefs of this new South Asian grassroots movement.

Why does everyone at the water park have a tattoo?

2010-07-26T14:07:00.000-07:00

I like taking my kids to water parks. They love going to pool in general and the water parks are just mega-pools with many more slides and colorful gadgets and "activities".

I took my kids to Coco Key Water Resort in Rockford, Illinois back in April. I purchased day passes.

By the end of the 5 hours and 45 minutes that we were at the water park I was convinced that I was one of the only adults who didn't have a tattoo! That got me thinking about tattoos and water parks and what these observations may be saying about me.

Today is not the first time I've noticed the abundance of tattoos. On Christmas weekend almost every year we head to a water park - sometimes in Illinois and other times in different places in Wisconsin - and for the last few years I've noticed how common tattoos seem to be.

Why is this so? Is it that most Americans have tattoos but given the chosen sites on the body (men: shoulders, biceps, calves; women: small of the back, shoulder, lower leg/ankle) they are not usually visible at the office because of the the business attire? Or is it that people with tattoos generally like water parks more than people without tattoos.

Hmmm?

Indian food in Iowa City? No

2010-07-24T22:37:00.000-07:00

I had a gyro from George’s stand on Friday night and a burger ’n fries basket on Saturday afternoon. What’s for dinner tonight?

How about Indian food? I love Indian food (actually, Indian and Pakistani food), but I’m in Iowa City. Times have changed and now there’s Indian food in Iowa City - India Cafe (there is another joint called Masala but its only vegetarian and I don’t do pure Indian veggie cuisine). Well, there is a restaurant that purports to serve Indian food.

I wasn’t impressed with the fare I ordered at India Cafe. The food was simply bad. I ordered Aloo Palak, boneless chicken tandoori and tandoori roti. The only things that really tasted good were the bread and the green chili chutney. Everything else was bad tasting.

The bread tasted good but I had a problem with it too. The menu had tandoori roti and naan. I was told that the tandoori roti was made of wheat flour. When it arrived at my table it was clear India Cafe’s tandoori roti was naan. I didn’t want bleached white flour bread but that’s what I got. Yes, it was tasty but that doesn’t make it acceptable for mislabeling the item on the menu.

The prices would be considered reasonable if the food was good. Given that it wasn’t remotely tasty, I’d say the food was grossly overpriced.

There was no Indian food in Iowa City when I was an undergrad. If India Cafe is the best offering available, then I say let’s just do without instead.

People watching is hard to do; self-conscious of being creepy old guy!!

2010-07-23T21:36:00.000-07:00

This evening, after a good workout at a very crappy downtown Iowa City gym called Iowa City Fitness Center (boy, do I miss Body Dimensions next to the Brown Bottle!), I walked out to the pedestrian mall (pedmall) where I spent a lot of my weekend evenings with friends when I was an undergrad at Iowa.

There are a lot of clubs and bars here. This is where the famous (err, infamous) George’s Gyro Stand is located (that was my dinner this evening - it was for old times sake and nothing else).
There’s a liquor store on the pedmall now. Interesting.

I grabbed a Diet Mountain Dew and found a vacant bench seat in front of what used to be The Field House (a sports bar frequented by underclassmen back in my time) facing east towards the Sheraton. From there I could look left to Vito’s (completed dead this evening) and Brothers (very busy - with Vito’s old customers perhaps) and ahead and to the right to Union Street Club (I think that’s what its called - I remember it as “College Street Club”).

Granted, this is the summer school crowd and what’s missing are the giddy 17 and 18 year old freshman girls and boys getting all crazy with their newfound freedom, but it was still busy enough to keep me entertained.

But before I comment on what I saw, I have to say that I felt really self-conscious out there. I did my best not to stare and I kept my blackberry in hand and looked down at it frequently (not that anyone was calling, texting or emailing me this evening) as a rouse to avoid looking like a creepy old guy. After all, these kids don’t know that I’m in Iowa City for the Iowa Writers Workshop program. They just see a lone old(er) guy who is groomed and dressed well enough not to be one of the homeless men loitering on the pedmall, but is out of place sober and alone on a park bench watching people walking around. As a result of this self-consciousness I could only hang out for about 30 minutes or so.

Now I’m back in my hotel room overlooking the pedmall. A thunderstorm looks to be heading this way. I’m facing the window on the seventh floor and I can see amazing flashes of lightening exploding in the dark sky.

Okay, back to the observations! The first thing I noticed is that the students look a lot more mature then me and my friends did (based on my memories and pictures of us from our undergrad days) when we were the same age. I’m not sure what it is but they just seem more aware and more savvy. I can’t pinpoint the reasons why I feel this way - it’s just a gut feeling.

The attire is very different. This generation is far more casual than we were. I think this is something that’s been the case for a while. I’m not suggesting its a new thing - I’m just noticing now for the first time!

When we went out collared shirts - either oxford button downs or polo half-sleeves - were very common place. We wore blue jeans or khaki pants or shorts. We wore boat shoes (that’s the only part of the college look I haven’t held on to - the rest of the dress code remains with me to this day).

