THE PEACE MEAL
Don’t be surprised if the next nun you see is looking a wee bit peckish.
Beginning this Friday, and every Friday, the Dominican Sisters of Springfield
are joining an international fast for peace in Iraq.
“We felt we needed a strong symbolic way to express our solidarity with the
Iraqi people,” says Sister Marcelline Koch, a member of the congregation’s leadership
team. Koch adds the Dominicans also are concerned for the soldiers deployed
there.
HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?
The Jack Ryan campaign’s decision to send a cameraman to shadow Barack
Obama has ticked off at least one powerful Chicago Democrat.
Alderman Edward Burke, known as “the dean” of the Chicago City Council, last
week proposed a ban on “camera stalking” anywhere in the Windy City.
Burke is angry about recent reports of the Ryan campaign’s aggressive monitoring
of Obama, which included videotaping Obama’s telephone conversations with his
wife, Michelle, and following the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate to the
restroom.
The Ryan campaign says it’s just making sure Obama says the same thing to
voters in all parts of Illinois.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Burke said the practice of following
Obama “brings the democratic process to the lowest level I have ever seen.”
The Tribune noted that Burke has served on the council during “many”
city contracting scandals, and corruption indictments and convictions.
THE GOLDEN TOUCH
Larry Golden, professor emeritus of Political Studies and Legal studies
at the University of Illinois at Springfield, was named one of five recipients
of the Courageous Voices Awards by the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs. Golden,
a charter member in 1970 of Sangamon State University’s faculty, helped develop
the lawsuit that led to the desegregation of District 186 schools. He was involved
in the Voting Rights lawsuit that ended Springfield’s commission form of city
government. He also is a founder of The Springfield Project and the Downstate
Illinois Innocence Project. Golden retires from UIS this summer.
This article appears in Jun 3-9, 2004.
