Put true icon of America on $20 bill
July 16, 2002
No two news stories confront American values more than the reparations debate and a drawn-out refurbishing of our paper currency. Why?
Because all the men on U.S. paper money were slaveholders, with the exception of Abraham Lincoln. Two of our four commonly used coins also feature slave-owning former presidents.
There's George Washington on the paper dollar and quarter; Thomas Jefferson on the $2 currency and the nickel. Alexander Hamilton is on the $10 bill. Andrew Jackson on the $20 was a slaveholder, a slave dealer and a killer of American Indians. Ulysses S. Grant on the $50 and Ben Franklin on the $100 owned slaves.
All of these men also made contributions to the United States. Perhaps in doing so they redeemed themselves. But the memories of slaveholding and the need for reparations to African Americans in the 21st century demand something better.
It is difficult to teach children values, warn other nations of the evils of slavery and eradicate servitude in the world while we venerate former slaveholders. While hypocritical at least, our position also causes other nations to stop and wonder what the United States is all about.
Hamilton and Franklin funded and became leaders of abolition movements later in life. Grant defeated the slaveholding Southern states. Washington led the military during our revolution against Britain. Jefferson, a cheerleader for exploration and expansion, put the United States on the path of greatness.
Jackson occupies the bill most used in the United States. Go to the ATM or the 7-Eleven: His image is on the $20 bill that is used to buy a doughnut, a magazine or a gallon of milk. We pay with a slaveholder flashing us a dour look. During Jackson's presidency (1829-37) slavery was acceptable in this country. However, that was long ago and needs to be forgotten.
The $20 bill is targeted as the first to be colorized in 2003. We should take the remake further and change Jackson's portrait to a totally different symbol. We could replace Jackson with Martin Luther King delivering his 1963 ''I Have a Dream'' speech; or an allegory of liberty, like the United States used to have; or women leading a civil rights march, or a table of multiracial participants wrestling with today's problems. Any idea would be better than Andrew Jackson the slaveholder staring at us.
(Chicago, IL…) January 13, 2002 &endash; Dobmeyer News Service: Geoffrey Stone, an University of Chicago law professor told an audience at St. Pauls United Church of Christ in Chicago, "The greatest danger to the loss of civil rights in a self-governing society is compliancy by its citizens."
Stone the former dean of the Law School and U of C Provost cited three historical examples of the US government overreaching in responding to the fervor of the times and passing wrong laws that abrogated the civil rights of people in this country. Anti-sedition measures from 1798, World War I era espionage laws and Japanese incarceration edicts in 1942 were cited as measures responding to pressures of the time, but despite all being upheld by US Supreme Court reviews were ultimately seen as wrong.
Stone said, "History has shown that the US has over reacted, then rejected those actions after the conflict are over."
Stone did not think we were headed in that direction at this time despite around 600 people being detained, a new type of racial profiling going on with people of Arab descent and the threat of military tribunals being used. He didn't think the US was on the verge of committing the same errors of past conflicts.
Because the US is not currently involved in a major military action a "softer approach" regarding the lessening of civil rights may be taking hold. But, he did say things could heat up if military actions accelerate.
Stone also cited that 75 percent of American people support President George W. Bush's handling of the reaction to the September 11th events and that overwhelming support depreciates societal concern about the loss of civil rights. Stone said, "Until an average American can understand what people of Arab descent are going through in terms of the loss of civil rights, there will be little opposition to the US government policies being implemented."
The forum was co-sponsored by Protestants for the Common Good.
by Rich Miller
WED., AUGUST 8, 2001
RYAN
(Editor's Note: Doug Dobmeyer was the perfect person to cover Governor Ryan's big announcement yesterday. Dobmeyer is an activist/reporter, and currently runs the Illinois Coalition Against the Death Penalty. Governor Ryan is loved around the world - everywhere except Illinois, that is - for his stand against the death penalty. Dobmeyer, like Ryan, knows a thing or two about fighting uphill battles. So, Doug grabbed his notebook and headed to the sweltering heat of Kankakee, while I watched the whole thing on TV in air-conditioned comfort and then drove to the North Side to do a public television show. Here's his report.)
If people expected George Ryan to leave the governor's office on a stretcher they were sorely disappointed yesterday. Ryan went out fighting, and leaving the impression that the last 17 months of his tenure would be feisty.