The students on the pedmall this evening wore a range of clothing. There were some guys with the collared shirts but most were wearing t-shirts and jeans or they were wearing shirts that are more casual looking than the oxfords of my prime.

The girls are a lot more dressed up. They look like grown women and not like teenagers.

By the time I finished working out, showering and getting outside it was already 11pm. The people out in the streets were already quite drunk. How do I know? I don’t know for certain, but certain behavioral traits are - to my eye - indicative of intoxication. Loud and effusive shows of affection between guys (“Dude! What’s up!?” followed by exploding fist bumps and man-hugs) are examples of certain dead give-aways. More obvious is the stumbling and mumbling.

To be stumbling drunk at 11pm seems a bit extreme. To see college kids stumbling around with glassy eyes at 1:30am is to be expected on weekend on a Big Ten college campus (I’m not saying its good - I’m just saying it is what it is). To see them in this physical state this early in the evening is surprising. Or maybe I’ve just been away from the college scene for a long time (it’s been 19 years since I graduated from Iowa).

The student body is more racially diverse (this isn’t the same as tolerant - I remember U of Iowa as a fairly tolerant environment when i was an undergrad)(well, except from the Young Americans for Freedom people). Just walking around the downtown area this evening I saw more people of color.
The students are much harder to stereotype. I could tell who was part of a fraternity/sorority when during my undergrad days. I’m not sure what the fashion trends are for those within the Greek system. There may be distinguishing characteristics today. I just don’t know what to look for and that’s why I’m not seeing it.

The students look very fit. Some of us worked out back in the day, but as I looked around the pedmall it seemed that the crowd of young people looked more athletic than me and my fellow students back in the day.

There are so many differences between my generation and this generation! But 19 years later Iowa undergrads are still having fun, hanging out and doing generally the same things we did for fun! The basic, fundamental elements of undergrad life seemed to be the same.

I guess that’s good, right? I can look to that and feel some sense of a shared experience with the young people at my alma mater, right?

Don’t leave me hangin’ dude! Exploding fist bump!!!

I'm in Iowa City - Home Away from Home!

2010-07-23T17:42:00.000-07:00

It’s been about 19 years since I attended undergrad at the University of Iowa (Class of ’91). And yet as I pulled off on Exit 244 from I-80 West I felt like I was back home. Well, a home away from home to be more precise, since nothing can replace the “home” where my wife, my children, my parents and my brother are.

It’s amazing. As I drove down Dubuque Street towards downtown Iowa City I saw my first dorm - The Mayflower. The river on my right was swelling from all the rain. I turned right onto Church Street and saw the president’s mansion. The street curved to the left and became Clinton.

As I continued south on Clinton I saw the dorms, the sorority and fraternity houses, the academic facilities, the restaurants, the bars, the mall, the pedmall, my bank (same building, different name) and it felt comfortable.

Even with many changes and the addition of new facilities and new commercial structures there was a sense of familiarity. It’s good to be back in Iowa City. I learned a lot during my time here. I developed friendships that still endure a few decades later. The memories are incredible.

I’m going to enjoy the Iowa Writers’ Workshop clinic (which is why I’m here) and I’m going to sit back and take in my home away from home for the next 48+ hours.

Going to Iowa City for a Writers' Workshop weekend seminar - Excited

2010-07-21T18:55:00.000-07:00

Friday I’m heading out to Iowa City for a weekend writers workshop on personal essay writing. I’m excited.

It will be 2.5 days on my own in a great university town filled with some of my best and favorite memories. It will be a solitary time for writing and reading and working out.

I’m staying at the Sheraton. It has a great gym. I’m going to work out a lot, I’m going walk around the campus. I’m going to pick up some University of Iowa stuff and I’m going take a bunch of pictures!

Stay tuned for more exciting info on my trip to Iowa City, IA!

U.S. DOJ files lawsuit to stop Arizona's new immigration law

2010-07-06T19:26:00.000-07:00

About two months ago Governor Brewer unnecessarily put the people of Arizona at unnecessary risk of economic harm and vilification by signing into law an immigration law that allows local law enforcement officers to question and detain people over their immigration status. The law is set to take effect at the end of this month (around July 29). It will certain cause Arizona's law enforcement officers to engage in racial profiling.

President Obama's Justice Department under the leadership of Attorney General Eric Holder has filed suit in federal court to challenge this new Arizona law. The lawsuit, filed today in federal court in Phoenix, states that the Arizona immigration law violates the U.S. Constitution.

According to an Associated Press article:

The case focuses heavily on the legal argument called pre-emption — an issue that has been around since the Founding Fathers declared that the laws of the United States "shall be the supreme law of the land.

In our constitutional system, the federal government has pre-eminent authority to regulate immigration matters," the lawsuit says. "This authority derives from the United States Constitution and numerous acts of Congress. The nation's immigration laws reflect a careful and considered balance of national law enforcement, foreign relations, and humanitarian interests.

The lawsuit also says that the Arizona measure will impose a huge burden on U.S. agencies in charge of enforcing immigration laws, "diverting resources and attention from the dangerous aliens who the federal government targets as its top enforcement priority.

