A new term is seeping into the American lexicon called “Christian nationalism.” It’s a misguided belief that the United States was founded as a Christian nation. I’ve read the original writings of many of our founding fathers, and this notion is just nonsense. Thomas Jefferson used his razor to redact portions of the Bible that […]
Scott Reeder
Scott Reeder is a staff writer at Illinois Times.
Posted inNews
The growing GOP gap
To win the Illinois governorship, Republican candidate Darren Bailey needs to capture the votes of moderate and independent voters, particularly in the suburbs, and there is serious doubt whether he can accomplish this, former Gov. Jim Edgar told Illinois Times. “There really aren’t many moderates left in the Republican Party. So, when you talk about […]
Posted inNews
Sign of the times
An Italian saint who has become a touchstone in the culture wars over abortion will have a massive shrine and education center erected in her honor in Springfield on the grounds of the former Chiara Center. The site at 4875 Laverna Road will be located near what has been the motherhouse of the Hospital Sisters […]
Posted inOpinion
A journalist who did what was right
Who would sacrifice a job they loved to reveal a wrong committed against a child? Very few would. In fact, in my 35 years in journalism, I’ve met only one such person. Just one. In our society we talk a good game about how much we treasure children. But it’s a lie. Kids are violated […]
Posted inOpinion
Crossing the line
There is little sympathy for a rat. On July 25, a giant, inflatable rat rose 15 feet in front of Staab Funeral Homes in Springfield, and a woman came out of the business and repeatedly stabbed the rodent with a knife. The rat is intended to call public attention to companies employing nonunion labor. John […]
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Crime and punishment
It was an odd theft and even odder punishment. After the wife of a Springfield orthopedic surgeon stole a $273 set of pajamas from a boutique while on vacation in Florida and was arrested for retail theft, a Florida judge came up with a unique punishment: publication of her photo, along with the offense she […]
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Inflatable rat stabbed at Staab Funeral Homes
A 15-foot-tall rat met its demise in front of a Springfield funeral home Monday. It all started when a group of union roofers were protesting outside Staab Funeral Homes, 1109 S. Fifth St. They objected to the longtime Springfield business using nonunion labor. As part of the protest, they inflated a giant rat, which is […]
Posted inOpinion
Choosing your battles
Two of the biggest contributors to hard-core, Trump-supported candidates are not who you might guess: Gov. JB Pritzker and U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Pritzker and his allies spent $30 million trying to help Sen. Darren Bailey, a Trump devotee, to be the Republican gubernatorial nominee. Pelosi worked hard to see that two Colorado “Make […]
Posted inOpinion
Horsing around
“If you eat horse meat, Daddy, I’m going to throw up right in front of you.” So decreed my 14-year-old daughter this month as we sat across from one another in a restaurant in Iceland. I’d never tasted horseflesh before. But over the years I’ve written quite a bit about the debate in the Illinois […]
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Prose and cons
It’s a graduate school with concertina wire. On June 15, a group of inmates received master’s degrees within the walls of an Illinois prison, for the first time in the state’s history. The program, which started at Stateville Correctional Center, a maximum-security men’s prison, has expanded to the state’s main women’s prison in Lincoln. The […]
Posted inOpinion
When Illinois politicians choose their voters
Democracy may not be dead in Illinois, but it’s circling the drain. It’s the dirty little secret of the Illinois General Assembly; most members aren’t so much elected as anointed. The majority party in the General Assembly has gerrymandered legislative districts in a manner designed to ensure its continued control. That’s part of the reason […]
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Mary Miller trumps Rodney Davis
Three days after former president Donald Trump stumped for her in Illinois, U.S. Rep. Mary Miller won the GOP nomination in the 15th Congressional District, defeating fellow incumbent U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis. With 83% of the estimated vote counted, Miller had 57.5% of the vote to Davis’ 42.5%. It was a resounding victory for the freshman congresswoman […]
