The University of Illinois at Springfield’s Abraham Lincoln Presidential Center for Governmental Studies was the latest victim of the governor’s own style of politics. In July 2003, the Center was stripped of its $1.5 million state appropriation to carry out academic programming in conjunction with the soon to open Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum […]
Opinion
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Your Turn . . . 10-2-03
Article in poor taste Dear editor, I must say I did not appreciate the recent article on the 233rd M.P. Battalion stationed in Iraq [“Wrong moves, right moves,” September 18]. To compare Infantry with Military Police is like comparing the Boy Scouts with the Girl Scouts. First of all, I am ex-infantry and very proud […]
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Roadside attraction
I spent much of my childhood on a farm in rural Iroquois County. One of my most pointless chores was mowing the ditches. It was dangerous work. The mower–or the tractor, depending on the ditch–could tip over while you were negotiating the steep inclines. I heard lots of harrowing stories about farmers (my granddad included) […]
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Your Turn . . . 9-25-03
Half the loaf To the editor: My Illinois Times “Best of Springfield” issue [September 18] is still warm from the printing press as I hammer out this letter of protest. I’m sure you’ll be besieged with letters of outrage complaining about the people’s choice for “Best Fire Hydrant” or “Best Snow Plow Guy,” but this […]
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Your Turn . . . 9-18-03
Hats off to Gentleman Joe Dear sir: Thank you very much for the wonderful article on Mr. Joe Bonefeste [“Il Professore,” September 11]. This gentleman, who is 81 years young, is a fascinating conversationalist whom we consider a dear friend. This past Fourth of July we had the honor of enjoying a band concert with […]
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Dueling Democrats
Let’s continue our examination of U.S. Senate candidates. This time, the Democrats: • Dan Hynes. Obviously the man to beat. State Comptroller Hynes has lined up big-time labor support, he has the backing of most county chairmen, and he has put together a good organization. He’s already won two statewide elections by wide margins. So […]
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The lighter side of Tikrit
TIKRIT, IRAQ – Tikrit is Saddam Hussein’s hometown. The place was showered with goodies while he was running Iraq, so its residents have been more than a little reluctant to praise their new masters. Throughout the city, the walls are covered with graffiti, most of it lauding the former dictator: “Down with Americans, We love […]
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Wrong moves, right moves
FALLUJAH, IRAQ – “Ego Buster” was painted clearly on the side of an American tank that rumbled past the Fallujah police headquarters. Below the tank’s name, its crew had painted a motto: “1-2 to the head.” The tank was part of a convoy of heavily armored U.S. infantry vehicles patrolling Fallujah, while a handful of […]
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Republican roundup
This seems like a good time to rate our various U.S. Senate candidates. Let’s start with the Republicans. • Jack Ryan. A handsome multimillionaire with three Ivy League degrees, he quit his career as an investment banker and went to work as a teacher in an inner-city school. This guy could catch fire. He’s putting […]
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Grim realities
BAGHDAD, IRAQ – Fadia was crying when we arrived, but she quickly explained that it wasn’t serious. The teenager was hungry and had a stomachache. The pain would soon pass, she said, as tears welled up in her red and swollen eyes. Her family’s home–in a tiny, poverty-stricken Christian ghetto in Baghdad–was one of my […]
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Prisoners of war
BAGHDAD, IRAQ – The American soldiers smashed through 68-year-old Ali Ahmed’s door at 2:30 in the morning. According to Ali, the Americans roughed up one of his four sons, then handcuffed everyone except his wife and 12-year-old boy. The soldiers ransacked their tiny apartment, took what little money they had, and finally hauled Ali and […]
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Groveling for 50 bucks per month
BAGHDAD, IRAQ – The line sometimes stretches a mile long. Former soldiers and employees of the Iraqi Army, 400,000 in all, are paid a $50- per-month “pension” by the occupying forces. The only catch is, they have to stand in line to get the money. The lines in Baghdad are the worst. There is only […]