The next step is for the case to be assigned a judge, who will decide whether to grant a preliminary injunction to temporarily block the law from taking effect.

That Arizona is struggling with a large number of undocumented immigrants cannot be basis for enacting laws that violate the rights of American citizens and lawful permanent residents. The challenges posed by the drug cartels and drug smuggling should not be used as an excuse to vilify all immigrants.

Once the federal lawsuit is resolved, hopefully in favor of striking down the Arizona law, Republicans and Democrats will be motivated to implement meaningful and comprehensive immigration reform.

Gov. Brewer reportedly said the Justice Department's lawsuit is a waste of taxpayers' money. It is a shame that our limited resources are being spent on this case, but I would respectfully note to Gov. Brewer that it was her imprudent approval of this misguided bill that made these subsequent legal measures necessary.

Gov. Brewer - you're largely to blame for the waste of time, energy and money and for the divisiveness caused by your misguided policy on undocumented immigrants.
_______________________________________________________________________________

For more information on the federal lawsuit visit FindLaw's Law & Daily Life Blog.

New York Times Recognizes Public Defenders, What about Chicago?

2010-06-18T19:50:00.000-07:00

Chicago and Cook County (and a lot of other counties in Illinois for that matter) have some of the finest criminal defense attorneys around. They work in the Cook County Public Defender's Office and in the Federal Defender Program (the Chicago equivalent of the Office of the Federal Defender in other jurisdictions).

What? You don't know about them? Hmmm... I guess that's because our local papers - the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun Times haven't bothered to write about them. That's too bad because public defenders are doing God's work - defending the damned and helping those whom no one else is willing to help in moments in the greatest need.

The New York Times seems to have a better understanding of the good work of public defenders. Recently they ran a story about the Federal Defender office in Manhattan:

When the suspect in the Times Square bombing plot appeared in a packed courtroom last month, the government’s table was full: three prosecutors and an F.B.I. agent sat side by side. At the defense table, the suspect, Faisal Shahzad, sat next to a single federal public defender, Julia L. Gatto. They seemed badly outnumbered.

But if Ms. Gatto felt that way, she gave no evidence of it as she spoke quietly with her client, seemingly oblivious to the crowd of reporters, sketch artists and spectators behind them. Mr. Shahzad looked engaged, listening to her intently.

Ms. Gatto is one of a dozen trial lawyers in the Manhattan federal defenders’ office, which each year, along with an office in White Plains, represents 1,600 people who cannot afford counsel. They find themselves defending suspects in a significant number of the cases brought by the United States attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, with its 150 prosecutors.

The New York Times article goes on to describe a David vs. Goliath story. On paper that's pretty accurate. In New York, in Illinois and I'm guessing in most every other state the public defender offices are under-funded and understaffed.

I say "on paper" because most public defenders would be loathed to allow the lack of resources to get in the way of providing first-rate representation for their clients. The smaller staff, including fewer investigators, means the public defenders and their support teams have to work harder and smarter. And they certainly do.

A friend of mine, Robert W. Johnson, from the Cook County Public Defender's Office worked his way up to the office's murder task force (an elite corps of attorneys who handle exclusively death penalty cases). Thanks to his zealous and skillful advocacy he's actually won acquittals for men who would otherwise be on death row. A few years ago he was honored as one of Cook County's best young litigators by the Chicago Lawyer magazine.

Robert left the public defender's office to help form his own firm with other former public defenders but only after spending well over a decade of his career in the trenches fighting for and defending the indigent accused.

There are a lot of other distinguished public defenders who have committed their lives to this work. They're lifers for the cause. And still others have ascended to the bench. I'd love to

Rand Paul said what?!!!! Discrimination should be lawful?!!!

2010-05-24T18:43:00.000-07:00

Rand Paul, the republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Kentucky, thinks that local businesses should be able to discriminate against me because of my race or my religion.

Stupid.

This is libertarian-thinking (Rand Paul and Tea Party style at least) for you. Stupid.

One of my friends wrote on his Facebook page that he is a libertarian but not like Rand Paul. I don't think he's alone. But then are these folks truly "libertarians"?

Or is it that libertarian thinking is not all the same? Is there a place for rational thinking and reasonableness and thoughtfulness in libertarian analysis? Okay, I'm listening - tell me more.

What are the different schools of libertarian thinking and analysis? How do libertarians understand and explain Rand Paul's belief that Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (which prohibits discrimination in public accommodations) is wrong because it is unconstitutional governmental interference with a private citizen's right to free speech?

Please help me understand. Please!

When the law promotes racial profiling, we oppose it!

2010-05-04T17:35:00.000-07:00

Upholding the law and enforcing the law fairly are important objectives in sustaining the rule of law, and ideally, justice will flow as a result. But when the law promotes something that is unlawful or even evil, then the right thing to do is to oppose it. That's what the Indians did in India in order to free themselves from British colonialism, and that's what African Americans did to defeat de jure racial discrimination in America.