The media assembled on the presidential style podium in front of the rostrum, which afforded the ten TV cameras and the print and radio reporters a hometown taste of big-time happenings.
Afterward, former governor Jim Thompson would hold court in place of George Ryan, who disappeared into the county court house when he wrapped up his speech.
It was conventional wisdom that Ryan wouldn't run for re-election. But totally unexpected was the way Ryan whacked the GOP right wing on his way out the political door. He also cooed more than once about Lt. Governor Corrine Wood.
In the end, Ryan bowed to the power of the polls, wishing to preserve a 34-year history of no election losses, and realizing the reality of a traumatic primary fight and the unresolved CDL mystery that promised to continue dogging his campaign.
The thousand people on the lawn of the stately Kankakee County Court House came ready to celebrate a successful native son. The flags, red, white and blue balloons as well as the George Ryan fans to chase the hot breezes all pointed to an upbeat time.
But they also knew about the governor's record because George Ryan recited his accomplishments for a half hour. Ryan's speech followed praise by Senate President James "Pate" Philip, House Republican leader Lee Daniels and his brother, Tom Ryan, the former Mayor of Kankakee, who all extolled the virtues of the Republican leadership most recently under Ryan's direction. Ryan's brother made his pitch for a new jail because the old one is "unsafe." You can look for that item in the next budget as a parting gift to Kankakee.
Ryan defined his own legacy as three major items: Illinois First public works program, his precedent-setting trip to Cuba and his more notable moratorium on the use of the death penalty in Illinois. While he may have felt compelled to highlight Illinois First, it will over the years be easily confused with Jim Thompson's Build Illinois and forgotten. His trip to Cuba may also fall victim to the minor footnote category because of the lack of follow up by other governors and the US government. The moratorium will remain a notable accomplishment because of the mark its had on the discussion of the death penalty in this country and elsewhere. No national media story on the death penalty fails to mention George Ryan's moratorium.
Ryan kept people waiting for his decision on whether to seek reelection. Toward the end he said, "I'm not done yet." Of course reporters scribbled and people whispered, "he's running."
He remained upbeat until he said something weird for a politician, "The governorship should not become mired in political divisions of the campaign year."
Ryan in a defiant tone defended his controversial decisions of fairness for people and said, "I can take the heat, but I worry for the Republican Party," warning the Republicans to moderate their positions. He advocated gaining new markets for Illinois products, getting rid of outmoded ideologies and showing real compassion for the poor.
Soon after in a sentence near the end of the speech he said he would "not be a candidate for the Republican nomination for governor." After the build-up, the ending was a disappointment. His reason for not going for re-election seemed shallow - like he shuffled options A and B and drew B and half-heartedly read the speech.
The people who braved the sweltering 90-degree heat discovered they were there for a political wake. It was a classy end to a long history of elective offices that Ryan has held from Kankakee County Board to Governor. Ryan has probably secured a spot as the quintessential midwestern governor. But, he's also seeking to be seen as a graceful elder statesman. Whether that happens or not depends on the final 17 months as governor and the eventual outcome of the CDL scandal. Ryan may have a fine future ahead of him on the lecture circuit and as an advocate for meaningful changes in the penal system.
But one thing is certain; he's no longer encumbered by having to please people in a reelection bid.
Oh, one more thing. Ryan didn't mention his $3.5 million campaign kitty he has. That kind of money still makes George Ryan a player on the political scene in Illinois.
© 2001 BY AHEAD OF OUR TIME PUBLISHING, INC.
CHICAGO, IL. July 9, 2001 (CN)--A vision of the Virgin Mary has been reported in the far northside Chicago community of Rogers Park. The vision last week is believed by onlookers to have left an image of the Madonna on the tree knot. Hundreds of people have come to venerate the image on the knot of the tree by a bus stop. The knot, an oval shaped wound where a former branch was located has a small growth that resembles a standing Madonna like image. The knot measures approximately seven inches by four inches.
The tree at the corner of Rogers Avenue and Honore Street is now the scene of a shrine of votive candles, flowers, rosaries, pictures and requests for assistance. The crowds that have ranged from 20, to more than 100 stood watch over the weekend.
(Note: Dobmeyer News Service reports on news stories of interest. Doug is a former reporter for City News USA, lives a half block from the tree in this story.)