About 8,000 Illinoisans rallied in support of comprehensive immigration reform in Chicago for the May Day parades. They also rallied against the new Arizona law which I (and many others) believe will promote racial profiling in Arizona. Many rally-goers also supported a boycott of Arizona until it came to its senses.

The Chicago Minuteman Project had something to say about the fervor over the Arizona law and the masses' call to boycott Arizona. Rick Biesada, reportedly a leader within the Chicago Minuteman Project, is quoted by the Chicago Tribune as saying:

"A boycott is repugnant. It doesn't make any sense. What's more important: enforcing the law or (opposing) racial profiling?"

I'm amused by Biesada's question. It's a loaded question. It suggests that the two options are mutually exclusive.

It's not a question of doing one or the other. Those of us who oppose the new anti-immigrant law in Arizona want it repealed because it promotes racial profiling and racial profiling is wrong. For the record, we are all in favor of enforcing traffic laws, criminal laws, business laws, family laws, administrative laws and all other laws that do not promote discrimination.

I'm in an interesting position because I have friends who support the Arizona law. I know they don’t support racial profiling. They just want to see something effective done to curb the problems they experience in their lives and tackling undocumented immigrants’ presence in the U.S. appears to them to be a significant way to improve their own lives. I think they see the existence of undocumented immigrants as having a negative impact on our economy and right now the bad economy is touching all of our lives in some significant way (if not us personally, then certainly someone we know).

I think this is the reason undocumented immigrants have captured the attention of a lot of people who support the Arizona law. Anti-immigrant activists are focusing on fear to advance their agenda. Many good people are falling victim to the fear. In a time when even some people in the “middle class” are struggling to find work, are at risk of losing their homes and are even struggling to put food on the table for their children, the portrait of an undocumented immigrant taking up good jobs and using public benefits like schools and emergency hospital care and even public assistance without contributing any taxes is a potent, albeit misleading, image.

The anti-immigrant activists have been very successful in duping us by playing upon our fears and have been very effective in framing the debate in terms of a very selfish, un-American self-interest perspective. I say this because I haven’t seen a lot of people get nearly as agitated over our government’s curtailment of civil liberties and the use of torture for example. There are policy issues in our society that pose equal or greater significance vis-a-vis our government and our values, but few people seem to be nearly as worked up over these issues.

I think this is because most Americans don’t feel an immediate impact from the curtailment of civil liberties or by the use of torture. To say that certain policies like searches and seizures without warrants and government access to our library usage is an affront to the constitution is too academic and remote for most of us. To argue that torture is immoral or that it goes against the core principles of our nation doesn’t have the same impact that saying undocumented immigrants are taking your jobs and stealing our tax dollars and that this is why so many Americans are facing foreclosures and can’t afford groceries.

In order to make progress on immigration reform we need to understand the issue in all of its complexities. Yes, it is a human rights issue. Do we, a nation of immigrants, really want to break up families by sending undocumented mothers and fathers home while their U.S. citizen children remain in the United States? Do we want to send 6th graders and high school kids who can’t speak Spanish, Urdu, Polish or Chinese back to their parents’ country of origin because the their parents are out of status?

It is also an economic issue. Do we have the resources to develop a domestic immigration police force that raids businesses and homes and patrols the streets in search of undocumented immigrants 24/7? Do we have what it takes financially to build the kind of border patrols and fences to secure the borders from undocumented immigrants crossing unchecked and unmonitored? What would happen to businesses that rely on immigrant labor (or on immigrants as consumers)? Wouldn’t it be more cost-effective to find a way to integrate the 11 million undocumented immigrants into our society and making them contributing and accountable members of our society?

I would like to know if my friends (and I use my friends as an informal sample set because as a group they are very diverse racially, ethnically, religiously, economically and geographically) would be as interested in deportation and border walls and harsh and impractical laws that bring with them negative consequences (i.e., the Arizona law and the resulting racial profiling) if the undocumented immigrant issue was not perceived to have a significant economic impact on their lives.

Or, to put it another way, would these same friends be so wedded to deportations if they saw a way to integrated undocumented immigrants into the social and economic aspects of American society thereby expanding our tax base and creating more accountability and responsibility across the various ethnic communities within America? My unscientific and “glass half-full” thinking suggests that they would be much more amenable to helping the currently undocumented immigrants if there was a way to do it that was feasible and which did not cause my friends' economic hardships.

Now its up to immigrants’ right advocates to convincingly frame the case for comprehensive immigration reform in a way that appeals to our self-interest. But first and foremost, the gloves need to come off and the underlying racism and hostility to immigrants (even those who are documented) espoused by the active and radical fringe needs to be exposed. Civility in public debate is very important, but a racist should be called out for his racism. We can’t let that hateful fringe wrap itself with the American flag. Racists cannot be allowed to use patriotism as cover to advance their white supremacist ideology.

So long as the racists within the anti-immigrant movement are allowed to remain hidden, they will continue to poison the well. They will continue to promote fear and hate. Rational discussions and thoughtful debate will suffer so long as the racists within the anti-immigrant movement are allowed to continue their strategy unchecked.

First they don't want to observe MLK Day, Now this... Boycott AZ - again?

2010-04-26T20:38:00.000-07:00

I've heard so many nice things about Arizona. I've been kicking around the idea of visiting the state when my beloved Iowa Hawkeyes football team rolls into Arizona to play the University of Arizona this coming September and of course there are 3 BCS bowl games to be played in Arizona in December and January. And then there's the Grand Canyon too.

But I have brown skin, I am an immigrant, and I have a funny name. And I never carry my certificate of naturalization. Honestly, do I want to go to Arizona, get pulled over by a cop who may be very well-meaning but who asks me for "my papers" and when I can't prove that I am lawfully in the U.S. during the traffic stop, risk getting thrown in the slammer until someone can fax or Fed Ex a copy of my naturalization papers to the state trooper or sheriff's office where I'm being held? Hell no.

So, I guess I'm going to have to boycott Arizona for now. I don't want to - I think my Hawkeyes may play twice in Arizona this coming season (sorry - I'm not going to jinx it... no more about the Hawkeyes and the BCS... ) - but what other choice do I have?

It sounds like I'm not alone in avoiding Arizona for the time being. The New York Times is reporting that others are thinking about this strategy too.

A spreading call for an economic boycott of Arizona after its adoption of a tough immigration law that opponents consider racially discriminatory worried business leaders on Monday and angered the governor. The New York Times

I'm not necessarily thinking about the "B" word as an advocacy or protest tactic. I just don't want the hassle of compounding my problems. I'm already a slow drive, and if I'm down there for Hawkeyes' football game then I'll probably be a bit obnoxious as well. So I may run the risk of getting pulled over for driving too slowly or for being to loud and obnoxious at the local sports bar. I don't need that headache.

But maybe it makes sense to apply some organized pressure on Arizona. Apparently the state didn't want to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day when it was first made a national holiday. Americans imposed a boycott on Arizona back then and the good people of Arizona finally came around to the rest of the country's way of thinking. But it did take some pressure and some of that pressure apparently came from a boycott.

The calls for a boycott are coming from a variety of places:

Several immigrant advocates and civil rights groups, joined by members of the San Francisco government, said the state should pay economic consequences for the new law, which gives the police broad power to detain people they reasonably suspect are illegal immigrants and arrest them on state charges if they do not have legal status. The New York Times

Oh boy. The Latino community's newspapers are getting into the fray as are some notable civil rights folks:

La Opinión, the nation’s largest Spanish-language newspaper, urged a boycott in an editorial Monday, as did the Rev. Al Sharpton, and calls for such action spread to social media sites. The New York Times

Al Sharpton's on board. Ay caramba Arizona! Y'all better re-think this thing ASAP or Rev. Sharpton's going to have a field day with this new profiling law.

Yes, I know I called it a profiling law. In Arizona they call it just a "law" but that's not really accurate. It's not just another "law". It's a law that gives the police the power to question people about their immigration status. Apparently one can be taken into custody if the police suspect you of being undocumented.

I've heard some talking heads say that "Well, police are good people and they know how to articulate reasonable suspicion when it comes to drunk driving or narcotics sales and so this will be just one more area in which they will have to exercise their good judgment." Well, that's not exactly right, is it?

Cars that swerve, fail to use proper turn signals, drive too fast or stop too fast or commit other traffic offenses get pulled over. Then, if the officer sees, smells or hears things that suggest that driver may be impaired, then a breath test or a field sobriety test can be administered and based on the results of all of that, a police officer can elevate the reasonable suspicion to probable cause and then arrest the offending individual.

Now, let's say the officer sees a broken tail light on a car and pulls it over. That's a legitimate stop. The police officer goes over to driver. "License, registration and proof of insurance please" asks the officer. The driver hands it all over and the officer looks at it.

"Juan-aid?" What kind of name is "Juan-aid" thinks the officer. He peers into the car, squints his eyes at the driver and then, out of the blue says "Boy, what are you?"

"What?" asks the driver. "What'd you mean sir?"

"Are you black, white or what son?" responds the officer.

"Um, I'm from India sir so I guess I'm not black or white" responds the driver. Now the driver's sweating. He knows there's a new law in Arizona and guess what - "Juan-aid" didn't bring his naturalization certificate to ballpark today. Not his lucky day.

The officer sees "Juan-aid" looking a bit nervous. "Hmmm" thinks the officer. "Kid's from India, and India isn't America. Looks like its time to ask for some more documents."

"Son, I need to see some proof of your immigration status" orders the officer.

"You've got my driver's license sir - that and my student ID from the University of Iowa is all I have" replies "Juan-aid".

"Iowa?" asks the officer and then continues, "Son I need something like your legal permanent resident card or a work visa. Or maybe your birth certificate but I can't see how that'll help since you said you were from India."

"I'm a U.S. citizen, sir" mumbles "Juan-aid". He's getting a bit dizzy because he's not breathing. What the hell is going to happen now he wonders.

"Okay. Show me your birth certificate or a certificate of naturalization or a passport" orders the officer.

"Ah, yeah, well you see sir, I ah, um, I..."

"Step out the car son."

"Okay."

"Juan-aid" steps out of the car. The officer looks him up and down. Guy looks more latino than Indian to me he thinks to himself. In either case, how can I be sure he is legally in the U.S. he wonders.

And so "Juan-aid" gets detained until his parents can get him his naturalization certificate from their home in Illinois. Of course, when the police receive the naturalization certificate the picture looks nothing like the 29 year old sitting in the police holding cell. That's because the naturalization certificate sports a picture of "Juan-aid" when it was curly-haired, chubby 12 year old with even darker skin than he has now (the picture was taken in the summer back in the days of baseball all day long during summer vacations).

This is scenario is hardly impossible to imagine. I've had a police officer once ask me this very question "Boy, what are you? Are you black or white or what?" I've often been mistaken for a latino and my name (Junaid) is somethings read as "Juan-aid". So, in this fictitious scenario (based on some historically factual events from my own life) what basis or grounds will the officer use to decide whether or not to ask me about my immigration status? Let's not kid ourselves folks. It's going to be the look (hair, skin color, etc) and perhaps the name. In my case I had a perfectly midwestern accent, but what if I had a foreign accent to my English? That might be added to the mix too.

In my book that's called racial profiling, and thanks, but no thanks. So, until this crazy law gets repealed, I think I'm going to have to go with the "B" word when it comes to Arizona. I'm not doing because Rev. Sharpton said to, but I'm with him on this one all the same.

Corinne Michelle Pierog for Illinois State Senate

2010-04-25T19:56:00.000-07:00

I attended Corinne Pierog's fundraiser at John Barleycorn's restaurant this afternoon. I'm glad I went. I had a chance to meet Corinne, her husband Robert, some of her neighbors and friends and a bunch of other folks. She comes across as very genuine.

I first heard about Corinne through Facebook. Later I got a call from Dean Argiris - I met Dean last year when he was working with Senator Noland - inviting me to walk in a parade with Corinne in Hoffman Estates. I wasn't able to make it to that parade so when I heard about this fundraiser in Schaumburg I decided to go and meet Corinne (Dean was at the fundraiser too).

I got there early - I was probably one of the first to arrive - so it gave me a chance to meet and speak with Corinne. It was clear to me from speaking with her that she's a smart and successful person. I look forward to hearing more about her ideas and policies, but I firmly believe that the men and women whom we elected to represent us must not only be smart but also they must be genuine in their commitment to serve the people. I've been lucky in that the folks I've gotten to know really well are genuinely concerned about serving their constituents (Senator Noland and Rep. Crespo are two such individuals).

I'm not sure that there has been much competition in the 28th State Senate district as of late. Currently the seat is held by a Republican. It's good to see our Democratic Party helping some new blood come up and take a shot at serving the community in this way. These races need the support of the party in order to be reasonably competitive. It looks like she may be getting some of that much needed support.

Visit Corinne's campaign website and learn more about her and then make a decision for yourself. I know she'd like the support of donors and volunteers in the 28th State Senate district, but I think support from beyond her district would be welcomed as well.

Racial profiling happens anyhow - AZ's new law just protects those who engage in it

2010-04-24T09:08:00.000-07:00

Arizona's new anti-immigrant law will not cause racial profiling - it already happens. What the new law will do is cause racial profiling to increase. What the new law will also do is give cover to bigots who are already racially profiling people, and it will put pressure on others to engage in it, albeit unwittingly, because in the end the implementation of the law will not be possible without racial profiling.

The Associated Press is reporting that Gov. Jan Brewer says the new law will be implemented with zero tolerance for racial profiling. How is that going to be possible? Again the Associated Press reports:

The law requires police to question people about their immigration status — including asking for identification — if they suspect someone is in the country illegally.

What factors will the law enforcement officer review to develop a reasonable suspicion? The color of a person's skin? The clothing they wear? Their accent? What?

I know from personal experience that people do racially profile. In 1988 I was in the Hoffman Estates Village Hall to register to vote. I was home from college and it must have been getting close to the deadline to vote (it was a presidential election year and my first time as an eligible voter) because there were people in front of me also registering.

The woman helping us took care of the man who was just ahead of me in line. I was listing and watching what he was being asked because I wasn't sure I had everything I needed. Once she finished with him, I stepped up and asked to register to vote. The woman gave me the form and as I was filling it out she asked me if I had proof of citizenship. I had my drivers license and my University of Iowa student ID card but nothing else.

The woman behind the counter told me that I needed proof of citizenship before I could register. The guy in front of me wasn't asked this question. I was. We were different. He was white. I am brown. I don't know what his name was, but mine - Junaid Afeef - was clearly not a typical Anglo-American name (at least less so in 1988!). But that's it. Our clothing was about the same. We both spoke English and we both had the same midwestern accent. It had to be the name and the color of my skin that made her ask this question (especially since, even then, it wasn't something that could be asked).

I shudder to think what would happen to me or my family if I were visiting Arizona, and in the midst of a traffic stop, was asked to show proof of my immigration status. We don't carry around our naturalization certificates. I don't carry my children's birth certificates with me. Would we be detained? Would the law enforcement officer be justified in asking us these questions? What if was trying to harass me intentionally - how would I prove it?

This law and most of the "get tough on immigration" policies are short-sighted and ineffective. Are we really going to build big walls across our borders? Do we really have the money to militarize our borders in a manner that will effectively prevent undocumented immigrants from entering our country? Do we have the money to identify, detain and deport all of the undocumented immigrants already living in our country? Do we have the stomach to penalize children of undocumented immigrants by denying them public services such as education and basic healthcare? I think the answer to all of these questions is "No".

It's time to get beyond these short-sighted policies and on to more effective and rational efforts.

Veterans and law enforcement agents up close and personal...

2010-04-20T20:00:00.000-07:00

I spent the day today with several law enforcement folks. Some were also military veterans. This isn't a demographic I know very well, so today was a great opportunity to expand my horizons. And while I was at it, I also got to enjoy the company of some very decent people.

Some of my friends from college are currently or ex-military, but the people I spent time with today are all about 20 years older than me so it's a different generation. Some of these men were Vietnam veterans as well.

What I really enjoyed was hearing about their personal lives - their childhood, their families, their concerns about their health and their professional aspirations. Although I've never been in trouble with the law myself, most of the law enforcement people who have left lasting impressions with me are associated with bad experiences (mostly from my years practicing criminal law).

Today's long and casual conversations were a welcomed opportunity to help me better appreciate these individuals as individuals and not just as a group (cops). I had to drive to downstate Illinois for a meeting and my colleague from the office who accompanied me is a law enforcement professional. During our 3 hour long car ride he shared with me his passion for teaching students at a community college. He called the students "my kids". I liked that. He told me stories about his experiences as a police officer, mistakes he'd made, things he'd learned and memories he cherished.

After a few hours of conversation I think my colleague felt comfortable enough that he shared with me the story of how he and his wife adopted a baby from South America, the challenges they faced in the long adoption process, the challenges their adopted son had early on, and his admission to college and his plans to study pharmacy and quite a bit more.

Throughout it all he stopped from time to time to apologize for boring me. I asked him to go on - it was very interesting to hear someone speak with passion about the things he loved.

Later in the evening I went out to dinner with another set of folks who were going to be at my meeting tomorrow morning. They too were law enforcement officers and some of them were veterans as well.

One of my fellow diners flew helicopters in the Army in Vietnam. He talked about the experiences of flying combat missions in Vietnam. I found his stories remarkable because the tone of his narrative was matter-of-fact and he didn't glorify the war or his role in it.

It was particularly endearing to hear him shift gears as our conversation moved to Chicago and his experiences in the big city (he is a law enforcement officer in southern Illinois). The man who, only moments ago, was telling us about his combat experience in Vietnam now told us that Chicago traffic and the big highways and aggressive drivers really scared him. You had to be there. It was as much the way he spoke as what he said, but it was genuine.

On our walk back from the restaurant to our hotel I chatted with another law enforcement officer who was also from southern Illinois. Like me, he was mostly listening during dinner. He was a father of three boys - two were in their twenties and the third was 8 years old.

He told me about the surprise he and his wife experienced when they learned they were going to have another child, the initial sense of surprise and a bit of disappointment (over all spoiled empty nester plans) followed by the gratitude and love when their son was born. He told me how fortunate he felt to be able to spend time with his young son and he compared it with the relationship he had with his parents which was much different. His father died when he was 13 years old. His mother didn't have a lot of time for playing so the bulk of their interactions were "good job" or a spanking depending on what he did.

He wasn't bitter about it. On the contrary, I sensed a tone of a loving memory in his voice.

It's been a while since I've had such open and unstructured conversations. There was no agenda. These folks just opened up and spoke freely without much prompting from me. For my part I enjoyed the stories and appreciated the opportunity to get a glimpse into the lives and experiences of people I might not normally interact with in this way.

"Crash of the Titans" - boooorrrrriiiinnnng....

2010-04-06T06:27:00.000-07:00

When it comes to movies I'm easy to please. I like action movies. I'm a big fan of "Conan the Barbarian" for example. But this weekend I went to see "Clash of the Titans" in 2D and was very disappointed. It was a boring movie.

I'm not too critical of bad acting but in this movie there wasn't any acting - at all. It was a bunch of actors reciting lines. Hades was bad and Zeus came in a close second.

And the lines themselves - awful. Seriously, the lines the script was awful.

I rank this movie as one of the worst movies I've seen in a theater. It is down in the dumps and in the same company as "No Retreat, No Surrender" - a karate fighter movie that was so bad I had to walk out of the theater because I couldn't bear to sit through it.

With "Clash of the Titans" I didn't walk out of the theater. But frankly that was largely because I was visiting with my in-laws for the weekend and I didn't have my laptop and so there were very few entertainment alternatives.

What kind of parents raised the bullies at South Hadley High School?

2010-03-31T06:10:00.000-07:00

It is a sad commentary on our community when our children are no longer safe at school. It's not just guns and drugs. Its not just fist fights. Nope. I'm talking about bullying. It is dangerous and it can be lethal but it's not inevitable and it can be stopped.

What happened to Phoebe Prince at South Hadley High School in Massachusetts (she was an Irish immigrant high school student who was hazed, raped, taunted, berated and stalked - in person, in school, on the phone and online - and tormented so much that she committed suicide earlier this year) is revolting and vile.

Right now the media attention is on the school's teachers and administrators. They knew about the bullying and did little to stop it. Maybe these teachers and administrators who turned a blind eye to Phoebe's plight need to loss their jobs and their pensions. I'm guessing there are good people who need those jobs and are willing to work harder than the teachers and administrators on whose watch Phoebe was tormented.

But I want to know about the mothers and fathers and guardians of the bullies who tortured Phoebe Prince. What kind of people are they? How did they allow their children to become so cruel in the first place?

I am hard-pressed to believe that the mothers and fathers of these bullies are nice people. These kids learned their cruelty and their mean-spiritedness somewhere and I believe it was likely in their homes from their family members.

It cringe when I'm with my family in a public place and I see parents cussing or behaving rudely in the presence of their kids. That behavior leaves a mark. And what I see is probably just the tip of the iceberg.

I'd like to see the parents of these kids held accountable for creating such little monsters. Phoebe Prince's family should sue the parents' of the bullies in civil court for allowing their kids to do what they did. Hit'em where it hurts - in the wallet - because I have a feeling these parents will play up the innocent victim role during the criminal proceedings. It isn't until cold, hard cash is taken from them vis-a-vis a judgment that the lightbulb will turn on in their heads that their crappy parenting has consequences for them directly.

As a parent I worry as much about my kids being bullies as I do about them being bullied. I see how my young children can be really self-centered and mean to one another. If that behavior is not checked, and if the right lessons are not taught early on and I am not vigilant in observing my children in school, on the playground and in other social settings, I may raise a bully too. That scares the hell out of me.

Shahid Buttar on coming together...

2010-03-30T07:55:00.000-07:00

Shahid Buttar is the executive director of the Bill of Rights Defense Committee in Washington, DC. Before that he was an attorney with Muslim Advocates out in San Francisco, CA. In addition to being a very successful and intelligent attorney, Shahid is also a gifted artist.

Check out Shahid Buttar in this You Tube performance about coming together across our complicated and multi-layered personal identities and understanding one another. It's a topic/issue/challenge that I think about a lot. His line about fraternity guys was a tadbit one-dimensional but I'm not going to hold it against him!

Here it is, enjoy:

Canceling the prom to avoid a gay couple's attendance?

2010-03-22T16:21:00.000-07:00

Canceling the prom to avoid a lesbians attending together as a couple? Well, I suppose its okay if its a private school, but in Mississippi it's happening at a public school.

On what basis is the Itawamba County School District canceling the prom? They probably assumed (correctly) that they'd get into trouble with civil rights types if they simply banned the lesbian couple while letting the prom go on.

But alas the prom is not a tradition to be canceled so easily! According to the Personal Liberty Digest the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has joined a lawsuit seeking an injunction in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi to stop the cancellation of the prom.

Some of the comments at the Personal Liberty Digest site decry the "special treatment" being sought for the lesbian students. I fail to see how they are seeking "special treatment". If the students and or the parents disagree with the choices of gay or lesbian students, then they certainly have the right to not attend the prom.

At the end of the day, whether students boycott the prom or the prom gets canceled - all because of the lesbian couple issue - there is a question of tolerance that remains to be resolved.

I read and enjoyed Brad Thor's "The Lions of Lucerne" - Should I feel guilty?

2010-03-22T10:33:00.000-07:00

I borrowed a paperback novel from a colleague at work. It was Brad Thor's "The Lions of Lucerne". It was an easy and entertaining read. I'm always curious about the authors and when I saw from the back page of the paper back that Thor lives in Chicago. This piqued my curiosity and I did a google search.

It turns out Thor is quite the conservative. He's a Fox News conservative. Supposedly he frequent's Glen Beck's show. Ugh.

To make matters worse, Thor is reportedly an anti-Muslim bigot. Another of his books, "The Last Patriot: A Thriller" is reportedly so anti-Muslim that it was banned in Saudi Arabia and has raised the ire of very moderate and mainstream American Muslim intellectuals such as Bob Crane.

That is a damn shame because the book was very readable, the main character - Scot Harvath - was very likable and the story was fast-paced. What was particularly nice was that the book provided a lot of closure. There were several chapters that tied up a lot of the loose ends and told me exactly how things wound up for Scot Harvath.

At some point I'll have to read "The Last Patriot: A Thriller" and decide for myself if it is as bad as some say it is, but in the meantime I'm not ready to foreclose on Thor just yet. It may be a while before I get to "The Last Patriot: A Thriller" because next up on my reading list is "Path of the Assassin" which picks up the Scot Harvath story right where "The Lions of Lucerne" ends.